Dennis Patrick Leonard (born May 8, 1951) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball from 1974 to 1986. He was drafted by the Royals in the second round of the 1972 draft and made his major league debut on September 4, 1974. In 1975, his first full year with the Royals, he achieved a 15-7 record. Leonard later recorded three 20-win seasons, to become the only pitcher in Royals history to do it. He started nine post-season games for the Royals between 1976 and 1981, ending with a record of 3-5, including a 1-1 record in the 1980 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. 

From 1975 to 1981, Leonard won 130 games, the most by any right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. Leonard finished his career as the Royals’ all-time leader in complete games (103) and shutouts (23), and was second in wins (144). He also held the club's single-season bests in starts (40), complete games (21), innings pitched (294.2) and strikeouts (244). In 1989, Leonard was inducted into the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame.

Graig Nettles (born August 20, 1944), nicknamed "Puff", is an American former Major League Baseball third baseman. During a 22-year baseball career, he played for the Minnesota Twins (1967–1969), Cleveland Indians (1970–1972), New York Yankees (1973–1983), San Diego Padres (1984–1986), Atlanta Braves (1987), and Montreal Expos (1988). Nettles is regarded as one of the best defensive third basemen of all time, winning two Gold Glove Awards in 1977-78. 

He set an American League record for career home runs by a third baseman. Nettles was a six-time All-Star player. As a part of four pennant-winning Yankee teams, Nettles enjoyed his best season in 1977 when he won the Gold Glove Award and had career-highs in home runs (37) and runs batted in (107) in leading the Yankees to the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The left-hand hitting Jose Cruz was one of the most popular players in Houston Astros team history, leading the team to their first-ever division title and postseason berth in 1980. A two-time All-Star, Cruz hit .300 or above for the Astros six times, won two Silver Slugger Awards and led the National League in hits in 1983 while playing his home games in the cavernous, pitcher-friendly Houston Astrodome.

He finished in the top ten of the National League Most Valuable Player Award voting three times and won a record four Astros team MVP awards. He was the all-time leader in hits for the Astros (1,937) until being passed by Craig Biggio. Cruz was twice named as the Astros' nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award for his humanitarian efforts. He also played for the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Yankees.

The 1979 Hostess baseball set features 150 cards distributed on three-player panels issued on the backs of family sized Hostess products. The cards fronts display a full-color, posed image of the player with his name and team printed across the top in red and blue, respectively, with his position printed in black. 

Each card/panel reveals a dotted cutting line and when the 3-1/4" by 7-1/4" panels are cut properly, cards should measure approximately 2-1/4" by 3-1/4". There are 15 short-printed cards that are far rarer than the rest of the set. There also appears an Ozzie Smith card that is considered more desirable because of his rookie status. Printed horizontally in black-and-white, the backs show the card number, player's name and personal information as well as a yearly and career statistics grid. 

Anchoring this set are Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt (#9), Jim Palmer (#11), Gary Carter (#24), Rod Carew (#38), Robin Yount (#55), Joe Morgan ($#61), Phil Niekro (#62), Tom Seaver (#65), George Brett (#68), Steve Carlton (#71), Gaylord Perry (#83), Don Sutton (#92), Nolan Ryan (#101), Ozzie Smith (#102), Carlton Fisk (#106), Eddie Murray (#115), Reggie Jackson (#120), Dave Winfield (#125) and Johnny Bench (#128). Hostess also issued an album.