#512 - Larry Milbourne

Card fact: It's been 178 cards since the last rookie cup card. That's the biggest gap between rookie-cuppers, with only one more rookie cup card to go.

What I thought about this card then: A little intrigued, a little freaked out by this Milbourne fellow. As a 9-year-old, I thought he was very distinctive. With the exotic sideburns and the helmet, he seemed muppet-like to me.

What I think about this card now: Milbourne looks a lot different here than he did for most of his career. After this card, he lost the crazy burns, grew a mustache and seemed ready to be accepted by society. With this card, I'm not so sure.

Other stuff: Milbourne may have won the Topps rookie cup, but he was not much more than a utility player for his entire 11-year career. He bounced from the Astros to the Mariners to the Yankees to the Twins to the Indians to the Phillies. He also had repeat stays with the Yankees and Mariners. He reached more than 400 at-bats in a season only once, in 1982, when he played for three teams.

Milbourne did play well enough for the Yankees to win plenty of playing time in the 1981 postseason. He hit .462 in New York's ALCS victory over the Oakland A's, and played in all six games for New York in its loss to Los Angeles in the World Series.

After his career, Milbourne managed in the low minors in the early 1990s.

Back facts: Milbourne's "fine rookie campaign" consisted of 36 hits and nine RBIs. It was so impressive that Topps didn't make another card of Milbourne until the 1978 set.

Also, as a kid, I thought you could actually hit in a major league game by holding your bat upside down. Thanks to this cartoon.

Other blog stuff: We just need an outfielder to complete our All-Rookie team:

1B - Mike Hargrove
2B - Larry Milbourne
3B - Bill Madlock
SS - Bucky Dent
OF - Bake McBride
OF - Greg Gross
OF - ?
C - Barry Foote
P - Frank Tanana

#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.

#481 - Will McEnaney

Card fact: This is Will McEnaney's first solo Topps card.

What I thought about this card then: The card I had was just as miscut as this one. But I don't recall having a problem with it. Off-center cards were much more common back then, and we barely batted an eye.

What I think about this card now: It's off-center! I need a replacement!

Other stuff: McEnaney is known mostly for getting the final out in both of the Reds' World Series-clinching wins in 1975 and 1976. He also appeared on a pretty famous Sports Illustrated cover at the tender young age of 23.

McEnaney pitched in 124 games in his career, all in relief. After three years with the Reds, he bounced around with the Expos, Pirates and Cardinals, and his career was over before the '80s began.

McEnaney ran a business for several years and most recently was featured in a newspaper article because he was the scoreboard operator for a Class A team for the Florida Marlins.

Back facts: I always thought players were fortunate when they received a cartoon about their team on the back of their card.

Other blog stuff: Here is the McEnaney card I pulled out of a pack in 1975:

Maybe all of the '75 McEnaneys are off-center.

#417 - Skip Lockwood

Card fact: Skip Lockwood appears to be airbrushed into an Angels cap and uniform, which is somewhat puzzling. That's because he was airbrushed into an Angels cap on his 1974 Topps card, after he was traded from the Brewers to the Angels in October 1973. You would think that with an entire year to get a photo of Lockwood in an Angels uniform that Topps would be able to go without the airbrushed look. But that cap ain't looking right.

What I thought about this card then: Oh, boy, this was one of those cards that I really, really liked for no reason. My brother had this card. I thought it was very cool. I think it was because of his name, which is strange because "Skip" is actually a terrible first name. It's a step away from "Skippy," and no one wants that.

What I think about this card now: What is that mountain/hill/mound called that appears in the background of all of those Cactus League photos? I know someone has mentioned it before. Help out the poor Northeasterner.

Other stuff: Lockwood is known mostly for his relief work for the New York Mets during the late 1970s. But before that he was a starter, and before that he was a third baseman. He converted to pitcher in the minor leagues. After coming up with the Seattle Pilots, he was a starter for the Brewers in the early '70s. When he came over to the Angels in an eight-player deal, he became a relief pitcher.

Lockwood bounced from the Angels to the Yankees to the A's to the Mets in a matter of months before finding his niche at Shea Stadium. He pitched there for five years. His final season was 1980 with the Red Sox.

Lockwood later became a bank president and CEO of an internet marketing company (he's a graduate of MIT). He's also a motivational speaker.

Back facts: As you can see, "Skip" was a nickname.

