Finishing off my C autos

Since I didn't make it to any games this weekend and didn't get any cards back in the mail, I will finish up with my C autographs. Since it has been so long since I started this, you can catch up on it here and here.

Mike Cook 1993

This is the only card I had of Mike when I got it signed at a game. He only pitched in 2 games for the O's but I remember him since this is the only card I got signed on the team playing cards.

Rocky Coppinger 1996-99

I remember the O's had high hopes for a bright future for him at one point but doesn't Rocky's autograph looks pretty good on this card? That's something positive right?

Moving on...


Terry "the Crow" Crowley 1969-73, 76-82

The current O's hitting coach is widely regarded as the best Oriole pinch hitter of all time, with his 108 career pinch hits ranking 13th most all-time in MLB. He was also the Orioles first designated hitter, filling the roll once the rule was implemented in 1973.

Todd Cruz 1983-84

Todd unfortunately passed away last fall at the young age of 52 while swimming in a pool at his apartment complex. He will always be remembered by O's fans for being a valuable member of the 1983 World Series championship squad. He filled the role of Curly of the "Three Stooges" along with Rick Dempsey and Rich Dauer in the bottom third of the '83 lineup.

Darwin Cubillan 2004

I don't remember Darwin being an Oriole at all and this is only card (that I'm aware of) of him in an affiliates uniform. He only pitched in 7 games as a reliever for the O's and had a 5.40 ERA.
The most interesting thing I could find about him is that he pitched in Japan and Korea after being released by the O's but was known only as Darwin since Cubillan sounds like "Kubi Yan" which means "he is fired, isn't he?" in Japanese. Thank you Wikipedia.

"Stumbling" Jack Cust 2003-04

This story sums up Jack's time as an Oriole:

During a game in August 2003 between O's and the Yankees, Cust was the would-be tying run in the 12th inning with two outs when he tried to score from first on a single to the gap by Larry Bigbie. Cust first stumbled and tumbled over between third and home, and hence was caught in a rundown. Cust somehow got past the defense, and was sprinting towards home with nobody covering it. The O's were going to win the game!!! Instead of scoring the winning run, however and inexplicably, Cust fell down for the second time. He was tagged out by Aaron Boone to end the game and cemented the nickname of "Stumbling Jack" in Orioles fans' brains forever.