#655 - Rico Carty

Card fact: Rico Carty is airbrushed into an Indians cap and uniform. I can only guess at what uniform he was really wearing. He played for Texas, the Cubs and Oakland in 1973 and in 33 games for Cleveland in 1974.

What I thought about this card then: Didn't see it. The first Carty card I saw was his 1976 Topps card in that magnificent red Indians uniform.

What I think about this card now: Kind of a dorky grin there. Pleasant enough, but dorky.

Other stuff: Nicknamed "Beeg Mon," Carty could hit from the word go. In his first full season with the Braves in 1964, he hit .330, finished second in the league in hitting and second in the N.L. Rookie of the Year voting.

Carty put up some big years in eight seasons with the Braves, winning a batting title in 1970 with a .366 average (he also knocked in 101 runs and blasted 25 homers), hitting in 31 straight games that year, and batting .342 in the Braves' pennant-winning season in 1969.

But Carty missed two full seasons in 1968 and 1971, the first battling tuberculosis, and the second with a broken knee, suffered in a collision while playing winter ball. Carty was eventually dealt to Texas because of disputes with teammates.

In fact, Carty didn't see eye-to-eye with several famed players, including Hank Aaron with the Braves, Ron Santo with the Cubs, and Frank Robinson with the Indians. Carty revived his career in Cleveland, batting .308 in 1975 and pounding out 171 hits in 1976. But the Indians left him available in the expansion draft.

The Blue Jays selected him, but then traded him back to Cleveland a month later (they faked out Topps, which airbrushed Carty into a Blue Jays uniform in the 1977 set, even though he didn't play for Toronto in '77). Cleveland traded Carty back to Toronto after the 1977 season. Carty then spent the rest of his career with the A's and Blue Jays, finishing in 1979. He set a career-high with 31 home runs in 1978.

(EDIT: Rico Carty died at age 85 on Nov. 24, 2024).

Back facts: Those double "on disabled list" lines are jarring. I noticed Carty's double misfortune on the back of his 1976 card.

Also, that's an adequate attempt on a JFK likeness in the cartoon. I wonder what makes the cartoonist decide to attempt a likeness sometimes but not others.

Other blog stuff: Bill Murray and Larry Hagman were both born on this date. They each were kind of notable in the '70s.

#649 - Jack Heidemann

Card fact: This is the only Topps card of Jack Heidemann in which he's featured wearing long hair and a mustache. From 1970-73, he's clean-shaven. When he reappears on a Topps card in 1977, he's also clean-shaven.

What I thought about this card then: Never saw it.

What I think about this card now: When I was trying to complete the set in 2004, this was the first card I came across in which I had never heard of the player. This was absolutely stunning to me. I had prided myself on knowing 1970s players, especially from the period when I collected as a kid. I didn't think it was possible that there were players in the '75 set that I didn't know.

It turns out there was more than Heidemann. There are probably 30-40 players in the set in which I had never heard of them until I completed the set in 2004. But that's the fun of collecting cards.

Other stuff: Heidemann was a first-round draft pick of the Indians and played the 1970 season as Cleveland's starting shortstop. In 133 games and 445 at-bats, Heidemann hit .211 and struck out 88 times. His playing time decreased after that, partly because of an inability to hit and partly because of injury.

He played with Cleveland through 1973. With the Cardinals in 1974, he enjoyed his best year, which probably explains Topps giving him a card in '75 after no card in the '74 set. He then went to the Mets and was used as a utility infielder both by New York and the Milwaukee Brewers between 1975-77.

Back facts: This is the last cartoon in the set featuring an animal.

Other blog stuff: In case you don't read Night Owl Cards, I announced over there that after this blog is finished, I will be doing another set blog. However, I won't be starting it right away. I need a break from doing two blogs.

I'm reasonably sure which set I will feature once I decide to start another blog. But I'm not ready to reveal that now. Stay tuned.

#643 - Brent Strom

Card fact: Brent Strom is wearing an airbrushed Padres cap (a not very accurate one, too). He was likely wearing an Indians cap, or less likely, one from a minor league team.

