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.

Steve Hamilton (#567)

Here is another high-number from the 1967 set. Steve Hamilton was signed by the Indians in 1958, and after making his big-league debut in early 1961 with 2 games for the Tribe, he was back in the minors until a May 1962 trade with the Senators for outfielder Willie Tasby.

Steve pitched in 41 games during his first year in Washington, starting 10 games. He would only start 7 more games over the remaining 10 seasons in his career (while working out of the ‘pen in 378 games).

After only 2 games with the Sens in 1963, Hamilton was swapped to the Yankees for reliever Jim Coates. Steve spent the next 8 years as the top (and sometimes the only) lefty in the Yankees’ bullpen. In 1968 he led the staff in saves.

Late in his career, Hamilton developed the slow, arcing “eephus pitch”. On one occasion in 1970, he got Indians’ slugger Tony Horton to strike out on consecutive floaters, causing Horton to crawl back to the dugout in embarrassment. (Blogger Commishbob has noted that he was at that game.)

In early-September 1970, the White Sox claimed him off waivers, but traded him the following spring to the Giants. He pitched his final season (1972) for the Cubs.

Steve played in the ’63 and ’64 World Series, and the ’71 NLCS. Hamilton also played in the NBA from 1958 to 1960 for the Minneapolis Lakers, and is one of only 2 people to have played in the World Series and the NBA finals.

Hamilton passed away in 1997 at age 63.

2015 Post-Season - Astros vs. Yankees

Well not quite 2015, but 1967 "Heritage".

Here are the stars from these 2 teams back in 1967. (Of course, in '67 both teams finished in or near the basement.)

Coincidentally, the Astros are the first team, and Yankees the last team, in each of my binders from 1965 to 1972, as I have arranged my binders alphabetically by teams (NL: Astros to Reds, AL: Angels to Yankees).

The 1967 Yankees

Here are the 1967 New York Yankees. (And why do they have their own bass drum?) The Yankees of the late 1960s were a far cry from the Yankees of the early 1960s (and for 40 years before that). They finished with a 72-90 record in 1967, leaving them in 9th place (Hooray for the Kansas City Athletics!)


Starting Pitchers:

Here are the starting pitchers, in order of innings pitched. The Yankees began the season with a rotation of Mel Stottlemyre, Fritz Peterson, Whitey Ford, Fred Talbot, and Al Downing. When Ford retired in late May, his spot was filled by rookie Thad Tillotson until Steve Barber arrived on July 4th. That arrangement lasted until September, when Bill Monbouquette took Talbot’s spot in the rotation.

Stottlemyre and Downing won 15 and 14 games respectively, but nobody else on the entire staff won more than 8 games. In fact, nobody else had a winning record except for Monbouquette and Joe Verbanic (and those were by 1-game margins). Mel and Al also pitched 10 complete games each. Peterson was the #3 starter, compiling an 8-14 record in 181 innings. Talbot went 6-8, starting 22 of his 29 games.


Relievers:

Dooley Womack led the team with 18 saves in 65 appearances. The other relievers are shown in order of innings pitched. Bill Monbouquette was signed on May 31st (after his release from the Tigers) and pitched in 33 games (including 10 starts). Thad Tillotson (pictured below on a Rookies card) was 3-9 in 98 innings pitched.

Joe Verbanic was acquired from the Phillies in the off-season for veteran Pedro Ramos, and appears to have been the long man, pitching 80 innings in 28 games. Steve Hamilton (at age 31 the 2nd oldest on the staff, after Whitey Ford) was the left-handed short man, pitching 62 innings in 44 games. Hamilton, Womack and Hal Reniff were the only pitchers used strictly in relief.


Other Pitchers:

Reniff, a veteran of better days with the Yankees, was in his last season. He pitched in 24 games before going to the Mets on June 28th. Steve Barber was acquired from the Orioles on July 4th, and started 17 games the rest of the way.

