Since he was 12 years old Jimmy Key seemed destined for baseball stardom. The standout pitcher for the Alabama State Little League Tournament 12-year old champions, Key later starred in baseball, basketball, and golf at Butler High School in Huntsville. His performance earned him a place in the Huntsville-Madison County Athletics Hall of Fame.

Staying in-state for college, Key attended Clemson University. In 1982 he became the first Tigers player named to first-team All-ACC at two positions in the same season. Stellar at both pitcher and designated hitter, Key remains the only Clemson man to accomplish the feat.

His performance convinced the Blue Jays to select him in the third round of the 1982 draft. Two years later Key made his MLB debut and earned the win on April 6, 1984. Used exclusively as a reliever, Key made 63 appearances and tallied ten saves.

In ’85 the Jays made him a starter. Key responded with an All Star campaign, going 14-6 with a 141 ERA+. His performance helped Toronto make their first postseason appearance in franchise history. After repeating a 14-win season in ’86, Key led the major leagues in ERA in 1987. Mixing in 17 wins and league leading numbers in ERA+, WHIP and Hits/9, Key was named the Sporting News AL Pitcher of the Year. He was also runner-up in Cy Young voting.

Key remained with the Blue Jays through 1992. That season he was the winning pitcher in the deciding Game 6 of the World Series, the first Fall Classic triumph in Toronto history.

In December that same year he signed a free-agent deal with the New York Yankees. Key left Toronto as the team’s all-time winningest left-hander, an honor he still holds today.

His first year in the Big Apple Key won a career-high 18 games and pitched to a 139 ERA+. He finished fourth in the Cy Young race and 11th in MVP balloting. The following year in the strike-shortened 1994 campaign Key posted a 140 ERA+ and led all the majors with 17 wins. He finished second for the Cy Young and sixth for the AL MVP.

Injuries limited Key to five appearances in 1995 though he bounced back to a double-digit win total in ’96. His performance helped push the Yankees to their first World Series championship since 1978. He was once again the winner in the Series-clinching Game 6.

In December of ’96, Key moved on to Baltimore and represented the Orioles in the All Star game in ’97. In two seasons with the Orioles Key appeared in 59 games and went 22–13. His final game came on September 22, 1998.

Jimmy Key retired with 186 wins, 10 saves, a 122 ERA+, and a 48.9 career WAR.

In the collection is this Jimmy Key autographed Strat-O-Matic card from 1987. Bucknell University math major Hal Richman originated the Strat-O-Matic game in 1961. Advertised in Sports Illustrated and sold out of Richman’s basement, Strat-O-Matic gave its players the ability to make managerial decisions based on MLB statistics.

The Toronto Blue Jays entered late September 1987 chasing their American League Championship Series berth in three years. Their division battle with Detroit reached a fever pitch during a four-game showdown at Exhibition Stadium. Toronto won each of the first three games by one run, tightening its grip on first place. Detroit salvaged the finale, but the Blue Jays still held a 2½-game lead with seven games remaining on their schedule.

Then Toronto’s season unraveled. The Blue Jays lost three straight games to Milwaukee, diminshing their cushion and setting up a decisive final series. Both contenders headed to Detroit for the season’s final three games, with Toronto holding only a one-game advantage. The Tigers won the first two contests, leaving the Blue Jays facing elimination in Sunday’s finale.

Toronto turned to ace left-hander Jimmy Key, who carried a 17–7 record into the showdown. Detroit countered with Frank Tanana, another veteran southpaw who understood the stakes. Key matched Tanana nearly pitch for pitch, allowing just three hits and striking out eight over eight innings. Yet Larry Herndon’s second-inning solo homer supplied Detroit’s only run.

Key couldn’t match Tanana’s complete-game masterpiece. Tanana scattered six hits, struck out nine, and blanked Toronto in a tense 1–0 victory. Key absorbed the loss despite an outstanding performance, while the Tigers celebrated their division championship. Toronto’s collapse ended its season without a playoff berth, turning a seemingly comfortable lead into heartbreak.

The ticket shown here commemorates that unforgettable finale and bears Tanana’s signature. He added the inscription, “CG ShO clinches the the division title.”

Jimmy Key’s career highlights are many. The two-time Sporting News Pitcher of the Year finished in the top-4 in Cy Young balloting three times and received MVP votes in two seasons.

One of Key’s most unforgettable moments came in Toronto’s Sky Dome in 1991. The game was MLB’s second Mid-Summer Classic played outside of the United States and it’s first played at the Blue Jays’ home.

Pitching in his second All Star Game in front of the hometown faithful, Key delivered. Coming on in relief of starter Jack Morris, Key retired Hall of Famers Tony Gwynn and Ryne Sandberg before striking out Bobby Bonilla to end the third inning.

In the bottom of the frame, NL hurler Dennis Martinez gave up back-to-back singles to Cooperstown men Rickey Henderson and Wade Boggs. The next batter was the Orioles’ Cal Ripken Junior. After falling behind 0-1, the Iron Man deposited Martinez’ second offering over the wall for a three-run homer. The shot gave the AL a 3-1 lead they never relinquished. It made a winner out of Key and an All Star MVP out of Ripken.

Shown here is Ripken’s Topps contract signed on June 10, 1988. The three-year deal included the 1991 campaign when Ripken hit his All Star homer.