Jack Aker (#287)

Nicknamed “The Chief” due to his American Indian heritage, Jack Aker was signed by the Kansas City Athletics as an outfielder in 1959, and after 1 season was converted to a pitcher.

He made his major-league debut in 1964, but played part of that season and the next in the minors before returning permanently to the bigs in July 1965. Jack pitched for 11 seasons, and pitched every one of his 495 games in relief.

In 1966 he led the AL with 32 saves, and in games finished with 57. Aker was the Top Dog in the A’s bullpen for 3 seasons (1966-68), then at age 27, was inexplicably left unprotected in the expansion draft, and was selected by the Seattle Pilots.

Jack began the 1969 season with the Pilots, but in May was traded to the Yankees for pitcher Fred Talbot. (This reunited Talbot with his old Yankees’ teammate Jim Bouton, providing fodder for Bouton’s book “Ball Four”.) 

Aker teamed up with the veteran Lindy McDaniel and others in the Yankees’ bullpen for the next 3 seasons. In May 1972, he was traded to the Cubs for outfielder Johnny Callison. After 1 ½ seasons with the Cubs, Aker split his final season (1974) between the Braves and the Mets.

He managed in the minor leagues after his retirement, and was the Indians' pitching coach in the mid-1980s. For 20 years beginning in 1988 he ran a youth baseball camp.

Tommie Sisk (#441)

Tommie Sisk played for 9 years (1962-70), mostly as a starting pitcher for the Pirates.

Sisk was signed by the Pirates in 1960, and was a starting pitcher in their farm system for 3 seasons. He also played a few games with the Pirates in late July, and again in late-September 1962.

In 1963 and 1964, Tommie worked out of the Bucs’ bullpen, along with Al McBean and the veteran Elroy Face. Sisk appeared in 57 and 42 games over that span.

He began the 1965 season in the bullpen, but by late-July Sisk was moved to the starting rotation, replacing Joe Gibbon. His final 12 games that season were all starts.

Tommie was primarily a starting pitcher for his final 3 seasons in Pittsburgh. By this time, veterans Bob Friend and Vern Law were winding down, and Bob Veale had taken over as the staff ace. Veale, Sisk, Steve Blass, and rookie Woodie Fryman formed the core of the rotation. Sisk won 10 games in ’66 and 13 in ’67 (with 11 complete games), but an off-year in 1968 probably made him expendable, and the following March he was traded to the expansion San Diego Padres.

After 1 season in the Padres’ bullpen, Sisk was traded to the White Sox. He played in 17 games with the ChiSox through mid-June, then was traded to the Indians for pitchers Bob Miller and Barry Moore.

Tommie’s last major-league action was with the Sox, as the Indians assigned him to their triple-A team for the rest of the season. Sisk pitched for the Expos’ AAA team in 1971 before retiring.

Dick Schofield (#474)

Here is Giants’ shortstop Dick Schofield. Back in the day, he went by the nickname “Ducky”. Current Washington Nationals’ outfielder Jayson Werth simply calls him “Grandpa”. (Many grandfathers try to impress kids by pulling a quarter out of someone’s ear. Schofield takes it to the next level by pulling a baseball out of his ear.)

Schofield played for 19 seasons (1953-71), mostly as a backup shortstop although he was his team’s regular SS from 1963 to 1965.

Dick was signed by the Cardinals in 1953 as a bonus baby, requiring him to stay on their roster for the entire season. He was with the Cards for all of ’53 and ’54, but seldom saw playing time. Schofield spent the bulk of the ’55 and ’56 seasons in the minors, getting the all-important “seasoning”.

He returned to the Cardinals in 1957, and finally got enough playing time to lose his rookie eligibility. Schofield was the team’s backup shortstop, behind Alvin Dark.

In June 1958 Schofield was traded to the Pirates for 3rd baseman Gene Freese and SS-P Johnny O’Brien. Dick spent the next 4 ½ seasons backing up Bill Mazeroski at 2B and Dick Groat at SS.