Jim Bouton was a 21-game winner in 1963, but was nearing the end of his career by 1967. He made 1 start on April 23rd, and pitched 16 other games in relief. He was also in the minors from late-May to mid-August. Veteran Whitey Ford retired on May 31st after starting 7 games. A workhorse from 1953-1965, Ford only pitched 73 innings in ’66 and 44 innings in ’67, winning 2 games each season.


 Starting Line-up:

Here are the Starting Eight. Jake Gibbs took over the starting catcher job from Elston Howard in 1967. Mickey Mantle played first base in his final 2 seasons (1967-68) because of limited mobility. He started 130 games there in ‘67.

Horace Clarke was the Yankees’ regular shortstop in July and August 1966, and took over the 2nd base job when veteran Bobby Richardson retired before the 1967 season. Ruben Amaro started almost every game at shortstop from May 14th to September 10th.

Charlie Smith had replaced departed 3rd baseman Ken Boyer in St. Louis in 1966, and was now replacing departed 3rd baseman Clete Boyer in New York in 1967. He started 130 games as the regular 3rd baseman, except during “The Roy White Experiment” (see White, below) in late July. 1962 Rookie of the Year Tom Tresh was the everyday left fielder, although he didn’t play after September 10th.

Joe Pepitone swapped positions with Mantle for the 1967-68 seasons. He was a Gold Glove 1st baseman in ’65, ’66, and ’69, but not so much in the outfield. With the departure of Roger Maris after 1966, the Yankees used a trio of right fielders, with Steve Whitaker (74 starts), Bill Robinson (49), and Roy White (29).


Bench Players:

Here are the bench players, in order of at-bats. Bill Robinson was acquired from the Braves in the off-season for Clete Boyer, and was dubbed “the next Mickey Mantle” (as was Steve Whitaker, as was Roy White, as was Bobby Murcer, as was Roger Repoz, as was (you get the idea). At least Murcer panned out). Robinson shared right field with Whitaker, and also started 30 games in center field.

Roy White had started 66 games in left field during 1966, when Tresh moved in to play 3rd base. White began the ’67 season with the Dodgers’ AAA team in Spokane, learning how to play 3rd base. The Yankees recalled him in mid-July and installed him at the hot corner. By August, he returned to the outfield – experiment over.

Elston Howard shared the catching duties with starter Jake Gibbs, then was traded to the eventual AL champion Red Sox on August 4th. John Kennedy was acquired from the Dodgers on April 3rd, and started the first 24 games at shortstop. After that he was relegated to the bench (and the occasional start at 3rd base) for the rest of the season.

Dick Howser came over from the Indians after the 1966 season, and started 13 straight games at 2nd base in early July, but mostly backed up Clarke at 2nd base in ’67 and ’68. Mike Hegan (son of Yankees’ coach Jim Hegan) was in his first full major-league season. He was used as Mantle’s defensive replacement at first base, while also starting 22 games there.

Jerry Kenney made his major-league debut on September 5th, and started 17 of the final 18 games at shortstop. When the Red Sox acquired catcher Elston Howard from the Yanks on 8/4, that made Bob Tillman expendable, so they sold him to New York a few days later. He started 15 games down the stretch, filling in for Gibbs.


Others associated with the 1967 Yankees:

Like Kenney, Frank Fernandez was called up in September, and made his debut on September 13th. He started 7 games at catcher and 2 in right field. He was the starting catcher for 25% of the 1968 season. Ray Barker was a reserve 1st baseman in April and May, then was sent down to the minors. He was traded to the Orioles on July 4th for Steve Barber.

Tom Shopay was another September call-up. He started 7 games in left field during Tresh’s late-September absence. Bill Bryan played 7 games before May 9th, and 9 games after September 8th. In-between, he was in the minors. His only start was the 2nd game of a 9/29 doubleheader.

This was Lou Clinton’s last season. He played in 6 games in April (five as a pinch-hitter), then found work with the triple-A San Diego Padres, where the Phillies were apparently running an old-age home for ex-major-leaguers.

