Orlando Martinez (#504)

I just realized today when looking at the back of this card that Orlando Martinez hadn't played in the major leagues since 1962, when he saw action in 37 games (mostly as a pinch-runner). I have to ask then, "Why does he have a card?" Also, my recollection was that his position on this card was "C-INF".

And what is it with Topps and Atlanta Braves' scrubs? Tommie Aaron had a card in the 1968 set despite not playing regularly since 1963, and with only 8 games in early-1965 since then. Jim Beauchamp (who we will see on this blog 2 posts from now) had a card in the 1967 set although didn't play in the majors in 1966. Ex-Braves' outfielder Dave Nicholson had a card in the 1969 set, yet his only time in the majors since 1966 was a 10-game stint in September 1967. 

Orlando "Marty" Martinez was signed by the (old) Washington Senators in 1960, and played seven seasons for the Senators/Twins in the minors. He was primarily a shortstop, but he also saw considerable playing time at 3B, 2B, and catcher, both in the minors and the majors. He also pitched 21 games in the minors, and 1 inning with the 1969 Astros.

After the 1966 season the Braves selected him in the Rule 5 draft. He played in 44 games in his rookie season, including 17 starts at shortstop.

In 1968 his playing time almost tripled, as he started 49 games at shortstop, 31 at 3B, 13 at 2B, and 6 behind the plate. He was truly valuable to the team that season. Too bad he only hit .230.

Martinez was traded to the Astros in December 1968 for 3rd baseman Bob Aspromonte. He continued in his role as backup infielder for the next 2 seasons, although playing much less than he did in 1968.

In '69 he mostly filled in at shortstop and left field, but also a few games at 3B and behind the plate. In 1970 he was mostly at SS and 3B.

In 1971 his playing time decreased even further. The Astros replaced shortstop Denis Menke with rookie Roger Metzger, who needed less time off than Menke did for the past 2 seasons.

After the '71 season, Marty was on his way to the Cardinals. He only played 7 games for St. Louis in 1972, and in late May was traded to the Athletics for outfielder Brant Alyea.

Two months later he was flipped to the Rangers (with 2B Vic Harris) for 1st baseman Don Mincher and infielder Ted Kubiak. 1972 was his last season in the majors.

He played for the Rangers' AAA and AA teams from 1973-80.

Martinez was also the interim manager for the Seattle Mariners for one game in 1986.

In the 1980s he was a coach and a scout for the Mariners, signing Edgar Martinez and Omar Vizquel, among others.

He passed away in 2007 at age 65.

Ollie Brown (#83)

“Downtown” Ollie Brown played for 13 seasons from 1965 to 1977. Early in his career he was a starting outfielder for the Giants (1966-67) and Padres (1969-71), then spent the 2nd half of his career as a backup for 4 different teams. He was known for having a cannon arm in right field.

Brown was signed by the Giants in 1962 and was a pitcher and outfielder in the minors (pitching a no-hitter in 1963). He made his major-league debut with the Giants in September 1965.

By 1966, the perennial logjam in the Giants’ outfield (Willie Mays, Orlando Cepeda/Willie McCovey, Jesus Alou, Matty Alou, Len Gabrielson, Ken Henderson, Cap Peterson, Harvey Kuenn, Ollie Brown) had worked itself out through the trades of Cepeda, Matty Alou, Gabrielson, and Peterson. Those left standing were Mays (CF), J. Alou (LF), and Brown (RF).

After 2 seasons as a regular outfielder, Brown got squeezed out in 1968 when a) 3rd baseman Jim Ray Hart was moved to left field (Alou sharing RF with Brown), and b) rookie Bobby Bonds was called up in mid-season and took over the right field job.

Now that Hart and Bonds were outfield regulars, both Brown and Jesus Alou were left unprotected in the expansion draft, with Alou selected by the Expos and Brown by the Padres. Ollie provided some offensive punch during the Padres’ early years, hitting 20 and 23 homers in ’69 and ’70, while batting .292 in 1970. He started over 130 games in right field in each of his first 3 seasons in San Diego.

