143 - Todd Hundley

 

Front: Throwing.

Back: Signaling.

Better side: The back is a little more unique, and therefore more Collectors-Choice-esque.

Ties to my personal collections: He's a Met! And was the man behind home plate until they traded for some guy named Piazza.

Paragraphs in wikipedia entry: 15

Wiki-facts: "His father, Randy, was a catcher for the Chicago Cubs"

Google it: He had the Mets team home run record. Here he is concerning Pete Alonso breaking it:

https://sny.tv/articles/watch-todd-hundley-weighs-in-on-pete-alonso-breaking-his-mets-home-run-record

How was his strike-shortened 1994? 16 HR, 42 RBI, but only a .237 average.

Birthday boy: May 27, 1969. He's one year late for a couple Hall of Famers, Jeff Bagwell and Frank Thomas. The only other person in the *reference world born that specific date is one time Charlotte Hornet Travis Williams. Wikipedia lists former NASCAR racer Jeremy Mayfield was also born that day.

Next up: 144 - Pete Incaviglia

142 - David Hulse

 

142 - David Hulse

Back-to-back Daves! (They all have their own hands but they come from different mums)

Front: Sliding! And is that a throwback uniform? 

Back: On the bases, with the glove blocking the view of anybody wanting to see some booty.

Better side: Even if booty was visible, I gotta vote for the front.

Ties to my personal collections: None.

Paragraphs in wikipedia entry: 6 

Wiki-facts: "In a game against the Cleveland Indians on May 26, 1993, Hulse was in center field when the Indians' Carlos Martínez hit a ball to deep right-center field that bounced off the head of right fielder Jose Canseco and over the fence for a home run."

Google it: There's a "Certified Vibrational Sound Master Teacher" by the same name.

How was his strike-shortened 1994? 1 HR, 19 RBI with a .255 average.

Birthday boy:  February 25, 1968. 1 season NBAer James Blackwell was born that date. The NHL provides Darrin Madeley, who spent 3 seasons with the expansion Senators, which comprised his entire NHL career. Pretty bland date. 

Next up: 143 - Todd Hundley

141 - Dave Hollins

 

Front: Rounding the bases in spring training, but looking like he might be struck with a batted ball and ruled out. 

Back: Throwback uni! 

Better side: It is really hard to vote against a throwback uniform, especially considering this photo is from the 90s, but everything seems so random about the front. So, I vote for the front.

Ties to my personal collections: Spent part of the 1999 season with the Blue Jays, and was a hitting coach for the AAA Binghamton Mets.

Paragraphs in wikipedia entry: 5.

Wiki-facts: "Hollins has been named a member of the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame."

Google it: He was from the Buffalo area, and former Bills WR Cole Beasley used to live in his former home. Cole retired earlier this month.

How was his strike-shortened 1994? 

Birthday boy:  May 25, 1966. Another MLBer with a double-digit worth of seasons, Bill Haselman, was born that date. He's card #552 in this set. The NFL provides Natu Tuatagaloa. Outside the sporting world, there is former Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh, whose wiki entry is something else. It includes the phrases "went into exile" and "Witch hunting campaign".

Next up: 142 - David Hulse

140 - Chris Hoiles

 

140 - Chris Hoiles

Front: In full catcher's gear for a very Panini-friendly photo.

Back: Even friendlier, with even less of the logo visible.

Better side: A draw. Neither really wows.

Ties to my personal collections: None.

Paragraphs in wikipedia entry: 12

Wiki-facts:  He was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame in 2006.

Google it: It suggests "Chris Hoiles grand slam", which shows you a walk-off grand slam that allowed Baltimore to overcome a 13-10 deficit against Seattle. 

How was his strike-shortened 1994? 19 HR, 53 RBI while batting .247.

Birthday boy:  March 20, 1965. Nobody in the *-reference world was born that date, but wikipedia does list Scottish historian William Dalrymple. That name just sounds like a historian's name.

Next up: 140 - Dave Hollins

139 - Eric Hillman

139 - Eric Hillman

Front: Pitcher at the plate! Bunting! Hell yeah! 

Back: Pitching.

Silver Sig parallel

Better side: Not even close. The front. It looks like the picture was from this game at Dodger Stadium, and the sac. bunt was also successful.

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

Paragraphs in wikipedia entry: 5

Wiki-facts: "Hillman was tied with fellow pitcher Randy Johnson for the tallest player in league history at 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m), before later being passed by 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) Jon Rauch."

Google it: The second result is a linkedin profile of a student in British Columbia.

How was his strike-shortened 1994? 0-3 with an ERA of 7.79. His last MLB appearance was in May.

Birthday boy:  April 27, 1966. Shares it with card #45, Bob Ayrault. He also shares it with former NFLer Mike Stock, and frequent JJ Abrams co-worker Matt Reeves. But for some reason, I didn't list Eric when I posted Bob's card. Oops!

Next up: 140 - Chris Hoiles

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