#628 - Ron LeFlore

Card fact: This is one of the cards that I pulled out of those first three packs of cards I ever bought.

What I thought about this card then: It helped me become a Tigers fan at an early age, since I also pulled the Mickey Stanley and John Hiller cards out of those first packs, too.

What I think about this card now: This is such an iconic card in my collecting history that I can't appreciate it for what it is -- Ron LeFlore's rookie card.

Other stuff: LeFlore was one of the big names in baseball when I was growing up, mostly because of his criminal past as a teenager. His life on the streets and prison time was made famous by a made-for-TV movie, called "One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story." I remember waiting with anticipation to watch this movie on TV. But I can't recall anything about it.

LeFlore didn't play organized ball growing up. His first experience with that was in prison with inmates while he was serving time for armed robbery. Tigers manager Billy Martin was tipped off to LeFlore's ability and he went to the prison to see LeFlore play. LeFlore was eventually signed by the Tigers.

LeFlore made an immediate impact with Detroit, which was going through tough times in the mid-1970s. Together with Mark Fidrych, the Tigers became a national presence in 1976. LeFlore ranked among the league's leading base stealers and he hit for a high average.

After six years with the Tigers, he was traded to the Expos for pitcher Dan Schatzeder, a trade I couldn't figure out. LeFlore stole a National League best 97 bases in his one year for Montreal in 1980. He signed as a free agent with the White Sox after the season, and had relatively limited playing time for Chicago in 1981 and 1982. He was released by Chicago at the start of the 1983 season.

After his career, he worked outside of baseball. He later managed some in independent leagues, and encountered child support issues that led to arrests.

Back facts: LeFlore's birth date on this card is incorrect. LeFlore was actually born in 1948, not 1952, so he was 26 at the time this card came out, not 22.

Other blog stuff: This might be the last time I get to show a card that was pulled in those first packs I bought in April of 1975. So here it is:

Love it.

#568 - Dale Murray

Card fact: With this card, the green-light green border combination ties the orange-brown border combo for the overall lead with 48 cards apiece.

What I thought about this card then: This is one of the cards that I pulled out of the first three packs of baseball cards I ever bought, back in 1975. Everything about the card is ingrained in my brain. When I see it, I'm immediately transported to my bedroom on 6 Chadwick Road.

What I think about this card now: Is that a backstop way off in the distance? Look at how far away Dale Murray is from it! I'm surprised there is any room in front of Murray for a photographer to take a picture.

Other stuff: This is Murray's rookie card. He started off with a bang for the Expos, registering a 1.03 ERA in 32 games as a reliever.

Murray spent his entire 12-year career as a reliever, appearing as a starter in just one game out of 518. (While with the Reds, he lasted barely an inning in his only start in 1977). In 1975, Murray went 15-8 in 63 relief appearances. In 1976, Murray led the National League in appearances with 81.

Murray played for Montreal, Cincinnati, the New York Mets, Toronto, the New York Yankees and Texas. He was traded from Montreal to Cincinnati in the trade that sent Tony Perez to the Expos. Later, he went to the Yankees from the Blue Jays in a deal that gained Toronto Fred McGriff, Dave Collins and Mike Morgan.

Back fact: I know this cartoon as well as any cartoon in the set. Yet, it isn't until now that I have attempted to look up why there is a picture of a football player with a question about a Phillie winning a World Series game.

It turns out that this is another cartoon mix-up. Dean Look was a baseball player with a three-game career with the White Sox in 1961. He is better known as a collegiate football star and NFL player, who later became a longtime NFL referee.

The only pitcher to win a World Series game for the Phillies as of 1975 was Grover Cleveland Alexander who won Game 1 of the 1915 World Series against the Red Sox.

There are so many things as a kid that you just chalk up to "well, I don't understand that because I'm a kid." It turns out the cartoon would have confused anyone!