Ralph Houk was in his 2nd term as Yankees’ manager. His first stint (1961-63) resulted in 3 AL pennants and 2 World Series championships. His 2nd stint (1966-73) didn’t go as well. Bobby Murcer did not play for the team this season, as he was in the Army during 1967 and 1968. Too bad - he probably would have won the shortstop job over the Kennedy-Amaro tandem.

Also playing for the Yankees in 1967 was Frank Tepedino, who appeared in 9 games from May to July in his rookie season, mostly as a pinch-hitter.


Rookies:

Here are the rookie cards. All but Stan Bahnsen and Murcer played for the Yankees in 1967. Tillotson bridged the gap in the starting rotation between Ford’s retirement in May, and Barber’s arrival from the Orioles in July.


Also check out the Yankees' 1960s classic lineups: Pitchers     Batters

 
Transactions from the end of the 1966 season to the end of 1967:

10/19/66 - Released outfielder Hector Lopez.

11/28/66 - Drafted first baseman Frank Tepedino from the Orioles in the rule 5 draft.

11/29/66 - Traded 3rd baseman Clete Boyer to the Braves for Bill Robinson and pitcher Chi-Chi Olivo.

12/08/66 - Traded outfielder Roger Maris to the Cardinals for Charley Smith.

12/10/66 - Traded pitcher Pedro Ramos to the Phillies for Joe Verbanic.

12/20/66 - Traded minor-leaguer Gil Downs to the Indians for Dick Howser.

04/03/67 - Traded pitcher Jack Cullen and outfielder John Miller to the Dodgers for John Kennedy.

05/31/67 - Signed Bill Monbouquette as a free agent.

06/28/67 - Sold Hal Reniff to the Mets.

07/04/67 - Traded Ray Barker to the Orioles for Steve Barber.

08/03/67 - Traded Elston Howard to the Red Sox for pitchers Ron Klimkowski and Pete Magrini.

08/08/67 - Purchased Bob Tillman from the Red Sox.

11/28/67 - Lost Bill Bryan to the Senators in the rule 5 draft.
11/28/67 - Selected outfielder Andy Kosco from the Athletics in the rule 5 draft.

11/30/67 - Purchased shortstop Gene Michael from the Dodgers.

12/02/67 - Purchased catcher John Boccabella from the Cubs. (returned in April 1968)

12/07/67 - Traded Bob Tillman and pitcher Dale Roberts to the Braves for 3rd baseman Bobby Cox.

.

Mel Stottlemyre (#225)

Here's my first Mel Stottlemyre card. Mel was somewhat of a favorite player of mine as a kid, not because I liked the Yankees, or Mel in particular, but mainly because my earliest baseball glove that I can remember was a Mel Stottlemyre model, by Wilson. (In later years, I think I had (and still have) a Rod Carew glove.)

Mel was signed by the Yankees in 1961, and played in the minors for 3 1/2 seasons. After compiling a 13-3 record at triple-A Richmond for most of 1964, Mel made his major-league debut on August 12th, with a complete-game 7-3 victory over the White Sox. He also saw his only post-season action in 1964.

In his first full season (1965) Mel went 20-9 with a league-leading 18 complete games, while edging out long-time Yankees' kingpin Whitey Ford. His personal success didn't extend to the team, as the Yanks slipped from 1st place in 1964 to 6th place in '65.

Stottlemyre slumped to 12-20 in 1966, as the Yankees plummeted to the AL basement. They say a 20-game loser is a sign of a good pitcher, otherwise he wouldn't get the playing time.

Mel had some good seasons on a bad team. He won 20 games in '68 and '69, led the league with 24 complete games in '69, and made 5 all-star appearances between 1965 and 1970. Stottlemyre remained at the top of the Yankees' rotation from 1965-1973, winning in double figures each year.

In his final season (1974), he only appeared in 16 games, making his last appearance on August 16th, 10 years and 4 days after his debut.

