After the 1979 season:
“Ok we really screwed the pooch last season. Â We’ve lost all our fans, we drew under 800,000, what are we gonna do now?”
“Let’s appeal to the 10 year old Lee Mazzilli fans. Â I bet if we give them something they can relate to they will be fans for life. Â We can be “the people’s team!”
“You sure? Â I was thinking we could import players from Japan. Â The Japanese Willie Stargell is pretty good I hear.”
“The actual Willie Stargell is overrated. Â Keith Hernandez was the true MVP.”
“Who?”
“Never mind. Â Just stick a kid on there and work Mazzilli in. Â If we rope in another generation of fans we’ll be OK for the next 30 years. Â Â Meanwhile, I have another idea – let’s put half the games on cable television.”
“But they don’t get cable in Queens! Â I heard it will be 1987 before all the wiring is done….”
“I’m telling you these people are sheep! Â This time jack the price of the yearbook 50 cents! Â Bwahahahahaha!”
Jeez. I felt like a child molester just looking at that.
I thought this was a sh*tty cover when I was 10. My opinion hasn’t changed since.
But you neglect to mention the great Steve Henderson (in the lower right of the cover) who was, in my opinion, the best piece of the Seaver trade. Doug Flynn and Pat Zachry were solid, B-grade performers, but Henderson had pop.
Loved those great 2 button pullovers!