In May 1972 he was traded to the Athletics for outfielder Curt Blefary and pitcher Mike Kilkenny. He barely had time to unpack his suitcase when he moved on to the Brewers five weeks later.

After the 1973 season, Brown was part of a nine-player trade with the Angels. However, he never played a game for California as he was sold to the Astros during spring training in 1974.

By mid-June ’74 he was claimed off waivers by the Phillies, and spent his final 3 ½ seasons as a pinch-hitter and backup outfielder for Philadelphia. He also played in the ’76 and ’77 NLCS.

Brown’s younger brother Oscar was an outfielder for the Braves from 1970 to 1973. His older brother Willie (not the Raiders’ All-Pro cornerback) played for the Rams and Eagles.

Brown passed away in 2015 at age 71.

Turk Farrell (#190)

Ok, after last week's make-over for Larry Sherry, now it's "Richard" Farrell's turn.

We last saw Turk Farrell here, but come on now, what kind of a card is that? Topps did a pedestrian job with many of the 1968 photos. They also gave Farrell ANOTHER capless photo in the 1969 set. It seems they have no excuse, since he was with the Phillies several years earlier (and it was not beyond Topps to use old photos).

Farrell returned to the Phillies in May 1967, so by the time I got his card that year he was already with the Phillies. (At the time, I assumed he was swapped for Bo Belinsky, since Bo was with the Phils in '66 and Astros in '67, but they were separate deals.)

Ralph Houk (#468)

Ralph Houk was the man who replaced the legendary Casey Stengel as the Yankees' manager in 1961.

Houk was signed by the Yankees in 1939 as a catcher, and played 3 seasons in the minors before missing 1942-1945 while in the Army.

He was an Army Ranger, rising to the rank of Major (also his nickname while in baseball). Houk fought in the Battle of the Bulge, and was awarded the Bronze Star, the Silver Star, and the Purple Heart.

He returned to the minors for the 1946 season, then spent the 1947 season as the 3rd string catcher behind Aaron Robinson and Yogi Berra. (Although Houk and Berra were both rookies, at age 27 Houk was 5 years older than Yogi, having missed 4 seasons.)

Ralph shuttled between the Yankees’ AAA team in Kansas City for the ’48 and ’49 seasons (spending most of that time in the minors), then was the Yankees’ 3rd-string catcher (behind Berra and Charlie Silvera) for all of 1950-53. His final season with the Yanks was 1954, where he was limited to 1 pinch-hitting appearance in May, but was also the team’s bullpen coach.

He was a player/manager for the Yankees’ AAA team in Denver during the 1955-57 seasons, then was Stengel’s 1st base coach from 1958-60.

Houk assumed the Yankees’ helm for the 1961 season. The team responded with 3 consecutive AL pennants (as was the Yankees’ custom back then), and winning the World Series in his first 2 years.

After the 1963 season, Houk was kicked upstairs to the GM role, with Berra taking over as manager. The Yankees went to the World Series in ’64 but lost, costing Berra his job after only 1 season. Next up was Johnny Keane, who lasted only 1 month into his 2nd year, whereby Houk returned to the manager’s chair on May 7th, 1966 with the team at 4-16.

Ralph managed the Yankees through the 1973 season, but never finished higher than 2nd place during his 2nd stint. He also managed the Tigers (1974-78) and Red Sox (1981-84).

After his managing days were over, he worked in the Twins’ front office from 1987-89.

“The Major” passed away in 2010 at age 90.

Sam McDowell (#295)

After being bumped 5 times (for Al Dark, Red Schoendienst, and 3 opening-day posts), Sam McDowell finally gets his turn. 


“Sudden” Sam McDowell was a hard-throwing strikeout artist who pitched for 15 seasons from 1961 to 1975, the first 11 seasons with the Cleveland Indians.

McDowell was signed by the Indians in 1960, and after one season in class-D ball, he jumped to triple-A in 1961. Sam made his major-league debut in 1961, pitching one game on September 15th.

In 1962, he played 25 games with the Indians, but spent most of June and July back in triple-A. McDowell was in the Indians rotation for most of ‘63 and ’64, except for a stint in AAA from July ’63 to May ’64.