What I thought about this card then: Ladies and gentlemen, as kids we may have made fun of other players' cards more, but there was only one card of a player we made fun of first. And that card was the '75 Topps Brent Strom card. I specifically remember my brother and I mocking his name -- overemphasizing the sound it made when you pronounced the first name and last name together. It didn't help that he was wearing that weird painted cap and that his career ERA on the back was 5.06 or his career record was 2-13.

What I think about this card now: It's really not so bad. Except for that airbrushing job.

Other stuff: Strom was a star pitcher for national champion USC in college. He eventually signed with the Mets as the third pick overall in 1970. After three years in the minors, he came up with New York in 1972 and went 0-3. The Mets dealt him to the Indians after the season.

Strom didn't fair much better with the Indians, going 2-10 in 1973. He didn't play in the majors in 1974, but was sent to the Padres as a player-to-be-named that year. Strom pitched three seasons for San Diego, starting 33 games in 1976 and going 12-16.

Elbow injuries got in the way and Strom was released. He pitched in the minors through 1981, including a final year in the Dodgers organization (I remember seeing him the minors in Albuquerque and recalling our childish mocking with chagrin). He later became a pitching coach for several minor and major league teams, and is now a pitching instructor for the Cardinals.

Back facts: I'm a little curious as to why Strom got a card in this set. He didn't play in the majors at all in 1974. We noticed this as kids, spotting the Oklahoma City and Hawaii team names.

Other blog stuff: On this date in 1975, the Reds clinched the division -- the earliest clinching in history. And people complain that there are no pennant races in today's game.

#640 - Harmon Killebrew

Card fact: This is the final Topps card issued of Harmon Killebrew during his playing career. He had appeared in just about every Topps flagship set from 1955-75 (he's not in the 1957 set).

What I thought about this card then: I had the mini card. I thought he looked pretty old.

What I think about this card now: It's funny how little I noticed when I was a kid. It never dawned on me then that Killebrew is signing an autograph. And, of course, now I recognize that there is a partial tobacco advertisement in the photo. It's really one of the better photos in the set.

Other stuff: I always have trouble writing about the most well-known stars on this blog. What do I say?

I just wrote about Killebrew after his recent death. Killebrew was one of the greats, both as a player and a person. I was just getting to know baseball when Killebrew retired. I never saw him play. I would have been interested in seeing him in a Kansas City Royals uniform, which is where he spent his final season in 1975. But I really didn't actively watch baseball until 1976 or 1977.

It's easy for some to forget that Killebrew was among the top five home run hitters of all-time for quite awhile. Right up there with Aaron, Ruth, Mays and Frank Robinson.

I remember Killebrew mostly as a broadcaster.

Back facts: Rick Burleson (149 in 1980) and Roy Smalley (144 in 1979) have each surpassed Bobby Wine's double play record for shortstops.

Other blog stuff: This is probably the last opportunity on the blog to show the mini card next to the regular card, so here goes:

I may have a few more of these for you over on my other blog over the weekend. Stay tuned.

#607 - Jim Holt

Card fact: Jim Holt is looking way up in the sky because he doesn't want to show you that he is really wearing a Twins cap. Holt was traded from the Twins to the A's in August of 1974. He is painted into a green-and-gold jersey.

What I thought about this card then: Never saw it.

What I think about this card now: One of the more unsettling "looking up" cards in the set. Also, you might be interested to know that Holt's uniform number with the A's was 38. His uniform number with the Twins was 26. And you can see the number 26 on the bill of his cap. Can't fool me, Topps.

Other stuff: Holt played first base and the outfield for the Twins and A's between 1968-76. He was a part-timer for most of his career, although he hit .297 in 132 games for the Twins in 1973 when Harmon Killebrew was dealing with a knee ailment that sidelined him for a good chunk of the season.

