In The Cards: 1985 Calgary Cannons

There was a lot of hope in 1985 surrounding the newly-created Calgary Cannons.

The Pacific Coast League affiliate of the Seattle Mariners had just moved in from Salt Lake City and were hoping to improve on their semi-final appearance with much of the roster still in tact.

We take a look at some of those players on that roster with the baseball card set featuring 25 members of that inaugural version of the Cannons.

In The Cards: 1993 Lethbridge Mounties

When you see some of the last names – Bonilla, Segura and Sizemore – you could easily mistake the 1993 Lethbridge Mounties for a team with talent.

Alas, they were neither a good team, nor was their roster stacked with players who would go on to do great things in Major League Baseball (MLB).

Be that as it may, sometimes you have to just go with the hand you’ve been dealt. In this case, the cards on the table feature a squad that went just 29-44 in the Pioneer League. Only one of the players would suit up in the major leagues after graduating from this rookie-level team.

In The Cards: 2001 Calgary Cannons

It was the 100th anniversary of minor-league baseball and the Cannons were close to the end of their run in Calgary.

The Triple-A affiliate of the Florida Marlins was competitive enough to win a few games in front of the 246,991 fans who went to Burns Stadium that season, but their 72-71 record was nowhere close to good enough for a postseason appearance.

Regardless, there were plenty of MLB-calibre players on the field that year, including Jason Grilli, who holds the distinction of being the last Calgary Cannon to pitch in the majors.

In The Cards: 1981 Edmonton Trappers

The 1981 Edmonton Trappers had plenty of Major League Baseball (MLB) talent on its roster, but the team lacked true star power in its introductory campaign.

Who cares when you look this good though, right? Sporting lids that look like they could melt in the acid rain (it was a thing in the 1980s, you can look it up) and pin-striped uniforms that might just be the sharpest looking pyjamas you’ve ever seen, the Trappers had that Leo Chavalier look of a winner.

Learn more in our latest installment of In The Cards …

In The Cards: 1990 Calgary Cannons

When you think about the Calgary Cannons, images of red and white uniforms often come to mind, but these blue jerseys and caps look outstanding.

For your viewing pleasure, this edition of In The Cards focuses on the 1990 Cannons, who were led by Pacific Coast League (PCL) All Star first baseman Tino Martinez.

In The Cards: 1994 Lethbridge Mounties

It’s said that the Mounties “always get their man.” Well, the 1994 Lethbridge Mounties rounded up at least 30 of them who were guilty of stealing bases and punching out batters.

Behold the photographic evidence, a rogues’ gallery of southern Alberta baseball players. There will never be a case of mistaken identity with this group. Murderers’ row, they were not.

Let’s take a closer look at this team set of baseball cards …

In The Cards: 1992 Edmonton Trappers

There really must be something in the water in Edmonton.

In 1992, “King Fish” Tim Salmon made it rain as a member of the Trappers. The outfielder led the Pacific Coast League (PCL) in home runs (29), total bases (275), runs batted in (105), extra base hits (71), on-base percentage (.469) and slugging percentage (.672).

Salmon’s card from this 1992 Fleer ProCards set – the subject of this edition of In The Cards – was undoubtedly the most sought after of the bunch.

In The Cards: 1997 Calgary Cannons

It seems like all minor league teams – if they stick around long enough – go through a pinstripes phase with their uniforms, and the Calgary Cannons were no exception.

The players and coaches do look sharp in these white uniforms, which take centre stage in this 30-card set from Best Cards, Inc.

In The Cards: 1990 Medicine Hat Blue Jays

The Gas City plays host for this edition of In The Cards. The 1990 Medicine Hat Blue Jays are in the spotlight for this one.

Unfortunately, the rookie-level affiliate had a rough go of it that season, finishing a dismal 20-47 in the Pioneer League under manager Garth Iorg, who was a long-time utility infielder with the Toronto Blue Jays during his playing days. The Baby Jays had some talent in the lineup though, and a number of players on the roster ended up playing Major League Baseball (MLB).

Wax Tracks

It is seemingly a marriage of three favourite pieces of baseball lore: cards, travel and books.

Brad Balukjian’s new book, “The Wax Pack: On The Open Road In Search Of Baseball’s Afterlife,” dives into what happened to the players he found in a pack of 1986 Topps baseball cards.

It led him down an 11,341-mile adventure that can only be described as a mix of nostalgia, travelogue and self-discovery.