tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1682316660684694412024-02-19T04:37:24.827-05:001966 Topps BaseballI decided to fill the only gap between 1965 and 1969 by starting this blog. I didn't collect baseball cards in 1966, but in the 1980s I obtained all the Phillies cards (and a few others) from the 1966 set. Since the fall of of 2008, I have collected over <b>450</b> of these cards. I now have <b>533</b> of the 598 cards (89%). -- 16-OCT-2009Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.comBlogger214125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-53981035942055357972021-01-09T15:13:00.002-05:002022-06-11T22:03:36.550-04:00I Had My Kicks With '66<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwE6F8Pj7jvypDAs_EAqoOHw0Cvyg_sOVq-hur3ezWUZLVB_zdR8oaT6qVoEMLqtObLsxIb9XhHbghyGcEYCH1GaKg_eFcJR5OY1aQ6lm1VQgugj4A-mdbaTgPl7ekjyYFcddSw-bl4Tla/s535/1966.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="177" data-original-width="535" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwE6F8Pj7jvypDAs_EAqoOHw0Cvyg_sOVq-hur3ezWUZLVB_zdR8oaT6qVoEMLqtObLsxIb9XhHbghyGcEYCH1GaKg_eFcJR5OY1aQ6lm1VQgugj4A-mdbaTgPl7ekjyYFcddSw-bl4Tla/s320/1966.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The time has come to retire this blog.
Several things contributed to this decision: <div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">1. I have run out of cards to post here (other than for players that I've already posted elsewhere), and I don't like to duplicate players across multiple blogs. That leaves me with only the various Rookie Stars cards to post, which I don't really want to do. I also thought about beefing up the Braves' representation on this blog, which is lagging behind all the other teams, but those capless cards are just too hideous to unleash on the public.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">2. The new Blogger format is a pain in the butt to deal with. The constant hassle with paragraph vs. normal layouts, photos not appearing where you expect them, even commenting on other blogs is sketchy. (If I don't immediately sign out after posting a comment, my next navigation sends a duplicate comment to the blog.) </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">3. I don't have as much time to blog as I used to. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">For these and other reasons, blogging has started to become a chore. A long time ago I set goals on which cards I wanted to blog for each set. I have come to that point on some of my blogs, and am near it on all others except 1969. I intended to push through to the end, but that is feeling like a self-imposed chore now. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">This closure follows my 1963 blog's demise, and others will follow sooner or later. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I have also enabled comment moderation on all my blogs. This was done not to suppress legitimate comments, but to prevent the blogs from being overrun by spam comments since I will not be reading them as often as I do now. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">One only needs to look at the comments section of just about ANY post on <a href="http://whentoppshadballs.blogspot.com/">this blog</a> to see what happens when the blog owner doesn't keep up with the spammers.</div><p><br /></p>
If you haven't seen it already, please scroll down to the end of the sidebar to read comments about the set that I wrote, and posted on Zistle some years ago. Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-31612031906552989192020-12-27T17:44:00.005-05:002020-12-27T17:46:06.340-05:00Braves Rookies: Jim Beauchamp / Dick KelleyThis is the first (#84) of two Braves Rookies cards in the 1966 set. We already looked at the second Braves rookies card <a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/2014/04/braves-rookies-herb-hippauf-arnie-umbach.html">here</a>.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-NFGj6jZsby3mRAoCyOP0a2OQXfI5D2mdj9DszRaT3AlrRAWt_zMYhMaMRsG_jEzwzCsv0nF3kicsux9GNlWz35mgurNSyXuCNbiZqwA3BXOgg1RhlqbkdHt9oPocnm0j5J7jBg7cwNl7/s661/1966+Braves+Rookies+%2528Beauchamp-Kelley%2529+%2528f%2529.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="661" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-NFGj6jZsby3mRAoCyOP0a2OQXfI5D2mdj9DszRaT3AlrRAWt_zMYhMaMRsG_jEzwzCsv0nF3kicsux9GNlWz35mgurNSyXuCNbiZqwA3BXOgg1RhlqbkdHt9oPocnm0j5J7jBg7cwNl7/s400/1966+Braves+Rookies+%2528Beauchamp-Kelley%2529+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsaHnrQFoiOq9YN8I1iYlTt_HvZxx65cvmCnBCix9wKck3kKb6JSbmCoNCgeNdZiyxD4DXmt5RBOiqunwAQhd8inzipzunHfWzSuQ2jxr0TLbYasOgfRWQ3MvU9cBlV2Hn6-TKwDWehtN/s1024/1966+Braves+Rookies+%2528Beauchamp-Kelley%2529+%2528r%2529.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizsaHnrQFoiOq9YN8I1iYlTt_HvZxx65cvmCnBCix9wKck3kKb6JSbmCoNCgeNdZiyxD4DXmt5RBOiqunwAQhd8inzipzunHfWzSuQ2jxr0TLbYasOgfRWQ3MvU9cBlV2Hn6-TKwDWehtN/s400/1966+Braves+Rookies+%2528Beauchamp-Kelley%2529+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2020/09/jim-beauchamp-307.html">Jim Beauchamp</a> was signed by the Cardinals in 1958. He made his major-league debut with them in September 1963, then played parts of '64 and '65 with the Astros. He came to the Braves in May 1965 along with pitcher Ken Johnson in exchange for outfielder Lee Maye. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Most of his Braves' tenure (1965-67) was spent in the minors, although he played 4 games for the Braves in 1965 and again in 1967. He also played for the Reds, Cardinals, and Mets from 1968-73.
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://1968topps.blogspot.com/2019/09/dick-kelley-203.html">Dick Kelley</a> was signed by the Braves in 1959, and after a cup of coffee in 1964, he played in parts of '65 and '66, and all of 1967-68 for the Braves. Drafted by the expansion Padres, he was their only left-handed starter in 1969, and after a year in the minors he returned to the Padres' bullpen for 1971.
</div>Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-72980430689387201072020-10-18T08:00:00.004-04:002020-12-27T17:46:16.314-05:00Tigers Rookies: (Fritz Fisher / John Hiller)<p>This is a typical Rookie Stars card (#209), where one of the two players chosen by Topps goes on to a long career, and one does not. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfRYVbb7ZVgA_-_hHL-nOcE76spwpd4FHgcMP_z_BY3slMob-Nti5MmHjKcdGQzn_C3udPS70s4QKkffqG9jAfFqORd4FWKunM9PN20HnkCvEPqbXlYsWrHUiFX_4Pofnh2NMc9mK4HA6i/s2048/1966+Tigers+Rookies+%2528Fisher-Hiller%2529+%2528f%2529+.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1476" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfRYVbb7ZVgA_-_hHL-nOcE76spwpd4FHgcMP_z_BY3slMob-Nti5MmHjKcdGQzn_C3udPS70s4QKkffqG9jAfFqORd4FWKunM9PN20HnkCvEPqbXlYsWrHUiFX_4Pofnh2NMc9mK4HA6i/s320/1966+Tigers+Rookies+%2528Fisher-Hiller%2529+%2528f%2529+.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijIJjaoWg_QfMSutMY_pQCP_bXusP6cQtouuZMDxqmrDpPpS7UH2zvTsVekx8WygkCLyCKBSoDm8-QOebMl-dilyuydUIbSwenkhSegmH4JKE0ftCBJpmAW6TekhukxPAn4MUV5B7-lKxK/s2048/1966+Tigers+Rookies+%2528Fisher-Hiller%2529+%2528r%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1482" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijIJjaoWg_QfMSutMY_pQCP_bXusP6cQtouuZMDxqmrDpPpS7UH2zvTsVekx8WygkCLyCKBSoDm8-QOebMl-dilyuydUIbSwenkhSegmH4JKE0ftCBJpmAW6TekhukxPAn4MUV5B7-lKxK/s320/1966+Tigers+Rookies+%2528Fisher-Hiller%2529+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Fritz Fisher is the "not" in this scenario. The sum of his major-league experience was one game for the Tigers in April 1964. He pitched 1/3 of an inning, and came away with a 108.00 ERA. He kicked around in Detroit's farm system for 5 years (1963-67) before hanging them up. </p><p> </p><p>In contrast, <a href="http://1968topps.blogspot.com/2018/12/john-hiller-307.html">John Hiller</a> pitched a few innings in '65 and '66, then had a solid career from 1967-80, all with the Tigers. (He missed the 1971 season after having a heart attack that January.) Hiller returned to the Tigers in 1972, and led the AL in games and saves in 1973. He also posted 17 wins (all in relief) in 1974.</p>Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-82169530306929511222020-07-17T08:45:00.000-04:002020-07-17T08:46:25.953-04:00Jimmy Stewart (#63)Jimmy Stewart was a utility player for several teams (mostly the Cubs and Reds) from 1963 to 1973.<br />
<br />
His cards almost always had him listed as "INF-OF", but his primary positions were left field, 2nd base, and shortstop. He also played some at the other outfield and corner infield spots, and even caught 2/3 of an inning in 1970.<br />
<br />
Stewart was signed by the Cubs in June 1961 and made his major-league debut in September 1963. He played all of 1964 and 1965 with the Cubs, but split the 1966 season between the Cubs and their AAA team. His best season was 1964, when he played in 132 games and collected 33 RBI.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DlH7CF7VcMb_M_T_lZ53TzAO4OhUwjOn6QrdQ2lxgbLvSbjsl_z5ujTR_U3r4xenk-y3uvm77rcqzLuw4KH4daqQ-nUuGZGZhgXNiBF3tUFyykU2FL7sMt6jSxCwgZspRXAvtvOvjllh/s1600/1966+Jim+Stewart+%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="368" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DlH7CF7VcMb_M_T_lZ53TzAO4OhUwjOn6QrdQ2lxgbLvSbjsl_z5ujTR_U3r4xenk-y3uvm77rcqzLuw4KH4daqQ-nUuGZGZhgXNiBF3tUFyykU2FL7sMt6jSxCwgZspRXAvtvOvjllh/s400/1966+Jim+Stewart+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="283" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJYx640vWOTMvo2QWrnuMEoJejqvmpOwzHbVqJeFJWZtF1DhCu5ElwSCR9wDdqjbCoRPZKD9VZHYlwssDLxav-IHJXenRjASF1jS_uAMarTiRkmVg4h7L4H5Hsh_PJ-k0qlK4fPX7QTQQ/s1600/1966+Jim+Stewart+%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="522" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJYx640vWOTMvo2QWrnuMEoJejqvmpOwzHbVqJeFJWZtF1DhCu5ElwSCR9wDdqjbCoRPZKD9VZHYlwssDLxav-IHJXenRjASF1jS_uAMarTiRkmVg4h7L4H5Hsh_PJ-k0qlK4fPX7QTQQ/s400/1966+Jim+Stewart+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
He was purchased by the cross-town White Sox in May 1967, but played most of that season with their triple-A team in Indianapolis. He appeared in 24 games with the Sox from mid-June to mid-July, almost always as a pinch-hitter or pinch-runner.<br />
<br />
Jimmy was in the minors for all of 1968, then was selected by the Reds in the Rule 5 draft after the season. Stewart was with Cincinnati for all of 1969-71, with most of his playing time coming in 1969, when he made 41 starts at various positions. He started less than 10 games the other 2 years.<br />
<br />
After the 1971 season, he headed to the Astros, along with <a href="http://1968topps.blogspot.com/2012/03/lee-may-487.html">Lee May</a> and <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2012/10/tommy-helms-505.html">Tommy Helms</a> for <a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/2013/02/general-blog-note-yesterday-i-found.html">Joe Morgan</a>, <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2017/12/denis-menke-518.html">Denis Menke</a>, <a href="http://1970topps.blogspot.com/2011/05/jack-billingham-701.html">Jack Billingham</a>, Cesar Geronimo, and Ed Armbrister.
