Bruce Bochy

Bruce Bochy managed the Padres for twice as long as he played for them. The last five years of his major league were played with the Padres. He was drafted by the White Sox in the 8th round of the 1975 draft, but did not sign. He was drafted by the Astros' in June of 1975 in the 1st round. He made his major league debut with Houston against the Mets on July 19, 1978. In February of 1981 he was traded to the Mets for Stan Hough and Randy Rogers, Bruce has one of the largest craniums in the game, wearing a size 8 and 3/4 cap. The Mets didn't have a batting helmet that fit him so they had to send to the minors for the one he had one worn there. The Mets released him and in February of 1983 he signed as a free agent with the Padres. He played for five years with them through the '87 season. He started managing in 1995, in the intervening years he coached in the minors for the Padres, I remember talking to him when he was a player/coach with Las Vegas when they played against the Portland Beavers at Civic Stadium. He was named the 1996 National League Manager of the Year, he was behind the plate when Pete Rose broke Ty Cobb's hit record, he is the only Padres player to ever manage the team, he managed the Padres to a 951-975 records and is one of eight major leaguers to have been born in France. I got this card signed through the mail.