Final Card: Bob Sadowski

This is Bob Sadowski’s final card (#523).  In March 2018 I posted his 1965 card on my ’65 blog, but that was before I had this card. (I generally limit my 1965 blog to players’ final cards.)

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 Gene Oliver for Lou Burdette).

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.

(That same yellow dome is seen on Tony Conigliaro's 1967 card.)

In 1964 he started 18 games again (along with 33 relief appearances), but his ERA soared to 4.59.

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.

In December 1965 Bob was traded to the Red Sox (with pitcher Dan Osinski) for pitchers Jay Ritchie and Arnold Earley, and outfielder Lee Thomas.

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.

He played the 1967 season for the Braves’ double-A team before retiring.

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.

Another Bob Sadowski played for the Phillies, White Sox, and Angels from 1961-63.

Sadowski passed away in 2018 at age 80.

Ron Hunt (#360)

As I said at the top of my multi-blog checklist post, 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.

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. (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.) 

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.

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.

Behold the stats:

In 1971 he was hit FIFTY times! The next highest total belonged to Rusty Staub, all the way down at 9. 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.

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 want to get hit on purpose.

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.

Ron Hunt, you have earned this blogger's Top Chump award.

Phil Gagliano (#418)

Phil Gagliano was a utility infielder who played for 12 seasons (1962-74), mostly with the Cardinals.

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.

Phil also began the 1964 season with the Cards but was sent down in July, and missed the World Series that year.

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 Julian Javier 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.

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. (Although the team also had backup Ed Spiezio 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.) 

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 Ted Abernathy.

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.

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.

He passed away in 2016 at age 74.

Tom McCraw (#141)

Here is Tom McCraw, during his last season before becoming the White Sox’ every-day 1st baseman.

Tom was signed by the White Sox in 1960 and played in the minors for 3 ½ seasons before making his major-league debut in June 1963.

In his first 4 seasons, he platooned at 1st base (initially with Joe Cunningham, then Moose Skowron) while also getting in some games in the outfield.

During the first few weeks of the 1967 season, Skowron was traded to the Angels, so McCraw was the every-day first-sacker for the next 2 seasons, starting over 110 games there each season, and a few dozen more in the outfield.

After a few seasons, Gail Hopkins and then Carlos May took over that spot, so McCraw was traded to the Senators in early-1971 for outfielder Ed Stroud (who had begun his career with the Sox a few years earlier).  On September 30th, he made the final out in the Washington Senators’ franchise final game.

McCraw played for 13 years, the first 8 with Chicago. After that, he bounced around frequently. Following only 1 season in Washington, he moved on to the Indians (1972), Angels (1973-74), and back to the Indians (July ’74).

Tom played his last game on 6/24/75, and was released a week later, ending his career.

After his playing days, he spent 23 seasons as a batting coach for the Indians, Giants, Orioles, Astros, Mets, Expos, and Nationals.

Fred Talbot (#403)

Here's Fred Talbot, with the Kansas City Athletics – the 2nd of his 4 teams. For fans my age (specifically if you weren’t a Yankees or A's fan), Talbot is most remembered as one of the zany characters in the 1970 book "Ball Four".

I haven't read the book since 1971, but I remember that Talbot did not get along with author/pitcher Jim Bouton. I can’t remember if Fred was the one that Bouton seemed to be afraid of, and went out of his way to avoid, or if that was Wayne Comer.

Talbot was signed by the White Sox in 1959, and after making his major-league debut with 1 game in September 1963, he was back in the minors to start the 1964 season. Recalled in June, he pitched 17 games (12 starts) for the Pale Hose.

After the 1964 season, Talbot was part of this 3-team blockbuster. He was the Athletics' #1 starter in 1965, leading the staff in starts (33) and innings (198).

In 1966 Kansas City had a youth movement going on, with most of their pitching staff (and all of their starters) aged 23 or younger. I guess Talbot was either considered expendable, or the Yankees were just making another call to their unofficial farm team, but in June Fred and catcher Bill Bryan were traded to the Bronx for pitchers Bill Stafford and Gil Blanco, and outfielder Roger Repoz.

At first Talbot was a starter with the Yankees, but by June 1968 he was relegated to the bullpen for the rest of the season. His 1-9 record may have had something to do with that.

In May 1969, the Yankees traded him to the expansion Seattle Pilots, putting him squarely in the journalistic cross-hairs of his ex-Yankees teammate Bouton.

