- Jerry Augustine has spent most of his life in Wisconsin. He was born in Green Bay and grew up in nearby Kewannee. Augustine was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in 1974. He was in the minors in 1974 and in 1975. Jerry had a September call-up in 1975 and was 2-0 with a 3.04 ERA in 5 games.
- Augustine made the Milwaukee ballclub in 1976. Jerry was a reliever for the first two months of the season and he became a starter in mid-June. Augustine had his best year in 1976 (9-12, 3.30 ERA in 39 games/24 starts).
- Jerry was a full-time starter in 1977. He went 12-18 with a 4.48 ERA in 33 starts. Augustine was mostly a starter again in 1978 (13-12, 4.54 ERA in 35 games/30 starts).
- The Brewers moved Augustine to the bullpen in 1979. Jerry would be a reliever and spot starter for the Brewers through the 1984 season. Augustine was 9-6 with 5 saves and had a 3.47 ERA in 43 games (2 starts) in 1979.
- Jerry was often used as a situational lefty out of the bullpen in the last few years of his career.
- 1980: 4-3, 2 saves, 4.52 ERA in 39 games (1 start)
- 1981: 2-2, 2 saves, 4.26 ERA in 27 games (1 start)
- 1982: 1-3, 5.08 ERA in 20 games (2 starts)
- 1983: 3-3, 2 saves. 5.74 ERA in 34 games (7 starts)
- Augustine started the 1984 season with the Brewers (0-0, 0.00 ERA in 4 games) but was sent to AAA in mid-April. Jerry pitched in the minors through the 1986 season for several organizations but he never got back to the majors.
- After his playing career Jerry became an insurance agent in Wicsonsin. He became the head coach at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1995 and coached there until 2007. Here is a "where are they now" article from 2002.
- Augustine is now an analyst for the Brewers on Fox Sports Wisconsin. Here is his twitter page.
- 1977 Stats: 12-18, 4.48 ERA in 33 starts
- 1977 Highlights:
- April 9 - Allowed four hits and one run in 8 innings and got the victory as the Brewers beat the New York Yankees 4-2.
- April 26 - Had a confrontation with former teammate George Scott in the 7th inning of a game with the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox beat the Brewers 3-1.
- Sept 1 - Pitched 8 1/3 innings of shutout ball and earned the win as the Brewers shut out the Detroit Tigers 1-0. Attendance was only 3,985.
- Other card blogs: 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983
- Jerry Royster started the 1977 season as the Braves' third baseman. In May he moved to shortstop and played there until mid June. Royster then came off the bench for a couple of months (mostly at third base). Jerry spent most of September at second base.
- Royster led the Braves with 28 stolen bases, but he had a rough year at the plate (.216 batting average, .278 on base percentage).
- 1977 Stats: .216, 6 HR, 28 RBI in 140 games
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988
- Larry Herndon was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1971. Larry played in the minors from 1971-1974. Herndon was called up in September 1974 and was used a lot as a pinch runner. He was 1 for 1 with 3 runs scored in 12 games.
- Herndon was in the minors again in 1975. On May 9 Larry was traded (with a minor leaguer) to the San Francisco Giants for pitcher Ron Bryant. Herndon finished the 1975 season in AAA Phoenix.
- In 1976 Larry started in Phoenix. He was called up in late April and had a good rookie season for the Giants, batting .288 in 115 games. It was a good enough season for Larry to get a Topps trophy on this card.
- Larry hgd a tough year in 1977. He struggled at the plate and lost his starting center fielder job. Herndon didn't play after June 18. The only thing I could find was a reference to him coming off of the disqualified list after the 1977 season. Herndon ended up batting .239 in 49 games in 1977.
- Herndon reclaimed his starting center field job in 1978. He batted .259 in 151 games. During his time with the Giants Larry had some speed, but his power and on base percentage numbers were low.
- In 1979 Herndon spent most of his time in center field but made some appearances in left and right field. Larry batted .257 in 132 games.
- Larry's 1980 season was very similar to his 1979 stats. He batted .258 in 139 games.
- Herndon's last season with the Giants was in 1981. Larry moved to left field and improved his batting average to .288. After the 1981 season Herndon was traded to the Detroit Tigers for Dan Schatzaeder and Mike Chris.
- Larry showed a lot more power during his years with the Tigers. In 1982 Herndon batted .292 with 23 home runs, 88 RBI, and 92 runs scored. Larry batted .302 with 20 HR and 92 RBI in 1983.
- Herndon was the starting left fielder for that great Detroit club of 1984 and batted .280 in 125 games. His power dropped off -- Larry hit only seven home runs. In the ALCS Herndon went 1 for 5 in two games, but his one hit was a home run. In the World Series Larry batted .333 (5 for 15) with a 3-run home run.
- Larry started to slow down in 1985. It was his final season as the starting left fielder. Herndon batted .244 with 12 HR and 37 RBI in 137 games.
- In 1986 Herndon batted .247 in 106 games. He started 71 games in LF.