After his playing career, Mel was a minor-league instructor for the Mariners for 5 seasons, and then a pitching coach from 1984 to 2008 for the Mets (10 seasons), Astros (2), Yankees (10), and Mariners (1).

Two of Mel's sons were also major-league pitchers: Todd (1988-2002 with the Blue Jays and others), and Mel Jr (1990 Royals).

Final Card: Ray Barker

This is the last of four cards for Ray Barker (#583). Ray's first card appeared in 1961, a solo card with a yellow "rookie" star, as was the custom that year. He also appeared on a 4-man Indians Rookies card in 1965, and his own Yankees card in 1966.

Barker was signed by the Orioles in 1955, and spent ten seasons in the Orioles' and Indians' minor-league organizations. After finally making the Indians at the start of 1965, he was traded to the Yankees in mid-May for 2nd baseman Pedro Gonzalez. Ray was productive in his rookie year, starting 43 games at 1st base (behind Joe Pepitone's 113 starts) and hitting 7 homers.



His stats dipped in 1966, as he made only 82 plate appearances and 14 starts at first base. Rookie 1st baseman Mike Hegan came up in September and started most games at 1B for the last 2 weeks of the season, essentially ending Barker's Yankee career.

With Mickey Mantle moving in to 1st base for the 1967 season, and Hegan getting more playing time, Barker was done in New York, playing his last big-league game on May 21st. He spent most of 1967 in the minors with Syracuse and, after a July 4th trade for Orioles' pitcher Steve Barber, Rochester.

Final Card: Hal Reniff

Hal Reniff (#201) played his final season in 1967. After 6 1/2 seasons with the Yankees, he spent his final 3 months pitching for the Mets. He was strictly a reliever, never starting a game in the majors.

Hal was signed by the Yankees in 1956, and assigned to class-D Kearney, Nebraska. The only other recognizable name on that team was fellow 17-year-old Deron Johnson. After 5 1/2 seasons in the minors, he made his Yankees' debut on June 8, 1961. He pitched in 25 games (all in relief) during his rookie season.

He lost most of the 1962 season to military service, but pitched in 2 games for the Yankees and 6 games for their AAA team.

In 1963, Reniff began a string of 4 seasons as a key member of the Yankees' bullpen. In 1963 he led the staff in games and saves. Hal also pitched in the 1963 and 1964 World Series.



1967 was a transition year for the Yankees' pitching staff, as the newly-acquired Steve Barber, Bill Monbouquette, and Joe Verbanic replaced old standbys like Whitey Ford, Jim Bouton, and Hal Reniff. On June 28th Hal was sold to the Mets, where he pitched in relief until being released after the season.

Hal pitched for the Yankees' triple-A team in Syracuse from 1968 to 1972, before retiring from baseball.

Yankees Rookies: Stan Bahnsen / Bobby Murcer

This is the first of 3 Yankees Rookies cards in 1967.

Stan Bahnsen was signed by the Yankees in 1965, and played 3 seasons in the minors (plus a 4-game call-up to New York in 1966) before joining the Yankees permanently in 1968, when he compiled a 17-12 record and won the American League Rookie of the Year award. That was good enough for Topps to name him to the All-rookie team.

He played for the Yankees through the 1971 season, then pitched for 5 other teams through the 1982 season.



Bobby Murcer..... After blowing through so many "next Mickey Mantles" (Roger Repoz, Steve Whitaker, Bill Robinson, etc), Murcer was the closest thing to a next Mickey Mantle during the late 1960s/early 1970s for the Yankees.

Like Mantle, Murcer was from Oklahoma, played shortstop in the minors, and became a star center fielder with the Yankees. He was signed by the Yankees in 1964, and played 3 seasons in the minors (with brief call-ups in 1965 and 1966).

After missing the 1967 and 1968 seasons while in the Army, Murcer returned to the Yankees as their opening-day 3rd baseman in 1969. After a month as the regular 3rd baseman, Bobby moved to right field, where he started most games until the end of August. For the final month of the season, he took over as the starting center fielder. He remained at that legendary position until May 28, 1974, when he moved over to right field for the remainder of the season (to make room for Elliott Maddox).