Topps re-used the same photo in the 1969 set:

1965 was the beginning of a 6-year stretch where Sam was a dominant pitcher in the American League. He led the AL in strikeouts every season from ’65 to ’70, except for 1967, when he finished 10 strikeouts behind Jim Lonborg. Sam was also the ERA leader in 1965 (2.18), and won 17 games that season. He also won 18 in 1969 and 20 in 1970, and was a 6-time all-star.

After the 1971 season, McDowell was traded to the Giants for pitcher Gaylord Perry and shortstop Frank Duffy. After starting for the Giants in 1972, he worked out of the bullpen in 1973 until he was sold to the Yankees in early June.

Sam started for the Yankees for the remainder of that season, but was back in the ‘pen in 1974. Released after the season, he hooked on with the Pirates for his final season in 1975. After 14 appearances, he was released in late June, ending his career.

During his final 4 seasons, he never came close to the success he had with the Indians.



If a picture is worth 1000 words, what are 5 pictures worth?

(He missed the top spot in 1967 by 10 strikeouts) 

McDowell also hobnobbed with the ERA leaders from time to time:

Red Schoendienst (#512)

Continuing the theme from the last post, today we have 91-year-old Albert “Red” Schoendienst, a baseball lifer, first as a player for several teams from 1942 to 1963, then as a manager and coach for the Cardinals since his retirement as a player.

Red was signed by the Cardinals in 1942, and was a shortstop in their farm system from 1942-44. He made the Cardinals at the start of 1945, and was the team’s regular left fielder during his rookie season. He also led the league with 26 stolen bases that year.

From 1946 to 1956 Red was the Cardinals’ 2nd baseman. He was also their lead-off hitter for his first 4 seasons, before dropping to the #2 slot for the duration of his Cardinals’ tenure. He led the NL with 43 doubles in 1950, and made the all-star team every season from 1946-55 (except for 1947). He also played in the 1946 World Series.

Red began the 1956 as the 2nd baseman, then was traded to the New York Giants in mid-June for shortstop Al Dark (who we just looked at in the last post). Seven other players were involved in the deal, including outfielder Jackie Brandt going to the Giants.

A year and a day later, Red moved on to the Milwaukee Braves in exchange for 3 players, including Bobby Thomson, slugger of 1951’s “Shot Heard ‘Round the World”. He manned the 2nd base post for the Braves in ’57 and ’58, and the team played the Yankees in the World Series both years, winning it in 1957. Schoendienst hit .278 and .300 in those two post-seasons.

Red missed almost the entire 1959 season with tuberculosis. He returned at the start of 1960, and started most games through July 1st. The Cardinals started Chuck Cottier in the 2nd game of the doubleheader that day, and stuck with him for the rest of the season, relegating Schoendienst to the bench for the rest of the season. He was released in October.

The Cardinals picked him up during spring training in 1961, and used him as coach and part-time player for the next 3 seasons. His final game as a player was in July 1963.

After the Cardinals’ 1964 World Series victory, manager Johnny Keane resigned to manage the Yankees, and Schoendienst was elevated to manager. The team went to the World Series in ’67 and ’68, winning in 1967. Red continued to manage the Cards through the 1976 season, then coached for the Athletics from 1977-78.

Red returned to the Cardinals in 1979, as a coach and later a special advisor to the GM. He also managed the team for a few dozen games at the end of the 1980 and 1990 seasons.

Schoendienst was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989 by the Veterans Committee. Soon afterwards, the Cardinals retired his #2 uniform.

Al Dark (#389)

Last week, I was browsing the Baseball-Almanac.com site, and came across a list of the 100 oldest living ex-players. (The oldest name I recognized was Alex Monchak (age 97), who was a major-league coach for manager Chuck Tanner's teams in the 1970s and '80s.)

Also on the list are Al Dark, Sam Mele, and Red Schoendienst. Although they are #39, #41, and #53 on the list, they are the only three who had cards in the 1967 Topps set. Dark and Mele are both 92, while Schoendienst is 91. As such, I have moved Al and Red to the top of the to-be-blogged schedule.