- Herndon split time between the outfield and DH in 1987. He batted .324 with 9 HR and 47 RBI in part-time duty. Herndon hit a solo home run in the last game of the season that was the only run scored in Detroit's AL East clinching victory. Larry batted .333 (3 for 9) in three games in the ALCS.
- The 1988 season was Herndon's final season. He batted .224 in 76 games and was released after the season.
- After his playing career Larry was a hitting coach and he now coaches for Detroit's Class A Lakeland club.
- 1977 Stats: .239 in 49 games
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988
- Willie Randolph was an AL All Star for the second straight year. Willie started at 2B, played the whole game, and was 1 for 5 with a run batted in.
- 1977 Stats:
- Regular season: .274, 4 HR, 40 RBI, 91 runs in 147 games
- AL Championship Series: .278 (5 for 18), 4 runs scored in 5 games
- World Series: .160 (4 for 25), 5 runs scored in 6 games
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1976, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988
- Tom Poquette was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in 1970 at the age of 18. He played in the minors from 1970-1973. Tom got a September call-up in 1973 and batted .214 in 28 at bats.
- Poquette played for AAA Omaha in 1974 and batted .305 in 63 games.
- After the 1974 season Tom had two knee operations (one in late 1974 and another during spring training in 1975), which delayed his ascent to the major leagues. Poquette played for AA Jacksonville in 1975 and batted .256 in 105 games.
- Poquette made the Kansas City ballclub in 1976. He batted .302 in 104 games. He was batting .347 at the time of his injury (next bullet) on June 22. The injury didn't seem to slow him down as much as the grind of a long season did. Tom didn't drop below .330 until a month after he returned from the disabled list.
- On June 22, 1976 Poquette was knocked unconscious after he crashed into the wall while trying to catch a fly ball. Tom had to be carried off of the field and he suffered a fractured left cheekbone. He missed three weeks.
- In the 1976 ALCS Poquette batted .188 (3 for 16) in five games.
- The 1977 season was the last one in which Tom would play close to a full season.
- During spring training in 1978 Poquette had a push from young Willie Wilson. Wilson beat him out for the starting left field position (although he didn't hit much) and Tom became a bench player. Poquette batted .216 in 80 games during the regular season and was 0 for 1 in the 1978 ALCS.
- Tom didn't figure in the Royals' plans in 1979. He was batting .192 in 26 at bats when, on June 13, he was traded to the Boston Red Sox for discontented first baseman George Scott. Poquette did a lot better in Boston -- he batted .331 in 154 at bats as a pinch hitter and occasional outfielder.
- Poquette sat out the entire 1980 season after having shoulder surgery. During spring training a tear in his rotator cuff was discovered.
- Poquette didn't play much in 1981. He went hitless in two at bats for the Red Sox. Before the strike Tom asked to be traded. On August 12 (right after the strike) Tom was waived by the Red Sox and picked up by the Texas Rangers. Tom played in 30 games for the Rangers in 1981 and batted .156 in 64 at bats.
- Tom became a free agent after the 1981 season and signed with the Royals in January 1982. Poquette played in 24 games and was released on July 21 after batting .145 in 62 at bats.
- After his playing career Tom went into coaching.
- Coached with AAA Omaha from 1988-1990.
- In 1991 Poquette became manager of the Eugene Emeralds (rookie league). He then managed in single-A in 1992 and in AA in 1993.
- He was the hitting coach of the AAA Omaha Royals in 1995. Tom was the roving hitting instructor for the Royals organization in 1996.
- Was the hitting coach of the Kansas City Royals in 1997 after Tony Muser took over the club from the fired Bob Boone. He continued in that capacity through the 1998 season.
- Tom returned to managing in 1999 and managed at single-A and rookie league level clubs from 1999-2002.
- 1977 Stats:
- Regular Season: .292, 2 HR, 33 RBI in 106 games
- League Championship Series: .167 (1 for 6) in 2 games
- 1977 Highlights:
- April 4 - Placed on the disabled list because of a chest virus. His first game in 1977 would be on April 19.
- May 14 - Made a shoestring catch of a sinking line drive by Willie Horton to preserve Jim Colburn's no-hitter. The Royals beat the Texas Rangers 6-0 and Poquette also went 2 for 4 in the game.
- June 21 - Had 3 hits and scored three runs as the Royals hammered the Seattle Mariners 13-3.
- Aug 21 - Knocked in two runs with an infield single in the 8th inning to break a 4-4 tie and put the Royals ahead of the Boston Red Sox 6-4. Tom also doubled twice in the game, which Kansas City won 6-4. The victory gave the Royals (first place in the AL West) a sweep of the Red Sox (first place in the AL East) in an important 3-game series.
- Other card blogs: 1975
- Although Chet Lemon played longer with the Detroit Tigers (9 years vs. 7 years), I always think of "The Jet" as a "White Sock."
- Lemon was in double figures in "hit by pitch" for the first time in 1977. He would be hit by a pitch at least ten times in seven seasons and led the AL in that category four times.
- 1977 Stats
- .273, 19 HR, 67 RBI, 99 runs
- 1977 Highlights:
- Other card blogs: 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986
- 35 years ago today (2 January 1977):