Other blog stuff: I still have that card of Murray that I pulled out of those first packs. A rookie card collector pulling a rookie card:

#415 - John Hiller

Card fact: This card was in the first pack of the three packs that I bought as the first purchased packs of my so-called collecting career. For a time, I thought this was the first card that I pulled from that first pack, but I think it was merely my favorite card from that pack (I'm pretty certain the first card was Darold Knowles or maybe Hal McRae).

As mentioned before, the John Hiller card was one of three Tigers I pulled in that pack.

What I thought about this card then: Well, I thought it was amazing. Looking at the card now, I have no idea why, but it was a real favorite.

What I think about this card now: Still trying to process why it was such a favorite.

Other stuff: Hiller was one of the great relief pitchers of the 1970s. He once held the record for most saves in a season when he saved 38 games in 1973. That remained until Dan Quisenberry broke the record in 1983. Hiller continues to hold the record for most victories in one season as a reliever. He won 17 games in 1974.

I didn't know it at the time I pulled this card, but the most amazing part of Hiller's career is he suffered a heart attack just a few years into his major league career. In January of 1971, Hiller had the heart attack and it sidelined him until mid-season 1972. In view of that, his 1973 season was phenomenal and he won Comeback Player of the Year honors.

Hiller played with the Tigers his entire career up through the 1980 season. A native of Ontario, Canada, Hiller was inducted into the Canadian Baseball and Sports halls of fame. He lives in Michigan.

Back facts: Look at that won-loss record in 1974 -- 31 decisions in relief! That'll never happen again.

Also, Hank Gowdy played for 17 seasons between 1910-30, mostly for the Boston Braves.

Other blog stuff: Ross Grimsley, one of baseball's true characters of the 1970s, was born on this date and is 61 years old today.

#372 - John D'Acquisto

Card fact: This is John D'Acquisto's first solo card.

What I thought about this card then: This is one of the first cards I ever pulled from a pack, so it's got a special place in my collecting heart. Even if it is a Giant.

What I think about this card now: A pretty lame pose there by John.

Other stuff: D'Acquisto started off quickly for the Giants in 1974. He went 12-14 and led the team in strikeouts with 167 in 215 innings. He was named to the Topps All-rookie team (but did not receive a trophy on his card). But D'Acquisto had a disastrous sophomore year and eventually was dealt to the Cardinals in the offseason of '76. St. Louis had him for a couple of months before trading him to San Diego. With the Padres, he remade himself into a reliable relief pitcher. He stayed with the Padres through the rest of the '70s. Then he ended his career with the Expos, Angels and A's.

After his career he became an investment banker but was involved in a fraud case and sentenced to prison for 63 months in 1996. Later it was determined that he was set-up by others in a much bigger scam. Those people were then sent to prison and D'Acquisto was released in 2002. Virtually all of the counts against him were dropped.

Back facts: This cartoon has been stuck in my brain since I was 9. But I'm quite certain that I didn't even know what a walk was when I was 9.

Other blog stuff: Here is the card that I pulled out one of those first three packs that I bought in 1975:

#352 - Darold Knowles

Card fact: Back on this post, I mentioned that the first card I ever pulled from a pack of cards that I bought was either the Hal McRae card or another card. This is the other card. If I was forced to make a decision between the two, I'd say this is the card that I pulled first. But I really can't recall.

What I thought about this card then: Well, no doubt, I thought it was cool if it was the first card I ever pulled. I do know that I had no idea that Darold Knowles was airbrushed into a Cubs cap (while in the Oakland A's stadium).

What I think about this card now: I can't believe I had this card for so long before realizing his cap was airbrushed, especially since the look on Knowles face seems to indicate that he's pulled a fast one. "I wonder if they'll be able to tell that I'm wearing a fake Cubs cap," he seems to be saying.

Other stuff: Knowles was a much-traveled relief pitcher who found his niche with the Oakland A's dynasty of the early 1970s. After playing for the Orioles, Phillies and Senators, he was traded to Oakland in the middle of the 1971 season. He became a key part of the bullpen, used mostly to set-up reliever Rollie Fingers.

