Wednesday, May 27, 2015

1979 Memphis Chicks Pocket Schedule


























































This is a 1979 Memphis Chicks pocket schedule.  It's larger than pocket schedules are today.  The bottom picture has a penny to give some perspective as to size.  There was also a team set issued by Memphis in 1979, but Wallach wasn't included as he was still playing college ball at the start of the season.  The closest thing I have to a Memphis card of Wallach is a 1993 set the team put out featuring former players who went on to be MLB all-stars.

After drafting Wallach 10th overall in the 1979 draft, the Expos sent Wallach to Memphis after he his Cal. St. Fullertan Titans won the College World Series.  At the time Memphis was the AA-affiliate of the Expos.  In 75 games in Memphis, Wallach batted .327 with 18 home runs. 

Managed by Billy Gardner, Memphis went 82-62 in the Southern League in 1979.  Eleven members of the 1979 Chicks went on to play in the major leagues, including Tim Raines, Charlie Lea, Bryn Smith, Tony Phillips, and Bill Gullickson.  A good number of those players also joined Wallach in AAA Denver during the 1980 season on what is widely considered one of the greatest minor league teams of all-time.



2 comments:

  1. Wow. I've never been so conflicted about a website. I'm a huge Tim Wallach fan. His 1988 Topps All-Star card was the first baseball card I ever owned, and that meant something. I've loved him ever since. So for that reason I love this site. On the other hand, I own about 50 Tim Wallach cards and would love to get more (but only one of each, not all of them), so from that perspective you must be my mortal enemy! I'll choose to embrace the former sentiment and enjoy all the great photos you've posted of your cards and take comfort in the fact that I'm not the only one who thought he was (and is) a fantastic player and person. John, Rochester, MN

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  2. @jdowner76 Don't worry, your Wallach cards are safe. "Trying to collect as many as I can" would be a more accurate description than "collect them all."

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