#109 - George Hendrick

Card fact: it's been awhile since we've had a color combo match a team's colors. The red/blue combo goes nicely with the Indians' ensemble.

What I thought about this card then: Wasn't aware of it. The first Hendrick I saw was the '76 Topps card in which he's wearing that awesome Indians visor. It was so awesome that he brought it back out for his '77 Topps card.

What I think about this card now: Hendrick was one my favorites growing up, so any of his cards are automatically cool.

Other stuff: Hendrick was always there when I was growing up. His career began a couple years before I started following baseball and he was still there until I graduated from college. I remember his straight-up batting style, and he was one of the reasons I rooted for the Cardinals to win the World Series in 1982.

St. Louis swindled San Diego by trading Eric Rasmussen for Hendrick in 1978. Then the Cardinals obtained John Tudor for Hendrick before the 1985 season. St. Louis sure was smart back then.

Also, Hendrick supposedly is the player who started the trend of wearing uniform pants down to his ankles. OK, maybe I don't like him so much anymore.

Back facts: The cartoon is fascinating isn't it? Daily has a very interesting wikipedia page. He has all the ingredients of a bigger-than-life figure. A surly personality, a few standout years followed by a sharp decline, and a mysterious postcareer.

As for Hendrick's write-up: "Perhaps George's finest major league game occurred ... when he belted three homers in the contest." Perhaps? Hendrick had been around for only four years. Was he in the habit of hitting three or more homers a game regularly?

Other blog stuff: The No. 1 song on this date in 1975 was "Fire," by the Ohio Players. One of the first songs to employ fire engine sound effects. Perhaps the only one.

#108 - Tom Hall

Card fact: I don't have a fact. But Hall shares the name of the father of my best friend when I was growing up. Had I known who Tom Hall was when I was a kid, this would be the source of endless amusement.

What I thought about this card then: Never saw a single one of Tom Hall's cards. He was one of those players who disappeared just as I was getting to know baseball, and I didn't become aware of him until decades later.

What I think about this card now: Hall sure is happy in a lonely looking ballpark.

Other stuff: There is not a lot of information out there about Hall. He was mostly a reliever for some pretty good teams in the late 1960s Twins and early 1970s Reds. Apparently, he had good stuff, and put up good numbers as a reliever, but injuries got in the way. He was traded to the Mets just as the Reds began back-to-back World Series title campaigns. He pitched in 36 games for the Royals in 1976, but didn't receive a card the next year. He was then released by the Royals in 1977.

Back facts: Hall was just 158 pounds. Can you picture a pitcher weighing that little now? Tim Lincecum weighs 170 and everyone thinks he's tiny.

Other blog stuff: The green-light green combo has crept within one of the orange-brown combo, which is the overall leader right now. But orange-brown is about to put together a major streak. Will it ever be caught? The suspense is killing you, isn't it?

#107 - Jim Barr

Card fact: Not much to say. How about this: this is the first card featuring the orange-yellow color combo that is not either a team card or a White Sox player. That's reaching, but that's all I've got.

What I thought about this card then: Don't remember it. However, the 1976 Topps card was deemed the favorite card of one the various animal characters (it was a bear) that were in my room. Yes, the bear had a name. Yes, I wrote the name of the bear on the card. Yes, I still have the card. No, you're not going to see it.

What I think about this card now: Look at the stands. That is approximately how many people that I think should turn out for Giants games.

Other stuff: Jim Barr, with the exception of two seasons with the Angels, was a career Giant, which meant that I didn't care for him much. But he had a career losing record, which was always fun.

Barr's name came up during the 2009 season when Mark Buehrle broke Barr's record for most consecutive batters retired. Buehrle retired 45, which included a perfect game thrown against Tampa Bay. Barr didn't throw a no-hitter/perfect game when he set the record of 41 straight in 1972. Instead he was perfect from the third inning on in one start, and perfect until the 7th inning in his next start.

Back facts: My goal is to feature one of these players on his birthday. Barr has come the closest so far, as his birthday is Wednesday.

Also, I'm not too pleased about the write-up. I'm glad I wasn't watching baseball during that bit of ugliness.

Other blog stuff: It's official. I'm calling the orange-yellow combo the "Oscar Mayer weiner combo" as it resembles the hot dog maker's packaging and famous mobile.

#106 - Mike Hargrove

Card fact: The first card of Mike Hargrove's career.