Stewart spent the last 2 years of his career as a reserve infielder for the Astros, making only 11 starts in '72 and 6 in '73.<br />
<br />
After his playing career he worked for the Reds from 1980-91 as a minor-league manager and then a scout. He also scouted for the Phillies from 1992-2006.<br />
<br />
Stewart passed away in 2012 at age 73.Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-19521305920535557792020-03-28T08:00:00.000-04:002020-03-28T08:00:00.179-04:00Chico Salmon (#594)<i>Something I don’t often do is post images of cards that I don’t have. In the roughly 1200 cards I have posted across my baseball blogs, maybe 5 to 8 were cards I don’t have. (The 1965 cards of Jerry Fosnow and Dan Pleis come to mind. I posted internet images of them to complete my series of 1965 final cards.) </i><br />
<br />
<i>This 1966 Chico Salmon card is another. I have Salmon's 1967-1970 cards, but in 1969 he is capless, and in 1970 he is shown as an Oriole, while I consider him mostly as an Indian. I also have many ’67 and ’68 cards remaining to post, but not so many '66 cards, so Chico has been assigned to the 1966 queue. (Besides, I noticed tonight that I also have <a href="https://1966topps.blogspot.com/2013/09/chico-ruiz-159_7.html">Chico Ruiz and Chico Cardenas</a> on this blog, so Salmon completes the trifecta.) </i><br />
<br />
<b>Chico Salmon</b> played every position but pitcher and catcher, although he didn’t play shortstop until 1966, with the Indians. He was signed by the (old) Washington Senators in 1959, and bounced around in the minors for several years - to the Giants in 1960, the Tigers in 1961, and the Braves in 1963.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-eJSKrh4IhjPzxlK3OTYfxmY5L5F66mcsrM4Ks-5NeONPYdgaiIXQZDPbeyH6cjYxKo_kZCJyrW_RvSmG6T8bF8UPR1Ne1hEp-H5bLCAbKgvFCWZPV8bfxsFOfHkvD3g4fZcUNt3-Jqx/s1600/1966+Chico+Salmon+%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="267" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK-eJSKrh4IhjPzxlK3OTYfxmY5L5F66mcsrM4Ks-5NeONPYdgaiIXQZDPbeyH6cjYxKo_kZCJyrW_RvSmG6T8bF8UPR1Ne1hEp-H5bLCAbKgvFCWZPV8bfxsFOfHkvD3g4fZcUNt3-Jqx/s400/1966+Chico+Salmon+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="277" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisXBH2RPPXl-sjVt1s_aX5MbmXhwn-_TmjUqB9VHhLIRQ3umR-rnXA1ZNxo6n3I0hs9NQHD4GEu6QZD-CToNeQDUQw1A2Xd6uJOOUjwqJ-_MDZl8MQ2AFpwAWon2t2_vEHdYF2ofawmVCz/s1600/1966+Chico+Salmon+%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="249" data-original-width="350" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisXBH2RPPXl-sjVt1s_aX5MbmXhwn-_TmjUqB9VHhLIRQ3umR-rnXA1ZNxo6n3I0hs9NQHD4GEu6QZD-CToNeQDUQw1A2Xd6uJOOUjwqJ-_MDZl8MQ2AFpwAWon2t2_vEHdYF2ofawmVCz/s400/1966+Chico+Salmon+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
After the 1963 season, the Braves traded him to the Indians for a player to be named later (<a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2010/03/final-card-mike-de-la-hoz.html">Mike de la Hoz</a>). Chico made his major-league debut with the Indians in June 1964. He started 39 games in right field over the 2nd half of the season, sharing the job with <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2009/10/classic-crew-cuts-part-2.html">Tito Francona</a>. He also started 2 dozen games at 2nd base.<br />
<br />
In 1965 he played in 79 games but spent most of the season on the bench, only starting 16 games at 1st base and a handful elsewhere.<br />
<br />
Things improved for him in 1966. He played all over the infield, mostly at shortstop where he started 57 games, including every game from 5/22 to 7/5. He also started another 47 games at 1B/2B/3B. The Tribe decided to use <a href="http://1970topps.blogspot.com/2017/08/larry-brown-391.html">Larry Brown</a> at shortstop for most of the 2nd half (and in subsequent seasons), so Chico returned to the bench for the remainder of his Indians' career, except for April/May 1968 when he was the starting 2nd baseman.<br />
<br />
Salmon was selected by the Seattle Pilots in the expansion draft, but traded to the Orioles just before the start of the 1969 season for <a href="http://1970topps.blogspot.com/2017/08/gene-brabender-289.html">Gene Brabender</a>. What luck for him! He moved from the Indians (a perennial 2nd-division team) to the Pilots (yecch), to the Orioles (the AL kings for much of 1966-1971).<br />
<br />
For the next 3 seasons Chico was the O’s top utility infielder, and played in the '69 and '70 post-season.<br />
<br />
In 1972 rookie Bobby Grich took over the backup infield assignments, relegating Salmon to only 17 games, mostly pinch-hitting appearances. He was released in mid-August.<br />
<br />
Salmon passed away in 2000 at age 59.Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-88885770451149519072020-03-19T19:37:00.002-04:002020-03-19T19:37:45.521-04:00Final Card: Bob SadowskiThis is Bob Sadowski’s final card (#523). In March 2018 I posted <a href="http://65topps.blogspot.com/2018/03/bob-sadowski-156.html">his 1965 card</a> on my ’65 blog, but that was before I had this card. (I generally limit my 1965 blog to players’ final cards.)<br />
<br />
Sadowski was signed by the Cardinals in 1958, and played in their farm systems for 5 1/2 seasons until his trade to the Braves in mid-June 1963 (Sadowski and <a href="http://1968topps.blogspot.com/2010/01/gene-oliver-449.html">Gene Oliver</a> for <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2009/11/final-card-lou-burdette.html">Lou Burdette</a>).<br />
<br />
Bob was immediately brought up to the Braves and pitched 19 games over the second half, including 18 starts and 5 complete games. He posted a 5-7 record and 2.62 ERA in 116 innings pitched.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg13NKNMgU6aa18glnQ8mtVbzwQtzY6kLKlugUkpqncu3Wjvbyxw47OaLf_JJND7YKIOBkaBO5fC8CZPKGD34XiHJC6uOg7Hy_pGdNkOn1F1UhBVjOWEWHhbginYdl9O0oh5VB8ehjip_w7/s1600/1966+Bob+Sadowski+%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1136" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg13NKNMgU6aa18glnQ8mtVbzwQtzY6kLKlugUkpqncu3Wjvbyxw47OaLf_JJND7YKIOBkaBO5fC8CZPKGD34XiHJC6uOg7Hy_pGdNkOn1F1UhBVjOWEWHhbginYdl9O0oh5VB8ehjip_w7/s400/1966+Bob+Sadowski+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="284" /></a></div>
<i>(That same yellow dome is seen on Tony Conigliaro's 1967 card.)
</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg563TuZczzZXeeOdqxwcacX-jtTtUMuc8Ck8r_DnWEKpVBasw2pRzlPxWXZzCce1gRRmAo-Vpf3cMpS_5DterQA2XWaIOjY3K6yH5miPn3gsSljJ2NLdd_lz-XMtgyiFInj63y9h3hhLb/s1600/1966+Bob+Sadowski+%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1123" data-original-width="1600" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg563TuZczzZXeeOdqxwcacX-jtTtUMuc8Ck8r_DnWEKpVBasw2pRzlPxWXZzCce1gRRmAo-Vpf3cMpS_5DterQA2XWaIOjY3K6yH5miPn3gsSljJ2NLdd_lz-XMtgyiFInj63y9h3hhLb/s400/1966+Bob+Sadowski+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
In 1964 he started 18 games again (along with 33 relief appearances), but his ERA soared to 4.59.<br />
<br />
He started the final home opener for the Milwaukee Braves in April 1965. He posted a similar ERA (4.54) as the previous year, but in only 34 games.<br />
<br />
In December 1965 Bob was traded to the Red Sox (with pitcher <a href="http://1969topps.blogspot.com/2013/06/final-card-dan-osinski.html">Dan Osinski</a>) for pitchers <a href="http://65topps.blogspot.com/2019/03/final-card-jay-ritchie.html">Jay Ritchie</a> and <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2010/03/final-card-arnold-earley.html">Arnold Earley</a>, and outfielder <a href="http://1968topps.blogspot.com/2010/03/final-card-lee-thomas.html">Lee Thomas</a>.<br />
<br />
Sadowski was used very little by the Red Sox because of arm injuries, only appearing in 11 games (33 innings) by mid-season, his final major-league game coming on July 4th. With an ERA of 7.02 he was sent to the minors, where his troubles continued - pitching only 5 innings in the 2nd half.<br />
<br />
He played the 1967 season for the Braves’ double-A team before retiring.<br />
<br />
His brother Ed was a catcher for the Red Sox and Angels from 1960-63, and for the Braves in 1966.