After 25 appearances with that zoo, Fred was returned to the Athletics (by now in Oakland) in August. He pitched 12 games (mostly in relief) for the A's in '69.

Talbot's final season was 1970, He only pitched 1 game (in mid-June) for Oakland, while pitching 25 games for their AAA team.

Talbot passed away in January 2013 at age 71.

Jimmie Hall (#190)

This is Jimmie Hall’s last card as a Twin. Following the 1966 season, he was traded to the Angels with 1st baseman Don Mincher and pitcher Pete Cimino for pitcher Dean Chance.

Hall was signed by the Washington Senators way back in 1956, and played 7 seasons in the minors before finally making the majors in April 1963. Hall never showed a lot of power in the minors, but in his first big-league season, he crashed 33 homers and picked up 80 RBI. He finished 3rd in the AL Rookie of the Year voting, after White Sox’ teammates Gary Peters and Pete Ward.

Jimmie was the team’s #3 outfielder, behind sluggers Bob Allison and Harmon Killebrew, and started 125 games as a rookie, mostly in center field.

For the next 2 seasons, Hall was the Twins’ regular center fielder, hitting 25 and 20 homers, and batting over .280 each year. He also made the All-Star team in those seasons.

In 1966 he also hit 20 homers, but his RBI total was down to 47 and his batting average plummeted to .239. He was the team’s #3 outfielder, splitting his time between center and left fields.

A change of scenery occurred in 1967, as Hall joined the perennially-crowded Angels’ outfield. After a season platooning in right field with Bubba Morton, Jimmie moved on to the Indians in May 1968 for outfielder Vic Davalillo.

He was acquired by the Yankees in the 2nd week of the 1969 season, and spent the next 5 months as the Yankees’ 4th outfielder, mostly backing up Bobby Murcer in right field. Hall was traded to the Cubs in mid-September.

Hall’s final season was 1970, and he was used sparingly both by the Cubs and by the Braves, who acquired him in June.

Bert Campaneris (#175)

Bert Campaneris had a 19-year career (1964-83), and was the Athletics’ shortstop for his first 13 seasons.

Although he famously played all nine positions during one game in 1965, he was mostly a shortstop. He did play a few dozen games in the outfield during his first 2 seasons, and in his final 2 seasons was a backup at 3B and 2B, but otherwise was found at shortstop for 94% of his career 19,123 innings played.

Bert was signed by the Kansas City Athletics in 1961, and made his major-league debut with Kansas City in July 1964. "Campy" shared the shortstop job with Wayne Causey for the 2nd half of the season, while also starting 27 games in left field. Bert was named to the Topps All-Rookie team in 1964.

In 1965 he started 103 games at shortstop and 37 in left field. That year, Campaneris led the AL in triples (12) and stolen bases (51). In fact, he would lead the league in stolen bases for the '65, '66, '67, '68, '70, and '72 seasons. He stole a career-high 62 bases in both 1968 and 1969, and also led the league with 177 hits in 1968.

Campaneris made the AL all-star team 5 times with the Athletics ('68, '72 – '75). He also played in the post-season 5 consecutive years (1971-75).

Campy became a free agent after the 1976 season, and signed with the Rangers. He had a good first year in Texas, making the all-star team for the final time in his career. He began the 1978 season as the starting shortstop, but was relegated to the bench for the final 2 months.

In May 1979, he was traded to the Angels for infielder Dave Chalk. Campaneris played the next 3 seasons with the Angels, sharing the shortstop job with others for 2 seasons, then becoming the backup 3rd baseman for the 1981 season.

Bert was granted free agency after the 1981 season, but with no takers, he played the 1982 season in Mexico. He returned to the American League for his final season in 1983, dividing his time between the Yankees and their triple-A team.

Bert's cousin is outfielder Jose Cardenal.

Jesus Alou (#242)

Jesus Alou is the youngest of the 3 Alou brothers. He was the last to join, and to leave the Giants. He played for 15 seasons, mostly for the Giants and Astros.

Alou was signed by the Giants in 1958, and made his major-league debut in September 1963. Since his oldest brother Felipe left the Giants after the 1963 season, there was only 1 game where Jesus, Felipe, and Matty all played in the same outfield.

Jesus played 5 full seasons with the Giants (1964-68) and was always the #2 or #3 outfielder (behind Willie Mays) in terms of playing time. In his first 2 seasons he was the primary right fielder. In his final 3 seasons, he split his time between right and left field, as the Giants also worked in 3rd baseman Jim Ray Hart in left, and Ollie Brown (and in 1968, Bobby Bonds) in right.

