Fun Cards: 2013 Topps Ron Oester
This quiet second baseman was never considered a huge threat with his bat, but he was consistent and reliable. In thirteen seasons, Ron Oester collected 1118 hits while batting a respectable .265 for Reds teams that were not very good. He contributed to the 1990 World Series club with some key pinch-hitting, registering a .299 average over 154 at-bats. That would be his final season as a player.
Oester’s biggest contributions came off-the-field. One of my good friends remembers Oester as a kind person who visited her terminally ill brother during his final days in the 1980s. While several players visited with the young elementary school boy, Oester made several return visits and checked on him often, bringing him joy when there was little to be found. Ron Oester was a hero to the young boy and is remembered fondly by the family still today.
I have had the opportunity to meet Oester twice at Redsfest, and he is still a very friendly guy, smiling and talking to fans as they go through the autograph line.
Posted on March 1, 2013, in baseball, baseball cards and tagged 2013 Topps, Cincinnati Reds, fun cards, Ron Oester. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.
i like the dp turn. i wonder how much oester regrets not just accepting the manager position when it was offered many years ago. if i recall correctly, he tried to negotiate a better deal, and the team wound up hiring someone else.
The team low-balled him, and I held a grudge against management for a long time because of it. He didn’t try to negotiate a better deal…he tried to negotiate a *fair* deal. The guy they ended up hiring, if I recall correctly, was Bob Boone.
I would have rather had Oester.