The Twins traded Holt for Pat Bourque late in the season in '74 (Bourque was returned to the A's after the season). Holt's biggest moment with the A's was knocking in two runs as a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning of Game 4 of the '74 World Series against the Dodgers. Holt's single broke open a close game and a close series and gave the A's a 5-2 victory. Oakland would go on to win the Series in 5 games.

(EDIT: Holt died on March 29, 2019 at age 74).

Back facts: I don't know why "an accomplished big league hitter" is necessary. He's in the big leagues. He's a hitter. I think that makes him "accomplished."

Other blog stuff: The orange-brown border combination has moved back into first place with its 52nd card. It's apparently going to be a dogfight until the end.

#599 - Nate Colbert

Card fact: Damn, Nate Colbert is happy to get out of San Diego! Colbert is airbrushed into a Tigers uniform after being traded from San Diego to Detroit in November 1974.

What I thought about this card then: Never saw it.

What I think about this card now: These "looking up" photos are very '70s, and really some of the ugliest cards ever. I excuse almost everything from the '70s, but not these cards.

Other stuff: I first knew Nate Colbert from his 1977 Topps record breaker card, the one that celebrates the five home runs he hit in a doubleheader against the Braves in 1972.

That was one of the highlights of his career with the Padres, which lasted from 1969-74. He was the first San Diego star slugger, making the All-Star team from 1970-72. In 1972, he hit 38 home runs and knocked in 111 runs, finishing eighth in the MVP voting.

Colbert also finished above 100 strikeouts six straight years. He endured a lousy year in '74 as back problems cut into his production, and he was dealt to the Tigers. He spent 1975 with both Detroit and Montreal, then ended his career in '76 at age 30 with both the Expos and A's.

(EDIT: Nate Colbert died in January 2023 at age 76).

Back facts: Juan Pancho Herrera played three seasons for the Phillies in the early '60s. He likely was confused with Jose Loco Herrera who played four seasons for the Astros and Expos in the late '60s.

Other blog stuff: The green-purple border color moves into a tie for second place with the orange-brown border color with this card. Both have 50 cards apiece and are one behind overall leader green-light green.

#573 - Orlando Pena

Card fact: This is the final Topps card of Orlando Pena issued during his career.

What I thought about this card then: I didn't see it.

What I think about this card now: I believe Pena is wearing a Cardinals uniform in this photo as he was traded by the Cardinals to the Angels in September of 1974.

Other stuff: Pena was known as a junk-ball pitcher, but used his variety of pitches to compete in the majors from 1958 to 1975. His first baseball card was in the 1959 Topps set. From that point, his appearance in the major leagues was sporadic. He was used as a reliever with the Reds at the start of his career, but when he went to the Kansas City A's, he became a starter. He lost a league-high 20 games in 1963.

Pena returned to a relief role for the A's and the Tigers, appearing in 50 games a season regularly. But by the late '60s, he was back in the minor leagues. Pena lacks a baseball card from 1969-73 as he bounced between the minors, the Indians, Pirates and Orioles.

He found a spot with the Cardinals in 1974, and enjoyed a renaissance at age 38, appearing in 46 games and registering a 2.21 ERA. He had one more season with the Angels in '75. After his career, he became a scout for the Tigers. Even at age 77, he's still listed as a scout.

Back facts: Hank Aaron might be on more '75 cartoons than any other player. The phrasing of the question is kind of odd.

Other blog stuff: The blog is taking a breather for a couple of days. It will be back with a new entry soon though.

#558 - Dave Roberts

Card fact: The second Dave Roberts to be featured in this set. The first was the first of three Dave Roberts to play for the Padres.

What I thought about this card then: Well, first of all, dude looks like a lady. Secondly, I had the mini card, and it might have been my least favorite card in the set. It didn't fall into the camp of cards that we made fun of without mercy. I just kind of silently loathed it.

What I think about this card now: Dude looks more like a dooood, than a dudette.

Other stuff: Roberts was a utility infielder for the Padres, and later the Rangers, Astros and Phillies. Roberts actually enjoyed a productive 1973 season when he was San Diego's third baseman, and the Padres thought they had something special. But he fell off drastically in 1974, was sent down to Hawaii (oh, the misery, sent down to Hawaii), and never came close to performing like he did in '73.

