Roberto Clemente (#400)

Today is the 40th anniversary of Roberto Clemente's death.

In the 1967 set, Topps assigned #400 to his card, one of the "superstar" numbers (ending in "00"). The others were:
100 - Frank Robinson
200 - Mickey Mantle
300 - Willie Mays
400 - Bob Clemente
500 - Juan Marichal
600 - Brooks Robinson

In addition to the "00" number status, each player had their "floating head" appear on the checklist containing their base card. (Jim Kaat appeared on the 4th series checklist. Maybe his card number was 350?)  


Roberto Clemente was playing ball in Puerto Rico when the Brooklyn Dodgers signed him, and sent him to their AAA team in Montreal. After 1 season as a bench player, the Pirates selected him in the Rule 5 draft, and the rest is history.

After the 1958 season, Clemente joined the US Marine Corps Reserve. His 6-month stint in basic training was credited with improving Roberto's strength and conditioning (which had been affected by a car accident during his rookie season).

Clemente and the Pirates won the World Series in 1960. That year he began a string of 6 consecutive seasons as an all-star. Roberto led the NL in batting during the '61, '64, '65, and '67 seasons, and won the MVP award in 1966.

In 1968, his batting average dipped to .291, which would be his only season under .300 (and only all-star absence) after 1959. He bounced back with 4 more "Clemente" seasons.

Roberto led his team to a World Series victory in 1971, and collected his 3000th hit in the next-to-last game of his final season (1972).

He was 38 when his plane crashed off the coast of Puerto Rico, en route to Nicaragua on a humanitarian mission on 12/31/1972.


Also check out Clemente's 1970 card.  

Byron Browne (#439)

Byron Browne was the 3rd outfielder on the Topps 1966 All-Rookie Team.

Browne was signed by the Pirates in September 1962. After one season (1963) in their farm system, he was selected by the Cubs in the first-year player draft. Byron played the next two seasons in the Cubs’ minor-league system, and clubbed 32, 23, and 24 home runs during his 3 seasons in the minors.

Browne made his major-league debut in September 1965, and then spent the entire 1966 season with the Cubs. He was the team’s primary left fielder as a rookie, making 66 starts there, double the number of starts by George Altman. On the downside, Browne led the NL with 143 strikeouts.

Byron played most of the next three seasons in the minors. In 1967, he only played 10 games with the Cubs, while spending most of the season in double-A. In May 1968 he was traded to the Astros, but only played 10 games for the Astros that season. The Cardinals acquired his contract in February 1969, but kept him in the minors for all but 22 games.

Browne’s big return to the majors came via a trade to the Phillies after the 1969 season (a/k/a the Curt Flood for Dick Allen trade). Browne spent all of ’70 and ’71, and part of 1972 with the Phillies. He was the Phils’ 4th outfielder in 1970, but saw his playing time steadily decrease over the next 2 seasons, until he was demoted to the minors during 1972.

Byron split the 1973 season with the Cardinals’ AAA Tulsa team, then played in Mexico for all of 1974 and part of 1975. He also returned to the Phillies’ AAA team for part of 1975.

Tommie Agee (#455)

Cleon Jones (#165)

Cleon Jones was one of the three outfielders selected to the Topps all-rookie team in 1966. Jones was the Mets' regular center fielder as a rookie in 1966, and again in 1967.

Cleon moved over to left field beginning in 1968, after incumbent left fielder Tommy Davis was traded to the White Sox for center fielder Tommie Agee, also a Topps all-rookie selection in 1966. In fact, along with Ron Swoboda (1965), the Mets' entire starting outfield beginning in 1968 were all-rookie selections.

Cleon Jones (who like Agee, Hank Aaron, and Willie McCovey, hailed from from Mobile, Alabama) was signed by the Mets in 1963, and played the remainder of that season in class-A ball. His major-league debut came during a September call-up.

He jumped up to triple-A at the start of 1964, and played with the Mets' Buffalo club for 2 seasons, except for his time with the Mets in April and September 1965.

Jones was a mainstay in the Mets outfield from 1966 to 1974. He finished 4th in Rookie of the Year voting, and was named to the all-star team in 1969. He also flashed defensive excellence in the 1969 World Series.

Cleon began the 1975 season as a role player, and was released in late July. The White Sox signed him on April 3, 1976, but released him at the end of the month, ending his 13-year career.

Tommy Helms (#505)

Continuing the Reds' string of 7 Topps all-star rookies in 6 seasons, Tommy Helms snared the 3rd base position in 1966.

Helms was signed by the Reds in 1959, and played in their farm system for 7 seasons: the first 2 in class D, followed by 1 season each in B and A ball, then the last 3 (1963-65) at triple-A San Diego. Helms was almost exclusively a shortstop in the minors.

Tommy made his major-league debut in September 1964, appearing in 2 games. He also played in 21 games in 1965, including 7 consecutive starts at shortstop in early September (the only games Chico Cardenas didn't start all season).

Helms began his rookie season of 1966 as the regular 2nd baseman, starting the first 15 games there, while Pete Rose started at 3rd base. By game #18 they switched positions, and Helms started 113 of the final 143 games at 3rd base (with Deron Johnson and Chico Ruiz playing the rest).

Tommy won the Rookie of the Year award, getting 12 of the 20 first place votes. (The Astros' Sonny Jackson finished a distant 2nd with 3 votes.) In 1967, Helms switched to 2nd base (when Rose moved to the outfield), where he would remain for the rest of his career. He also went to his first of 2 consecutive all-star games.

After the 1971 season, Helms was part of a blockbuster trade, going to the Astros along with 1st baseman Lee May and utility infielder Jimmy Stewart for 2nd baseman Joe Morgan, shortstop Denis Menke, pitcher Jack Billingham, and outfielders Cesar Geronimo and Ed Armbrister.

After 4 seasons with Houston, he was traded to the Pirates for infielder Art Howe. Following his 1st season with the Pirates, Tommy was sold to the Athletics. What happened next seems very bizarre. Before the next season, the Athletics traded him BACK to the Pirates (with Phil Garner) for SIX PLAYERS (Tony Armas, Doug Bair, Dave Giusti, Rick Langford, Doc Medich and Mitchell Page). WHAAAT? Garner couldn't possibly have been THAT good!

The Pirates released Helms in June 1977, and he spent the remainder of the season with the Red Sox, before retiring.

After his playing career, Helms was a coach for the Reds (on Pete Rose's staff) and managed the team for part of the 1988 and 1989 seasons, during Rose's legal troubles.

Tommy is the uncle of former Marlins' 3rd baseman Wes Helms.

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).