After the 1968 season Alou was selected by the Expos in the expansion draft, and two months later was forwarded to the Astros (with Donn Clendenon) for Rusty Staub.

For 3 seasons (1969-71) things continued the same as in San Francisco: Alou was the #2 outfielder, and split his time between the 2 corners.

Things began to change during the 1971 season with the addition of outfielders Bob Watson and Cesar Cedeno. Those two, combined with long-time Astro Jimmy Wynn resulted in a reduced role for Alou.

In 1972 Alou was relegated to a bench role, starting just 14 games that season. He was sold to the Athletics in July 1973, and was a part-time player with them through the end of 1974. Jesus also played in the and World Series in ’73 and ’74.

Alou was released by Oakland during spring training 1975, but was signed by the Mets in mid-April. He rode the bench for New York in 1975, and was released the following spring.

Jesus was out of baseball in 1976 and 1977, then re-signed with the Astros in November 1977. He played for Houston for the next 2 years, and was a player-coach in 1979.

After retiring following the 1979 season, Alou became a scout for the Expos. He later headed up the Marlins’ Dominican operations, and since 2002 has held the same post with the Red Sox.

Willie Horton (#20)

Willie Horton was signed by the Tigers in 1961, and played for 3 seasons (1962-64) in the minors. He made his major-league debut in September 1963, starting 9 of the final 11 games.

Horton began the 1964 season as the Tigers’ starting left fielder, but by mid-May he was sent back down, returning in September.

Willie made the starting lineup at the beginning of the 1965 season, and was the team’s regular left fielder from 1965 through 1974 (although he missed significant playing time in ’70, ’72, and ’74).
He hit .304 with 1 home run in the 1968 World Series.

Horton became the Tigers’ designated hitter beginning in 1975, replacing long-time PH/DH Gates Brown. After 2 seasons as the DH, Willie was traded to the Rangers in April 1977 for pitcher Steve Foucault. He played with Texas for only one season.

1978 was a whirlwind for Horton. In February he was traded to Cleveland. In July the Indians released him, and he was soon signed by the Athletics. In mid-August Oakland traded him to the Blue Jays for outfielder Rico Carty. In December, Horton was granted free agency.

Willie DH’ed for the Mariners in ’79 and ’80, playing his last major-league game on Oct 5, 1980. In December, he was traded back to the Rangers in an 11-player deal that also included Rick Honeycutt and Richie Zisk. For Willie, it was all moot, as the Rangers released him on 4/1/81.

In May 1981, Horton was signed by the Pirates, and played 2 seasons with their AAA team in Portland, OR, then wrapped up his career in 1983 playing in the Mexican League.

Willie finished with 325 home runs. My recollection is that he was a prolific power hitter (though not in the same tier as Harmon Killebrew or Frank Howard). I was surprised today to learn that he never hit more than 25 in a season.

After his playing career, he coached for the Yankees and White Sox. He is one of six Detroit Tigers with a statue outside their ballpark (the others are Ty Cobb, Hank Greenberg, Al Kaline, Hal Newhouser, and Charlie Gehringer). Horton is credited as having been a calming influence on the public during the 1967 race riots in Detroit.

Al Ferrara (#487)

Here is Al Ferrara's 1966 card. I have already reviewed his career when I posted his 1967 card, so I won't go into much of that here.

I usually don't post multiple cards of the same player, but this card has such a great pose, one usually reserved for catchers watching a pop-up (sometimes referred to as "looking up to God").

Maybe Al is trying to determine if today's game will be rained out. Or maybe he's saying "Hey Skip, the Giants have sent a surveillance blimp over our practice field!" 

Ferrara played in the Dodgers farm system from 1959-65, and for the Dodgers for part of 1963, and again from 1965-68.  After missing all but 2 games in '68 with a broken leg, he was selected by the expansion Padres, and was a regular for them from 1969-70. He split the 1971 season between the Padres and the Reds, before retiring.

Al currently works in the Dodgers' community relations department.

Jose Cardenal (#505)

Jose Cardenal was the centerfielder for the Topps 1965 All-Rookie team. He is one of 3 Angels' rookies (along with Marcelino Lopez and Paul Schaal) to make the squad.

Never an all-star or a league leader, Jose was a steady regular outfielder for several teams from 1965-1976, and played through the end of the 1980 season.

Jose started 125 games as a rookie in center for the Halos, including 116 of the first 131 games. He only started 2 games after September 12th, while the Angels gave a look-see to September call-ups Rick Reichardt and Dick Simpson.