Knowles pitched for the A's championship teams in 1972, 1973 and 1974. He famously pitched in all seven games of Oakland's World Series against the Mets in 1973. Interestingly, he didn't pitch in either the '72 or '74 Series (he was injured in 1972).

Knowles' effectiveness declined a little in 1974, and after the season he was sent to the Cubs in a package deal to acquire Billy Williams. A couple years later, he was sent to the Rangers. He played for the Expos and Cardinals to close out his career. He later worked as a coach for the Cardinals and Phillies.

Back facts: The cartoon question doesn't specify why Pete Gray played with one arm, but the cartoon certainly illustrates it. I remember finding this cartoon kind of shocking when I was a youngster.

Other blog stuff: Here it is: Maybe, possibly, the first card I ever pulled from a pack of cards:

Neat, huh?

(EDIT: I have since become completely certain that this is the first card I pulled out of a pack that I bought).

#268 - Hal McRae

Card fact: This might be the first card I ever pulled from the first pack of cards I ever bought. It is between this card and another card that I haven't featured yet. I don't think I'll ever figure out which one it was, unless I undergo hypnosis.

What I thought about this card then: It's a rather bland card, but because it came out of that first pack, I studied it forever and thought it was a very cool card and McRae was a very cool dude.

What I think about this card now: It's rather bland. But I don't know whatever became of that original card.

Other stuff: Hal McRae was a key member of the Royals' pennant-winning teams of the late 1970s. Traded from the Reds partly because of his less-than-stellar fielding abilities, McRae blossomed as a designated hitter for the Royals and was known as a doubles machine. He finished fourth in the A.L. MVP voting in 1976 and was a three-time all-star.

McRae had a hard-nosed playing style and his slide into second base that knocked Willie Randolph almost into left field during the 1977 ALCS led to a rule saying that players had to slide into second base, rather than try the cross-block tactic that McRae did.

After 19 years in the majors, McRae later became a coach and manager, managing both the Royals and the Devil Rays. He is now the video coordinator for the Marlins, and that's a bit interesting as his video tirade is one of the most well-known in sports history.

McRae is the father of former major leaguer Brian McRae, who played for the Royals, Cubs, Mets, among other teams.

Back facts: McRae had 539 at-bats and 88 RBIs in 1974. It seems a bit odd to be mentioning his pinch-hitting abilities.

Other blog stuff: With this card, "green-purple" has officially tied "pink-yellow" for the overall color combo lead with 23 cards. But "pink-yellow" will bounce back soon.

#209 - 1971 Most Valuable Players

Card fact: The '71 MVP card offers examples of the '71 Topps design, one of the best card designs ever created. It is one of my favorite sets, and I have admired it ever since I was a kid and I found a 1971 card of Manny Mota lying in a street gutter.

What I thought about this card then: This is one of the cards I pulled from the first packs I ever bought back in '75. Both card pictures left an immediate impression and stayed with me until this day. Obtaining either of these cards, for me, is akin to hanging one of the most famous paintings in the world in my living room. When I gained the Joe Torre card, I couldn't believe it was actually in my collection. I felt like I was practically stealing it when I made the trade for the card. I held it in such esteem.

I am still waiting to acquire the Vida Blue card. That will be a great day, too.

What I think about this card now: I still can't get over the greatness of each card. Blue still looks like he's giving the peace sign, just as I thought he was as a kid.

Other stuff: Vida Blue had pitched in all of 18 games before he had his MVP season. One of those games was a no-hitter against the Twins. Blue was my kind of pitcher. He threw hard and he was left-handed.

Back facts: Great stats all around. I had them memorized as a kid.

Other blog stuff: Here is the original '71 MVP card that I pulled when I was 9:

#200 - 1962 Most Valuable Players

Card fact: The famed 1962 Topps "wood-panel set" is featured on this card. The '62 Maury Wills "card" actually does not exist. Wills was not signed by Topps, so no card of him appeared on a Topps set until the late 1960s. Topps had to create this card of Wills, much as it did for Campanella with the 1951 and 1955 MVP cards.