Roberts later played all over the infield, even taking some turns at catcher, while staying in the majors until 1982.

Back facts: I did not like the pinky cartoon. The womanly fingers just added to the whole dude-lady perception in my 9-year-old mind. And hitting an inside-the-park home run against the Dodgers? Dude, that is so uncool.

Other blog stuff: Suzi Quatro was born on this date 61 years ago. Folks who know the '70s know who she is. I'll let everyone else stumble across it.

#557 - Larry Gura

Card fact: Larry Gura is likely wearing Cubs garb in this photo. He hadn't played for the Cubs since the 1973 season as he was traded in the offseason from the Cubs to the Rangers. He never played for the Rangers and was traded in May of 1974 to the Yankees. It appears Topps couldn't get a photo of Gura in a Yankee uniform and went with an older picture.

What I thought about this card then: I didn't see it.

What I think about this card now: That seems to me an unusual way to write an L.

Other stuff: Gura, who would go on to be one of the best pitchers the Royals ever had, was another one of my friend Jeff's favorites when I was kid. For Jeff, it was Amos Otis and Larry Gura all the time. But before Gura arrived with the Royals, he struggled to stay in the majors with the Cubs and the Yankees.

After the Yankees dealt Gura to the Royals in May of 1976, he found his stride. In 1978, he was 16-4 and a regular starter during the Royals pennant-winning teams of the late '70s. As luck would have it, Gura ended up facing his former team, the Yankees, in the playoffs in 1976, 77, 78 and '80. Gura famously ripped Yankees manager Billy Martin during the '76 playoffs for treating him harshly during his stay with the Yankees (Martin, it is said, didn't respect Gura's stuff or training habits). Martin would refuse to start him.

Gura eventually became known as a Yankee killer in his career, finishing 11-6 against them, including six straight wins between 1979-80. In 1980 and '82, he won 18 games for Kansas City, and was an All-Star in 1980.

Gura pitched until 1985, finishing his career back with the Cubs, where he started.

Back facts: The write-up reads like a Topps apology for not getting Gura in a Yankees uniform:

"You see, Larry started 1974 in Spokane, and THEN he came to the Yankees in a trade and spent time at SYRACUSE. Then he joined the Yankees LATE in the season.'

Other blog stuff: I recently received a generous package of 1975 Topps upgrades from wobs of the terrifically informative 1974 Topps - Pennant Fever blog.

Great stuff:

Nolan Ryan! FTW!

Thanks, wobs!

#506 - Leron Lee

Card fact: I am not convinced that Leron Lee is not airbrushed into an Indians uniform on this card. If there is airbrushing it appears almost imperceptible. The uniform looks like an actual uniform and the cap looks like a real Indians cap. It doesn't seem possible that they were airbrushed. But the stadium background makes me suspicious. It seems to be the same background that is on his 1974 Topps card, when he was with the Padres. If that's the case, then why would a player in the American League be in a National League stadium?

Lee was obtained off waivers by the Indians on March 28, 1974, which seems like plenty of time for Topps to obtain a photo of Lee as an Indian. But that wasn't always the case in the '70s.

What I thought about this card then: This was one of the cards that I obtained early on in my first year of collecting. Probably not in those first packs I purchased, but not long afterward. Wait until you see the condition of the original.

What I think about this card now: It appears, by his signature, that Lee should have been referred to as LeRon Lee. But that's not how his name appears in the record books.

Other stuff: Lee was mostly a part-time player for the Cardinals, Padres, Indians and Dodgers between 1969-76. His biggest claim to fame may have been breaking up a Tom Seaver no-hitter in the ninth inning with a single during a game between the Padres and Mets in 1972. The Mets have still yet to pitch a no-hitter.

But Lee drew the most acclaim in Japan. He played there for 10 years after is major league career and is one of the most successful American-born players in Japanese baseball. He owns the highest career batting average by a Nippon Pro player at .320.