His brother Ted (Ed and Ted?) pitched for the Senators/Twins from 1960-62.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://mlb1960s.blogspot.com/2017/01/rip-bob-sadowski-inf.html">Another Bob Sadowski</a> played for the Phillies, White Sox, and Angels from 1961-63.<br />
<br />
Sadowski passed away in 2018 at age 80.Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-23431503140314439132019-12-31T16:29:00.002-05:002021-05-30T01:30:34.276-04:00Final Card: Dick BertellI already posted <a href="http://65topps.blogspot.com/2016/05/dick-bertell-27.html">Dick Bertell's 1965 card</a>, so I will dispense with the usual write-up.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/2019/09/new-acquisitions.html">I recently acquired his final card</a> (#587) and have moved several cards closer to completing the 1966 set.<br />
<br />
Although this is his last card, he played a few games for the Cubs in early-1967 before retiring.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFYQsdUPe-Fjzj4WLsNP4HyrXcLe5Fub1Cm0unKwbDBDhcynqEsbsFq_KQRMhxu76wft3_RaXRnFXIUPAVwI0ETzTQnBNQFtrJobyxWCSzW54T17xT997CXDmokTaxo7FNf8DLcZdDxx9/s1600/1966+Dick+Bertell+%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1143" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFYQsdUPe-Fjzj4WLsNP4HyrXcLe5Fub1Cm0unKwbDBDhcynqEsbsFq_KQRMhxu76wft3_RaXRnFXIUPAVwI0ETzTQnBNQFtrJobyxWCSzW54T17xT997CXDmokTaxo7FNf8DLcZdDxx9/s400/1966+Dick+Bertell+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZNQ0vqkVMrCVjkJyRR3DnOgM68BH1gFLiEadVQY8MPjG_sJgk52rNkrqwEiOQlR7as2-3eVqE-VtP7Iii7T7Ag7e8ioJlenIp7RV9PVJxU5bjpvyRvF9TBhzVdnJM5fKq_VKMvHKJxPxp/s1600/1966+Dick+Bertell+%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1133" data-original-width="1600" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZNQ0vqkVMrCVjkJyRR3DnOgM68BH1gFLiEadVQY8MPjG_sJgk52rNkrqwEiOQlR7as2-3eVqE-VtP7Iii7T7Ag7e8ioJlenIp7RV9PVJxU5bjpvyRvF9TBhzVdnJM5fKq_VKMvHKJxPxp/s400/1966+Dick+Bertell+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-27070687146533526072019-10-06T23:28:00.000-04:002019-10-06T23:32:54.108-04:00Final Card: Chi-Chi OlivoThis is the first and last card for Chi-Chi Olivo, a reliever for the Braves from 1964-66. It's one of only three 1966 Braves cards showing the new Atlanta cap.<br />
<br />
Olivo was signed by the Milwaukee Braves in 1955 (by then already 27 years old), but didn’t make his major-league debut until June 1961 at age 33. He pitched a total of 2 innings across 3 games, then headed back to the minors until 1964.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQYXeoyABC5cts7Mi9cT0Y6CVOmlIDDq8jT9t-oyfsYYMfjQ4CidluOIlpkMjfxCrAJZlOnpEuIr1UarnD17PHr-4KKDnVtiRO9T8KYkVjqXMxRrzBDUfhyphenhyphenVciuzU6nXbenDrRHBkCw7I1/s1600/1966+Chi+Chi+Olivo+%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1131" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQYXeoyABC5cts7Mi9cT0Y6CVOmlIDDq8jT9t-oyfsYYMfjQ4CidluOIlpkMjfxCrAJZlOnpEuIr1UarnD17PHr-4KKDnVtiRO9T8KYkVjqXMxRrzBDUfhyphenhyphenVciuzU6nXbenDrRHBkCw7I1/s400/1966+Chi+Chi+Olivo+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="283" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9rwuXuhyphenhyphenekgbEFfCaUXDDuVQOLLpVLVD5riG9w_zZpaE1h0VAPWsA_NBhyQcwubZofjtqPr6Ycasxk0STJhp5JwQQP0PmzgUbaUvTdp2CNlSrAbKXHPC_9cWK5MJn6Oa3mT-2ylshPJk/s1600/1966+Chi+Chi+Olivo+%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1121" data-original-width="1600" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9rwuXuhyphenhyphenekgbEFfCaUXDDuVQOLLpVLVD5riG9w_zZpaE1h0VAPWsA_NBhyQcwubZofjtqPr6Ycasxk0STJhp5JwQQP0PmzgUbaUvTdp2CNlSrAbKXHPC_9cWK5MJn6Oa3mT-2ylshPJk/s400/1966+Chi+Chi+Olivo+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Chi-Chi pitched 38 games for the Braves during the 2nd half of 1964, but it wasn’t enough to secure a long-term job with the club. After 2 games in April 1965, he was sent back down until returning in September for another 6 games.<br />
<br />
Olivio’s final season with the Braves was 1966. He stayed with the Braves for most of the season, picking up 7 saves in 47 games. He also spent 6 weeks in the minors in August and September.<br />
<br />
After the 1966 season he was traded to the Yankees with outfield prospect <a href="http://1970topps.blogspot.com/2017/03/bill-robinson-23.html">Bill Robinson</a> for 3rd baseman <a href="http://1969topps.blogspot.com/2014/02/clete-boyer-489.html">Clete Boyer</a>. He pitched in triple-A all season before retiring.<br />
<br />
Olivio made a brief comeback in the Mexican League in 1971 and 1972.<br />
<br />
He passed away in 1977 at age 48.<br />
<br />
His brother Diomedes Olivo pitched for the Pirates and Cardinals in 1962 and 1963.Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-41266757098493273432019-09-24T23:28:00.002-04:002019-09-26T00:57:14.417-04:00National League Batting Leaders (#215, 217, 219)Hall of Famers abound!!!<br />
<br />
Here are the National League batting leaders for the prior season. Willie Mays appears 3 times, (unfortunately only in the 1st position for home runs).<br />
<br />
<br />
I <a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/2019/09/new-acquisitions.html">just got this card a few weeks ago</a>, enabling this 3-card post to complete the <a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/search/label/...league%20leaders">1966 league leaders set</a>. Roberto Clemente hit .329, well ahead of the pack at .310 to .318. Hank Aaron has his Milwaukee cap on, but the caption has been switched to "Atlanta" already. (Meanwhile, Frank Robinson's caption on the RBI card was not updated to "Baltimore Orioles".)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKp_ycC3X8xct3oEdBaZJCyt64H4GRFy0A1wT88GIjP1ltD6BUQ3LnltEBnqS7hmTh8RdFoKGuRXs110kHKTzIJSdILWz_Nrjr6XKBF-2i9V6HO0jXQDutc8ecScn4lQahP68LxPIuhoW/s1600/1966+NL+Batting+Leaders+%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1130" data-original-width="1600" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnKp_ycC3X8xct3oEdBaZJCyt64H4GRFy0A1wT88GIjP1ltD6BUQ3LnltEBnqS7hmTh8RdFoKGuRXs110kHKTzIJSdILWz_Nrjr6XKBF-2i9V6HO0jXQDutc8ecScn4lQahP68LxPIuhoW/s400/1966+NL+Batting+Leaders+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_5_X1aexwiVbG17uFdm32isjo_sL-9CtMwW4sExK905kmz35qrRFrsGY3VTxmW12TQtw_zBOCnFGaRJ5MDFMoidQXM359zmhdMPqWVPVVV_lnGAhEIlJpyaXUtSad4Yn66RCjZAM0pHw/s1600/1966+NL+Batting+Leaders+%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1143" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_5_X1aexwiVbG17uFdm32isjo_sL-9CtMwW4sExK905kmz35qrRFrsGY3VTxmW12TQtw_zBOCnFGaRJ5MDFMoidQXM359zmhdMPqWVPVVV_lnGAhEIlJpyaXUtSad4Yn66RCjZAM0pHw/s400/1966+NL+Batting+Leaders+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
<i>(Did they really need to fill up the card back? Batting .245 is hardly among the league leaders!)</i><br />
<br />
<br />
Mays led the league with FIFTY-TWO homers! Teammate Willie McCovey was 2nd, but a distant 13 dingers behind. Billy Williams hit 34 homers, one more than his teammate Ron Santo.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwY7yZVfmuQVCXSXzH3IqsdR3HFrb4dK5VZpHYJaFPpSO30cz_vGU3-BiSTtKgqHoZejjMrpk6a4oq0zVF5VAcS5xEtOHZho-mnci0BNiNWcphEm-abHlnzhPSX_XqCEJs0Q6L_l6dBA_o/s1600/1966+NL+Home+Run+Leaders+%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="688" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwY7yZVfmuQVCXSXzH3IqsdR3HFrb4dK5VZpHYJaFPpSO30cz_vGU3-BiSTtKgqHoZejjMrpk6a4oq0zVF5VAcS5xEtOHZho-mnci0BNiNWcphEm-abHlnzhPSX_XqCEJs0Q6L_l6dBA_o/s400/1966+NL+Home+Run+Leaders+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNlAZBR4mDNsOrDpbyRB7a9wDoBmmo7HcWHOjxXo9f3I78-YQVW5Ra7_dhgBrijuT8QOMgk2ppE7D5TISLNIsN7hgmCzCS-JVT0FXc7sPlpLlaHXYrqCrgUpBI3RzJPmUjDnfXGpwLQxlx/s1600/1966+NL+Home+Run+Leaders+%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="486" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNlAZBR4mDNsOrDpbyRB7a9wDoBmmo7HcWHOjxXo9f3I78-YQVW5Ra7_dhgBrijuT8QOMgk2ppE7D5TISLNIsN7hgmCzCS-JVT0FXc7sPlpLlaHXYrqCrgUpBI3RzJPmUjDnfXGpwLQxlx/s400/1966+NL+Home+Run+Leaders+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>
<i>Hey look! Dick Stuart led the league in grand slams, but was so bad defensively that the Phillies sent him packing after just one season.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
Deron Johnson is the only one of these 7 players not in the Hall of Fame. He had 17 more RBI than teammate Frank Robinson. Also amazing is that Robby was in the top 4 in HR and RBI while batting .296, yet still was traded to the Orioles that off-season.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidz5Jgl7SXehESJ35QRm70KvEbwV-qda8gjzSgKwF0SffCjFtPLg0DnPNxejsBUfwAbVsP8iagcVQCrQ4MhwkncTmcl6HpUg9MhC4TSi74W5Azwbxl3fJSIKrGYv8uRIhZrhDBriwI0ZZK/s1600/1966+NL+RBI+Leaders+%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="687" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidz5Jgl7SXehESJ35QRm70KvEbwV-qda8gjzSgKwF0SffCjFtPLg0DnPNxejsBUfwAbVsP8iagcVQCrQ4MhwkncTmcl6HpUg9MhC4TSi74W5Azwbxl3fJSIKrGYv8uRIhZrhDBriwI0ZZK/s400/1966+NL+RBI+Leaders+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURqH49TiAv-c_IKPO_Rzd8vrQtIT2Z6_9KJqiBJIxyC_eMjAH7qVU_IuZIbu4GE650oe08ndm-H1GRvV7_NSSWP3y0jKbIBhGCXpNPoHxSBYRB80yZN0CszDWp8VHrZUuB0intl6hror6/s1600/1966+NL+RBI+Leaders+%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="694" data-original-width="487" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgURqH49TiAv-c_IKPO_Rzd8vrQtIT2Z6_9KJqiBJIxyC_eMjAH7qVU_IuZIbu4GE650oe08ndm-H1GRvV7_NSSWP3y0jKbIBhGCXpNPoHxSBYRB80yZN0CszDWp8VHrZUuB0intl6hror6/s400/1966+NL+RBI+Leaders+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>
Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-7891942534619880362019-09-15T00:49:00.002-04:002019-09-15T01:48:16.647-04:00Final Card: Dave RobertsI just got this card a few weeks ago, and along with a few others, I can wrap up some loose ends in the <a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/2012/10/final-card-recapping-all-80_10.html">1966 Final Cards subset</a>.<br />
<br />