Topps used the Wills "card" again in the 1987 set during its "Turn Back the Clock" subset, and the Kmart set of 1982 also used the Wills card, because it consisted of past MVPs, much like this subset.

So, for years, I went around thinking that the 1962 Willis card existed. It took a long time, probably into the early 1990s, for me to realize it didn't. I was almost crest-fallen.

What I thought about this card then: I know this was one of the cards I pulled out of the first packs that I ever bought. But I don't have that particular card scanned. Not sure why. It might be in my Dodger binder, which I can't get to right now.

What I think about this card now: It's a nice-looking card. The '62 set really does look nice. I went from being a fan to not being a fan to enjoying it again. I think the '87 set might've had something to do with me souring on it for awhile.

Other stuff: Mantle's award was the third of four straight Yankee MVP awards between 1960-63. Also, this Mantle card is featured in the 2010 "Cards Your Mom Threw Out" insert set.

Back facts: I actually learned of Wills' single-season stolen base record from the 1977 Topps Turn Back the Clock subset. Cards were my first history teacher.

Other blog stuff: After completing another 100 cards, it's time again to take inventory of the set so far. Here we go:

1. COLOR COMBINATIONS

After 100 cards, the orange-brown combo led with 11 cards. Thanks to the MVP subset and a surge in green-light green cards, things are a little more up-for-grabs now:

Green-light green: 17
Green-purple: 17
Orange-brown: 17
Pink-yellow: 15
Purple-pink: 14
Yellow-red: 13
Red-yellow: 11
Orange-yellow: 10
Brown-orange: 9
Green-yellow: 9
Yellow-light blue: 9
Brown-tan: 8
Light blue-green: 8
Red-blue: 8
Tan-light blue: 8
Yellow-green: 8
Blue-orange: 7
Red-orange: 7

2. POWDER-BLUE UNIFORMS

Up to 24 now.

3. LOOKING UP

Four more players looking to the sky. That brings the total to 9.

4. DUDE LOOKS LIKE A LADY

Six total players that we thought looked like women.

5. DECEASED

There are 17 people in the set so far who have died. That doesn't include the MVP subset or managers.

6. CHAW

Still, only Joe Coleman featuring the chaw. I'm hoping this changes in the next 100.

7. MLB SONS

Eight players in the set thus far have had children also play in the majors.

8. ROOKIE CUP/ALL-STARS

Four/Six

9. MOST POPULAR FIRST NAME

Dave/David still leads with 13 players

10. MINIS

Out of the 200 cards so far, I have 24 of them in mini form, for 12 percent of the cards. That'll pick up later.

OK, onward. Next up, one of my most favorite players of all-time.

#191 - 1953 Most Valuable Players

Card fact: Topps is showing the much-beloved 1953 set, which attracts praise for its hand-painted drawings. I'm still a photo guy over a paintings guy, but most of these cards annihilate any "art" sets of today.

What I thought about this card then: The Rosen image freaked me out. I thought he looked about 200 years old, and I'm sure the painted accents on his face led to my feelings. I also didn't like the Campanella card. It looked ominous and dark to me. I know that Campy is smiling. But the whole thing was a little freaky.

What I think about this card now: I was a weird kid.

Also, note the attention to detail on the two cards: Rosen's nose was broken 13 times during his career and it looks it. Campanella's smile features a missing tooth.

Other stuff: Al Rosen, one of the all-time greatest Jewish players, doesn't get mentioned as one of the stars of the 1950s as much as others from that era do. It's probably because his career ended pretty quickly. After tremendous seasons from 1950-54, his career was over by 1956.

Back facts: Each player enjoyed a fantastic year in 1953. Well-deserved awards.

Other blog stuff: The "green-purple" combo has just moved into third place overall with this card. It could be leading all the combos by the end of this MVP subset.