Born in Cuba in 1943, Cardenal was signed by the Giants late in 1960, and played in their farm system from 1961-64, while also playing a few games with San Francisco in April and September 1963, and in September 1964.

After the 1964 season, he was traded to the Angels for C/1B Jack Hiatt. He assumed the starting center fielder's job from opening day 1965, and held it for 2 full seasons. In 1967, he shared the post with Jay Johnstone for the first half, and with Roger Repoz for the second half. Jose also made some starts at both corner fields.

Jose was traded to the Indians in November 1967 for outfielder Chuck Hinton. Cardenal was Cleveland's regular center fielder for 2 seasons, pushing incumbent Vic Davalillo over to a right field mix with several others. Jose started a career-high 142 games in center in 1968.

Cardenal was traded to the Cardinals after the '69 season for outfielder Vada Pinson, then moved on to Milwaukee in July 1971.

His longest stint with any one team was 1972-77 with the Chicago Cubs. After 3 seasons as the right fielder and 2 in left field, Jose became a role player in his last season in Chicago.

He moved on to the Phillies in 1978, backing up 1st baseman Richie Hebner, while occasionally playing in the outfield. In August 1979, he was dealt to the Mets (his EIGHTH team). By this time, Cardenal was mainly a pinch-hitter.

Released by the Mets the following August, he caught on with the Royals a week later, and played in 4 games in the 1980 World Series before retiring after the season.

Rico Petrocelli (#298)

Rico Petrocelli was selected as the Topps all-rookie shortstop for 1965.

Petrocelli was signed by the Red Sox in 1961, and played 3 seasons in the minors (1962-64) as a shortstop. His major-league debut was a 1-game cup of coffee in September 1963, but he wouldn't return until the start of the 1965 season. From there, he would play his entire 12-year career with the Red Sox.

Rico began the 1965 season as the starting shortstop, replacing the veteran Ed Bressoud, who had started 158 games at short in 1964. Petrocelli started 93 games as a rookie, to Bressoud's 69 starts.

In 1966, Petrocelli was the fulltime shortstop, although he was sidelined for the 2nd half of August. The next season, Boston was in the World Series for the first time in 20 years, and Rico hit 2 home runs against the Cardinals. He made the AL All-Star team in 1967 and 1969, and uncharacteristically hit 40 homers in 1969. (His previous high was 18 dingers.) His power surge lasted two more seasons, hitting 29 and 28 homers in '70 and '71, before he settled back in the mid-teens.

The Sox acquired Luis Aparicio in 1972, moving Rico over to 3rd base, where he would stay until the end of his career in 1976. Petrocelli wrapped up his last season as a full-time regular by hitting .308 in the 1975 World Series.

Rico began the 1976 as the starting 3rd baseman, but by the end of June, rookie Butch Hobson took over the position, starting 76 of the last 96 games at 3rd.

Petrocelli managed in the White Sox' farm system from 1986-88, and managed the Red Sox' AAA team in 1992. He was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 1997.

Joe Morgan (#195)

General blog note: Yesterday, I found a 1952 Topps baseball card blog. Check it out by scrolling down to my vintage year blogroll!

Joe Morgan was the Topps all-rookie 2nd baseman in 1965. A year later, the Astros would beef up the other side of their double-play combo.

Morgan was signed by the expansion Houston Colt .45s in November 1962 (wow, that's really late in the season!). He played 2 seasons in the minors (getting brief call-ups each season).

In 1965, Joe was installed as the regular 2nd baseman at the start of the season. He started 155 games there as a rookie, led the NL with 97 walks, and finished 2nd in NL Rookie of the Year voting to Dodgers' 2nd baseman Jim Lefebvre. (I wonder why Topps didn't choose Lefebvre?)

Except for missing most of the 1968 season with injuries, Morgan was a fixture at 2nd base for the Astros from 1965 to 1971, making the all-star team in '66 and '70.

After the 1971 season, Joe was traded to the Cincinnati Reds (with pitcher Jack Billingham, infielder Denis Menke, and outfielders Cesar Geronimo and Ed Armbrister) for 1st baseman Lee May, 2nd baseman Tommy Helms, and utility infielder Jimmy Stewart. The rest is Big Red Machine history.

Morgan and the Reds went to the post-season 4 times in his first 5 years with the Reds, winning the World Series in '75 and '76. Joe was an all-star every season from 1972-79, and won the NL MVP award in '75 and '76.