This card shows Al wearing the white cap that was worn by the Athletics’ coaching staff, while the players wore green caps. Dark's nickname was "Blackie".  Give him an unfiltered cigarette, and it looks like Blackie would fit right in on an old Western movie, chasing down Clint Eastwood.

Alvin Dark was a shortstop (and later 3rd baseman) for several teams including the Boston Braves (1946, 48-49), New York Giants (1950-56), Cardinals (1956-58), and Cubs (1958-59), before wrapping up his playing career in 1960 as a sub for the Phillies and Milwaukee Braves.

Dark played in the minors only during the 1947 season, then was the NL Rookie of the Year in 1948, and led the league with 41 doubles in 1951. He was his team’s starting shortstop from 1948-57, and 3rd baseman from 1958-59).


Dark began his major-league managing career immediately after retiring as a player. He managed the Giants for 4 seasons (1961-64), including a trip to the 1962 World Series.

Al managed the Athletics during their final 2 seasons in Kansas City (1966-67), then moved on to the Indians (1968-71). He returned to the Athletics for the 1974-75 seasons, winning the World Series in 1974.

Dark wrapped up his managing career in 1977 with the Padres.

Jim "Catfish" Hunter (#369)

Here is my first card for Jim “Catfish” Hunter. It’s a nice spring training shot, much better than the rather plain photo from 1966, or the ridiculous capless head shots in the ’68 and ’69 sets.

Catfish was signed by the Kansas City Athletics in 1964, and became the last "bonus baby".  (The bonus baby rule became moot with the advent of the amateur draft.) They immediately sent him to the Mayo Clinic to correct a foot injury due to a hunting accident a year earlier.

Hunter never played in the minor leagues, and made his major-league debut at age 19 in early May 1965. Catfish joined the starting rotation permanently 2 months later, and finished his rookie season with a record of 8-8.

In 1966 the Athletics’ starting rotation was rebuilt, with Hunter now joined by Lew Krausse, Blue Moon Odom, Jim Nash, and Chuck Dobson, all in their early 20s. Hunter made more starts (25) than any other A’s pitcher.

The rotation stayed the same in 1967, although Odom and Krausse both alternated between the rotation and the bullpen. Hunter became the team’s ace, leading the staff in wins (13), starts (35), innings (259), and strikeouts (196).

1968 was the Athletics’ first season in Oakland, and Hunter marked the occasion by twirling a perfect game on May 8th against the Minnesota Twins. [Earlier this year, my daughter got me this book about the 20 perfect games pitched in MLB history. So far, I have read the chapters on Jim Bunning and Jim Hunter. I learned from the book that A’s outfielder Joe Rudi (who had played 19 games in 1967) was just recalled from the minors, and was playing his first game of the 1968 season that day. He made a critical defensive play to preserve Hunter’s perfecto.]

Hunter and his rotation mates chugged along for the next few seasons, although Nash and Krausse were traded away after the 1969 season.

In 1971, Catfish was eclipsed by rookie Vida Blue, who won 24 games while striking out 301, on his way to winning both the Cy Young and MVP awards. Hunter did his part, winning 21 games (a feat he would repeat in ’72 and ’73), as the A’s made it to the ALCS, only to be swept by the Orioles.

Hunter continued pitching for the A’s through the 1974 season. The team won the World Series for 3 consecutive seasons (1972-74), and Catfish led the AL in wins (25) and ERA (2.49) in 1974, and won the Cy Young award.

Catfish was granted free agency after the 1974 season, due to owner Charlie Finley botching a provision in Hunter’s contract. He was approached by all the other teams (except the Giants), and signed a 5-year contract with the Yankees for over 3 million dollars – the largest contract at the time.

In his first season with New York, he again led the AL in wins (23), and also in complete games (30), while finishing 2nd in the Cy Young voting to Jim Palmer. After going 17-15 in 1976, Hunter’s workload and performance dropped off over the next 3 seasons due to arm injuries. He was also diagnosed with diabetes early in 1978.