#190 - 1952 Most Valuable Players

Card fact: Topps is displaying what has become known as the card set that started "card collecting" as we know it. The 1952 set was the largest set of its time (407 cards), and featured team logos on the front and statistics on the back, both of which were considered innovative at the time.

What I thought about this card then: I pulled it card fairly early in my first year of collecting. It's hard for me to remember which MVP cards were in those first packs that I ever bought, but I know this card arrived very early in the show.

What I think about this card now: These are two players who gave two suffering franchises some rare attention in the 1950s. Bobby Shantz played for a resurgent A's team that in 1952 enjoyed the last winning season they would ever produce for the city of Philadelphia. Hank Sauer played for the Cubs, who were terrible in the 1950s.

Other stuff: When I picture this card, I see the Shantz image. I have known of Bobby Shantz since I was 9 years old, which is interesting to me, because I'm fairly certain that he is one of the most unknown MVPs in history. Shantz went 24-7 in 1952, but didn't come close to anything like that again. He became a reliever and had some decent years for the Yankees. He was a repeated Gold Glove winner.

Card facts: Any National Leaguer who hits a home run that proves to be the winning blow in the All-Star Game is OK by me. Sauer hit more than 30 home runs six times in his career.

Other blog stuff: Here is the card that I pulled out of one of those packs in 1975:

I was hell on the corners, but otherwise not too bad.

#149 - Tim Foli

Card fact: This is another one of the cards that I pulled from the first packs of cards that I ever purchased.

What I thought about this card then: I thought it was a cool shot of Foli, looking very suave -- despite the glasses -- after a casual swing of the bat.

What I think about this card now: I believe this photo features the very same ballpark as the photo in the Jim Rooker card in the previous post. But the fence and the warning track are much farther behind Foli than Rooker.

Other stuff: Foli was a solid fielding, rather poor hitting shortstop who enjoyed a long career with the Mets, Expos, Pirates and Angels, mostly. His average and on-base percentage were lousy most years, but he kind of put it all together for the 1979 Pirates and was one of the key members of the We Are Family World Series champions.

Foli was known for his explosive temper, and he was involved in several confrontations and fights both as a player and a coach. I was raised to believe that guys wearing glasses were the timid types. But perhaps that's what got Mr. Foli so upset. Damn stereotypes!

Back facts: I don't know how long it took me to make the connection that the "Pee Wee" mentioned in the cartoon was THE Pee Wee Reese. But it was a lot of years.

Oldie but goodie: Here is one of the cards that I have owned longer than almost any one in my collection. Thirty-five years. And it's got the rounded corners to prove it.

Other blog stuff: In a bit of a take-off on White Sox Cards' suggestion, I'm calling this color combo the "seaside combo." You've got tan (the beach) and light blue (the water). It works for me.

#141 - Mickey Stanley

Card fact: We finally have arrived at one of the cards that came out of the first packs that I ever bought.

What I thought of this card then: Stanley was one of three Tigers that I pulled out of those first packs. John Hiller and Ron LeFlore were the other two. Because of that, I became a closet Tigers fan. I still like the Tigers to this day, probably because of the fortuitous collation on that spring day in 1975.

Also, I thought Stanley was very old. He looked like someone my dad would know. But Stanley was all of 32 years old at the time of this card's making.

What I think about this card now: That is an awfully small bat that Stanley is holding.

Other stuff: Stanley was known as an outstanding fielder and his biggest claim to fame is being moved from outfield to shortstop to replace the weak-hitting Ray Oyler for the Tigers' pennant stretch run in 1968. Even though Stanley had never played at shortstop, he performed well there and the Tigers ended up winning the World Series.

Stanley's wikipedia page praises him thusly: "He is considered a living legend to many Tiger fans around the universe." The universe? I don't know. I think that guy on Saturn is a White Sox fan.

Back facts: Another cartoon figure with a beard. That's two in the last four cards.

Other blog stuff: Happy birthday to Mickey Hatcher! Another Mickey! One of the heroes of '88 is 55 years old today.