Joe left the Reds via free agency after the 1979 season, and played 5 more seasons, with the Astros, Giants, Phillies, and Athletics. In 1982, he won his only silver slugger award (at age 38).

In 1983, he was reunited in Philadelphia with former Reds' teammates PETE ROSE and Tony Perez, as the Phillies went to the World Series, only to lose to the Orioles.

Morgan played 22 seasons, and was his team's regular 2nd baseman right up to the end of his career.

Frank Linzy (#78)

Frank Linzy is the starboard pitcher on the Topps 1965 All-Rookie team.

Linzy was signed by the Giants in 1960, and pitched 5 seasons (mostly as a starter) in the Giants' system. He was called up near the end of the 1963 season, appearing in 8 games.

Frank made the big-leagues for good at the start of the 1965 season. After starting 89 of his 128 minor-league games, Linzy went on to pitch 508 games in the majors from 1965 to 1974, while only making 1 start.

As a rookie in '65, Frank led the Giants with 21 saves, and compiled a 1.43 ERA. He also finished 3rd in NL Rookie of the Year voting.

Frank was the ace of the Giants' bullpen from 1965-69. (Funny, I recall that as a kid in 1967, I somehow got the notion that Linzy and Ron Herbel were the scrubs of the Giants' staff.)

Linzy was traded to the Cardinals during the 1970 season, and remained there through the 1971 season, working behind veteran Moe Drabowsky. He spent 2 seasons in Milwaukee's bullpen, bouncing back to his 1960s' form as the Brewers' closer in 1973.

After the 1973 season, Frank was traded to the Phillies for pitcher Billy Wilson. He appeared in 22 games for Philadelphia, and another 20 for their double-A team, before getting his release after the season.

His final season of 1975 found him pitching for the Padres' AAA team in Hawaii (not a bad way to end a career!)

Marcelino Lopez (#155)

Marcelino Lopez was the left-handed pitcher on the Topps 1965 All-Rookie team. He was one of 3 Angels named to the squad, and also one of 2 ex-Phillies' farmhands on the All-Rookie team.

At age 16, Lopez was signed by the Phillies in 1959, and was mostly a starting pitcher for 5 seasons in their farm system, including 2 in triple-A, before regressing to double-A in 1964. Marcelino also played in 4 games for the Phillies in April 1963, before returning to the minors.

In October 1964, Lopez was sent to the Angels as the player to be named later in the deal that brought rent-a-player Vic Power to the Phils for their pennant push that season.
 

Lopez was one of the Angels' top 3 starters during 1965 and 1966, He started 32 games each season, and was one of 3 Angels' pitchers to win at least 14 wins in 1965 (along with Dean Chance and Fred Newman). Marcelino finished 2nd to Curt Blefary in the 1965 Rookie of the Year award.

His record slipped to 7-14 in 1966, and shoulder problems in 1967 limited him to 4 games with the Angels before June 15th, when he was dealt to the Orioles for veteran utility man Woodie Held. He played 4 games with the O's, but spent most of 1967 and all of 1968 in the minors.

Lopez pitched 2 seasons in the Orioles bullpen, and appeared in the post-season in '69 and '70. Traded to the Brewers the following spring, he switched back to the starting rotation during the 1971 season, his last full season in the majors.

In March 1972, Lopez was sold to the Indians, but he spent most of that season in the minors. Marcelino played in the minors from 1974-76, including a stint in the Mexican League during 1974.

He passed away in November 2001 at age 58.

Final Card: Al Stanek

Here is the last of 3 cards for Giants' pitcher Al Stanek (#437). It's the same photo used on his rookie card in the 1964 set.

Stanek was signed by the Giants in 1962, and pitched that season for the Springfield (MA) Giants in the Eastern League, compiling a 3-3 record in 12 games (11 starts).

Al spent just 1 season in the minors before making his major-league debut with the Giants in April 1963. He was with the Giants all season, but was used sparingly (April: 1 game, May: 1, Jun: 3, Jul: 2, Aug: 1, Sep: 3), all in relief.

1963 would be Stanek's only taste of the big leagues, as he spent the next 2 1/2 seasons as a starter in triple-A followed by 1 1/2 seasons as a reliever in double-A, retiring after the 1967 season.

Final Card: Tony Martinez

This is Tony Martinez' last baseball card (#581). He also appeared on a 1963 Rookies card, and as an Indian in the 1964 set. Tony was primarily a shortstop, playing less than 5% of his major and minor league games at 2nd base.

