It’s not exactly Tinker to Evers to Chance, but Ross Flats to Alberta Dugout Stories to you is a pretty good combination.
This chapter of our In The Cards series – which profiles Alberta baseball collectibles – comes courtesy of Ross Flats Vintage Apparel, who kindly donated this 1993 set of Edmonton Trappers cards.
The 27-card set was made by Fleer ProCards and it features some fairly static poses, but the images of the pin-striped Trappers are clear and centred. Edmonton’s John Ducey Park can be seen in the background, as can an advertisement for one of Fleer’s biggest competitors, Upper Deck. The back of each card contains biographical and statistical information about the player or coach, and there are some nice looking throwback drawings that add a classic touch to the set.
Onto the Trappers, who were a Triple-A affiliate of the Florida Marlins in 1993. Edmonton went 72-69 in the 10-team Pacific Coast League (PCL), while attracting 261,361 fans to the ballpark that season.
Now, let’s have a look at the cards:
Starting pitcher Pat Rapp (middle row on the right) played 11 MLB seasons with six different teams, going 70-91 with a 4.68 ERA and 825 strikeouts. On Sept. 18th, 1995, Rapp threw a one-hitter for the Marlins when he faced the Rockies – the only hit he gave up was a single to former Trapper Dante Bichette. The 6-foot-3 righthander split time between the Trappers and Marlins in 1993. He posted an 8-3 record for Edmonton, with a 3.43 ERA and 93 Ks over 107.2 innings.Jerry Don Gleaton (top row in the middle) had a lengthy career as a starter and a reliever. He served six MLB teams over 12 seasons, picking up 15 victories and 26 saves. The southpaw from Texas played his final pro season in Edmonton in 1993, going 3-1 with seven saves for the Trappers.That McGriff name always stands out for baseball fans. Terry McGriff (top right) is indeed related to Fred. The two are cousins. Of course, former Toronto Blue Jay Fred McGriff had a stellar MLB career, but his cousin did alright, too. Terry played professionally for two decades, including 126 games in the National League. The catcher was fantastic for the Trappers in 1993, batting .345 with 62 runs and 55 RBI in 105 games for Edmonton. After his playing career, the Florida native embarked on a 10-year coaching career with the Bridgeport Bluefish of the independent Atlantic League.Dominican-born Luis De Los Santos (middle), a second-round draft pick of the Kansas City Royals in 1984, was a dependable batter in Edmonton’s lineup. His .311 batting average came along with 66 RBI and 49 runs over 125 games. After the 1993 season, the 6-foot-5 first baseman played in China and Japan before moving on to Mexico and Italy.Nigel Wilson (middle) led the 1993 Trappers in home runs with 17, edging out Geronimo Berroa (top left) by one round-tripper. The two outfielders finished tied for the team lead in RBI with 68 each. Wilson, an Ontario product, played 22 MLB games for the Marlins, Reds and Indians. He was also a star player for the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan. Berroa, meanwhile, appeared in 779 games for nine MLB teams, smashing 101 homers in that time. Berroa, who played for the Medicine Hat Blue Jays in 1985, is a member of the Caribbean Baseball Hall of Fame.Third baseman and outfielder Nick Capra (top middle) was the stolen base leader for Edmonton in 1993. He swiped 20 bags and was caught stealing 13 times with the Trappers. The Denver native, who returned to Edmonton in 1994, played 45 MLB games with the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals. The 1979 third-round pick managed to hit one home run and steal three bases in the majors before he joined the Chicago White Sox coaching staff.
Thanks for flipping through the cards with us – we urge you to leave a comment about the players and cards below.
We are seeking to create an online digital archive of Alberta baseball card sets with our In The Cards series. If you have baseball cards you’d like to donate – or lend – to the cause, please email us at AlbertaDugoutStories@gmail.com with more information and to make arrangements.