What I thought about this card then: Not part of my collection. Hargrove's 1976 Topps card was one of my favorites. It's a very simple card -- a picture of Hargrove pointing his bat at the camera, a familiar pose on many 1970s cards. But something about it grabbed me. In fact, I liked Hargrove's cards in the '77, '78 and '79 sets, too.

What I think about this card now: If they had just moved Hargrove's card number up one place, Topps could have had back-to-back rookie cup cards. I wonder if that has ever happened in any Topps set?

Other stuff: Hargrove is one of those guys who had both a long and successful playing and managing career. When you go through baseball history, there really aren't a ton of folks who succeeded for so long in both areas.

Hargrove was nicknamed the "Human Rain Delay" for all of his maneuverings before he got into the batter's box.

He quit as manager of the Mariners in midseason in 2007, even though the team was playing well at the time. He now manages a semiprofessional baseball team in Kansas.

Back facts: Hargrove won the American League Rookie of the Year award in 1974, clobbering runner-up Bucky Dent with 67 percent of the vote, compared to Dent's 12. George Brett finished third.

Also ... Dudley?

Other blog stuff: Just two days after adding the third baseman to the Topps rookie team, it's time to add a guy at the other infield corner:

1B - Mike Hargrove
2B - ?
3B - Bill Madlock
SS - ?
OF - ?
OF - ?
OF - ?
C - ?
P - Frank Tanana

#105 - Buzz Capra

Card fact: This is Buzz Capra's first card, even though he pitched in 24 games in 1973, 14 games in 1972 and had been in the league since 1971.

What I thought about this card then: Didn't see it. The first card of Capra's that I saw was his 1976 Topps card. That is the case for a number of cards, probably because I bought twice the number of cards in '76 that I did in '75.

What I think about this card now: Capra looks a tad excited in this photo. The close-up view is a bit alarming.

Other stuff: Capra featured one of the best nicknames in baseball (his real name is Lee), and is one of those famous one-year-wonder pitchers that baseball historians seem to love so much. Capra's best year, by a million miles, was 1974 when he went 16-8 for the Braves -- his first year for Atlanta -- and won the National League ERA title. He was Pitcher of the Month in June of 1974, made the All-Star team, and was part of a memorable year in Atlanta, which also included a home run hit by some dude named Hank.

Capra got hurt the following year and never won more than six games in a season for the rest of his career, which was done in 1978.

Back facts: Capra was purchased from the Mets, who didn't have room for the player on their vaunted pitching staff.

Other blog stuff: Speaking of Hank Aaron, today is his 76th birthday. Only 555 more cards until we get to yours, Hank.

#104 - Bill Madlock

Card fact: This is Madlock's first solo card. He appeared in the 1974 Topps set on a "Rookie Infielders" card with three other players who barely made a dent in the majors. Interestingly, that card was No. 600 in the set, a number traditionally reserved for the best players of the day.

What I thought about this card then: The first Madlock card I saw was his 1976 card. Like many of the third basemen of the time, he had a fan in me. I really liked third basemen for some reason, which is probably why my favorite player ever is Ron Cey.

What I think about this card now: It's not a great photo with half of Madlock's face in the shadows. But as a kid I would have loved it since the photo was taken during a game.

Other stuff: Bill Madlock enjoyed a reputation as one of the best-hitting third basemen to ever play the game. Wade Boggs ended up overshadowing "Mad Dog" in that department, but Madlock's career is nothing to ignore. I was a big fan of him when he was a Pirate. Prior to that, I was crushed when he was dealt from the Cubs to the Giants. I hated his 1978 card, seeing him in a Giants uniform. Fortunately, the Giants got rid of him awfully quick and I could like him again.

Madlock played for the Dodgers at the tail end of his career. He had a heck of an NLCS against the Cardinals in 1985, hitting three homers in the series.

Back facts: Another player without a middle name. ... Baseball lingo like "loop" threw me as a kid. I don't know how many times I came across "loop" before I knew it meant "league." Baseball was sometimes a mysterious world for a youngster.

Other blog stuff: It has been a long time since there has been a card featuring a rookie cup. We won't have nearly as long a wait until the next one. But it's time to update the team:

1B - ?

2B - ?
3B - Bill Madlock
SS - ?
OF - ?
OF - ?
OF - ?
C - ?
P - Frank Tanana

A nice-looking team already.