Dave Roberts had a very brief major-league career, appearing in 16 games for the 1962 expansion Colt .45s and 14 games for the 1966 Pirates. He also played 61 games for the Colt .45s in 1964.<br />
<br />
However, he had a very long professional career, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=robert004dav">playing 15 years in the minors (1952-66) and 7 seasons in Japan (1967-73)</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaIkAkGodSZHVUq3zG6eaHIYCAUZgCNJ2P7_4eKM5z9y0C6ltWqylg1VJ4VRp3eKOaMa_UQb9eUudQDqGgOUj0IP5rOcF7Tpv0hq_W91NJrg_TSFyOPcLBZANotdj6fdOLwtqeGUQIOatQ/s1600/1966+Dave+Roberts+%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1178" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaIkAkGodSZHVUq3zG6eaHIYCAUZgCNJ2P7_4eKM5z9y0C6ltWqylg1VJ4VRp3eKOaMa_UQb9eUudQDqGgOUj0IP5rOcF7Tpv0hq_W91NJrg_TSFyOPcLBZANotdj6fdOLwtqeGUQIOatQ/s400/1966+Dave+Roberts+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="295" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2sPM-oacvRp2vulNVU_edPHSqHsgbubSKyLTRefbrS4pWxlYLzZJWGUq8l7h17f0nWTzpVTvpeYkA16bAR4qFbfjyTmjmd7ILUVFTl7UeCbRPl0ACucj1KqEfX1DX4Bxmi67G7314sJUN/s1600/1966+Dave+Roberts+%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1126" data-original-width="1600" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2sPM-oacvRp2vulNVU_edPHSqHsgbubSKyLTRefbrS4pWxlYLzZJWGUq8l7h17f0nWTzpVTvpeYkA16bAR4qFbfjyTmjmd7ILUVFTl7UeCbRPl0ACucj1KqEfX1DX4Bxmi67G7314sJUN/s400/1966+Dave+Roberts+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
After playing independent ball in '52 and '53, he was in the Orioles' organization from 1954-57, the Braves from 1957-60, the Cubs in 1961, the Colts/Astros from 1962-65, and finally the Pirates in 1966.<br />
<br />
As mentioned, 1964 was the high point of his career. Although mostly used as a pinch-hitter, he started 18 games at 1st base for the Colt .45s in June.<br />
<br />
After the 1965 season, the Pirates selected him from the Astros in the Rule 5 draft. He played 14 games in 1966 (all during the first 6 weeks of the season), mostly as a pinch-hitter or pinch-runner. He spent most of the season with the Pirates' AAA team, so I guess the Astros didn't want him back.<br />
<br />
Although the Orioles purchased his contract in September 1966, he played the next 7 seasons in Japan.<br />
Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-85910586137257765182019-09-01T09:37:00.000-04:002019-09-24T23:28:40.580-04:00New AcquisitionsIn the past few months, I was running out of 1966 cards to feature on this blog. Sure, I had a lot of cards left, but they are either for players I already posted for another year, or capless Braves and Angels who I am tired of looking at.<br />
<br />
But reinforcements have arrived! Last month I bought eleven 1966 cards on eBay, my first "new" baseball cards since I binge-purchased a bunch of 1965 cards in 2015. (Since then, I only bought football cards to complete my 1964 to 1966 Eagles, and some of the giant 1964 Topps cards.)<br />
<br />
For me, the prize is the NL Batting Leaders card, with its 3 Hall of Famers. There's a full-height crease just to the left of Willie Mays, but that's ok, I didn't want to pay an arm and a leg for this one. Now I can post the 3 NL Batting/HR/RBI cards for 1966, completing the 48-card run from 1966 to 1969.<br />
<br />
<br />
Low Numbers:
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXv2ynTUa0wEjRcBLC9M8qP8jZqOUqFu-sO7rOjZSqxKot-FbAjJg9Ix3EKB_Vk1YG8cbD1YiAuD6B6CVp9tK7aryG1fexZZNqrCRaB5kv7zIWLNOFcDnxbhTqEr5m7M-xZV7-zoUnx6_/s1600/New+1966+cards+%2528low%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1335" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXv2ynTUa0wEjRcBLC9M8qP8jZqOUqFu-sO7rOjZSqxKot-FbAjJg9Ix3EKB_Vk1YG8cbD1YiAuD6B6CVp9tK7aryG1fexZZNqrCRaB5kv7zIWLNOFcDnxbhTqEr5m7M-xZV7-zoUnx6_/s320/New+1966+cards+%2528low%2529.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>
<br />
High Numbers:
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-8JHFA2O2cg0ExaqFWmrf0WtTsg_6dMU8SObaXNd3FxGnqhY4HN16RwW0nOgaLBKSxhalhjsgbLjlNzGrsAUWX2AfIy18lyqurt4-YiG1UzXQqnFYc5X-x7zjgK63SI7PxUusgJJV2RA/s1600/New+1966+cards+%2528high%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1268" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-8JHFA2O2cg0ExaqFWmrf0WtTsg_6dMU8SObaXNd3FxGnqhY4HN16RwW0nOgaLBKSxhalhjsgbLjlNzGrsAUWX2AfIy18lyqurt4-YiG1UzXQqnFYc5X-x7zjgK63SI7PxUusgJJV2RA/s400/New+1966+cards+%2528high%2529.jpg" width="316" /></a></div>
Coming up in the next several posts, I will also take an in-depth look at these final cards for Chi Chi Olivo, Dick Bertell, Dave Roberts, and Bob Sadowski.Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-78006430235783612522019-07-13T12:06:00.000-04:002019-07-13T12:06:20.110-04:00Mickey Mantle (#50)It's always a good day for a Mickey Mantle card! (Even a reprint.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1W2Ie0N2oy2rU56P4pVywN0QFAubC6-h9Hdw8dvhqL-NblixYypJ_QDBfsoTCTw9roR62eicvGyqvCOaRfOQIvLnJJOtI1ZPl6AxwXU5SPGeO-2AegjnQw_1l8mkHvwL4yjv0_59oJOrE/s1600/1966+Mickey+Mantle+reprint+%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="475" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1W2Ie0N2oy2rU56P4pVywN0QFAubC6-h9Hdw8dvhqL-NblixYypJ_QDBfsoTCTw9roR62eicvGyqvCOaRfOQIvLnJJOtI1ZPl6AxwXU5SPGeO-2AegjnQw_1l8mkHvwL4yjv0_59oJOrE/s400/1966+Mickey+Mantle+reprint+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="280" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7AigDUUAhWo2aRDUmG-RNRtZ3F6Eft81ePxyO0hqiUlXUwBrSkvKaSgs3PrZewVIBtPdzmROnJMr8P4-HKVVyYnek4zj7iksITREWzlqHvdofxJ7BoZFy61b4EqfaLZpHOvxXaOyQg0vI/s1600/1966+Mickey+Mantle+reprint+%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="692" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7AigDUUAhWo2aRDUmG-RNRtZ3F6Eft81ePxyO0hqiUlXUwBrSkvKaSgs3PrZewVIBtPdzmROnJMr8P4-HKVVyYnek4zj7iksITREWzlqHvdofxJ7BoZFy61b4EqfaLZpHOvxXaOyQg0vI/s400/1966+Mickey+Mantle+reprint+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I got this card (and the 1965 Mantle reprint) on the same day I snagged a <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2016/04/brooks-robinson-600.html">1967 Brooks Robinson high-number</a> in 2016.
Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-6048572932796669262019-05-30T01:21:00.002-04:002019-05-30T01:29:40.378-04:00Pirates Rookies (#123, #498)Topps included 3 pitchers and a catcher in their 1966 Pirates Rookies Stars.<br />
<br />
First up is Frank Bork, Topps apparently lost track of what they were doing with Bork, <a href="http://mlb1960s.blogspot.com/2018/04/topps-pay-attention.html">putting him on a Rookie Stars card 1 year after giving him his own card</a>. Nice...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPjxcJQiiKOOufpb57S8CMGeq0dtaGpUweYc2KX1-lMSv-XwJ-nBqIpAA7xPoSx8rP9bcjUbODQrIgczcDpUZ-3Qzm_JOHCAOpNjhatADLVpAGEnnpT-O0_l1A745NJxi_EtdcjG_xwBJ5/s1600/1966+Pirates+Rookies+%2528Bork-May%2529+%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1158" data-original-width="1600" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPjxcJQiiKOOufpb57S8CMGeq0dtaGpUweYc2KX1-lMSv-XwJ-nBqIpAA7xPoSx8rP9bcjUbODQrIgczcDpUZ-3Qzm_JOHCAOpNjhatADLVpAGEnnpT-O0_l1A745NJxi_EtdcjG_xwBJ5/s400/1966+Pirates+Rookies+%2528Bork-May%2529+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiue5ihxcJD-HO8Lo8IW13RkD6ayyljmUuk091CEuT_2LEs4GDnMqBA4OMfBI2J9U8KwJVdFMfyA-0Q1pEzMQaFOvPqUV-5kAubZi3Ul8tqfngQDvpATDOXMrPajaSwsGQpwYVZYOcuARKE/s1600/1966+Pirates+Rookies+%2528Bork-May%2529+%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="1600" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiue5ihxcJD-HO8Lo8IW13RkD6ayyljmUuk091CEuT_2LEs4GDnMqBA4OMfBI2J9U8KwJVdFMfyA-0Q1pEzMQaFOvPqUV-5kAubZi3Ul8tqfngQDvpATDOXMrPajaSwsGQpwYVZYOcuARKE/s400/1966+Pirates+Rookies+%2528Bork-May%2529+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://1968topps.blogspot.com/2016/07/jerry-may-598.html">Jerry May</a> was the Pirates' #1 catcher in 1967 and 1968, then backed up Manny Sanguillen from 1969-70. He also played for the Royals from 1971-73.<br />
<br />
<br />
Luke Walker appeared on a Pirates Rookies card in '66, '67, and '68. <i>(Can anyone say Lou Piniella?)</i> After a 2-game debut in September 1965, he played 10 games in April and September 1966, then not again until the start of the 1968 season.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6s2PFnrQPgWJxUC0_0QjQbT5vZFf2SqShI6o9loHiiJ8xFMP5g1nceDwYp4Aba7OvA2bJ27XS85bQPXjM-15vquGe2tXH9XqN1lOM6XyIgwxJc9RPvdu2Jk57vI_wUEvX3lyQe1zWT30O/s1600/1966+Pirates+Rookies+%2528Walker-Fryman%2529+%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1154" data-original-width="1600" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6s2PFnrQPgWJxUC0_0QjQbT5vZFf2SqShI6o9loHiiJ8xFMP5g1nceDwYp4Aba7OvA2bJ27XS85bQPXjM-15vquGe2tXH9XqN1lOM6XyIgwxJc9RPvdu2Jk57vI_wUEvX3lyQe1zWT30O/s400/1966+Pirates+Rookies+%2528Walker-Fryman%2529+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhag0nqnutRoh3IGlcojjbkhydqNBrVwHlJtRbS60ZbWbYx4wVNMc4-Ek-1S7kj0pjdy7l7FJGFhV6EXwORHmcCwWKuY1tC3r5dZnH7AiDOE94TZ-M077RL2gIdWOOJUNkwvAVxTF0GlSVQ/s1600/1966+Pirates+Rookies+%2528Walker-Fryman%2529+%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1154" data-original-width="1600" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhag0nqnutRoh3IGlcojjbkhydqNBrVwHlJtRbS60ZbWbYx4wVNMc4-Ek-1S7kj0pjdy7l7FJGFhV6EXwORHmcCwWKuY1tC3r5dZnH7AiDOE94TZ-M077RL2gIdWOOJUNkwvAVxTF0GlSVQ/s400/1966+Pirates+Rookies+%2528Walker-Fryman%2529+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2012/09/woody-fryman-221.html">Woody Fryman</a> was named to the Topps All-Rookie team in 1966 after posting a 12-9 record. After 2 seasons with the Bucs, he was <a href="http://mlb1960s.blogspot.com/2010/03/jim-bunning-to-pirates-fall-1967.html">traded to the Phillies (with 3 others) for pitcher Jim Bunning</a>. He pitched 16 more seasons with the Phillies, Expos, and others.Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-90813739017150515782019-05-13T01:37:00.003-04:002019-05-13T01:44:11.220-04:00Final Card: Gary KrollFor some reason, I thought Gary Kroll was a Pirates' outfielder, but I must have been thinking of Gary Kolb.<br />
<br />