Martinez was signed by the Indians in 1960, and played shortstop for various teams in their farm system from 1960 to 1965. He also played 43 games with Cleveland in 1963, and fewer than a dozen games in each of 1964 and 1965. Also in '65, he played for the Cardinals' triple-A team in Jacksonville, although it appears that he was still property of the Indians.



Tony made the Indians team at the start of 1966, but only played in 17 games, the last on June 14th. Two days later, he was sold to the Cardinals, who assigned him to triple-A Tulsa for the remainder of the season. He would never return to the big leagues.

On April 1, 1967, Tony was bundled with pitcher Art Mahaffey and 2nd baseman Jerry Buchek, and shipped off to the Mets for veteran shortstop Ed Bressoud and outfielder Dan Napolean. Martinez spent 1967 and 1968 in the minors, although he only played in 24 games combined for those last 2 seasons.

Final Card: Jim Dickson

This is Jim Dickson's final card (#201). He previously appeared on the 1964 Reds Rookies and 1965 Athletics Rookies cards.

Jim was signed by the Pirates in 1958, and spent 4 seasons in the low minors as a starter and reliever. After the 1961 season, he was selected by the expansion Houston Colt .45s in the minor-league draft. Dickson pitched all of 1962 and the first half on 1963 with the Colt 45s' triple-A team in Oklahoma City. He made his major-league debut with Houston on July 2nd, and appeared in 13 games for the Colt 45s, all as a reliever.



Prior to the 1964 season, Jim was traded to the Reds for shortstop (and future Red Sox' manager) Eddie Kasko. Dickson only got into 4 games for the Reds that year, spending most of the season with the Reds' AAA San Diego team.

In November 1964, he was selected by the Athletics in the Rule 5 draft. This required him to stay on the major-league roster for the entire season. (1965 would be his only full season in the majors.) He pitched 85 innings in 68 games, both high points of his short career.

The 1966 season would be his last in the big leagues. He made his final appearance for the Athletics on July 24th, and spent the remainder of the 1966 season, as well as the 1967-70 seasons in the minors.

Final Card: Aubrey Gatewood

Aubrey Gatewood (#42) had a brief career in the mid-1960s with the Angels.

Signed by the Tigers in 1959, he was selected by the Angels in the December 1960 expansion draft. After one season on the Angels' farm, Aubrey was selected by the expansion Mets in the Rule 5 draft, but returned to the Angels before the start of the 1962 season.

Gatewood made his major-league debut with the Angels in September 1963, starting 3 of his 4 games that month. The following season, he made 17 starts for triple-A Hawaii, along with 7 starts and 8 relief appearances for Los Angeles.



Aubrey spent the entire 1965 season with the (now California) Angels, working primarily out of the bullpen that season. Unfortunately, he walked just as many as he struck out (37).

He spent the next 6 years in the minors (although pitching 2 innings for the Atlanta Braves in 1970), playing for 7 different organizations before retiring.

Pete Rose (#30)

Here's an early card of the Hit King, courtesy of Dean's Cards. How early? Let's see: short hair, white Reds' cap, vest-top uniform, position = 2nd base, and career hits under 1000!

Pete Rose began his career as the Reds' regular 2nd baseman in 1963. In 1965 he started all 162 games at 2nd. In 1966, he began the season as the regular 3rd baseman. (I thought he didn't move to 3rd until George Foster showed up in the 1970s.) For the first 15 games, Rose played 3rd base while rookie Tommy Helms played 2nd base. Then, after switching positions with Helms, Rose started every game at 2B for the remainder of the season, except for 4 games off between 9/23 and 9/28.



I always thought he moved to the outfield during the 1966 season, since that was the first season without Frank Robinson, and because Rose's 1967 card shows him at 2B-OF. Not so. Pete moved to the outfield to start the 1967 season, starting 140 games in left field, and 1 in center. His only action at 2B that year was during a stretch of games from 7/2 to 8/4, while shortstop Chico Cardenas was on the DL. Regular 2nd baseman Helms moved over to short, Lee May went from 1st to left, and Deron Johnson was plugged in at 1st base.

Rose was a main cog in the Big Red Machine of the 1970s, and was the player that everyone (outside of Cincinnati) loved to hate. Guess what? Once he became a Phillie, that all magically changed! Once in Philly, Rose became a 1st baseman - the 5th position he would play in an all-star game.

After 2 trips to the World Series with the Phillies, Pete was on the move again, and came full circle back to Cincinnati.