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Ericka Ventura

MiLB Madness: A few familiar names from MLB past & present, a new Bull Durham nod & check out this obscure memorabilia
Minor league baseball cards from the past can include some weird stuff ... sometimes stuff you wouldn't imagine to be found on a baseball card. Here are some some new fun cards and oddities in this latest edition of MiLB Madness.
ONE MORE DURHAM NOD ...
The Card: Steve Dalkowski 2009 TRISTAR Obak T212 Minis Green (/25)
The Buzz On This: This set isn't one limited to MiLB players per se -- it's more about the history and oddities around baseball at every level in every direction -- and it's not one issued in team sets, either. But, this card popped up in my digging for unique and different stuff with a story and, well, this one has it. Dalkowski is a legendary minor-leaguer whose powerful arm -- and unruly control -- inspired Bull Durham creator Ron Shelton to create Ebby Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh. How unruly was he? As an 18-year-old in Class D- Kingsport in 1957 he struck out 121 batters in 62 innings. He also walked 129 while recording a 1-8 record in 15 games. That's 17.6 Ks per nine innings and 18.7 walks per nine. The next season, he went 4-10 with a 7.63 ERA, striking out 203 batters in 118 innings and walking 245. The final stats, though not complete due to it being MiLB and being way back in the day, are impressive. You can find his only MLB card in 1963 Topps among the higher-numbers (despite never actually pitching in MLB) and basically his cards in this release are the only other option. He was slated to sign certified autos for it, too, but they were never completed. This one will always be an add for me if I see them.
Keep reading for more examples of some weird or fun baseball cards (and other stuff) you can find in MiLB.
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This entry was posted in Baseball, MiLB Madness and tagged Alabama Crimson Tide, Albert Pujols, autographs, Bull Durham, MiLB, Pittsburgh Pirates, Ron Shelton, Topps, TRISTAR, 2009 TRISTAR Obak, Joe Sewell, Steve Dalkowski, David Robertson, Jeff Ballard, Joe Kelly, Mel Allen, TCMA, Staten Island Yankees, Columbus Clippers, Rochester Red Wings, Choice, ProCards, Chad Mottola, Grandstand, DAV, Tyler Soderstrom, 2021 Topps Heritage Minor League, Bridgeport Bluefish, Andy Phillips, Delmarva Shorebirds, 2011 DAV Las Vegas 51s, 2011 DAV Palm Beach Cardinals, Multi-Ad Sports, Ebby Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh, Norwich Navigators, Charleston Pirates, Jean Pierre Leduc, 1978 TCMA The Minors, MiLB no-hitter, U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, Asheville Tourists, Ericka Ventura, 2013 Bridgeport Bluefish, Liz Pardo, 2021 Choice Delmarva Shorebirds, Wilfredo Pujols, 2005 Choice Johnson City Cardinals, 1987 ProCards, 1999 Multi-Ad Sports Staten Island Yankees, 2002 Grandstand AA All-Stars, 2002 Grandstand Norwich Navigators, 2004 Choice Columbus Clippers, Arizona Complex League Athletics, Jos LeDuc on July 8, 2025 by BlowoutBuzz.

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