In The Cards: 1995 Edmonton Trappers

A new ballpark, a new manager and a fresh crop of prospects made the 1995 Edmonton Trappers a popular part of Alberta’s sports scene.

Learn more in this edition of In The Cards …

Putting on a Show

Hall-of-Fame manager Tony La Russa’s return this season to the team that gave him his first coaching gig came as a surprise to baseball watchers, and his current performance with the White Sox has not been without its challenges.

La Russa – who made his MLB debut as a player with the Kansas City Athletics on May 10th, 1963 – was a mediocre middle infielder, but he turned himself into an accomplished and recognizable skipper.

In his decades of pulling the strings from the dugout, the three-time World Series champion picked up over 2,850 wins and was named Manager of the Year on four occasions.

The Florida native also made some memorable appearances in Edmonton when he was a part of the major league rosters who came to the provincial capital for exhibition games.

Setting The Trap

He may have just hit a triple, but Peter Pocklington couldn’t help but dream about crushing a home run.

The ink was still fresh on his acquisition of the Ogden Athletics of the Pacific Coast League when he mused about something much bigger: Major League Baseball.

On the 40th anniversary of the Edmonton Trappers beginning play in the PCL, we take a look back at the efforts made to bring the team to the capital and the legacy left behind.

Dropping the Puck

In the 1980s, there was no one cooler than the multi-sport athlete.

Bo knows that, and Deion Sanders packaged it for “Prime Time.”

Kirk McCaskill also had a pretty good idea of what it took to play two sports at the highest level …

In The Cards: 1992 Calgary Cannons

After making it to the Pacific Coast League championship in 1991, the Calgary Cannons were hoping a few familiar faces would help them make another run.

And while players like Bret Boone, Rich Amaral and Mike Blowers proved to be steady hands, they weren’t able to get the team back into the playoffs.

We take a look back at the team through the set of 1992 Fleer ProCards in our latest In The Cards.

In The Cards: 1991 Edmonton Trappers

It’s not reflected in this set of Line Drive Pre-Rookie Triple-A baseball cards, but 1991 was a special year for the Edmonton Trappers.

That was the season that the top affiliate for the California Angels received an unexpected visit from the hype machine himself, Fernando Valenzuela.

Here’s our latest edition of In The Cards …

Fernandomania North

There were few things left for Fernando Valenzuela to achieve in baseball by the time the 1990s rolled around.

His resumé included a Cy Young Award, Rookie of the Year honours, a pair of Silver Slugger nods, a Gold Glove, a couple of World Series rings, and six National League (NL) All-Star selections.

Not bad for the man from little-known Etchohuaquila, Mexico.

In The Cards: 1988 Calgary Cannons

Expectations were high for the Calgary Cannons heading into the 1988 season.

After making it to the Pacific Coast League final the previous summer, the Cannons seemed primed for a repeat performance.

We continue our look back at some of the baseball cards of the past with our new In The Cards, focusing in on the 1988 Calgary Cannons.

In The Cards: 1990 Edmonton Trappers

Off the field, the 1990 Edmonton Trappers were caught in a rundown as efforts were underway to buy and relocate the team.

On the field, they almost won a Pacific Coast League championship.

Find out more about the team and its players in this edition of In The Cards …

In The Cards: 1991 Calgary Cannons

Heartbreak is one of the many emotions that are conjured up when Calgary Cannons fans think back to 1991.

Many will wax nostalgic about the talent and promise on the team, that was the gateway to pro baseball for many.

But heartbreak also comes to mind as they think about how close the team was to winning it all.

We take a trip down that memory lane in the new In The Cards.