Final Card: Ernie Bowman

[Winding down the "Final Card" series for the 1966 set. After today's card, there's just 5 more to go. (Actually, there's 13 more, but I don't have 8 of them.) In any case, none of the remaining cards are a Twins' manager this time.]


Here's the last of three cards for infielder Ernie Bowman (#302). His rookie card was in the 1962 set, where he appeared on a full card as a member of the Giants. On that card, he looks like a pitcher in the stretch position, ready to fire a fastball plateward.

Bowman was signed by the New York Giants in 1956, and played the next 5 seasons as a 2nd baseman and shortstop in their farm system. As a first-year player in St. Cloud, MN, one of his teammates was Orlando Cepeda.

Bowman made his major-league debut with the Giants in April 1961, and spent most of the year with San Francisco as a utility infielder, while spending most of May and June back in triple-A. Ernie remained with the Giants for all of the next 2 seasons in a bench role.

His final major-league game came in September 1963, although Bowman continued in the minors for another 6 seasons. In January 1964, he was sent to the Braves as the player to be named later in the 7-player Felipe Alou trade.

After 2 seasons, the Braves sent Ernie and infielder Lou Klimchock to the Mets for outfielder Billy Cowan. A year later, he was traded to the Indians (again with his traveling partner Klimchock) for pitcher Floyd Weaver.

After playing regularly from 1964-66, his playing time continued to decrease from 1967-69, as he bounced around the triple-A teams for the Indians, Pirates, Braves, Reds, and Red Sox.