Rick Rhoden was a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who had a 17-year career from 1974-1990. Primarily playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Dodgers, Rhoden had tremendous success during his career that made him one of the most prominent pitchers of the late 1970s and 1980s. His playing career accomplishments have been commemorated through baseball cards issued over the years by the major card companies.
Rick Rhoden made his MLB debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1974 at age 20. While he showed promise in his first few seasons, Rhoden really broke out in 1977 when he went 19-10 with a 2.82 ERA and 185 strikeouts, finishing 4th in NL Cy Young voting and helping lead the Pirates to the World Series championship. Thisbreakout campaign led to Rhoden getting significant card recognition for the first time in 1978 issues. His rookie card is from 1974 but is quite difficult to find in high grade due to low production runs during his early career.
In 1978, Topps, Fleer and Donruss all issued career-highlight cards of Rhoden from 1977 that featured colorful action photos showcasing his over-the-top delivery. The 1978 Topps card is arguably his most iconic as it has him mid-windup with his lanky frame and loose arm motion on full display. This card in high grade is among the most sought-after for Rhoden collectors. Also that year, his O-Pee-Chee rookie card surfaced for Canadian collectors, continuing the commemoration of his breakout 1977 season.
Rhoden continued pitching very well for Pittsburgh over the next few years, making the All-Star team in 1979 and 1980 with records of 15-8 and 16-7 respectively. His success led to continued strong cardboard recognition. In 1979, Topps produced another outstanding action photo of Rhoden mid-delivery that further cemented his memorable over-the-top style on cards. In 1980, Topps paid tribute to his All-Star selection with a silver parallel issue featuring team logo on the front.
Following the 1980 season, Rhoden was surprisingly traded to the Dodgers in an unusual five-player deal. He transitioned seamlessly to the NL West and had arguably his finest campaign in 1981 with a 21-10 record and 2.54 ERA to finish second in Cy Young voting behind Fernando Valenzuela. Naturally, card companies extensively featured this career year. Topps included Rhoden on the “21 Win Club” insert set as well as multi-player Dodgers cards. Donruss dedicated half of one of its more premium “Super Stars” cards to Rhoden from 1981 as well.
Rhoden continued his strong pitching through the mid-1980s for Los Angeles, earning another All-Star nod in 1985 after going 16-12 with a 3.26 ERA. The 1984-85 period saw Rhoden near his pitching peak, which was honored on cards showing his effectiveness and durability. In 1986, the bottom fell out as injuries limited Rhoden and his statistics dropped off. This led to lesser cardboard coverage compared to his prime years. He managed a minor comeback with Anaheim in 1988-89 after rehabbing arm issues.
After retirement, Rhoden remained a beloved player both for his accomplishments and fun-loving persona. Various card companies paid homage to his career in retrospective and vintage-style issues. In 2007, Upper Deck produced a “Sweet Spot Signatures” autograph card numbered to only 25 copies as a rare certified autographed item for collectors of his generation. In 2017, Topps Archives gave Rhoden’s 1978 iconic style good reproduction treatment in its retro design, ensuring his legacy lives on in the hobby.
In total, Rick Rhoden had a strong 17-year career that saw individual success balanced by team accomplishments. His talents led him to stand out among 1970s/80s pitchers in baseball records as well as the cardboard record books. Collectors today can find and enjoy numerous career-spanning baseball cards that commemorated Rhoden’s memorable on-field performances and fun-loving public image during the sport’s mid-modern era. His robust cardboard coverage fittingly reflects the impact Rhoden made both statistically and culturally as one of baseball’s most charismatic hurlers.
