Final Card: Chi-Chi Olivo

This 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.

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.

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.

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.

After the 1966 season he was traded to the Yankees with outfield prospect Bill Robinson for 3rd baseman Clete Boyer. He pitched in triple-A all season before retiring.

Olivio made a brief comeback in the Mexican League in 1971 and 1972.

He passed away in 1977 at age 48.

His brother Diomedes Olivo pitched for the Pirates and Cardinals in 1962 and 1963.

Final Card: Frank Carpin

There's always a straggler....

This is the only card for pitcher Frank Carpin (#71). Carpin was signed by the Yankees in 1959, and was (mostly) a starting pitcher in their organization for six years. After the 1964 season, the Pirates selected him in the minor league draft.

Frank split the 1965 season between the Pirates and their AAA team in Columbus. His major-league debut came on May 25th, and he made 39 appearances (all in relief). He pitched a total of 39.2 innings, so maybe he was their situational lefty.

That November, the Astros picked him up in the Rule 5 draft. Carpin made 6 relief appearances by May 6th, then was sent down to triple-A Oklahoma city, where he pitched 44 games in relief. (I guess the Pirates refused to take him back, per Rule 5 rules.) Frank returned to the Astros in August, and pitched in 4 more games - the last on September 3rd.

His career was cut short due to bone chips in his elbow.


Here's another blogger's story of Frank Carpin, from Notre Dame to the major leagues to the business world.

Final Card: Don Le John

Presenting the one and only card for Don Le John (#41). Le John was one of the seemingly never-ending stream of rookie 3rd basemen showing up at Chavez Ravine in the 1960s. But unlike John Werhas, Derrell Griffith, Bill Sudakis, Billy Grabarkiewitz, Steve Garvey, and Bobby Valentine, Le John's major-league career lasted only 34 games (all in 1965).

I never heard of Don until I got this card a few years ago. The best part of this card (for me) is the bleachers and scoreboard at Connie Mack Stadium seen in the background.

Le John was signed in 1954 by the BROOKLYN Dodgers. He played 3rd base and 2nd base in the Dodgers' chain for the next 15 seasons, finally retiring in 1968 at age 34. From that standpoint, he's more like long-time Dodgers' organizational fodder Bart Shirley, John Werhas, and Derrell Griffith than the other big names listed above.

His only big-league action came in 34 games during the last 3 months of the 1965 season. After his playing career, he managed in the Dodgers' minor-league system for many years.

Le John passed away on 2/25/2005 at age 70.


Only one more "final card" to post - a Mets' outfielder.  Any guesses?

Final Card: Gordon Richardson

This is the first and last card for Mets' pitcher Gordon Richardson (#51). Here, Gordie is sporting the New York World's Fair patch on his left shoulder. (Back in the day, I think only the Mets and Twins had shoulder patches on their uniforms.)

Gordie was signed by the Cardinals in 1957, and spent 7 1/2 seasons pitching in their farm system. He was stuck in double-A for 4 seasons (1960-63) despite winning in double figures for 3 of those seasons.

Richardson made his major-league debut on July 26, 1964, pitching a 6-1 complete game victory over the Phillies. He remained with the Cardinals for the rest of the season, fashioning a 4-2 record in 19 games.

After the season he was traded to the Mets (with outfielder Johnny Lewis) for pitcher Tracy Stallard and minor-league infielder Elio Chacon.

Gordie split the '65 and '66 seasons between the Mets and their triple-A team. In 1965, he appeared in 35 games for the Mets (all in relief). After 15 appearances in 1966 (the last on June 5th) he returned to the minors for the rest of the season. It would be his last.

Final Card: Chris Krug

Chris Krug (#166) played 10 seasons in the minors, but spent very little time in the Show. His 60 games with the Cubs in 1965 enabled him to score a card in Topps' 1966 set.

Krug was signed by the Cardinals in 1958, and caught in their minor-league system for 7 seasons. In all that time, he only played 10 games at the triple-A level. After the '64 season, the Cubs selected him in the minor-league draft.

He split the '65 season between the Cubs and their double-A team in Dallas-Ft Worth. Making his major-league debut on May 30th, Chris alternated at catcher with Vic Roznovsky and Ed Bailey.

That was his only significant playing time in the majors, as he was back in the minors for all but 10 games in 1966. In November he was traded to the Angels, who assigned him to their triple-A Seattle team until releasing him in June 1967.

Krug was out of baseball in 1968, but resurfaced for 8 games with the expansion San Diego Padres in April and May 1969, before getting his final release.

Adolfo Phillips (#32)

This is Adolfo Phillips' rookie card. It's also his only card as a Phillie. He was signed by Philadelphia in September 1960, and played the 1961-64 seasons in their farm system. Phillips made his major-league debut in September 1964, and split the 1965 season between Philadelphia and their AAA team in Little Rock, Arkansas.



The Phillies' farm system was cranking out young outfielders during this time: Johnny Briggs made the team in 1964; Alex Johnson (1965's addition) was shipped off to the Cardinals as part of the deal that brought Bill White and Dick Groat to Philly after the '65 season. Early in the 1966 season, Phillips was traded to the Cubs in the Fergie Jenkins deal. For the next 3 seasons ('66-'68) he was Chicago's regular center fielder.

In June 1969, Phillips was traded to the Expos (with pitcher Jack Lamabe) for infielder Paul Popovich. He immediately assumed the starting centerfield job in Montreal, but after 6 weeks was replaced by journeyman Ty Cline (among others).

In 1970, Adolfo alternated in center field with Boots Day and Jim Fairey, then spent all of 1971 in the minors. After the season, he was sold to the Indians. In 1972 he only played 12 games for Cleveland, while spending most of his final season with triple-A Portland, Oregon.

Phillips' final card was in the 1971 set. He was left out of the 1970 set.