Lee later worked as a hitting coach. He is the uncle of Orioles first baseman Derrek Lee.

Back facts: I had no idea who Herb Score and Mudcat Grant were at the time I pulled this card, but I've known the names for more than 35 years.

Other blog stuff: OK, here is the Lee card that I pulled from that pack in the spring of 1975:

I'm sure that made its way into a back pocket at some point.

#505 - Chris Speier

Card fact: One of the best cards in the entire set. Definitely in the top 10. And that is 100 percent fact. No opinion there. I'm a Dodger fan for crying out loud!

What I thought about this card then: Absolutely loved this card. Would not trade it for anything.

What I think about this card now: Well, he's a Giant, so I hope he's just hit a pop fly out.

Other stuff: Chris Speier had a remarkably long career, lasting from 1971-89. He started his career with the Giants and ended it with the Giants. In between, there was an eight-year period with the Expos, and bit parts with the Cubs, Twins and Cardinals.

Speier started out as a hot-shot youngster with San Francisco and made his only All-Star teams in the second, third and fourth years of his career. But he settled into a pattern as kind of a mediocre hitter. His main attributes were a strong glove and decent walk totals. He hit .246 for his career.

After he was done playing, he coached and managed for several minor league teams in the Cubs, Giants, Diamondbacks, A's and Brewers systems. Most recently, he has been the bench coach for the Reds.

Speier is the father of major league relief pitcher Justin Speier, who last pitched for the Angels in 2009.

Back facts: I suppose if it's a Giant card, you've got to put a Dodger pitcher in a grass skirt. Whatever amuses you.

Also, I don't understand the write-up. What is the 4-6-3 single putout? And why is base hits one word?

Other blog stuff: Presenting the original Chris Speier card I pulled in 1975, which I've also mentioned on the other blog:

Thing of beauty.

#503 - Fred Stanley

Card fact: I'll be darned if I go through all of the cards in the set right now, but I'm about 70 percent sure that this is the only card in which the player's position is defined solely as "infield." If you want to prove me wrong, you know what to do.

What I thought about this card then: Never saw it.

What I think about this card now: My knowledge of Yankee Stadium comes post-renovation, 1976 onward. This photo doesn't remind me much of Yankee Stadium. If the Anacin ad wasn't there (and Stanley wasn't in his home pinstripes), I'd think it was a different park.

Other stuff: Fred "Chicken" Stanley was my hero back in the late '70s when it seemed like every player on the Yankees could hit. Stanley was used as a defensive replacement for New York between 1973-80, mostly at shortstop. He had a very weak bat, hitting .216 for his career. It was a delight to see him in the Yankees' lineup.

Yankees announcer Phil Rizzuto loved Stanley because he knew how to play shortstop well. If I remember correctly, Stanley could bunt, too, which also won Rizzuto's blessing.

Stanley also played for the Seattle Pilots (he was the last Pilot active in the majors), Brewers, Indians and Padres before playing for New York. He finished up with Oakland in 1981 and '82. After his playing career, he worked for years as a coach and manager in the minors. He was also the Brewers' assistant general manager. He has been the Giants' director of player development for the last four years.

Back facts: I doubt Stanley received any kind of sense of vengeance from hitting his grand slam against the Brewers. He played for them three years before the grand slam, and as you can see by the stats, didn't get a single at-bat (yes, I do know the Brewers were the former Pilots).

Other blog stuff: Actor James Garner was born on this date in 1928. He's acted on many shows and in many movies, but I remember him from "The Rockford Files" because it was one of my dad's favorite shows.

#498 - Al Downing

Card fact: I don't totally remember, but I believe this was the first Dodger that I pulled from a pack of '75 minis.

What I thought about this card then: I really did like the pink & yellow cards in this set. This is the only Dodger player with the pink-yellow border, so I held it in high esteem.

What I think about this card now: I'm not sure where Al Downing is standing in the ballpark, but the photo angle presents a nice outfield view of Dodger Stadium.