Also, you see at the bottom the write-up that conveys the panic that Topps felt about all the traveling Lockwood did between the end of 1973 and mid-1975. First they mention the Brewers trade, then they cram in at the end that he's not really an Angel at all! Oops! He was traded to the Yankees after their little airbrush creation.

The Yankees released Lockwood in early April of 1975, so even the sentence that Topps included at the last minute was obsolete by the time many kids pulled this card from a pack.

Other blog stuff: On this date in 1980, Duke Snider was elected to the Hall of Fame in his 11th year on the ballot. I suppose there may have been some complaints that it took him so long to get into the Hall, I don't know for sure. But I guarantee you it was nothing compared to the wailing and gnashing that goes on now.

#405 - John Montague

Card fact: This is John Montague's first solo Topps card.

What I thought about this card then: I had it and I thought Montague looked a little too sad for someone who was a professional baseball player.

What I think about this card now: It's miscut and kind of messed up on the top with the yellow showing.

Other stuff: Montague was a relief pitcher for the Expos, Phillies, Mariners and Angels. After a couple of respectable relief seasons for Montreal, he was waived and his career was looking a little dicey. He didn't do well with the Phillies, but was purchased by a new franchise, the Seattle Mariners.

With Seattle, Montague actually did some starting and also recorded the first save in Mariners history. He pitched three seasons for Seattle, then was traded to the Angels. He ended his major league career with California in 1980. He was picked up by the Blue Jays in 1981, but didn't pitch for them.

Card fact: This might be the most egregious example of giving a card number ending in a "5" to someone who doesn't deserve it. Back then, cards that ended in the number "5" were reserved for semi-stars. But there would be a slip-up once in a while, and this is a definite slip-up.

Also, Elston Howard is actually credited for inventing the batting donut. Or "doughnut," if you're a stickler.

Other blog stuff: It's time to take a break for the Christmas holiday. All you '75 Topps fans have a Merry Christmas.

#371 - Gates Brown

Card fact: This is the last Topps card of Gates Brown issued during his career.

What I thought about this card then: Oh, it was a favorite. Something about the photo, which appears to catch Brown in mid-gab, made me like it a lot. Oddly, I remember trading the card away. But I don't know why.

What I think about this card now: The wind-breaker, or whatever it is, under the uniform still seems strange even though it was very common in the '70s.

Other stuff: Brown is known for a few things. He was one of the best pinch-hitters in baseball history. He had to be, because he wasn't a great fielder due to his roundish stature. He hit a home run in his first major league at-bat, as a pinch-hitter. During the Tigers' World Series championship season in 1968, Brown was called upon to pinch-hit repeatedly and enjoyed great success, hitting .370 in 92 at-bats.

Brown is also known for a famous story in which he ended up having to stuff hot dogs down his jersey when called upon to pinch-hit. Brown wasn't in the starting lineup, so he decided to grab a couple of hot dogs, only to have manager Mayo Smith tell him to pinch-hit. He hid the hot dogs in his uniform and proceeded to hit a gapper for a double. He was forced to slide into second -- head first. When he emerged, he had ketchup, mustard and hot dog bits all over him. Cracked everyone up.

Brown later worked as a hitting coach for the Tigers during the late '70s and early '80s.

(EDIT: Gates Brown died on Sept. 27, 2013)

Back facts: Hector Torres was an infielder for a number of teams between 1968-77. But he didn't receive a card in the 1975 Topps set because he didn't play in the majors in '74.

Also, Topps will tell you Gates holds A.L. pinch-hitting mark, but it's not going to tell you which one. Figure it out for yourself, buddy.

And, you can see Brown's first name was William. "Gates" was a nickname given to Brown by his mother. He says he has no idea why his mom called him "Gates."

Other blog stuff: You may have noticed I took the day off on this blog yesterday. Things are a little hectic now. I hope I'm back on a regular schedule, but it's a little uncertain at the moment.

#345 - Clay Carroll

Card fact: I am semi-certain that the photo for this card and for Clay Carroll's 1976 Topps card were taken at the same time.

What I thought about this card then: Never saw it. However, I did think that Carroll and Tom Carroll, who appears later in this set and also played for the Reds, were brothers. It turns out they're not related at all. Funny what you learn after all these years.

What I think about this card now: I need to upgrade. Air bubbles all over this card.

