30 Day Baseball Card Challenge

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

People Are Strange

Forty-eight years ago, The Doors released People are Strange, so today I'm honoring them with some of my favorite bizarre athletes...

#1a:  Bill Lee

1999 Fleer Greats of the Game Autographs #NNO

If wearing a space suit isn't enough... Spaceman ran for president in 1988 for the Rhinoceros Party and walks around with a Graig Nettles card in his wallet.  Why?  He wants Nettles to be pressed up against his right butt cheek forever.


#1b:  Mark Fidrych

2003 Topps All-Time Fan Favorites Autographs #MF

The Bird would talk to the ball, manicure the mound, and shake everyone's hands after the game.  Normal?  No.  Awesome?  Yes.


#2:  Dennis Rodman

2011 Goodwin Champions #54

The Worm considers Kim Jong-un "a friend for life".  Game.  Set.  Match.


#3:  Mike Tyson


2010 Ringside Round One #74

Iron Mike owned three Bengal tigers... bit off a piece of Evander Holyfield's ear... and has one of the coolest facial tattoos around.  He makes the list.


#4:  Jorge Posada

2009 SP Legendary Cuts Destined for History #JP

What would you do to help improve your batting grip?  Would you be willing to urinate on your hands to keep them from cracking and getting callused?  Jorge did.  Now that's dedication to your career, but it's also totally weird too.


#5:  Chad Johnson

2008 UD Masterpieces Captured on Canvas #CC8

Changing your name isn't weird.  My brother did it and nobody in our family flinched.  But legally changing your last name to match your jersey number in Spanish isn't normal.

But let's face it.  Everyone is strange in their own unique way.  Heck... I'm a forty-three year old guy who collects baseball cards and toys.  I can't stand public speaking, yet I choose to stand in front of 165 students and teach five days a week.  


And I've never, ever, never been a fan of The Doors or this song, yet I'll dedicated an entire post to them.  Weird, right?

Happy Wednesday and sayonara!

Rest in peace, Mr. Berra.


5 comments:

Tony Burbs said...

No love for Turk Wendell? Though, I can't see who he'd knock off of this list - excellently compiled!

Tony L. said...

Moises Alou also did the urinate-on-one's hands thing to toughen his hands up so he wouldn't have to wear batting gloves.

I recall during the 1980s that Joe Magrane had the "oddball lefty" reputation, though he is far from that now being on MLB Network.

Unknown said...

My old kareoke song, Posada crazy, just wait til you need to urinate when drunk

BobWalkthePlank said...

Great stuff Fuji!

Fuji said...

tony b. - nice call. hadn't heard of mr. wendell, but just read some of his crazy superstitions

tony l. - i actually heard about posada after reading about alou. though i had an autograph of him, but I must have misplaced it. btw... what's the oddball lefty reputation?

mj heap - great song. gonna start using it myself.

matthew - thanks!