Action Mookie

Does anyone burst out of the batter's box like Mookie Wilson? 

 

According to his baseball card history, the answer is no.

Here are nine (yes, nine) Mookie Wilson cards that'll provide all the evidence you need, while getting you excited for baseball season at the same time.

 

1982 Topps #143

Mookie's first stand-alone Topps card starts things off right. Looks like he's almost chasing the ball into center field.

 

 

 

1983 Topps #55

 

The following year Topps nailed it again, this time adding an inset photo of a smiling Mookie.

 

1984 NY Mets MVP Club #8

In 1984 the New York Mets MVP club stepped in with a good one.

 

1985 Donruss #482

 

Donruss joined the action in 1985 with this beauty.

 

 

 

1986 Topps Mets Leaders, #126

The next year, Topps said they were still aware of Action Mookie.

 

1988 Donruss Baseball's Best #208

Donruss just missed with their flagship Mookie in 1988, but gave it a try in their separate "Baseball's Best" set. It's not a full-length shot, but you still get a decent idea of what Action Mookie can do.

 

1988 Topps #255

That same year, Topps reminded the other card companies how to do it.

 

1988 Kahn's New York Mets #30

Then Kahn's hot dogs beat them all with this gem.

After Mookie was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in the summer of 1989, the card companies unfortunately seemed to deny us collectors the greatness of Action Mookie. However, almost a decade later, in 1998, Sports Illustrated (in conjunction with Fleer) released a card that captured perhaps the greatest example of Action Mookie in existence.

1998 Sports Illustrated World Series Fever #25

As you can see from the caption at the top of the card, Mookie is about to sprint down the first base line and watch his grounder squeak past Bill Buckner's mitt and into right field. This would give the Mets a victory in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, and provide them with another shot at the title two days later. They took it.

Strictly for the sake of hearing Vin Scully (and not to upset any Red Sox fans), here's the call.

 

Pretty dang good at-bat by Mookie there, considering everything that was at stake. Combine that with the magic of Mr. Scully and it's a scene that can bring a tear to the eye—bitter or sweet—every time.

Here's to Mookie. 

Now let's play some baseball.