Card Spotlight: 4-4-08

1991 Topps #243 - Lance Johnson

That man knew how to run. That's what I primarily remember about One Dog. Exciting things seemed to happen when he got on base. He led the American League in triples for four straight seasons! He even had 14 in the strike-shortened 1994 season.

Lance was never really a star, but he could have been. All he needed to do was choose his moments slightly better. If he could have stolen a dozen more bases each year, he might be more of a household name. He already had the most hits in a season in 1995 and 1996, spanning both leagues.

If a ball was hit into center field while Lance was with the Sox, it was as good as caught. When I got back into baseball full-time in 1990, he was one of the big reasons. He made games exciting to watch. He was a big part of the resurgence of the White Sox in 1990. If there would have been three divisions that year, instead of two, the White Sox would have been in the playoffs. They were only held off by the A's in the Western Division, who had an incredible year.

This card reminds me of that magical season that could have been. The old park was in its final year and the Sox were on the rise again. The Sox would have a few more decent seasons before the strike derailed the teams progression. One Dog was one of my favorite players back then. I will always get a smile when I look at this card.