Carroll Hardy Cleveland Indians
Career: He played in eight seasons with four different clubs. He most steady work came in '61/'62 with the Red Sox as a fourth outfielder and regular pinch hitter. His big league career appeared over after a stretch with the Colt .45s that ended in 1964 but after three years in the minors he returned for a handful of at bats with the Twins in 1967.
In 1960: In June despite being, as the card notes, "one of the finest prospects in the Indians' organization" Hardy was traded with Russ Nixon to the Boston Red Sox for Ted Bowsfield and Marty Keough. He had been hitting just over .100 in about thirty games when he was dealt. He got into 73 with the Red Sox and had better numbers. He hit .234 with a couple of homers for Boston.
WikiFacts: After leaving baseball in 1967, Hardy spent 20 years as a player personnel executive with the Denver Broncos, helping put together three teams that reached the Super Bowl."I was there," Hardy notes, "when John Elway came in." -LA Times article on Hardy, from 2009. The article is available online.
The Card: The fake batting pose in Yankee Stadium, wonderful Indians uni of the day and the snow shoe cartoon make this a favorite. Too bad it's done with the gray cardboard.
I think Hardy is the only guy who pinch hit for Ted Williams. He also pinch hit for Yaz. I think Hardy actually played in the NFL as well. Growing up he was kind of a folk hero around the area.
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