After the ’62 season the Pirates traded Groat, opening a full-time job at short for Schofield. Dick began a 3-year string as the starting shortstop – 2 seasons with the Pirates, and following a May 1965 trade to the Giants for infielder Jose Pagan, a 3rd season, which would be his last year as an every-day player.

Schofield began the 1966 season with the Giants, then played 4 months with the Yankees until winding up with the Dodgers for the season’s final 2 weeks. The following year he and another ex-Pirate (Gene Michael) alternated at shortstop as the Dodgers tried to find a way to replace the departed Maury Wills.

The Dodgers released him after the ’67 season, then he bounced from the Cardinals (1968) to the Red Sox (1969-70) before winding up his career in 1971 with the Cardinals and Brewers.

Besides his grandson Jayson Werth, his son Dick Schofield played shortstop for the Angels (and others) from 1983-96.

Ron Fairly (#330)

Ron Fairly was a slugging outfielder / 1st baseman for the Dodgers during the 1960s.

A 21-year veteran, he played his first 11 seasons with the Dodgers before moving on to the expansion Montreal Expos in 1969. After 6 years there, he bounced around for his final 4 seasons. Primarily an outfielder early in his career, he was the Dodgers’ regular 1st baseman from 1962-64, and moved back to 1st baseman after leaving the Dodgers (except for 1973).

Fairly was signed by the Dodgers in 1958, and hitting 14 minor-league home runs that season earned him a late-season call-up to Los Angeles that year.

In 1959 he spent the entire season as the Dodgers’ 4th outfielder, but after hitting only 4 homers, he was back in the minors for most of 1960. He returned for all of 1961, again backing up the 3 outfield regulars.

After the 1961 season, both of the Dodgers’ 1st basemen were lost in the expansion draft (Gil Hodges to the Mets, Norm Larker to the Colt .45s), paving the way for Fairly to become the full-time 1st sacker for the next 3 seasons. He collected over 70 RBI each of those seasons, while hitting 10 to 14 homers.

In 1965, young Wes Parker took over the 1st base job, moving Fairly to right field for his remaining years in LA, although Ron would occasionally spell Parker at 1st base. With the Dodgers, Fairly played in the Fall Classic in ’59, ’63, ’65, and ’66.

After a complete loss of power (4,43) in 1968, Fairly was traded to the Expos in mid-1969 for shortstop Maury Wills and outfielder Manny Mota. Fairly regained his power stroke in Montreal, reaching the mid-teens in homers for his 6 seasons north of the border. He held down 1st base for a few seasons, before moving to the outfield beginning in 1973. Ron also made his 1st All-Star team in 1973.

Fairly played all of 1975 and part of ’76 with the Cardinals, and finished out the year with the Athletics. He was traded to the expansion Blue Jays during spring training in their inaugural 1977 season. After 1 season in Toronto, he played his final season (1978) with the Angels.

Following retirement, Fairly was a broadcaster for 27 years with the Dodgers, Angels, Giants, and Mariners.

Dick McAuliffe (#495)

Here's Dick McAuliffe in his last season as the Tigers' shortstop. He was a regular infielder for them from 1963 to 1973.

He was signed by the Tigers in 1957 and played in the minors for 4+ seasons. Dick made his major-league debut in September 1960, but returned to the minors to begin the 1961 season.

McAuliffe was called up to the Tigers in late-June 1961 and started 70 of the final 98 games, either at shortstop or 3rd base.

In 1962 Dick started 67 games at 2nd base and 47 games at 3rd base, sharing the positions with Jake Wood (2b) and Steve Boros (3b).

In 1963, after starting 14 of the first 15 games at 2nd base he took over the starting shortstop job in early-May, starting almost every game there for the remainder of the season. He remained there for all of 1964 (159 starts).

McAuliffe was the starting shortstop for 107 of the first 120 games in 1965 until missing the final 40 games of the season. Good-field/no-hit Ray Oyler filled in for the remainder of the season, and also for a few weeks in mid-1966 when McAuliffe was out of the lineup.

Dick became the every-day 2nd baseman at the start of the 1967 season, remaining there through the end of the 1973 season (although Tony Taylor started 1/3 of the games at 2b in 1973).