From 1975-79, Murcer played for the Giants and Cubs, before returning to the Yankees in June 1979. His final game was June 11, 1983, with the Yankees releasing him 9 days later.

Final Card: Lou Clinton

This is Lou Clinton's final card (#426) and final major-league season.

Lou was signed by the Red Sox in 1955, and made his big-league debut with them in April 1960. Lou started more games in right field than anyone else, but he only hit .228, so the Sox sent him back to triple-A for most of 1961, this time to Seattle (where Boston's triple-A team had relocated since the Twins set up shop in Minnesota that season).

Clinton returned to the majors full-time in 1962, and took over as the regular right fielder for the next 2 seasons, peaking at 146 starts in 1963.



In June 1964, Lou was traded to the Angels for right fielder Lee Thomas. As in Boston, Clinton became the main right fielder, starting 83 of the 113 games after his trade.

Lou split the right field starts evenly with Albie Pearson in 1965, until he was claimed off waivers by the Athletics on September 8th. After 1 game with Kansas City, for some reason that deal was voided, and the next day the Indians took a crack at him. Lou played 12 games with the Indians for the remainder of the season, then was traded to the Yankees in January 1966 for catcher Doc Edwards.

After 80 games in 1966 (mostly as a pinch-hitter and backup right fielder), and 12 games in 1967, Clinton's major-league career was over. He played the remainder of the 1967 season with the Phillies' triple-A team in San Diego (which was also hosting former major-leaguers Terry Fox, Ed Roebuck, Dick Stigman, John Tsitouris, Dick Bertell, Jim Gentile, Bobby Klaus, Roberto Pena, and Marty Keough).

Bill Bryan (#601)

Bill Bryan, a journeyman catcher, was signed by the Kansas City Athletics in 1960, and spent his first 4 seasons in the minors, with occasional call-ups to Kansas City.

1964 was Bill's first full season in the majors, where he was the Athletics' 2nd-string catcher, behind Doc Edwards and ahead of Charlie Lau. In 1965, he was the Athletics' #1 catcher, starting 89 games at catcher (to rookie Rene Lachemann's 54 starts).



In 1966, Bryan began the season alternating starts with rookie catcher Ken Suarez, but in late May, the newly-acquired Phil Roof took over and started nearly every game for the rest of the season. After appearing in 32 games (and starting 14 games), Bryan was traded to the Yankees in mid-June along with pitcher Fred Talbot for pitchers Bill Stafford and Gil Blanco, and outfielder Roger Repoz (one of the many Yankees' young outfielders designated as "the next Mickey Mantle").

With the Yankees, Bryan was firmly entrenched as the 3rd-string catcher behind Elston Howard and Jake Gibbs. He only made 13 starts, and appeared in 14 other games as a pinch-hitter.

1967 found Bryan back in the minors for the first time since 1963. This late-season card includes a note that he was sent to triple-A Syracuse on May 10th. He only played 1 game for the Yankees in 1967. After the season, he was selected by the Senators in the rule 5 draft.

He started 28 games in 1968 as the Senators' 3rd-string catcher behind Paul Casanova and Jim French, and also played with triple-A Buffalo. He spent the 1969 season with Washington's triple-A team in Buffalo, and in 1970 played for the Phillies' single-A team in Spartanburg, SC.

Tom Tresh (#289)

Tom Tresh was one of the Yankees' regular outfielders in the mid-1960s (along with CF Mickey Mantle and RF Roger Maris). Like Mickey Mantle before him, and Bobby Murcer after him, Tresh was a shortstop in the minor leagues, but primarily played the outfield in the majors. Later in his career (mid-1968), Tresh switched to shortstop.


He was called up to the Yankees in September 1961, and was the American League rookie of the year in 1962, while mainly filling in at shortstop for Tony Kubek (who missed much of the season due to military obligations).