He retired after the 1979 season, at age 33. After his playing career, he returned to his farm in North Carolina, hunting and raising various crops. He was also a spokesman for diabetes awareness.

In early 1998, he was diagnosed with ALS, and died at age 53 on September 9, 1999, a month after falling at home and hitting his head on concrete steps.

***

My brother (who I’ve referred to several times on this blog) was diagnosed with ALS early in 2012. He continues to battle this disease, and his mobility and speech have been severely impaired. I will be visiting him tomorrow for Thanksgiving dinner.

Hank Aaron (#250)

Most know that Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's career home run record.  Many know he also played in the Negro Leagues, but lesser known is that he was offered a contract by the Boston Braves and the New York Giants, but chose the Braves (because they offered him $50 per month more than the Giants), thus missing out on playing in the same outfield as Willie Mays.

While still in high school, Aaron had a tryout with the Brooklyn Dodgers, and played in the Negro Leagues with the Mobile Black Bears. In 1952 he played in the Negro League World Series with the Indianapolis Clowns. That same year, he was signed by the Boston Braves.

He was a 2nd baseman in the minors, playing in class C (1952) and class A (1953) before making his major-league debut in April 1954 at age 20. Aaron started 11 of the first 14 games in right field, then moved to left field, where he started 102 games. After August 25th, he only made 1 start, and was primarily used as a pinch-hitter.

Hank finished 4th in the 1954 Rookie of the Year voting (to Cardinals’ outfielder Wally Moon, Cubs shortstop Ernie Banks, and Braves’ pitcher Gene Conley).

“Hammerin’ Hank” only hit 13 homers as a rookie, but his power kicked in beginning in 1955. He hit 20 or more homers in each of the next 20 seasons, while making the all-star team each season, and leading the league in homers 4 times (3 times with 44) and in RBI 4 times (at least 126 RBI each time). He also led the NL in batting twice (once with a .355 average), and was the NL MVP winner in 1957.

Hank hit .393 and .333 in the ’57 and ’58 World Series, and hit .357 in the 1969 NLCS against the Miracle Mets.

Usually the Braves’ right fielder, he played center field for half of the ’57, ’61, and ’62 seasons. Hank was also the Braves’ regular 1st baseman for the 2nd half of 1971 and all of 1972, before returning to the outfield in 1973.

Aaron finished the 1973 season one home run short of tying Babe Ruth’s record of 714 career homers. He tied the record on opening day 1974 in Cincinnati, and broke the record during the Braves’ first home game.

After 21 seasons with the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves, Aaron was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in November 1974 for outfielder Dave May. Hank played his final 2 seasons as the Brewers’ DH (full-time in ‘75, and part-time in ’76). He finished with 755 career home runs.

After his playing career, Aaron became a front-office executive with the Braves.

Hank's younger brother Tommie was his teammate from 1962 to 1971.

Willie McCovey (#480)

It's hard to believe I haven't gotten around to Willie McCovey yet on any of my blogs. Plus, the Giants are under-represented here, so I'm killing 2 birds with one stone.

Willie "Stretch" McCovey was a fan favorite in San Francisco (even more so, I've heard, than the transplanted New Yorker - Willie Mays). Back in the 60s and 70s, I heard more than a few pitchers say that McCovey was the most feared hitter they ever faced.

Willie was signed by the New York Giants in 1955, and after 4 1/2 seasons in the minors he made his big-league debut in late-July 1959. He started 49 of the final 55 games at 1st base (pushing Orlando Cepeda to left field) and won the NL Rookie of the Year award that season.

In 1960 McCovey picked up where he left off, but by early June he found himself riding the bench most of the time, and even spent the 2nd half of July back in the minors.

During the '61 and '62 seasons, Willie was used as a pinch-hitter and part time fielder. He shared the 1st base job evenly with Cepeda in 1961 (playing there when Orlando was in left field), then in '62 Willie's primary position was left field, where he started 42 games to Harvey Kuenn's 82 games. He was also 3-for-15 in the 1962 World Series, with a triple and a home run.