While with the Tigers, McAuliffe made 3 consecutive all-star teams (1965-67). In 1964 he hit 24 home runs and 66 RBI, both career-highs. He also led the AL with 95 runs scored in 1968.

In October 1973 he was traded to the Red Sox for outfielder Ben Oglivie. Dick started 70 games for the Sox in ’74, backing up 2nd baseman Doug Griffin and shortstop Rico Petrocelli, then was released in October 1974.

McAuliffe began the 1975 season as the Red Sox' double-A manager, but was re-signed as a utility infielder in August. He played in 7 games, then was released at season’s end.

Nelson Briles (#243)

This is the first solo card for Nelson Briles (he also appeared on a Cardinals Rookies card in 1965). He pitched for 14 seasons – the first 6 with the Cardinals. I knew Briles had moved on to the Pirates, but until today did not know that he also played for 3 other teams.

After only one season in the minors, Briles made his debut with the Cardinals in April 1965. He was primarily a reliever during his rookie season, then became a spot starter the next year.

He began the 1967 season as a reliever, then moved into the rotation when Bob Gibson broke his leg in July. Nelson remained in the rotation upon Gibby’s return, fashioning a 14-5 record and leading the NL in winning percentage (.737). He also pitched a complete game in game #3 in the World Series – the only Cardinals’ pitcher not named Bob Gibson to do so.

Briles followed that up by winning 19 games in 1968, and was the team’s #2 starter behind Gibson, who won 22. Nelson won 15 games the following season, with Steve Carlton moving ahead of him in the rotation.

After a 6-7 season in 1970, Briles and outfielder Vic Davalillo were traded to the Pirates for outfielder Matty Alou and pitcher George Brunet. (Wow, I can’t believe I haven’t blogged somewhere already about the well-traveled Brunet! I’ll have to get on that.) Nelson was mostly a reliever for his first year in Pittsburgh, but won 14 games each in ’72 and ’73 as a starter. He also pitched in the post-season in ’71 and ’72.

After the 1973 season he was traded to the Royals, and 2 years later to the Rangers, but he never repeated the success he had with the Cardinals and Pirates. In late-September 1977 the Orioles purchased his contract, and he finished out the season and 1 more year with Baltimore, then was released in January 1979.

Briles passed away in 2005 at age 61.

Don McMahon (#133)

Don McMahon had Topps cards every season from 1958 to 1972 (also in 1973, if you count his appearance as a coach on the Giants’ manager’s card). This is his last card as an Indian, and his last card wearing a cap until the 1970 set. (McMahon began his career with 6 seasons with the Braves, and ended it with 6 seasons with the Giants, but in-between he bounced around to 5 other teams for about 1 ½ years in each location.)

He was signed by the Boston Braves in 1950, and made the Milwaukee club in 1957 at age 27. His one all-star appearance came in 1958. He also pitched in the ’57 and ’58 World Series for the Braves, finishing 3 games in each series.

In May 1962 McMahon was sold to the expansion Houston Colt .45s. This began a series of short-term stints with a number of clubs. On the final day of the 1963 season, he was sold to the Indians, where he remained until June 2, 1966. On that day he was traded to the Red Sox for reliever Dick Radatz, and on the same date in 1967 moved on to the White Sox for 2nd baseman Jerry Adair. He missed out on Boston’s appearance in the ’67 World Series, but the following July he was traded to the Tigers for pitcher Dennis Ribant, and so was able to play in the 1968 Fall Classic.

In August 1969 Don made his last move – a trade to the Giants. He manned the bullpen there until his release following the 1972 season.

Topps’ 1973 managers cards also feature thumbnails of the coaching staff, and Don was on the Giants’ card as their pitching coach. He was re-activated in late June, and released following the ’73 season. This process repeated itself in 1974, although he gained his final release in early July, just 5 weeks after being reactivated.

He retired at age 44 as the oldest player in the majors. Don pitched for 18 seasons (1957-74) and appeared in 874 games, all but 2 as a reliever. At that time, only Hoyt Wilhelm, Lindy McDaniel, and Cy Young had pitched in more games.

McMahon passed away in July 1987 at age 57.