Other stuff: Downing is known most for surrendering Hank Aaron's record-setting 715th home run in 1974, but he had a full career with several successful seasons. It took me a long time to learn that Downing was a regular starter during the Yankees' dynasty days of the early 1960s. He led the American League in strikeouts in 1964.

Downing continued to start for New York until the late '60s when injuries forced him to the bullpen. He was traded to Oakland in 1970, then traded to Milwaukee six months later, where he went 2-10 to finish the 1970 season. Milwaukee sent Downing to the Dodgers in a deal for Andy Kosco. Downing followed by going 20-9 for L.A. and winning the Comeback Player of the Year Award.

Downing had a couple more seasons as a starter for L.A. before he became a part-time starter/reliever between 1975-77.

Downing has worked as a broadcaster and is on the speaker circuit with L.A. He signed at a card show I went to a few years ago. I had a chance to talk to him, just me and him, but I was too absorbed in cards to realize the opportunity. Oh, well.

Back facts: Topps means "Who was the youngest player in Major League history?"

Other blog stuff: Two Dodger greats of the 1970s, Don Sutton and Reggie Smith, each were born on this date in 1945.

#488 - Bill Travers

Card fact: This is Bill Travers' rookie card. Or "Billy Travers," as he apparently preferred.

What I thought about this card then: I did not see it.

What I think about this card now: Please note the Oakland A's in the background. And note the pained expression on Travers' face as he looks to the stands for help in facing the World Champion A's.

Now look at Travers' card from the 1976 Topps set.

The guy needs help facing the A's! He's been looking for a year now! Somebody HELP HIM!

Other stuff: Travers pitched most of his career for the Brewers. He struggled with arm problems in the minors, but emerged with Milwaukee in 1974. A forkball helped him stake a spot in the rotation, and he enjoyed a few solid seasons with the Brewers. He went 14-8 in 1979 and 12-6 in 1980.

After the 1980 season, he signed a free agent deal with the Angels. But arm problems struck again and Travers pitched in only 14 games over three seasons for the Angels, ending his career in 1983.

Travers later played on the candlepin bowlers' circuit in Massachusetts, his home state.

Back facts: A "bottle bat" is a bat that doesn't taper from the end to the handle. The bat's body is all one width and wide, like a bottle. It then ends suddenly at the "bottle neck," where the handle begins. It's almost as if the bat is two separate pieces. It's strange. But then again, so is the name "Heinie."

Other blog stuff: Happy 67th birthday to George "Boomer" Scott, born today in 1944. He didn't use no bottle bat.

#445 - Felix Millan

Card fact: I've mentioned before that I suspect Topps tried to match the border colors with as many A's as possible. I have also mentioned the same suspicion with the Mets. This is the 13th out of 18 Mets cards that has at least one of the Mets colors featured in the border.

What I thought about this card then: Oh, boy, this was one of my early favorites as a kid. The Mets held a special place in the collecting world then, and I gravitated toward Felix Millan for some reason. I saw this card, but I didn't have it.

My friend, the Mets/Yankees fan, had the card, and because of him talking about Millan incessantly, we became very familiar with Millan's habit of choking up on the bat. He brought his hands up very far up on the bat handle (he had 121 sacrifice hits in his career). It would be very comical to see that practice from a player today.

What I think about this card now: Millan looks like he just spotted his mother-in-law.

Other stuff: Millan was just what you wanted from your second baseman in the 1960s and '70s. He played in a ton of games, piled up a ton of at-bats and a ton of singles, and was a Gold Glove fielder.

Millan started out with the Braves and was their second baseman until after the 1972 season when he was traded to the Mets. Millan finished out his career as the Mets' starter at second, but it came to an abrupt end. During a game in August of 1977, he was involved in a brawl with Pirates catcher Ed Ott. Ott slammed Millan to the ground, injuring his shoulder and Millan would never play another major league game.

During the late '70s, Millan played in Japan.