McCovey became an everyday player beginning in 1963. Playing in 152 games (including 130 starts in left and only 14 at first base), Willie led the NL with 44 home runs (the first of 3 times he would do so) and made his first all-star team.

His workload was cut back in 1964, playing only 130 games. with only 75 starts in left field and 21 at first base.

Willie took over as the Giants' everyday 1st baseman at the start of the 1965 season. Injuries relegated Cepeda to 34 at-bats over 33 games that year, so McCovey started all but 12 games at 1st base. The following season, Cepeda was traded to the Cardinals in early May, so Willie had a permanent home in the infield.

Between 1965 and 1970, McCovey hit over 30 homers every season, and led the NL in home runs and RBI in '68 (36, 105) and '69 (45, 126). He also bat .293 and .320 in those seasons. He finished 3rd in the 1968 MVP voting, and won the award in 1969.

Willie remained with the Giants through the 1973 season, then was traded to the Padres. After the better part of 3 seasons in San Diego, he was sold to the Athletics in August 1976, where he finished out the season.

In November 1976 he was granted free agency, and returned to the Giants. Willie was the team's primary (not everyday) first baseman for the next 3 seasons.

In 1980, he started 11 of the first 12 games at 1B, but then slipped into a part-time role alongside Mike Ivie. McCovey played his last game on July 6, 1980.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986.

Jim Grant (#545)

I see that the Twins are in last place on this blog with only 6 posts, and since Mudcat Grant is the only unposted Twin already scanned to my computer...

Jim "Mudcat" Grant was a star pitcher for the Indians and Twins, before finishing his career with several other teams.

Mudcat was signed by the Indians in 1954. After 4 seasons in the minors, he made his debut with the Indians in April 1958. Grant was a swingman for 3 seasons, then joined the starting rotation fulltime in 1961. He collected a then-career-high 15 wins that season.

In June 1964, Mudcat was traded to Minnesota for pitcher Lee Stange and 3B-OF George Banks. His finest season was 1965, when he led the AL with 21 wins and 6 shutouts, and propelled the Twins to their first World Series.

After the 1967 season (when he was one of six "Jims" on the pitching staff), Grant and shortstop Zoilo Versailes were traded to the Dodgers for catcher John Roseboro and relievers Ron Perranoski and Bob Miller. Grant spent his final 4 seasons bouncing from Los Angeles to Montreal to St Louis to Oakland to Pittsburgh and back to Oakland.

Jim was released by the Athletics after the 1971 season, and pitched for their AAA Iowa Oaks team in 1972, before retiring.  


I started a non-sports blog a short while ago. Check it out! 

 

Sonny Jackson (#415)

Roland "Sonny" Jackson was the Topps all-rookie shortstop in 1966. (Two seasons later, the Astros' Hector Torres would also be the Topps all-rookie shortstop.)

Jackson was signed by the Houston Colt .45s in 1963, and made an orderly 3-year progression (A, AA, AAA) through their farm system. After each minor-league season, he was called up to Houston, playing in 1, 9, and 10 games in 1963-65.

Jackson took over the starting shortstop job on day 1 of the 1966 season, replacing veteran Bob Lillis (and Eddie Kasko), who had manned the position since the team's inception in 1962. Sonny started 150 games that season, batting .292 with 174 hits and a rookie record 49 stolen bases. He also finished 2nd in the NL Rookie of the Year voting to Cincinnati's 3rd baseman Tommy Helms.

In 1967, Jackson's average fell off to .237, his stolen bases down to 22, and after the season he was packed off to Atlanta with part-time 1st baseman Chuck Harrison for pitcher Denver Lemaster and infielder Denis Menke. (Not to worry, in 1968 rookie Hector Torres also landed the Topps all-rookie shortstop slot, but also like Jackson, Torres' rookie season was the high point of his time in Houston.)

Sonny played shortstop for the Braves for the next 3 seasons, but only started a few more games there than Orlando Martinez (in '68) and Gil Garrido (69-70). Jackson was the team's regular center fielder during the 1971 season. (That season, Rico Carty missed the entire year with an injury, and Hank Aaron was starting his 2-year stint as the Braves' 1st baseman.)