This is Kroll's final card (#548), and is one of the few 1966 cards I don't have, so swiped internet images will have to do.<br />
<br />
Kroll was signed by the Phillies in 1959, and played in their organization until his August 1964 trade to the Mets. (That appears to be Phillies' pinstripes he's wearing on the card.)<br />
<br />
He made his major-league debut with the Phillies in late-July 1964, but after only 2 games he was traded to the Mets for slugger Frank Thomas, as the Phillies geared-up for their pennant drive.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiM-90r4Q1ts4y0u-DVfAuy1YgGVkdPEvKpH4poxx1iXjUr0yK2YAawyiRNDa7TBGA8Wc7O2z58Tl6Z3vJ4jyO9i7QT9gvbl8qXUAEzLgGiydCbKzmVmspUjl7hMDTKVjwQfb7WANBrRCh/s1600/1966+Gary+Kroll+%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="273" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiM-90r4Q1ts4y0u-DVfAuy1YgGVkdPEvKpH4poxx1iXjUr0yK2YAawyiRNDa7TBGA8Wc7O2z58Tl6Z3vJ4jyO9i7QT9gvbl8qXUAEzLgGiydCbKzmVmspUjl7hMDTKVjwQfb7WANBrRCh/s400/1966+Gary+Kroll+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="283" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHF58PsQobY6QbH2IXl52kC0A5elw2fhvzgaddKyqq6nsVFo8ORLIFjPotogytc2T7aFP-yOw7q-sGwXvHDDXsyclQAsW8AdgknlClXbkFEM5EBPoPaftOM-E6t1RjqbM04XwwyvQpVns/s1600/1966+Gary+Kroll+%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="249" data-original-width="350" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHF58PsQobY6QbH2IXl52kC0A5elw2fhvzgaddKyqq6nsVFo8ORLIFjPotogytc2T7aFP-yOw7q-sGwXvHDDXsyclQAsW8AdgknlClXbkFEM5EBPoPaftOM-E6t1RjqbM04XwwyvQpVns/s400/1966+Gary+Kroll+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Gary pitched 32 games (10 starts) for the Mets in 1965, but that was his only full season in the majors. He played minor-league ball from 1966-71, with only brief stints in the majors (10 games with the Astros in '66 and 19 games with the Indians in '69, all as a reliever).<br />
<br />
He finished up his career with triple-A assignments for the Angels (1970) and Cardinals (1971).Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-78399060812556041732019-03-24T20:06:00.001-04:002019-03-24T20:16:58.070-04:00Ron Hunt (#360)As I said at the top of my <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2013/10/1966-1970-post-index.html">multi-blog checklist post</a>, there were over 880 players who played from 1966-1970. I liked many of those players and followed their on-field exploits. Some others I was ambivalent to, either because they were non-descript or that they played for (usually American league) teams I didn’t follow.<br />
<br />
There are less than a half-dozen of these 880+ players I have little or no respect for, and for various reasons. At the top of that list is Ron Hunt. <i>(In December I composed a blog post of my top 10 all-time annoying players, but shelved it because I thought it was too negative. Maybe I will trot it out after the season is under way.) </i><br />
<br />
By all accounts, Hunt was a decent player. He was the runner-up for the 1963 Rookie of the Year award, and by virtue of his All-Star selections in 1964 and 1966 was probably the Mets' best player in their early years.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3i8muBTg0mbVpm7BYDYoFSzICz7n3O4H1cl3hXN6GQVnYWRhldOUJjtZxbPB323fIIgmdv7VxgQugt5EGtA-llQP6OWpi4LnSMbb2scUBJyp3RUaGKXnhSXUy-_s3yvyFjjJm71P8wdYe/s1600/1966+Ron+Hunt%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1133" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3i8muBTg0mbVpm7BYDYoFSzICz7n3O4H1cl3hXN6GQVnYWRhldOUJjtZxbPB323fIIgmdv7VxgQugt5EGtA-llQP6OWpi4LnSMbb2scUBJyp3RUaGKXnhSXUy-_s3yvyFjjJm71P8wdYe/s400/1966+Ron+Hunt%2528f%2529.jpg" width="283" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL7hqmnVKxq32btoDqTsm0XWwZPsdI1rm1Rx03Ck8EcEl9d_s007yhEEofadH7gT9zs5_2z-TTVfIiL3xUsDc6z7tqoQE0aRVWue5aUM3kd7naqnkInBrComgYiFprmTFhF7QWEfW-EQQJ/s1600/1966+Ron+Hunt%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1116" data-original-width="1600" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL7hqmnVKxq32btoDqTsm0XWwZPsdI1rm1Rx03Ck8EcEl9d_s007yhEEofadH7gT9zs5_2z-TTVfIiL3xUsDc6z7tqoQE0aRVWue5aUM3kd7naqnkInBrComgYiFprmTFhF7QWEfW-EQQJ/s400/1966+Ron+Hunt%2528r%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
But something happened to Ron Hunt once he got to the Giants in 1968. Always among the league leaders in HBP (except for 1965 when he missed many games), in '68 he started a streak of leading the league for 7 years, often more than doubling the total of the second-place guy.<br />
<br />
Behold the stats: <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZoe6shcJ6XJD96xTyUfQKYBG0irvqpp9-qNvlrMO2koiCqBAyMFG2JpsDxyATXv5jHB8uWxcsNYhpp7ti-2S5f7Nc5YBNwntZ5WH26VgPGBS8FXMcdZHXHndhhpMqN_isq7ftWX9M5BZg/s1600/Ron+Hunt+-+HBP+stats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="503" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZoe6shcJ6XJD96xTyUfQKYBG0irvqpp9-qNvlrMO2koiCqBAyMFG2JpsDxyATXv5jHB8uWxcsNYhpp7ti-2S5f7Nc5YBNwntZ5WH26VgPGBS8FXMcdZHXHndhhpMqN_isq7ftWX9M5BZg/s400/Ron+Hunt+-+HBP+stats.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>In 1971 he was hit FIFTY times! The next highest total belonged to Rusty Staub, all the way down at 9.</b> What, NL pitchers were only wild when Hunt came to the plate? No, this joker found a way to get on base without having to hit.<br />
<br />
He's like that kid in "The Bad News Bears" that coach Walter Matthau orders to step into the pitch to get hit, because he can't hit but they need a baserunner to allow the next batter (their best hitter) to get to the plate. On second thought, I have more respect for that kid, because at least he didn't <u>want</u> to get hit on purpose.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga0nTnhhMingApXcTsZpEhx1wQmPdgy4d96dN7nguJuBBlUIKN-oIc5f7Dx5gPnQRy2YxTbACVVMBUtXW2RUmeKlGqIAsPQJLw5rwCyjcp6eKw8HsEcKpx9YvpoiOWDu0buZFGeEFVy0Wn/s1600/Rudy+Stein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="417" data-original-width="660" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga0nTnhhMingApXcTsZpEhx1wQmPdgy4d96dN7nguJuBBlUIKN-oIc5f7Dx5gPnQRy2YxTbACVVMBUtXW2RUmeKlGqIAsPQJLw5rwCyjcp6eKw8HsEcKpx9YvpoiOWDu0buZFGeEFVy0Wn/s320/Rudy+Stein.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The rules state that the batter needs to make an attempt to get out of the way. I'm just surprised that the umpires allowed this travesty to go on year after year, especially when he made it so obvious in 1971.<br />
<br />
Ron Hunt, you have earned this blogger's Top Chump award.Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-7062489719710895562019-02-15T06:00:00.000-05:002019-02-16T21:18:17.615-05:00Rene Lachemann (#157)This is Rene Lachemann’s first solo card. It’s one of a handful of 1966 cards that appear to have been painted, rather than photographed. It’s also the same picture Topps used on the 4-player Athletics Rookies card in the 1965 set.<br />
<br />
I much prefer his 1967 card (below), but this 1966 blog was short on Athletics, so here he is.<br />
<br />
Wow, I am REALLY surprised to see how little major-league playing time Lachemann had! 92 games in 1965, only 7 games in 1966, NO games in 1967, and 19 games in 1968. Even having 4 new expansion teams in 1969 couldn’t keep him in the majors.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG6mfdsmtVIKsyLMbRDZmxLVCAX4huay4SwFBA2YVXLyiR8SLbrMGBokk-09OMdrL9CfpRx5L9BDaNcfjczKScEJaGBjqTkRFTlGoDEpyq4b2SdbgRAeQUnoEaUQkVqoJVZYkpKDX1l8j8/s1600/1966+Rene+Lachemann+%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1154" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG6mfdsmtVIKsyLMbRDZmxLVCAX4huay4SwFBA2YVXLyiR8SLbrMGBokk-09OMdrL9CfpRx5L9BDaNcfjczKScEJaGBjqTkRFTlGoDEpyq4b2SdbgRAeQUnoEaUQkVqoJVZYkpKDX1l8j8/s400/1966+Rene+Lachemann+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="289" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Y5Yoq1uM5NEGzMq3lHcYLFCbXaGXFdGpykfy4XucuwF3Gr9NB-QpGgOCbp8c-5eTsC0uZeofDdy37npZBZ0k-_Q1BYg9KkJbhlUJDCct8wa0pcDMwhtzt9iBO7AigC1-YMHezgafPdIj/s1600/1966+Rene+Lachemann+%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1154" data-original-width="1600" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Y5Yoq1uM5NEGzMq3lHcYLFCbXaGXFdGpykfy4XucuwF3Gr9NB-QpGgOCbp8c-5eTsC0uZeofDdy37npZBZ0k-_Q1BYg9KkJbhlUJDCct8wa0pcDMwhtzt9iBO7AigC1-YMHezgafPdIj/s400/1966+Rene+Lachemann+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
After working as the Dodgers' batboy from 1959-63, Rene was signed by the Athletics in 1964, and played in the minors every season from 1964-72. Early on, he was mostly a catcher, but during his 1969-72 stint with Oakland’s AAA club in Iowa, he was primarily a 1st baseman while also playing 3B, outfield, and a few games behind the plate.<br />
<br />
He started 54 games as a rookie in 1965 (playing behind <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2009/12/bill-bryan-601.html">Bill Bryan</a>), but it was all downhill after that. Was it his .227 batting average? His 57 strikeouts in 216 at-bats? Still, he hit 9 homers and collected 29 RBI – not bad for a part-time rookie catcher.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzc45prsYGZptBmSmp33m-GzenzHRvTzlelUPJNIfRet6YB93l6rqSoc2paghuv1FYiXN8bhjsOH-65y0FaxYYExQa83fMF2fRoghsBi8ButL8KbGYmll9EgM5N4vqg7c93WoHBGtOsqH/s1600/1967+Rene+Lachemann.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="233" data-original-width="165" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzc45prsYGZptBmSmp33m-GzenzHRvTzlelUPJNIfRet6YB93l6rqSoc2paghuv1FYiXN8bhjsOH-65y0FaxYYExQa83fMF2fRoghsBi8ButL8KbGYmll9EgM5N4vqg7c93WoHBGtOsqH/s400/1967+Rene+Lachemann.jpg" width="283" /></a></div>
<br />
Lachemann began his managing career in 1973. After stints in the minors with the Athletics and Mariners from 1973-80, he managed the Mariners from 1981-83, the Brewers in 1984, and the Marlins from 1993-96. He also managed the Cubs for 1 game in 2002. His final skipper’s job was with the Rockies’ AAA team in 2009.<br />
<br />
Lachemann’s brother Marcel was a pitcher for the Athletics from 1969-71, and managed the Angels from 1994-96.
Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-65845997983880603642018-12-10T23:44:00.002-05:002018-12-10T23:44:46.927-05:00Art Shamsky (#119)Here is young Art Shamsky, with all of 96 major-league at-bats under his belt.<br />
<br />
Shamsky was signed by the Reds in 1959, and played in the minors from 1960-64 until making his major-league debut in April 1965.<br />
<br />
As a rookie, he was the Reds' 4th outfielder, but when the first 3 are named <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2014/04/vada-pinson-550.html">Vada Pinson</a> (159 starts), <a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/2014/04/tommy-harper-214.html">Tommy Harper</a> (156), and <a href="http://1968topps.blogspot.com/2013/07/frank-robinson-500.html">Frank Robinson</a> (154), there's not much for you to do. 46 of his 64 games were as a pinch-hitter only.<br />
<br />
With the trade of Robinson to the Orioles, Art saw his playing time increase somewhat in 1966. Not too much, as <a href="http://1970topps.blogspot.com/2012/06/deron-johnson-125.html">Deron Johnson</a> took most of the outfield time left behind by Robby, with Shamsky making 63 starts.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pX3K7T5WYMe1K8_fletS8FYkxiE1eszRDDGYwjF4t9yV-b5YddswRMP7qrJL3_tKdP0hnvqR8r-4-uFEkWqXtCPKfCbcsrjTpo33qKEA5cwzmsbdffYLgVIcFqzEvCVtzyKZX5laCk5P/s1600/1966+Art+Shamsky+%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1128" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pX3K7T5WYMe1K8_fletS8FYkxiE1eszRDDGYwjF4t9yV-b5YddswRMP7qrJL3_tKdP0hnvqR8r-4-uFEkWqXtCPKfCbcsrjTpo33qKEA5cwzmsbdffYLgVIcFqzEvCVtzyKZX5laCk5P/s400/1966+Art+Shamsky+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinceafPIP3aFhV72QIA_cyqR3ulleBheZ4fOKhVZAD1VSteZiAy2cLaLbQr6iJwp9cEUVEV5VDh_WBKthD4c7zJCfHjdKT236SKtgFRyDKr0FM_LKbo_AVDT0kBUgMXVwOZC4fLo0LP2MD/s1600/1966+Art+Shamsky+%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1118" data-original-width="1600" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinceafPIP3aFhV72QIA_cyqR3ulleBheZ4fOKhVZAD1VSteZiAy2cLaLbQr6iJwp9cEUVEV5VDh_WBKthD4c7zJCfHjdKT236SKtgFRyDKr0FM_LKbo_AVDT0kBUgMXVwOZC4fLo0LP2MD/s400/1966+Art+Shamsky+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
By 1967, <a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/2011/07/pete-rose-30.html">Pete Rose</a> and even <a href="http://1968topps.blogspot.com/2012/03/lee-may-487.html">Lee May</a> were in the outfield mix, so Art found less playing time than in '66. That November, the Reds traded him to the Mets for utility infielder <a href="http://1970topps.blogspot.com/2011/05/final-card-bob-johnson.html">Bob Johnson</a>.<br />
<br />
Shamsky jumped onboard the Mets' train 1 year before the Miracle 1969 season. He played in over 100 games in each of the next 3 seasons. Sure, the Mets had <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2012/10/cleon-jones-465.html">Cleon Jones</a>, <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2012/11/what-hell-is-going-on-with-blogger.html">Tommie Agee</a>, and <a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/2013/07/ron-swoboda-35.html">Ron Swoboda</a>, but in 1968 Shamsky started 64 games in left field, and another dozen each in right field and first base.<br />
<br />
In 1969 he split right field with Swoboda, starting 61 times to Swoboda's 70. Art also filled in at 1B and LF occasionally. He hit .538 (7 for 13) in the NLCS, but was 0-for-6 in the World Series.<br />
<br />
In 1970 he started 55 games at first base in relief of <a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/2014/08/donn-clendenon-375.html">Donn Clendenon</a> (<a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/2018/01/ed-kranepool-212.html">Ed Kranepool</a> having been sent to the minors), along with another 49 starts in right field.<br />
<br />
Art's career began to fade in 1971, as he was demoted to 6th outfielder, playing only half the games he did in '70.
He was traded to the Cardinals in October 1971, but released just before the '72 season.<br />
<br />
He soon hooked on with the Cubs, but after 15 games in 2 months he was sold to the Athletics at the end of June 1972. He was released 3 weeks later, having only made 8 pinch-hitting appearances<br />
<br />
After his playing career, Shamsky was (among other things) a Mets broadcaster and a New York sports radio host.<br />
<br />
In the TV show "Everybody Loves Raymond", Ray Barone's brother <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJvqddy0p8o">Robert</a> has a dog named Shamsky. Art even <a href="http://raymond.wikia.com/wiki/Art_Shamsky_(character)">even made an appearance</a> on the show.Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-14956228158885753682018-11-20T23:21:00.001-05:002018-11-20T23:24:26.829-05:00Astros Rookies (#244, #539, #596)Here are the 1966 Astros Rookie Stars cards. The first one is card #244 featuring <a href="http://1969topps.blogspot.com/2018/11/final-card-chuck-harrison.html">Chuck Harrison</a> and <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2012/10/sonny-jackson-415.html">Sonny Jackson</a>. Both photos are airbrushed nightmares, using techniques also found on the next card: a poorly-painted logo and fading cap edge, and the other photo looks like someone scribbled over the cap logo with a black sharpie. Both players would have much better cards in the 1967 set.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnVkyrzVRJrOmZ2fQMMjzJ6kCRzLcAjp51sWATataUZiASElXOg7NCdhA9509Uaa86xAh6Azuqw3M2jSqqZ92NxCfibe-Kt_M2ABFQLpzKPp8g2T8bc-6eUL4Gm15VtL0oEMqlvoUEm_tn/s1600/1966+Astros+Rookies+%2528Harrison-Jackson%2529+%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="1600" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnVkyrzVRJrOmZ2fQMMjzJ6kCRzLcAjp51sWATataUZiASElXOg7NCdhA9509Uaa86xAh6Azuqw3M2jSqqZ92NxCfibe-Kt_M2ABFQLpzKPp8g2T8bc-6eUL4Gm15VtL0oEMqlvoUEm_tn/s400/1966+Astros+Rookies+%2528Harrison-Jackson%2529+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOkgElD7pXP-w54i0w-qupx7MPsPmJsCUHBn2dNZF-z9hb9MvvlgMRIoCVqTx6FkXlpvLVdAEkTE2TGHvDBDPh3QMrPtYNFFFYUFyufarx4mXEHdYoODAnTwUir2ga6XAhVSqn7icEfaO/s1600/1966+Astros+Rookies+%2528Harrison-Jackson%2529+%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1154" data-original-width="1600" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOkgElD7pXP-w54i0w-qupx7MPsPmJsCUHBn2dNZF-z9hb9MvvlgMRIoCVqTx6FkXlpvLVdAEkTE2TGHvDBDPh3QMrPtYNFFFYUFyufarx4mXEHdYoODAnTwUir2ga6XAhVSqn7icEfaO/s400/1966+Astros+Rookies+%2528Harrison-Jackson%2529+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
There were two other Astros Rookie Stars cards in the 1966 set, both in the high-numbered 7th series. I don't have these 2 cards, but for completeness I am including images of the card fronts I found on the internet.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJyMwITwEW8djuoREyh3buvCL2bZs1tfbITIMZIxpjqbelAALNviuNenRpiAgjdAmU5mCI39m0LCpLrVqrezIsiClGptGfRJfXOLCYn34aqdskqHm7BHRxcOHPaIelVTrPuLL3dnGvrOMl/s1600/1966+Astros+Rookies+539+%2528Heath-Sembera%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="523" data-original-width="742" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJyMwITwEW8djuoREyh3buvCL2bZs1tfbITIMZIxpjqbelAALNviuNenRpiAgjdAmU5mCI39m0LCpLrVqrezIsiClGptGfRJfXOLCYn34aqdskqHm7BHRxcOHPaIelVTrPuLL3dnGvrOMl/s400/1966+Astros+Rookies+539+%2528Heath-Sembera%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Looks like the same guy was in charge of airbrushing this card (#539). ("Air-brushing" may be too generous a term, because it looks like this was done with a dime-store paintbrush.)
Bill Heath looks a lot like fellow Astros' catcher John Bateman here. Heath would get a better card in the <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2011/09/bill-heath-172.html">1967 set</a>, then disappear until having one last card in the 1970 set as a Cub.<br />
<br />
Carroll Sembera also has a good-looking card in the 1967 set, then falls victim to <a href="http://1968topps.blogspot.com/2009/10/houston-we-have-problem.html">the disaster inflicted on all the 1968 Astros cards</a>. He also has a final card in the 1969 set as a capless Montreal Expo.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZbd8a3qvoozo4sxaNtFhvEXMHOQr4yUFDSMFljZ4dmVzlq5aWmNpNyZ1E9FvgD_EMjMRh9_0qCkOlVUG0DP_AfmRg3emYoJ-Xzrax3FQ7BFxAy0IyXeOi0VO1vH5FwCSuxzyLsed2cZu0/s1600/1966+Astros+Rookies+596+%2528Colbert-Sims%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="643" data-original-width="920" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZbd8a3qvoozo4sxaNtFhvEXMHOQr4yUFDSMFljZ4dmVzlq5aWmNpNyZ1E9FvgD_EMjMRh9_0qCkOlVUG0DP_AfmRg3emYoJ-Xzrax3FQ7BFxAy0IyXeOi0VO1vH5FwCSuxzyLsed2cZu0/s400/1966+Astros+Rookies+596+%2528Colbert-Sims%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Ahh! A decent-looking rookies card (#596). After this card, <a href="http://1970topps.blogspot.com/2016/07/nate-colbert-11.html">Nate Colbert</a> vanishes until resurfacing in the 1969 set as a San Diego Padre. This is Greg Sims' only baseball card.
Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-2402751425677918962018-11-09T00:14:00.004-05:002018-11-09T00:17:39.072-05:00Ken Henderson (#39)Ken Henderson played outfield for 16 seasons from 1965-1980. His first 8 seasons were with the Giants, then he spent the last half of his career with 6 teams, most notably the White Sox.<br />
<br />
I will always remember him as a Giants' spare outfielder, because that was his status when I started collecting cards, but he finally won a full-time job with the Giants from 1970-72, and the White Sox and Braves from 1974-76.<br />
<br />
Henderson was signed by the Giants in June 1964, and made his major-league debut at age 18 in April 1965. Ken spent all of 1965 as the Giants' 5th outfielder, but played most of 1966-68 back in the minors.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinme2kNqzyiAAzWF5ljIN3wCRRCg7sJ51B8H4rLSB90F53URxrZ9l4zw7fA4xKP7qaYDHHluQYPZefSp67Ay9QVfdtSOiiEBQeNI1u3AmzwRr6hV2kp8jwPk_F2xWDLT8RLRFl6nzXx6Q8/s1600/1966+Ken+Henderson+%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="699" data-original-width="490" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinme2kNqzyiAAzWF5ljIN3wCRRCg7sJ51B8H4rLSB90F53URxrZ9l4zw7fA4xKP7qaYDHHluQYPZefSp67Ay9QVfdtSOiiEBQeNI1u3AmzwRr6hV2kp8jwPk_F2xWDLT8RLRFl6nzXx6Q8/s400/1966+Ken+Henderson+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="280" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rEK86KTWNlbL4A7XxadCKcdE9qML_noo1Rg552zu4CnQhvQfYISm_zBntCN0YJUIiZ1C79DMMvqTSLbGSK7icgBjLMhQxmHcCV5tWB1ZthSa1Cv7Wa8LPn78IdlaMhpabK5H1FAgPaNQ/s1600/1966+Ken+Henderson+%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="693" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rEK86KTWNlbL4A7XxadCKcdE9qML_noo1Rg552zu4CnQhvQfYISm_zBntCN0YJUIiZ1C79DMMvqTSLbGSK7icgBjLMhQxmHcCV5tWB1ZthSa1Cv7Wa8LPn78IdlaMhpabK5H1FAgPaNQ/s400/1966+Ken+Henderson+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
After starting outfielders <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2018/01/ollie-brown-83.html">Ollie Brown</a> and <a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/2014/07/jesus-alou-242.html">Jesus Alou</a> were lost in the expansion draft, Henderson stuck with the Giants for good at the start of 1969. Although he was the team's #2 outfielder in terms of total innings played that season, he was a corner-outfield swing man, backing up <a href="http://1969topps.blogspot.com/2012/01/bobby-bonds-630.html">Bobby Bonds</a> in right field and splitting the left field starts with <a href="http://1969topps.blogspot.com/2015/10/dave-marshall-464.html">Dave Marshall</a>.<br />
<br />
Marshall was traded to the Mets after the 1969 season, enabling Henderson to be the team's primary left fielder for the next 3 seasons.<br />
<br />
After the 1972 season, he was traded to the White Sox. Ken was a backup outfielder in 1973, but became the every-day center fielder for the next 2 years, starting 159 games there in '74 and 136 games in '75. <i>(This is news to me!) </i><br />
<br />
After that it was on to the Braves, where he spent 1 season as their right fielder, having been exchanged for Ralph Garr.<br />
<br />
The rest of Henderson’s career was a series of whistle stops as a bench player: 1977 with the Rangers, 1978 with the Mets and Reds, 1979 with the Reds and Cubs, and then wrapping up his career in 1980 with the Cubs, until getting his release in July.<br />
<br />
I'm really surprised that Henderson played any seasons as a regular. 1974 was his career year with 602 at bats, 76 runs, 176 hits, 35 doubles, 5 triples, 20 home runs, 95 RBI, 66 walks, and a .292 batting average in 162 games.Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-76117077421780761632018-09-21T23:20:00.000-04:002018-09-21T23:20:32.367-04:00Phil Gagliano (#418)Phil Gagliano was a utility infielder who played for 12 seasons (1962-74), mostly with the Cardinals.<br />
<br />
He played in the minors for 3 seasons before making his major-league debut in April 1963. After playing in only 10 games by early-May, he was sent to the minors for the rest of the season.<br />
<br />
Phil also began the 1964 season with the Cards but was sent down in July, and missed the World Series that year.<br />
<br />
He returned to the majors for good at the start of the 1965 season, and received the most playing time of his career, starting 90 games that year, including 48 at 2nd base (with regular 2nd baseman <a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/2014/03/julian-javier-436.html">Julian Javier</a> limited to 77 games that year). Phil also started 17 games at 3B and 23 games in right field. He tallied 53 RBI in 411 plate appearances.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeeq-dQ0bgmG0GLoqzknFigGg28nn0ykSDwKSibhbh52XlGmwt-GymOgya3ZxeTjxEvUYpwGq9EtsLcigMVvREwSyCq5CtMOiZWVmuWj9Ot-MWW4FLyyVQ_Vf5J6cnTUCEjC_ov8_LbAoT/s1600/1966+Phil+Gagliano+%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1145" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeeq-dQ0bgmG0GLoqzknFigGg28nn0ykSDwKSibhbh52XlGmwt-GymOgya3ZxeTjxEvUYpwGq9EtsLcigMVvREwSyCq5CtMOiZWVmuWj9Ot-MWW4FLyyVQ_Vf5J6cnTUCEjC_ov8_LbAoT/s400/1966+Phil+Gagliano+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyZHXZuy_dRnZ5CRgAE7SJzw2ppumFwCQuZlC_yOUkumhXzjuLZIUIvCdh8C1pyu_NTGNEpZTsSV2yBCB3NRCfTJFwWu6JckyEdzbvAroFO4bQ36rnXXgm8kdx-QB0mbLN7O6t_3-L7YX/s1600/1966+Phil+Gagliano+%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="1600" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyZHXZuy_dRnZ5CRgAE7SJzw2ppumFwCQuZlC_yOUkumhXzjuLZIUIvCdh8C1pyu_NTGNEpZTsSV2yBCB3NRCfTJFwWu6JckyEdzbvAroFO4bQ36rnXXgm8kdx-QB0mbLN7O6t_3-L7YX/s400/1966+Phil+Gagliano+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
All good things must come to an end, and Gagliano settled back into his utility role beginning in 1966. For the rest of his time with St. Louis, he was their go-to sub at 2B and also at 3B.<i> (Although the team also had backup <a href="http://1970topps.blogspot.com/2011/06/ed-spiezio-718.html">Ed Spiezio</a> through the 1968 season, Ed was rarely used as a defensive replacement, but mostly as a pinch-hitter, while starting a few games at 3B each season.) </i><br />
<br />
Gagliano also played in the ’67 and ’68 World Series, and remained with the Cardinals until his late-May 1970 trade to the Cubs for pitcher <a href="http://1968topps.blogspot.com/2018/08/ted-abernathy-264.html">Ted Abernathy</a>.<br />
<br />
Being a backup infielder with the Cubs in those years meant you didn’t get ANY playing time. After the season he was traded to the Red Sox for 3rd baseman Carmen Fanzone.
Phil played for the Sox for 2 seasons (mostly as a pinch-hitter) then was traded to the Reds during Spring Training in 1973.<br />
<br />
He played his final 2 seasons with Cincinnati, including 3 games in the ’73 NLCS.
Gagliano was released by the Reds after the 1974 season.<br />
<br />
He passed away in 2016 at age 74.<br />
Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-54939059454845995632018-08-17T17:39:00.002-04:002018-09-08T01:57:05.183-04:00Two Guys Named Dick Ellsworth?Only one of these guys can be Dick Ellsworth, right?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj3NDJdMtfJVhw62GAp8W_4dvOBl4Yta3rb-Z_MaB8ReiEAEonZKseRe_vyuFZmceYIN0h2SgKpmgCXK7Grb7kVjky87koIraOGKziWc8ABJoWhTvkA1mHLlgRgCik1y8deEeDgstDG40I/s1600/Two+Dick+Ellsworths.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="703" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj3NDJdMtfJVhw62GAp8W_4dvOBl4Yta3rb-Z_MaB8ReiEAEonZKseRe_vyuFZmceYIN0h2SgKpmgCXK7Grb7kVjky87koIraOGKziWc8ABJoWhTvkA1mHLlgRgCik1y8deEeDgstDG40I/s400/Two+Dick+Ellsworths.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
One card was made by Topps in 1966, featuring someone other than Ellsworth.<br />
<br />
The other is a custom card by John Hogan at the <a href="http://cardsthatneverwere.blogspot.com/">Cards That Never Were</a> blog (who, oddly enough has not posted for 10 months) .<br />
<br />
John had corrected this UNBELIEVABLE error by Topps a few years back.<br />
Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-29885611497480720362018-06-29T20:30:00.000-04:002018-06-29T21:16:43.683-04:00Cal Koonce (#278)Cal Koonce pitched for the Cubs, Mets, and Red Sox from 1962 to 1971. He was a starter for his first few seasons, but by 1966 onward was almost exclusively a relief pitcher.<br />
<br />
Koonce was signed by the Cubs in May 1961, and made his major-league debut with the Cubbies the following April. Cal started 30 games as a rookie in ’62 and at age 21 posted a 10-10 record, 2nd best on the team after veteran <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2009/11/final-card-bob-buhl.html">Bob Buhl</a>’s 12 wins.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg0dHXZNWaXJ0U5ssoDA9GxmlXse7cPQPpGXdi_gEiy8r1WC6flyQgE4ECKV61zXW5d78kTiFGddPcMpPhBQoPUWKLLEAIHwGCDlpTDGbI7SsU7Qi6rO8i1346Jf8AXd6i15DtnxMRhoTn/s1600/1966+Cal+Koonce+%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1143" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg0dHXZNWaXJ0U5ssoDA9GxmlXse7cPQPpGXdi_gEiy8r1WC6flyQgE4ECKV61zXW5d78kTiFGddPcMpPhBQoPUWKLLEAIHwGCDlpTDGbI7SsU7Qi6rO8i1346Jf8AXd6i15DtnxMRhoTn/s400/1966+Cal+Koonce+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNStEix3hVpaZFHEqkctnSMJwOrpbdH3Qy3xfTHBjJacELozvPn8d1jL3haO043mF_c2IRfhRpS4uDEmhoEQGt9SdXLxxLjW0AO5MEMGED_jgE279VeRNnwPT06WC5leO7LqxdipSfqcAd/s1600/1966+Cal+Koonce+%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1137" data-original-width="1600" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNStEix3hVpaZFHEqkctnSMJwOrpbdH3Qy3xfTHBjJacELozvPn8d1jL3haO043mF_c2IRfhRpS4uDEmhoEQGt9SdXLxxLjW0AO5MEMGED_jgE279VeRNnwPT06WC5leO7LqxdipSfqcAd/s400/1966+Cal+Koonce+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
He had an off-year in 1963, spending most of June and July in the minors after his early-season work left him with an ERA over 6.00. Recalled in August, he finished up at 2-6.<br />
<br />
Cal was back in the minors for most of 1964, only appearing in 6 games for the Cubs during a September call-up. It looks like he saved his career that month: winning 3 games, compiling an ERA of 2.03, and punching his ticket for a full 1965 season in Chicago!<br />
