Charlie O'Brien, 1989 Topps
If I were to tell you that Charlie O’Brien, the person you
see here, revolutionized the game of baseball, would you believe me? Well, you
should, because it’s true.
But how, you ask? Here are some excellent guesses made by no
one in particular, and I will examine which guess is correct. Feel free to play
at home!
Did Charlie O’Brien change the game of baseball by …
… being the first
person to wear a helmet with zero earflaps?
Unfortunately, no. Many players before Charlie O’Brien
sported the earflapless helmet. However, it should be noted that, via this very
card, O’Brien brought the earflapless helmet controversy to the forefront.
Suddenly, people were like, “Geez, that thing looks stupid. A gust of wind
could knock that off his head, which doesn’t bode well for the prospects of a
90-mph fastball to the dome. I want to take that thing off his head and put a
scoop of ice cream in it. Mommy, there’s a curly red hair in my ice cream!
Ha, ha. Word.” That is exactly the thing many people were saying. Anyway, after
Thomas Edison viewed this card, he got the idea to invent earflaps. The rest is
history.
(Hint: That said, don’t dismiss the theme of protecting the
face area. I’ve said too much.)
… inventing the burdensome, seemingly very hot,
garbage-bag-type, long-sleeve baseball undershirt?
Another great guess, but … no. Few people appeared to be as
comfortable in this undergarment as O’Brien, but he was not the first to
wear it. Many players in the mid-to-late 80s wore the burdensome, crinkly,
underbag, and a few even lived to tell about it. The others died of heat
exhaustion. O’Brien himself was once quoted as saying, “It’s great! It really
allows me to slow down my swing, because I can’t move my arms. And the noise it
makes while doing anything really blocks out the jeers of the crowd when we’re
on the road. I’ve lost 80 lbs!” The underbag was the brainchild of Jorge
Costanza, and eventually led to Under Armor. The differences between the
underbag and the modern Under Armor shirt are virtually indistinguishable.
… being the first catcher with a red, curly mullet to pose
while wearing an earflapless helmet and a garbage bag underneath this jersey?
Maybe. I did not know how to look that up.
… inventing the All-Star MVP, the first hockey-style catcher’s
mask?
Ding, ding, ding! You are correct! Granted, there was no
possible way of knowing that simply by looking at this picture, or by
possessing common knowledge. Nevertheless! According to Wiki:
After getting hit in his mask by two consecutive foul-tip
balls in a game, O'Brien had the idea for a new catcher's mask while he was
watching a hockey game. He worked with Van Velden Mask Inc., of Hamilton,
Ontario, Canada, to develop his idea. The new design, called the All-Star
MVP, was approved in 1996 by Major League Baseball.
Before the All-Star MVP, catchers wore a mask with one bar
across the front, like the old NFL punters. So this was a big deal for
catchers’ faces. I, by the way, am also inspired by great ideas while watching
hockey. For example, I frequently get the idea to change the channel. Jk!
Hockey joke, not meant to be offensive! Everybody relax!
So O’Brien won a title with the ’95 Braves, hit 56
career ding-dongs, and helped entire generations of future catchers protect
their dome pieces. Not too shabby. Here is a picture of Charlie O’Brien not
wearing a helmet and protecting himself against the onslaught of a New York
Italian person. Have a great day, everyone!
1 comment:
I actually do remember him doing that. It was a Jays thing.
Post a Comment