Sonny split the 1972 season between the Braves and triple-A, then returned in 1973, but as a pinch-hitter and backup OF-SS. The remainder of his major-league career consisted of 5 games in July 1974, as he played most of the season in triple-A before getting his release at season's end.

Jackson ended his career in the minors with the Padres ('75) and White Sox ('76).

George Scott (#75)

After 4 seasons in the minors, George "Boomer" Scott made his major-league debut on April 12, 1966. Thrown right into the fire, he played every game during his rookie season. After starting 3 of the first 4 games at 3rd base, he moved across the diamond and started all but two of the remaining games at 1st base.

Boomer (he was "Boomer" long before that blowhard on a national sports network was "Boomer") finished the season with a .245 average, 27 homers and 97 RBI, while leading the AL with 152 strikeouts, and finished 3rd in the Rookie of the Year voting.

He had similar playing time in 1967, but his average jumped to .303, while his homers (19) and RBI (82) were down. He also cut his strikeout total to 119, and won his first of 8 gold gloves. Scott was 6 for 26 in the World Series that year.

George played 6 seasons with the Sox, and was primarily their 3rd baseman during the '69 and '70 seasons (the only 2 years from 1967-76 that he didn't win a gold glove).

He was traded to the Brewers after the 1971 season (with pitchers Jim Lonborg and Ken Brett, catcher Don Pavletich, and outfielders Billy Conigliaro and Joe Lahoud) for pitchers Lew Krausse and Marty Pattin, outfielder Tommy Harper, and ex-Phillies farmhand Pat Skrable. (Wow, that deal seems so lopsided!)

George played 5 seasons as the Brewers' 1st sacker, then returned to the Red Sox (along with outfielder Bernie Carbo) for 1st baseman Cecil Cooper. After 2 1/2 seasons back at his old 1st base post in Fenway Park, Scott was traded to the Royals in June 1979.

After 2 months in Kaycee, and 1 month with the Yankees, George's major-league career was over. He played in the Mexican League from 1980-1984.

Dick Radatz (#174)

Last month I was about to post Dick Radatz' card on my 1968 card blog, when I realized (43 years late) that he didn't have a card in the 1968 set.


Dick Radatz (nicknamed "The Monster") was signed by the Red Sox in 1959. He spent 3 seasons in Boston's farm system. For a year and a half he was a starter for Class-B teams, then spent his remaining season and a half as a reliever in triple-A. Dick made his major-league debut in April 1962. In 381 games over 7 seasons, not once did Radatz start a game in the major leagues.



Dick was Boston's go-to guy in the bullpen for his 1st 4 seasons. He led the American League in games pitched (62) and saves (24) as a rookie in 1962, and finished 3rd in Rookie of the Year voting. He also led the league with 29 saves in 1964. Radatz also made the all-star team in '63 and '64.

On June 2, 1966, the 29-year-old Radatz was traded to the Indians for 36-year-old closer Don McMahon and pitcher Lee Stange. Although he led the Indians with 10 saves in 1966, Dick did not pitch as much as he had in any of his seasons in Boston.

The Indians traded Radatz to the Cubs in late-April 1967, and as the last man in the bullpen, appeared in only 20 games for the rest of the season. Released by the Cubs in March 1968, Dick was picked up by the Tigers a month later, but spent the entire 1968 season with their triple-A team in Toledo Ohio (hence no card in the 1968 set).

He began the 1969 season with the Tigers, but was sold to the Expos in June. His last appearance was on August 15, 1969. Two weeks later, the Expos released him, ending his career. Dick's final card is in the 1969 set.

Frank Howard (#255)

Frank Howard was signed by the newly-relocated Los Angeles Dodgers in 1958. He spent the better part of 1958 and 1959 in the minors, although appearing in a handful of games for the Dodgers in both seasons.

In 1960, Howard began the season at triple-A Spokane, but was soon recalled to the Dodgers. He made his first start on May 13th, and by the end of the season, he had started 91 games in right, 21 games in left, and won the 1960 NL Rookie of the Year award.