Other stuff: Carroll pitched for five major league teams between 1964 and 1978, but he's mostly known for his eight years with the Reds. Carroll was a valuable reliever for the Big Red Machine. He led the National League in saves in 1972 with 37, which was a league record for 12 years, and finished fifth in the Cy Young Award voting.

Carroll continued to be a key reliever during the Reds' run, until Rawly Eastwick came along and the Reds traded Carroll to the White Sox. Carroll, who began his career with the Braves, played for the White Sox, Cardinals and Pirates to close out his career.

Back facts: Jim Rice now holds the record for most double plays in a season with 36 in 1984. In fact, out of the top 10 all-time in grounding into double plays, seven are Red Sox players.

Other blog stuff: Yesterday was a lousy day for the Dodgers in baseball history. Today is much better. On this date in 1981, Rick Monday hit a 9th-inning home run against Steve Rogers of the Expos to clinch the National League pennant. Also on this date in 1988, the Dodgers beat Dave Stewart of the A's to take a 3-1 lead in the World Series. In 1996, Raul Mondesi was named National League Rookie of the Year, the third straight year a Dodger had won the award.

#339 - Jim Fregosi

Card fact: You're looking at one of my brother's first favorite cards. It's among the first cards he ever owned, if not THE first, and it's the main reason why he and I liked the Rangers when we were youngsters.

What I thought about this card then: I associate it with my brother. There was a time when his favorite team was a tie between the Red Sox and the Rangers. That's long behind him, though.

What I think about this card now: The card had kind of mystical, hazy feel when I was a kid. I don't know how else to explain it. But looking at it as an adult, it seems like a boring old batting pose. All the mystery is gone.

Other stuff: Jim Fregosi started out as one of the first stars of the Los Angeles Angels. During the 1960s, Fregosi was a regular All-Star, winning five straight selections. His hitting was respectable for the time, although nothing great now. He hit for the cycle twice. He could also field and was the Angels' regular shortstop throughout the 1960s.

Fregosi then became the answer to a trivia question as the player who was traded to the Mets for Nolan Ryan in December 1971 (the Angels also received three other players). Fregosi was a bust, suffering through injuries during his time with the Mets, who allowed him to be purchased by the Rangers in the middle of the 1973 season. From there, Fregosi was a role player with Texas and then Pittsburgh.

 Immediately upon his departure as a player in 1978, he found instant success as manager. He led the Angels to the American League West title in 1979. But he couldn't repeat that success, and his next few teams struggled. A stint with the White Sox yielded only a series of fifth-place finishes. But he made it to the World Series as the manager of the Phillies in 1993. He later briefly managed the Blue Jays and is now a scout for the Braves.

(EDIT: Fregosi died at age 71 on Feb. 14, 2014).

Back facts: I've had a heck of a time finding this card without crooked borders. Every time I look for an upgraded Fregosi card, the borders are off. I've upgraded enough times so the front of the card doesn't look terrible, but the back is WAY off.

Also, the cartoon question is a bit confusing: "What was Lefty Grove's name?" Well, I think you just mentioned it there, son.

Other blog stuff: You may have noticed I posted a Rangers card immediately after the Rangers clinched a spot in the ALCS. Did I do that on purpose? Nope. But it does give me an opportunity to say: GO RANGERS.

It's the only team left that I actually wanted to advance.

#302 - Rick Burleson

Card fact: This is Rick Burleson's rookie card.

What I thought of this card then: Didn't see it. But his 1976 Topps card features an almost identical photo, and since I saw that, I didn't miss much.

What I think of this card now: A nice view of Fenway Park.

Other stuff: Rick Burleson, a.k.a, "The Rooster," may have been my favorite player on those Red Sox teams of the 1970s. Our family followed that team closely, since the team was the favorite of both my brother and father. It was my favorite American League team, too.

I liked Burleson because I always gravitated toward the second-banana types. Burleson was a consistent performer at shortstop, playing in a lot of games for the Red Sox between 1974-80, but overshadowed by Yaz, Rice, Lynn, Boomer, Fisk, etc. Burleson put up a lot of hits, although his offensive stats were probably a bit overrated according to today's standards (a rather low OBP most years). He was voted the starting shortstop in the 1977 All-Star Game, and his '78 Topps card with the All-Star shield was one of my favorites as a kid.

Burleson was later traded to the Angels in an off-season deal that also sent Butch Hobson to California for Carney Lansford, Mark Clear and Rick Miller. Burleson had one decent season for the Angels, then hurt his arm and had trouble getting into the lineup for the next few years, until retiring after the 1987 season.