In 1963, he began in his usual leftfield position, but took over centerfield from June 7th until September 2nd, while Mantle was out. He then returned to left field, and stayed there until switching over to shortstop in June 1968. (Tresh did play 3B for about 2 months in mid-1966, when the Yankees moved 3B Clete Boyer to shortstop.)


In June 1969, he was traded to the defending world champion Tigers, and was their shortstop for the remainder of the season. Tresh was released just prior to the 1970 season.

Ruben Amaro (#358)

Ruben Amaro primarily played for the Phillies from 1960 to 1965, where he and Bobby Wine shared the shortstop position. (Amaro also played some 1B, while Wine played some 3B.)

After the 1965 season, he was traded to the Yankees for utility infielder Phil Linz. The back of Amaro's card says that the Yankees acquired Amaro to replace the retired Tony Kubek at shortstop. If all it took to acquire Amaro was a utility infielder, I'm wondering how good he really was at that point. In any case, that plan was delayed by a year due to an injury to Amaro. Clete Boyer and Horace Clarke shared the shortstop duties in 1966.



After 3 seasons in New York, he was sold to the Angels, where he played primarily as a pinch-hitter before being released at the end of the 1969 season.

Amaro was re-signed by the Phillies and played in their minor-league system in 1970 and 1971, before becoming a coach for the Phillies.

Today, he's probably basking in his son Ruben Jr's recent success. After taking over as the Phillies GM after the 2008 season, Amaro Jr fleeced the Indians for pitcher Cliff Lee, and has the Phillies back in the World Series.

Classic Crew Cuts (part 4)

More Classic Crew Cuts (Yankees edition):

First we have Dick Howser (#411). Dick was a serviceable shortstop, and was the regular SS for Kansas City in 1961, and Cleveland in 1964. (In 1964, he led the American League with 735 plate appearances.) He was acquired by the Yankees in December 1966. Howser was just one of many players who played for the Kansas City Athletics (affectionately known as the Yankees farm team) prior to joining the Yankees. He just made a stop in Cleveland along the way. Dick was primarily used as a pinch-hitter in 1967, with a few appearances at 2B and 3B. He wrapped up his career in 1968 as a Yankees pinch-hitter and backup 2nd baseman.

Dick is probably better known for his managing career, where he managed the Yankees in 1980 and the Kansas City Royals from 1981 to 1986.



Charley Smith (#257) had the twin misfortunes to:
1) Follow long-time Cardinals 3rd baseman Ken Boyer in St. Louis
2) Be the player for whom Roger Maris was traded

Charley started his career with the Dodgers, and made stops with the Phillies, White Sox, Mets, and Cardinals before landing at Yankee Stadium.

Like Dick Howser's card, Charley Smith's card tells us that the player will be "given a chance to win a regular job" in 1967, but for some reason, Charley's card specifies the shortstop position. Smith rarely played shortstop in his career, and played exclusively at 3B from 1965 to 1968. He was the Yankees regular 3rd baseman in 1967, but lost the starting job in 1968 to rookie Bobby Cox (the current Braves manager).

After 2 years with the Yankees, Charley finished his career in 1969 with 2 pinch-hitting appearances for the Cubs.




This is the last installment in my Crew Cut series. I'm ending it one post earlier than planned, because I've realized that the labels are more accurate if unrelated cards aren't combined in the same post. (Darold Knowles and Bob Duliba will just have to wait their turn.)


Oh... here's the wildcard crewcut:

Oops! With a name like Buzz Nutter, you would think he had to have a crew cut! Oh well, here's a compensatory pick:

Final Card: Whitey Ford (#5)

Whitey Ford made his debut with the Yankees in 1950, and after 2 years in the service, he became a fixture in the starting rotation from 1953 (or 1933, according to the back of this card!) to 1965.

After 13 consecutive seasons of winning in double figures (and better than .500 records), Whitey slipped to a 2-5 record in 1966. He pitched in 7 games (all starts) in 1967, his last being on May 21st, and he retired at the end of May.