#103 - Rick Miller

Card fact: Rick is one of two players with the last name "Miller" in the set. The other is Bruce.

What I thought about this card then: I didn't have it. But Miller always looked to me as if he belonged in "The Three Musketeers," especially on his 1970s cards.

What I think about this card now: Severe, severe tilting going on in the background.

Other stuff: Miller was known as a terrific defensive outfielder, and he could hit fairly well. But he always battled for playing time on the Red Sox. First he had to contend with Carl Yastrzemski, Tommy Harper and Reggie Smith, then it was Jim Rice, Fred Lynn and Dwight Evans. When the Red Sox reacquired him from the Angels, where he was a starter, Miller started for a bit, until the Red Sox landed Tony Armas. Then Miller was back on the bench again.

Miller is married to Carlton Fisk's sister.

Back facts: What tortured writing in the bio! I won't get out my red pen, but I will say the word "which" needs to be replaced with "that."

Other blog stuff: I'll go with a birthday: speaking of Fred Lynn, today is Lynn's 58th birthday.

#102 - Joe Decker

Card fact: The last two cards have featured the same-colored border. That's the second time that has happened (first was Willie Davis-Bill Melton), except for the highlights series at the start of the set.

What I thought about this card then: I had the mini card. I associate this card with my brother, because it was one of the first cards he had from the set.

What I think about this card now: The shadow Decker is casting looks like the head of a Scottish terrier.

Other stuff: Decker pitched for the Cubs, Twins and briefly with the Mariners. His 1974 season was his best season as he won 16 games. He would never win more than two games in a season the rest of his career, which ended in 1979.

Decker died in 2003 at age 55.

Back facts: I'm not sure, but this could be the only card in the set for which I have the regular base card, the mini card and the OPC card. The front of the OPC card looks just like the Topps card. (Actually, after a bit of thinking, I do have all three for Doug Rau, as well).

The back looks like this:

The card apparently encountered some turbulence crossing the border. It's a bit messed up. But you can see all the French words crammed into the back of the card.

Also, how do you get "Joe" out of "George Henry"?

Other blog stuff: After much consideration I have indeed settled on a name for this color combo. I am staying with the food concept, but it's not any of the fine suggestions offered. It's very simple: "The chocolate & vanilla combo." I like that.

#101 - Expos/Gene Mauch

Card fact: In 1975, Gene Mauch was entering his seventh and final season as the Expos franchise's first manager. This would be his last card appearance as the Expos manager.

What I thought about this card then: Team card. No thoughts.

What I think about this card now: I did not know Evel Knievel was a member of the Expos' organization (middle row, last guy on the right).

Other stuff: Not much to say, so I'll show you the back of the mini card that I pulled in 1975:

Notice that I filled in the boxes rather neatly for a 9-year-old. But that's because I wasn't 9 when I did that. A couple years after the set came out, I went back to my old cards and checked off any player for which I had a card, whether it was from the '75 set or not. So I didn't really have the '75 card for a number of those players back then.

Back facts: You can see the beginnings of progress in the Expos with the listing of Gary Carter, who was in his first year in 1974, and pitcher Steve Rogers. But they didn't achieve a winning record until 1979.

Other blog stuff: Let's see if Topps left out anyone key from the Expos.

Montreal used 41 players in 1974. Topps featured 28 of its players, including two guys airbrushed into their new teams -- Ron Hunt (Cardinals) and Jim Northrup (Orioles).

The most prominent player that wasn't pictured in the 1975 set was probably Larry Parrish. But he was just up from the minors with only 69 at-bats, so collectors wouldn't expect Topps to have a card of him (it was a different world in 1975 as far as rookies).

So the closest thing to a key player being left out is second baseman Jim Cox, who started more games at the position than anyone else for the Expos in 1974. He played in 77 games and had 236 at-bats but didn't get a card. Cox wasn't really considered a starter and played in just 24 more games the rest of his major league career, so Topps might have taken that into account. But that would have been Cox's best opportunity to be on a Topps baseball card. He never appeared on one. (Johngy points out Cox was on one of those 4-in-1 rookie cards in 1974).

Here is where the Expos stack-up with the other teams featured so far:

1. Tigers 78.37% of players featured

2. Royals 70.59%
3. Expos 68.29%
4. Phillies 62.5%