Bill Buckner: Even His Baseball Card Gives Him The Business

How cruel can you get? The guys who make baseball cards usually come up with somethng nice to say on the back of cards -- even unearthing some trivial stat from a player's high school days to make the player look good.

But check out the back of this 1988 Score card of Bill Buckner, one helluva player who gets the business from Score on his baseball card.

The dude racked up 2,715 hits, drove in 1,208 runs, belted nearly 500 doubles and scored 1,077 runs during a 22-year career but Score actually referred to the infamous ground ball that went through Bill's legs in the 1986 World Series Game 6.

"Bill, who was haunted in Boston by the grounder that went through his legs to lose Game 6 of the '86 World Series,  . . . "

Score, that's cold. Downright cold.

Roberto Alomar: Wore a Devil Rays Jersey Only For This Card

The Rays are a hot commodity these days but before the Rays made the playoffs in three of the past four years, the team that played in St. Petersburg, Fla. was a doormat. Back in 2005, Roberto Alomar was photographed by Topps for this baseball card but Alomar knew better.

He quit while he was ahead and never played a regular-season game for the team known as the Devil Rays back in 2005.

Alomar made the Hall of Fame last year and is considered one of the best second basemen of all time. He started with the Padres, was all-world with the Blue Jays, Orioles and Indians before he became a .260 hitter with the Mets. He played out his career with the White Sox and the Diamondbacks.

But that Devil Rays uniform on Alomar? It only made the face of this 2005 Topps card.

Jeff Brantley: Baseball as Crystal Ball

I have a special place in my heart for players who do weird stuff with baseballs for their cards. Some pitchers show you the split-fingered fastball grip in their cards and Jeff Brantley, in this 1996 Donruss card, is using the baseball as a crystal ball. Brantley played 14 years in the Bigs, highlighted by leading the National League in saves with 44 for the Reds in 1996 and being named as an All-Star in 1990 when he was with the Giants and had a glittery 1.56 ERA that season. he also played for the Cardinals, Phillies and Rangers by the time he called it quits in 2001. "The Cowboy" was a member of that famed Mississippi State team that included the likes of Will Clark, Rafael Palmeiro and Bobby Thigpen and was a Baseball Tonight broadcaster with ESPN from 2002-06 before joining the Reds radio booth in 2007.

Jeffrey Hammonds: A Card Within A Card

It always a treat when a player shows you his baseball card in his own baseball card. Jeffrey Hammonds did just that in this 2003 Fleer Ultra. Hammonds was one of those average, forgettable outfielders who banged out 110 home runs during a 15-year career that included a 21-homer year for the Orioles in 1997 and a 20-homer year for the Rockies in 2000. By the tiome his career ended with the Nats in 2005, he was 34 years old and had played for the Orioles, Reds, Rockies, Twins, Giants and Nationals. He was your number six hitter in a line-up and for me he'll always be remembered as the guy who held his own baseball card with a blue Sharpie in the other hand.

Dave Stewart: He Had a Helluva 4-Year Run

Dave Stewart had an amazing four-year run from 1987-1990 for the Oakland A's when he won 20, 21, 21 and 22 ganes for those powerful A's clubs that went to three straight World Serieses. No wonder he was in such a good mood back then, goofing around as a photographer for this 1991 Upper Deck card. He was at the pinnacle of his career, which would last only until 1995. Besides playing for the A's, Stewart had stints with the Dodgers, Rangers, Phillies and Blue Jays. But he will alwsys be remembered for those four straight 20-win years with those Bash Brothers A's clubs.

Ken Griffey: Superstar Who Hung Out With Bugs and Friends

Most fans thought Ken Griffey, Jr. would break Hank Aaron's home run record. Griffey did finish with 630 homers over the course of a superstar career. Griffey's middle name was "5 Tool" and he was the most naturally gifted player of his generation, which includes playing for the Mariners, Reds and White Sox. Besides his long-ball prowess and sprawling catches in center field, Griffey -- in my warped mind -- will also be remembered for these 1992 Upper Deck cards. He was a superstar at the height of his popularity and allowed himself to be pictured with the likes of Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam. Well played, junior,

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Walt "No Neck" Williams: A Natural-born Nickname

Walt "No Neck" Williams has a nickname that is truly accurate. No hyperbole here. But don't get caught up with the No Neck monitor to the extent that you overlook his baseball accomplishments.

No Neck compiled a lifetime .270 average during a career that include a very ultra-short stint with the Houston Colt .45s, and longer stays with the White Sox, Indians and Yankees. He batted lead-off for the White Sox and batted. .304 for them in 1969.

My pal Larry Lebowitz is looking at this post and saying, "Yup, that dude truly had no neck."

Some nicknames just roll off the tongue when you see the baseball card. No Neck is one of those.