He has worked as a coach, mostly in the minors, since his playing career ended.

Back facts: I'm glad Rick has a great pair of hands. Those infielders with three or four hands freak me out.

Other blog stuff: Two players in this set -- Frank White and Doyle Alexander -- were both born on this date in 1950, meaning they are each 60 today.

#297 - Craig Kusick

Card fact: This is the first Topps card of Craig Kusick.

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

What I think about this card now: If there was any yellow in the photo, this would be the card with the best-matched color border and photo.

Other stuff: Kusick was a first baseman and designated hitter who played nearly all of his seven-year major league career with the Twins. He was pegged as the replacement at first base for Harmon Killebrew, but became a DH after Rod Carew moved to first. He played part of the final year of his career, in 1979, for the Blue Jays.

The 35th anniversary of Kusick's major league record-tying feat of being hit three times in one game just passed on Friday. He was hit by a pitch three times in an 11-inning game against the Brewers on Aug. 27, 1975.

Kusick died from leukemia three days before his 58th birthday in 2006. His wife died of cancer nine months prior.

Back facts: You've got love seeing animals in cartoons.

Sherry Robertson was the longtime farm system director for the Senators and Twins organizations.

Other blog stuff: My father's favorite player, Ted Williams, was born on this date in 1918.

#277 - Frank Taveras

Card fact: This is Frank Taveras' first solo card. He appears on one of those four-player rookie cards in the 1974 set. ... Also, it's been 99 cards since the last "red-yellow" border.

What I thought about this card then: I remember pulling this card on a particularly hot day in July and the sight of Taveras all bundled up in his jacket looked very unappealing.

What I think about this card now: It is all kinds of fantastic. I'll start with the jacket, which looks like a high school varsity letter jacket. Then you have the cap, which looks partly like what "the man in the yellow hat"' wore in "Curious George." Then there is Taveras' Afro, and the look on his face, as if he was caught in mid-sentence. And let's not forget his signature, which looks like it was constructed with black string.

Other stuff: Frank Taveras was one of those top-of-the-order guys who played a lot of games but really wasn't as good as a lot of people thought. Sure, he led the league in stolen bases in 1977 with 70, and he had a bunch of base hits in 1978 and 1979. But his on-base percentage was not good for a lead-off guy.

Taveras spent a long while in the minor leagues before landing the starting shortstop role with the Pirates. Then, in 1979, he was traded to the Mets for Tim Foli. Foli would go on to win a World Series title with Pittsburgh that year, while Taveras was stuck on a team going nowhere. Taveras actually played in 164 games that season.

Taveras ended his career with the Expos in 1982.

Back facts: 1. I didn't even realize that the vital stats were wiped out until I uploaded this card. I might have to upgrade.

2. That is one of my favorite cartoons in the set. When I was a kid, I thought the sun in the cartoon was a soap bubble and the player was waiting to catch it.

3. Franklin Crisostomo Taveras (Fabian) is a great name.

4. I was mesmerized by all those minor league stats as a kid. Usually that meant the player wasn't going to last long in the majors. But Taveras made it work for him.

Oldie but goodie: There's the original that I pulled on that hot day. He still looks warm.

Other blog stuff: The No. 1 song in the country on this date was "Jive Talkin'" by the Bee Gees. Yes, it was the '70s.

#178 - Cesar Tovar

Card fact: Cesar Tovar ended his career appearing with four different teams in four consecutive years: as a Phillie in 1974 Topps, a Ranger in 1975 Topps, an Athletic in 1976 Topps and a Yankee in 1977 Topps.

What I thought about this card then: This was the first card that my brother ever pulled from a pack of baseball cards. Now that I think of it, it is the reason why Texas was his second favorite team as a kid. The card looks strange without scuff marks, because I saw it in its worn state so much when I was young.

What I think about this card now: The card border is crooked. It's a constant problem with '75 Topps.

Other stuff: The first thing I think of when I hear Cesar Tovar is that he is one of four players to play every position in one game. He did it against Oakland in 1968.

Tovar was known for his versatility. He was a valuable member of the Twins' teams of the late 1960s and early 1970s, playing at least 150 games a season, but not necessarily having a primary position. He received AL MVP award votes five consecutive seasons.

Tovar died in 1994. He is in the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame.