Back facts: Bob Heffner was the second pitcher to record three putouts in an inning when he did so in 1963. Jim Bagby of Boston was the first in 1940. Since those two, the feat has been matched by Rick Reuschel (1975), Jim Beattie (1978), Ed Lynch (1986), Mike Harkey (1990), Mike Hartley (1991), Jeff Innis (1991), Roger Clemens (1992), Bill Swift (1992), Jack Armstrong (1993) and Brian Meadows (1998).

Other blog stuff: On this date in 1994, Michael Jordan signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox.

#431 - Rod Gilbreath

Card fact: This is the second of six Topps cards that Rod Gilbreath had during his career. The positions he played according to the designation on each Topps card were as follows:

'74: 2B-3B
'75: SS
'76: 2B
'77: 2B-SS
'78: 2B
'79: 2B

I don't know why I thought that was interesting to list. But I did.

What I thought about this card then: The spacing between the letters in Gilbreath's name isn't as prominent as it is in the Marty Pattin card. But it was noticeable enough to me as a kid that it bothered me a little.

What I think about this card now: That uniform and those sideburns just scream the '70s.

Other stuff: As illustrated above, Gilbreath was a middle infielder for the Braves in the 1970s. After coming up to Atlanta in 1972 as the second-youngest player in the major leagues, he was in the majors to stay by 1975. He became the regular starting second baseman for Atlanta between 1976-78. The Braves were perennial basement dwellers at that time, happy to have players like Pat Rockett and Junior Moore patrolling the infield. Gilbreath wasn't terrific either, barely hitting .250.

After 1978, Gilbreath was released, and acquired by the Pirates. He never returned to the majors. He eventually coached in the Braves' minor league organization and then became Atlanta's director of minor league operations.

Back facts: It's been awhile since we've had an armed cartoon character on the blog. Good to see cartoony packing heat again.

Other stuff: Here is the Gilbreath card that I pulled out of a pack back in 1975:

Not bad at all.

#427 - Clarence Gaston

Card fact: Clarence Gaston is wearing a Padres uniform in this photo. He was traded from the Padres to the Braves in November of 1974. Fortunately, Topps had taken a handy "looking up" photo of Gaston just in case, so you can't see the Padres cap he's wearing on his head.

What I thought about this card then: Another one of those cards that I pulled on a July day  in '75, I remember my brother making fun of Gaston's last name. "Clarence has a lot of GAS." That type of thing.

What I think about this card now: It seems so weird seeing his name as "Clarence." Most people now know him as Cito Gaston, which is actually what Gaston prefers to be called.

Other stuff: Gaston came up with the Braves, and was acquired by the Padres in the expansion draft. He enjoyed one great season, in 1970, when he hit .318 and was named an All-Star. But he never came close to hitting that well again. By the time he was traded back to the Braves in 1974, he wasn't starting much anymore. With Atlanta, and then with Pittsburgh at the end of his career, he was backup. He had a good throwing arm, so I imagine he was used as a defensive replacement a lot.

Gaston became much more famous as manager for the Toronto Blue Jays. He was the first African-American to lead a team to the World Series title and helped the Blue Jays to back-to-back championships in 1992 and 1993. He was let go in 1997 and a lot of people wondered why he wasn't rehired by anyone (he did turn down a few opportunities). But the Blue Jays rehired him as manager in 2007. After the 2010 season, he stepped down, probably for good.

Back facts: Gaston did finish third in the National League in assists with 16 in 1973.

Other blog stuff: Here is the original '75 card of Gaston that I pulled 36 years ago:

#406 - Bob Gallagher

Card fact: This is the final Topps card of Bob Gallagher's career. He had just two Topps cards. The '74 card was the other one.

What I thought about this card then: I vaguely recall seeing this card somewhere and being somewhat unsettled by Gallagher's unruly hair and his stare off into the distance.

What I think about this card now: I was not going to categorize this card as "airbrushed," since the photo angle hides any Astros logo. But I think there is some funny business going on with Gallagher's jersey, so I'm saying it's airbrushed.