After the 1964 season, Howard was traded to the Senators along with pitchers Phil Ortega and Pete Richert, first baseman Dick Nen, and third baseman Ken McMullen for pitcher Claude Osteen and infielder John Kennedy. Although primarily a rightfielder with the Dodgers, Howard would be Washington's regular leftfielder from 1965 to 1971 (although from 1968-71, he would play first base about 25% of the time).

Frank hit 31 homeruns for the Dodgers in 1962, but his big power years were from 1967 to 1970. 1967 was a "warm-up" year for him, as he hit 36 homers. He led the AL with 44 homeruns in 1968 and 1970. In 1969, his HR total increased to 48, but that wasn't enough to lead the league, thanks to Harmon Killebrew's 49 dingers.

In 1972, Howard's playing time diminished, and in late August he was sold to the Tigers, where he finished his career in 1973.

The back of this card notes that his nickname was "The Tower". I have never heard this, but am more familiar with his other nicknames: "Hondo", and the more menacing "Capital Punisher". Howard's late-1960s home run spree, coupled with his size (6'-7" and 255 pounds) made that a perfect nickname.

Final Card: Bill Skowron

This is the final baseball card for long-time Yankee Bill "Moose" Skowron (#357).

Moose began in the Yankees farm system in 1951, and advanced to Kansas City in 1952. (This is when Kansas City was officially the Yankees' triple-A farm team, as opposed to the mid-to-late 1950s, when the Yankees seemed to use the Athletics club as a feeder team!)

Anyhoo, Skowron made the Yankees in April 1954, and spent the next 9 years as their regular first baseman. This coincided with 7 World Series trips, with the Yankees winning 4 times. (Skowron just missed the string of 6-for-6 World Series championships from 1947 to 1953!) Each year from 1960-1962, Moose was the Yankees #3 homerun threat behind big boppers Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris.



After the 1962 season, the Yankees needed to find playing time for young first baseman Joe Pepitone, so while still at the top of his game, Skowron was traded to the Dodgers for pitcher Stan Williams in the off-season. After only 1 season in LA (playing behind the younger Ron Fairly), Moose was purchased by the Senators in 1964, but his time there was short, as he was traded to the White Sox in mid-season for first baseman Joe Cunningham.

Once in Chicago, Moose became a fixture at first base, starting 70 games in 1964 (after the mid-July trade), and 140 games in 1965. In 1966, he shared the position with Tom McCraw. McCraw took over at first base in 1967, which relegated Skowron to 8 pinch-hitting appearances, until Moose was traded to the Angels on May 6th.

Skowron finished out the 1967 season in California, playing in 62 games (half as a pinch-hitter, and half at first base (giving regular Don Mincher a rest). He retired at age 36, ending his 14-year career.

Ken Harrelson (#188)

I started this blog 4 weeks ago, and have featured someone from every team but the Senators, so here we go:

Ken "Hawk" Harrelson was one of a handful of players to play for 3 teams in 1967. (The others were Jim King, Jim Landis, Jack Lamabe, and John Buzhardt. Technically, Sandy Alomar played for 4 teams in 1967, but 2 of them were during spring training only.)

Harrelson began the year with the Washington Senators, but in June was sold to the Kansas City Athletics (where he also played from 1963 to early 1966). In mid-August, the Athletics fired their manager, Alvin Dark. Dark's last game as manager was also the last game that Harrelson played for the A's. Less than a week later, he was released by the Athletics. (I seem to recall that this was due to owner Charlie Finley's dislike for Harrelson's flamboyant personality, and not because of his baseball skills.)

Three days later, the Red Sox signed him to replace Tony Conigliaro (who had been beaned 10 days earlier) in right field. Harrelson helped the Red Sox get to the World Series in 1967.

Good move Hawk, going from Washington and Kansas City, to Boston!


Harrelson continued as the Red Sox' regular rightfielder in 1968. In 1969, Conigliaro returned to the team (in RF), so after 10 games with the Sox, Harrelson was traded to Cleveland. He was the Indians' regular rightfielder in 1969, but had limited playing time (mostly at 1B) in 1970 and 1971. His last game was in June 1971.