Grand Cards: A Champion's Stache: #2 Willie Hernandez

Friday, September 4, 2009

A Champion's Stache: #2 Willie Hernandez

What more can be said about this guy than this: 1984 Cy Young, 1984 MVP.

1984 Topps Traded #51T Willie Hernandez


Oh, Guillermo. You turned out to be so much more than what we expected when the Tigers got you in a trade that brought in another follicularly endowed teammate in exchange for a great stache and another ok specimen.

If mustaches are power, you are He-Man (or for those who identify better with villainy, Hordak, at least). A great mustache fittingly fits the face of this hero of the Tigers' last World Series Championship. Pure domination. 1.92 ERA, 32 Saves, 112 Strikeouts and only 36 walks. Those were all good enough for me to give Lynn Jones the boot down from the 2 spot. I think I'm justified in that. Lynn Jones has a great stache, but he was no Willie Hernandez. He wasn't even close.

Unfortunately, despite his 1984 greatness, there was one postseason accolade that he just couldn't claim. Best mustache on the 1984 Detroit Tigers. The team that defined greatness, going 35-5 to start the season. Wire to wire champions. None of it could have happened without Willie, but our Mustache #1 takes the cake.

And that, my friends, will be revealed tomorrow.