Jim Kern

Here's Jim Kern from his 1981 card. Career stats: 294 Games (G), 602 Innings Pitched (IP), 45 Wins (W), 46 Losses (L), 539 Strikeouts (K), 2.95 Earned Run Average (ERA). 6'5" 195 lbs. born 3/15/49 Gladwin, Michigan.

Jim spent 1974 - 1978 in Cleveland as a reliever. Which from what I hear, was a wonderful time to be in Cleveland. It might explain why he looks so sad in this picture. He might have missed the beautiful polluted Lake Erie, the 40 degrees and rain/snow during the first month of the new season. The back of his card notes that Jim often wears a black wide-brimmed Amish hat. It's too hot to wear a black wide-brimmed Amish hat in Texas. It think that probably explains this melancholy moment.

According to baseballlibrary.com his nickname was "Emu" because he looked and acted like a big bird. He was hit in the mouth with a throw from his own catcher while watching a foul ball in Texas in 1980 which caused him to fall backwards on the mound and ended up with a concussion.