<br />
In 1965 Koonce appeared in 38 games (23 starts) for the Cubs – his largest big-league workload to date, and his first full season in the majors since 1962.<br />
<br />
Cal started the 1966 season with the Cubs, but with an ERA over 15.00 by the end of April, he earned a 6-week trip to the minors to get sorted out. He returned in mid-August and appeared in 45 games that season, all but 5 in relief.<br />
<br />
Koonce matched his 45 appearances again in 1967, but they were split between 2 teams. In August he was purchased by the Mets, and became the 4th player (also <a href="http://1968topps.blogspot.com/2010/04/bob-hendley-345.html">Bob Hendley</a>, Rob Gardner, and <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2009/10/john-stephenson-522.html">John Stephenson</a>) to have spent time with both the Cubs and Mets that season.<br />
<br />
Cal pitched for the Mets until halfway through the 1970 season. Surprisingly, he did not play in the 1969 post-season, as the Mets only used 7 pitchers in the NLCS and World Series (starters <a href="http://1968topps.blogspot.com/2012/11/tom-seaver-45.html">Tom Seaver</a>, <a href="http://1969topps.blogspot.com/2014/06/jerry-koosman-90.html">Jerry Koosman</a> and Gary Gentry, and relievers <a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/2016/03/ron-taylor-174.html">Ron Taylor</a>, <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2015/12/don-cardwell-555.html">Don Cardwell</a>, <a href="http://1969topps.blogspot.com/2013/12/nolan-ryan-533.html">Nolan Ryan</a>, and <a href="http://1969topps.blogspot.com/2018/02/tug-mcgraw-601.html">Tug McGraw</a>).<br />
<br />
In mid-June 1970 he was sold to the Red Sox, where he worked as a reliever until he was released in August 1971.<br />
<br />
After his playing career, he was the head baseball coach at Campbell University in North Carolina (his alma mater) for 7 seasons, then scouted for the Texas Rangers.<br />
<br />
Koonce passed away in 1993 at age 52.Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-27661453817209746002018-05-27T20:33:00.000-04:002018-05-27T20:36:54.832-04:00Dalton Jones (#317)Here is Dalton Jones' 1966 card, where he is a third-year player still considered to be the team's "second baseman of the future". He appeared to be headed that way after his first 2 seasons, but was then derailed into utility status.<br />
<br />
Jones was signed by the Red Sox in June 1961, and played 2 ½ seasons in their farm system. He was a shortstop in 1961-62, and a 2nd baseman in 1963.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVzQwmgNHW4JkbpZPsQn8LXmIwf-BqiBcchsPO8_HL3f9zY9OKBAfK2H11Zaq5eRoSNa-Ze9yha2ZCw5u6KfylWtaRtPePev66XMXYLPIDiZD8bV3gB7Gfl3davx_aeEX6v81BXtUbsGS/s1600/1966+Dalton+Jones+%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1146" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVzQwmgNHW4JkbpZPsQn8LXmIwf-BqiBcchsPO8_HL3f9zY9OKBAfK2H11Zaq5eRoSNa-Ze9yha2ZCw5u6KfylWtaRtPePev66XMXYLPIDiZD8bV3gB7Gfl3davx_aeEX6v81BXtUbsGS/s400/1966+Dalton+Jones+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="287" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5iC6Lbi9Iu-rrqtvDov_O0AKoERfPe-A07OTHaYYv4LJrVdgB_C_DRQ4fMectc5cC3eFWKOyXW6AsQWGWklpvJjQlkhp9NYxfMzOyEdCDBLsI2HjL854Z5EKPH59BHlug6w6AG5Z3SD3/s1600/1966+Dalton+Jones+%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="1600" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5iC6Lbi9Iu-rrqtvDov_O0AKoERfPe-A07OTHaYYv4LJrVdgB_C_DRQ4fMectc5cC3eFWKOyXW6AsQWGWklpvJjQlkhp9NYxfMzOyEdCDBLsI2HjL854Z5EKPH59BHlug6w6AG5Z3SD3/s400/1966+Dalton+Jones+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Dalton made the Red Sox from the outset of the 1964 season, and for the next 2 years collected over 400 plate appearances each season, starting 78 games at 2nd base in '64 and 76 games at 3rd base in '65.<br />
<br />
His career took a detour beginning in 1966. <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2012/06/final-card-george-smith.html">George Smith</a> was acquired from the Tigers and started over 100 games at 2nd base for the Sox in his final season, leaving only 49 starts for Jones.<br />
<br />
The following year, rookie Mike Andrews arrived on the scene, becoming the regular 2nd sacker. Jones started 23 games at 3rd base that year. (Dalton had averaged 114 games played every season from 1964 through 1969, except for the Sox’ Dream Season of 1967, when he only got into 89 games.) He hit a career-high .289 in 1967, and started
the first 4 games of the World Series at 3<sup>rd</sup> base.<br />
<br />
In 1968, Jones found a new position – he started 54 games at 1st base, when <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2012/10/george-scott-75.html">George Scott</a> was out of the lineup for much of the second half of the season. In 1969 Scott moved over to third base, with Jones becoming the primary starter at 1st base (74 starts).<br />
<br />
After the 1969 season, Jones was traded to the Tigers for infielder Tom Matchick (<i>hardly equitable compensation for a 74-game starter in 1969!</i>) Jones started about half the games in his 2-year stint with the Tigers, filling in at 2B, 3B, and left field.<br />
<br />
In May 1972 he was traded to the Rangers, and played his final MLB season as a 2B/3B backup for Texas. Released in January 1973, he played for the Expos' AAA team that year before retiring.Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-75611691687337044872018-04-29T16:25:00.000-04:002018-04-29T23:17:28.852-04:00John Buzhardt (#245)I already reviewed the dope on John Buzhardt when I posted <a href="http://1968topps.blogspot.com/2010/01/final-card-john-buzhardt.html">his 1968 card here</a>, but that card is such a mess that I decided to post another one of his cards (like I did for <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2017/08/i-have-already-posted-about-larry.html">Larry Sherry</a> and <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2017/08/turk-farrell-190.html">Turk Farrell</a>).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiw1x02rPWUI5dhCLibloZ7ZKGBEeP-PBmrRvFut5EM7BXcJIxau-7Mm_jmuieCMdBpH36UfzB7h96NzWQavupdOAlLX8xzWQZ9Tee675WJ6BANMWUfXdY3Wxl28I6bvGVT7LaqFCGYpwL/s1600/1966+John+Buzhardt+%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1148" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiw1x02rPWUI5dhCLibloZ7ZKGBEeP-PBmrRvFut5EM7BXcJIxau-7Mm_jmuieCMdBpH36UfzB7h96NzWQavupdOAlLX8xzWQZ9Tee675WJ6BANMWUfXdY3Wxl28I6bvGVT7LaqFCGYpwL/s400/1966+John+Buzhardt+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="287" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnGu-dq6e1l_jBnh_lBwM2E5C7JrieGuoxDaDcNROX5WbUw61y1OH0T-9ch5q-etk3GSO3i9avREjT8XgpQga8JQr8Cm1l9fArIRZaEhYPbp45ez7VMOezUL-jXxT_W-vvoQWEfX2tcMk/s1600/1966+John+Buzhardt+%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="1600" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdnGu-dq6e1l_jBnh_lBwM2E5C7JrieGuoxDaDcNROX5WbUw61y1OH0T-9ch5q-etk3GSO3i9avREjT8XgpQga8JQr8Cm1l9fArIRZaEhYPbp45ez7VMOezUL-jXxT_W-vvoQWEfX2tcMk/s400/1966+John+Buzhardt+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Fun fact about John Buzhardt: While with the Phillies in 1961, two of his 6 wins were the games just before and just after the Phillies' infamous 23-game losing streak.<br />
<br />
Fun fact #2: On a team that also included Gary Peters, Joe Horlen, and Tommy John, Buzhardt was the White Sox' opening day starter in 1967!<br />
<br />Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-168231666068469441.post-38215209789272617782018-03-30T16:29:00.000-04:002018-03-30T23:20:39.364-04:00Senators Rookies (#11, #333, #549)The Senators had THREE Rookie Stars cards in the 1966 set. (Topps would make up for that extravagance by having <a href="http://1969topps.blogspot.com/2017/07/no-senators-rookie-stars.html">no Senators Rookies cards in the 1969 set</a>!)<br />
<br />
4 hits, and 2 misses - which is about average.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1syKZZ8wJLeAt63qp-A73wWgz5K2oWAmCa8Z3CDjf2Monz8lY_ANPSoZbUG9IGALIzNvY_TmoI86wSwU8g8S8SOkcGh1LRHVa6hpQaKutuSgdhuV6TaNst3YBA2D1at4Nmev3itSGmT7/s1600/1966+Senators+Rookies+%25283%2529+%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="738" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1syKZZ8wJLeAt63qp-A73wWgz5K2oWAmCa8Z3CDjf2Monz8lY_ANPSoZbUG9IGALIzNvY_TmoI86wSwU8g8S8SOkcGh1LRHVa6hpQaKutuSgdhuV6TaNst3YBA2D1at4Nmev3itSGmT7/s640/1966+Senators+Rookies+%25283%2529+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="296" /></a></div>
<b>Brant Alyea
</b>played a few games in 1965, but primarily played for the Senators (1968-69), and Twins (1970-71), before wrapping up his career with 2 teams in 1972.<br />
<br />
Let's add <b>Pete Craig</b> to the list of guys who appeared on 3 or more Topps Rookie Stars cards ('65, '66, '67). His major-league career was 6 games, spread across 1964-66). <br />
<br />
<b>Joe Coleman</b>
had the best career of this 6-pack. He played for 15 seasons, for the Senators (1965-70), Tigers (1971-76), and 5 other teams from 1976-79.<br />
<br />
<b>Jim French</b> was the Senators' backup catcher from 1965-71, and started a career-high 56 games in 1969.<br />
<br />
<b>Al Closter</b>
was a Yankees' farmhand from 1965-73, but also played 1 game for the Senators in 1966. His only other big-league action was 14 games for the Yankees in 1971, and a game or 2 for the Yanks and Braves from 1972-73.<br />
<br />
<b>Casey Cox</b> pitched 7 years for the Senators/Rangers (1966-72), before finishing up with the Yankees in 1973. He was primarily a reliever, except for 1970.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBe8xpKXAl84JotNGP27IDybHakH5xuvYqcaU5nj17xtV3NOM5eU9IVAsNdeqj4xBKKC7sh5NS4eSaUIQ5mh0aYKmfrNPG6lRGFFHIqnspLugdL7Ba9KVhvYElpctsamtAzeYE2KTbbilC/s1600/1966+Senators+Rookies+%25283%2529+%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="753" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBe8xpKXAl84JotNGP27IDybHakH5xuvYqcaU5nj17xtV3NOM5eU9IVAsNdeqj4xBKKC7sh5NS4eSaUIQ5mh0aYKmfrNPG6lRGFFHIqnspLugdL7Ba9KVhvYElpctsamtAzeYE2KTbbilC/s640/1966+Senators+Rookies+%25283%2529+%2528r%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
.
Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0