138 - Ken Hill

 

Front: Pitching.

Back: Pitching.

Better side: Both seem to have the Wrigley ivy behind him, but it is clearer on the front.

Silver Sig:

Ties to my personal collections: He's an Expo here. 

Paragraphs in wikipedia entry: 11

Wiki-facts: "His son, Kenny Hill, was a quarterback at Texas Christian University." Go Horned Frogs!

Google it: It is probably a southern Ontario thing, but I get far more results on the opening page for a businessman who passed away in 2021. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/ken-hill-dead-1.5877740

How was his strike-shortened 1994? 

Birthday boy:  December 14, 1965. He shares it with a Hall of Famer - Craig Biggio. Also born on that date was actor and director Ted Raimi.

Next up: 139 - Eric Hillman

137 - Glenallen Hill

 

137 - Glenallen Hill

Front: In the dugout, finding something entertaining.

Back: Post-swing.

Better side: Always vote for the more Collector's Choice-ish photo. The front.

Ties to my personal collections: Former Blue Jay, traded in the deal that brought Tom Candiotti to Toronto.

Paragraphs in wikipedia entry: 22.

Wiki-facts: "On May 11, 2000, Hill became the first, and thus far only player to hit a home run on the three-story residential building across the street from Wrigley Field at 1032 W. Waveland Ave."

Google it: Watch said home run.

How was his strike-shortened 1994?  10 HR and 38 RBI with a .297 average.

Birthday boy:  March 22, 1965. The NHL provides two players with that birthdate, Todd Charlesworth and the late John Kordic. Search youtube for John and Basil McRae for some absolute brawls. Not much else in either the wiki or *-reference world other than them.

Next up: 138 - Ken Hill

136 - Phil Hiatt

 

136 - Phil Hiatt

Front: Sliding (and it looks like he's failing to break up a double play)

Back: Swinging away 

Better side: It will take a lot to defeat a horizontal photo, and that generic at-the-plate photo isn't going to do it.

Ties to my personal collections: None.

Paragraphs in wikipedia entry: 6, although half of them are one sentence.

Wiki-facts: Was named in the Mitchell report.

Google it: There is a professor named Phil Hiatt in one of The Sims games.

How was his strike-shortened 1994?  Was not in the majors.

Birthday boy: May 1, 1969 (nice). Former NBA veteran Billy Owens, who would play in exactly 600 NBA games, mainly with Golden State, was born that day. NHLer Ben Hankinson, who played in 557 fewer NHL games, and is now an agent, is another 5/1/69 baby in the *-reference world. Filmmaker Wes Anderson is the most famous member of that specific date's babies.

Next up: 137 - Glenallen Hill

135 - Orel Hersheiser

 

135 - Orel Hershiser

Front: Pitching.

Back: Pitching.

Better side: A repeat battle from last time, but at least there's a rather unique angle on the back. And that is enough to give it to the back.

Ties to my personal collections: He would have one season with the Mets in 1999, and get a few cards with them to end his career in 2000.

Paragraphs in wikipedia entry: 47

Wiki-facts: "Hershiser is the only player to receive the Cy Young Award, the Championship Series MVP Award, and the World Series MVP Award in the same season."

Google it: Also has a profile at Poker Database. 

How was his strike-shortened 1994? 6-6 with a 3.79 ERA. Perfectly average. 

Birthday boy: September 16, 1958. That's the same as former St. Louis Cardinal Greg LaFleur. That's the football version, not the baseball version. He's the only one in the *-reference world that matches with Orel. But, that is the same date as actress Jennifer Tilly. Jennifer also as a poker database profile.  

Next up: 136 - Phil Hiatt

134 - Roberto Hernandez

Front: Pitching.

Back: Pitching.

Better side: A dull draw.

Ties to my personal collections: He'd go on to play with the Mets, and get some cards with them in the mid 2000's.

Paragraphs in wikipedia entry: 13

Wiki-facts: "Hernández’s success in the 1986 season put little known USCA on the map for professional scouts. USCA would later refurbish and rename their baseball field after him".

Google it: While the first item is for this pitcher, the main image is of the former Fausto Carmona.

How was his strike-shortened 1994?  Went 4-4, with a 4.91 ERA and 14 Saves. 

Birthday boy: November 11, 1964

Next up: 135 - Orel Hershiser

 

133 - Pat Hentgen

 

Front: Throwing horizontally.

Back: Throwing vertically, with almost the same pose.

Better side: The angle is so much better on the front.

Ties to my personal collections: He's a Blue Jay here.

Paragraphs in wikipedia entry: 11

Wiki-facts: "Hentgen was named to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in the Class of 2016." The 2022 induction ceremony took place yesterday, with one of Pat's former teammates, Duane Ward, among the inductees.

Google it: Nothing that couldn't be discovered through his wiki article.

How was his strike-shortened 1994?  13-8 with an ERA of 3.40. 

Birthday boy: November 13, 1968. Mark Kiefer of the Brewers was also born that date. Hockey has journeyman goaltender Mark Fitzpatrick. There isn't much else aside from those.

Next up: 134 - Roberto Hernandez

132 - Mike Henneman

Front: Preparing to pitch.

Back: Looking at something more interesting than the photographer.

Better side: Maybe if they actually showed what Henneman was looking at, I'd pick the back photo. But they aren't, so the front is better.

Ties to my personal collections: Was originally drafted by Toronto in 1982, but never signed.

Paragraphs in wikipedia entry: 6

Wiki-facts: "Henneman was adopted as an infant and only found out about five brothers and two sisters after taking a DNA test in 2020."

Google it: More on his newfound family.

How was his strike-shortened 1994?  Went 1-3 with a 5/19 ERA and 8 saves. 

Birthday boy: December 11, 1961. 6 year MLBer Bob Sebra was also born that date. The NFL has Jess Atkinson, Chris Scott and Gardner Williams. No NBAers or NHLers match up with that date, but soccer does have Steve Nicol. Outside the sporting world, there's guitairist Dave King of Flogging Molly, and Macky Sall, the current president of Senegal.

Next up: Pat Hentgen