Back facts: Back-to-back cards with cartoons featuring a catcher. I've written before about my feelings concerning left-handed catchers.

Other blog stuff: Valerie Bertinelli is 50 years old today. Damn.

#150 - Bob Gibson

Card fact: This is the final card of Bob Gibson during his career. Of course, through the magic of the hobby's never-ending retro craze, there are many, many new cards of Gibson long after his retirement.

What I thought about this card then: Never saw it. Even though he appears on one of those MVP subset cards that I saw when I was a kid, Gibson the player never registered when I was youth. Legendary baseball writer Roger Angell introduced me to Gibson many years later.

What I think about this card now: I acquired this card early in my quest to complete the set about six years ago. A person at work traded it to me. It's in surprisingly good shape and I didn't give up much to get it. I was quite pleased with the deal, which also brought me the '75 Lou Brock card.

Also, what a great color combo to use with Gibson! It works perfectly.

Other stuff: If I was forced to come up with my favorite pitcher of all-time who was not a Dodger, I think I'd pick Gibson. I absolutely admire his domination and his refusal to back down to the hitter. I love his no-nonsense attitude and his unwillingness to compromise. The game was survival to him. He wasn't making a conscious effort to be intimidating. He was doing what he thought he had to do to succeed. But, make no mistake about it, "Hoot" was mean to opponents and surly to teammates.

Gibson's final season was in 1975. He went 3-10 with an ERA over 5 and he announced that he would retire at the end of the season. In his final appearance, he came on in relief in a 6-6 game and surrendered a grand slam to Pete LaCock that won the game for the Cubs. According to his wikipedia page, Gibson said, "When I gave up a grand slam to Pete LaCock, I knew it was time to quit."

Classic.

(Edit: Bob Gibson died at age 84 on Oct. 2, 2020).

Back facts: Not too many losing seasons in there. Between 1960 and 1974, he won more games than he lost every year.

Other blog stuff: The No. 1 song in the country on this date in 1975 was "My Eyes Adored You," by Frankie Valli. More sappiness from the mid-70s.

#143 - Cliff Johnson

Card fact: This is Cliff Johnson's rookie card.

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

What I think about this card now: Hoo-boy. Not a lot. The photo is pretty much identical to Johnson's 1976 Topps card, which was one of the very first doubles that I ever had.

Other stuff: Johnson didn't spend very much time with the Yankees, but that's how I most remember him. He was one of the very few Yankees that didn't irritate me. I don't know why. Probably because he wasn't a regular player. Johnson got into a famous brawl with teammate Rich Gossage in 1979, and was shipped to Cleveland shortly afterward.

Johnson holds the record for most career pinch-hit home runs with 20.

Back facts: You can tell Johnson paid his dues in the minors. Six years of bus rides before he reached the big leagues. But he stuck around once he arrived, playing in the majors until 1986.

Other blog stuff: I have decided to switch a couple of the color combo names. The green-yellow combo, which I originally called the "Lemon-lime design" is now in need of a name. That's because the yellow-green combo, which you saw on the last post, will be called the "lemon-lime design," since the yellow on the top and the green on the bottom suits it better.

That means I need a name for green-yellow again. Suggestions? Peas and corn? Oakland A's? The colors used by 60 percent of high school/college teams across America? Something about St. Patrick's Day?

#133 - Dan Driessen

Card fact: The seventh card, so far, of a player whose initials are the same letter. Four of the first six are the initials B.B. (Bert Blyleven, Buddy Bell, Bobby Bonds and Bill Bonham). The other two are W.W. (Wilbur Wood) and L.L. (Lerrin LaGrow).

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

What I think about this card now: That is a lousy photo. "OK, now, I want you to just stand and squint into the sun. Perfect!" Click!

Other stuff: Driessen was an overshadowed member of the Big Red Machine. He started for the Reds at third base in '73 and '74, but during the Reds' glory days of 1975 and 1976, Pete Rose took over at third base and Driessen was relegated to a back-up role. When Tony Perez departed for Montreal, Driessen took the starting job at first base for the Reds and played quite well there for several years. But the Reds never returned to the World Series during that time.

As much as I disliked the Reds then, I felt bad for Driessen. He was a starter for all but the Reds' very best seasons.

Back facts: I don't know why the caption on the cartoon says "of course." It's not like Aaron could hit a home run anytime he wanted.