Other stuff: Gallagher, whose grandfather played in the majors and managed the Red Sox, played just four years with only 255 at-bats. He came up with the Red Sox, spent most of his time with the Astros, and was traded to the Mets in the Ken Boswell deal  in October 1974. He played just 33 games for the Mets.

I always got Gallagher confused with "Dirty Al" Gallagher, who played around the same time. The non-dirty Gallagher became a high school teacher after his playing career.

(EDIT: Bob Gallagher died Aug. 14, 2024 at age 77)

Back facts: Any card that has a cartoon of a hippopotamus on the back rocks.

Other blog stuff: I could say that Carlton Fisk or Ozzie Smith were born on this date. But instead I'm going to say Mario Mendoza was born on this date 60 years ago! The namesake of the Mendoza line has yet to appear on this blog. It's always nice to look forward to something.

#343 - Danny Frisella

Card fact: Danny Frisella is airbrushed into his Padres uniform. He seems to be wearing a Braves cap, as Atlanta was the team he played for before he was traded to San Diego for Cito Gaston in November of 1974. The pose on this card looks like his pose on this card, although he has a lot more hair here.

What I thought about this card then: This was one of those card we really disliked as kids, one of the 7 or 8 cards that we tried to slip into other collectors' card stacks and hope they didn't notice. In fact, I think this was the original  "Oh, no, It's Him" card, because this was one of the first cards I saw from the 1975 set.

What I think about this card now: I think the reason we didn't like it is because of the horrible airbrush job, and how Frisella is looking to the sky.

Other stuff: Frisella was a career reliever, mostly with the early '70s Mets teams, but also with the Braves, Padres and Brewers. Even though New York was a perennial contender in the first half of the '70s, Frisella never pitched in the postseason, since he barely pitched in 1969 and he was shipped to the Braves before the Mets' 1973 pennant-winning season.

Frisella was killed in a dune buggy accident near Phoenix, Ariz., during the offseason on Jan. 1, 1977. It was the first time I had ever heard of a player dying during his major league career. Frisella was still featured in the 1977 Topps set as the cards had already gone to press by the time of his passing.

Back facts: Francis "Salty" Parker played all of 11 games for the Detroit Tigers in 1936. I hardly think he merits a cartoon.

Other blog stuff: On this date in 1975, the movie "Benji" was released. Wow, that dog was popular when I was a kid. Benji folders. Benji notebooks. Benji book covers. I've still never seen that movie.

#307 - Home Run Leaders

Card fact: We have two players looking toward the sky on one card! That may be the only instance of this in the set. But I'm not sure. No looking ahead. Don't spoil it for everyone.

What I thought about this card then: Didn't see it.

What I think about this card now: Why was Dick Allen always photographed wearing a batting helmet late in his career? He's wearing it in both 1975 Topps cards, his 1973, 1974 and 1976 Topps cards, and his 1971 Topps card. That means he's wearing a helmet in all of his most recent cards from 1970 onward (the '72 Topps card, in which he's wearing a regular cap, doesn't count because it's just a re-use of the 1970 Topps photo).

Other stuff: This was Mike Schmidt's first appearance on a card as the home run king. It was the first of eight homer titles for him. It was the second of two home runs titles for Dick Allen, who achieved both feats with the White Sox.

Back facts: The fact that 22 home runs made the top 10 in each league illustrates the low offensive period baseball was in at the time. Even in our "year of the pitcher" this season, 22 home runs ranks only 17th in both the American and National leagues.

The players in the top 10 in 1974 that I didn't expect to see are Bobby Darwin and Charlie Spikes in the American League. It's also interesting to see Frank Robinson up there at such a late stage in his career.

For the National League, no one is a surprise. Those are legitimate sluggers.

Other blog stuff: On this date in 1953, Mickey Mantle is photographed blowing a large bubble with his chewing gum as he returns to center field after a seven-run fifth inning by the Yankees. This causes manager Casey Stengel to scold Mantle publicly. Mantle apologizes. But Bowman Gum gives him an endorsement deal.