Random Card #10

Going through more cards from the huge stack I got last week, I ran across this card of Magglio Ordonez. I wasn't in the hobby at this point. I think in 1998, I was the farthest away from cards as I would ever be.

Still, this card seemed to stand out from the rest. Not only is it a Magglio rookie card, it has the title of "Little Dawgs" in lettering bigger than the player. I tend to notice little things like that.

What is a "LITTLE DAWG"?

Major League teams invite as many as 70 players to Spring Training each year. With so many players, it's sometimes difficult to learn everybody's name, so Barry Larkin simply refers to the players he doesn't recognize as "Little Dawgs."

I'll bet you that this is the only Magglio Ordonez card with a profile picture of Barry Larkin on the back. I don't think anyone would refer to Magglio as a "little dawg" today. At least not with that ridiculous mane of hair that he sports with the Tigers. Still, it's an interesting card.

I remember listening to White Sox games in 1998 on the radio. I recall thinking that Magglio was going to turn into something special. It looks like I was right. I think everybody knows his name now.