Also, I wonder who was nicknamed "The Cobra" first -- Dan Driessen or Dave Parker?

Other blog stuff: Today's birthday: Kent Tekulve is 63 years old today. We like Teke.

#127 - Glenn Borgmann

Card fact: The 1975 card is already Borgmann's third card of his career. His college reputation apparently preceded him because 1974 was his first full season.

What I thought about this card then: I would have been highly entertained by his name if I had the card. But I didn't.

What I think about this card now: I guess that's what you call a "baby face." Borgmann was known as the "Baby Bull" in college.

Other stuff: Borgmann was called "the Johnny Bench of college baseball" when he played at Miami-Dade. Scouts expected big things of him. Borgmann started a couple of years behind the plate for the Twins, but he's mostly known now as the guy who lost his starting job to a 20-year-old, Butch Wynegar.

Back facts: Baseball-reference says Borgmann's middle name is "Dennis," not "Davis." I'm really hoping it's Dennis, because that would mean Borgmann would have double Ns in his first, middle and last names. Besides, there already was a Glenn Davis in baseball.

Also, you'll note the promise that Borgmann held. Not a lot of card write-ups say someone is "headed for stardom" before they show absolute signs of doing so. And we know that Borgmann never reached stardom.

Other blog stuff: The No. 1 song on this date in 1975 was "Pick Up the Pieces," by the Average White Band, said the Average White Guy.

#116 - Lerrin LaGrow

Card fact: Everyone knows that this is the only guy with the first name of Lerrin to pitch in the majors, don't they? Well now you do.

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

What I think about this card now: LaGrow looks older than he is, and in almost all of his cards he looks so darn serious. He resembles just about every adult man I knew when I was a kid. They all looked like they were an angry moment away from giving you a whooping.

Other stuff: Lerrin LaGrow is probably most known for having a bat hurled at him. During his second year in the major leagues, he pitched for the Tigers in the 1972 American League Championship Series against the A's. In the seventh inning of Game 2, Bert Campaneris came to the plate already 3-for-3 with two stolen bases. LaGrow hit Campaneris in the ankle with his first pitch. Campaneris responded by helicoptering the bat at LaGrow. Fortunately, LaGrow ducked and it missed. Both Campaneris and LaGrow were suspended for the rest of the series.

Later, LaGrow was an effective reliever for the White Sox. He also had a fairly decent year for the Dodgers in 1979. Just about everything about 1979 was indecent for the Dodgers, so that's a nice feat by LaGrow.

Back facts: I wonder if there is a size limit to catcher's gloves now? It seems like something someone would exploit.

Other blog stuff: I've yet to come up with an idea for this color combo name. I can't go with ketchup and mustard as I'm considering that for the yellow-red combo. I know red and yellow are very common in fast-food restaurants. McDonald's, Wendy's, Sonic, Denny's all use the colors. So I could go with the "food vendor" combo. Some marigolds are red and yellow. Fire is red and yellow if you're feeling particularly pyro. Any thoughts?

#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.

#65 - Don Gullett

Card fact: As many collectors know, Topps once reserved the cards with numbers ending in "00" for the superstars, numbers ending in "0" for the stars, and numbers ending in "5" for the really good players.

That held true for the 1975 set. In most cases. So far, not counting the Highlights cards at the start of the set, we have Jose Cardenal (#15), Lee May (#25), Ron Santo (#35), Joe Rudi (#45), Bobby Bonds (#55) and Don Gullett (#65). All excellent players, although maybe not the biggest and brightest of the day.

There are some players with cards ending in "5" that really don't deserve the honor. One is coming up at #85. That's the same card that breaks up the team pattern. Who is that dastardly player? You'll have to wait.

What I thought about this card then: Didn't see it. But I was a closet Don Gullett fan when I was a kid. He was a lefty pitcher, who could throw hard, which was a good thing. But he pitched for the Big Red Machine and the late '70s Yankees, which was a bad thing.

What I think about this card now: Gullett almost always looked on the verge of tears on his cards. This is not as pronounced as some other photos, but a good example.

Also, the color combo matches well with Gullett's jacket. The red part anyway.

Other stuff: Gullett had an abbreviated career, thanks to arm trouble. But he enjoyed a second career as a pitching coach and ended up being inducted into the Reds' Hall of Fame. (EDIT: Gullett died at age 73 on Feb. 14, 2024)

Back facts: There are people who dispute the belief that a pitcher can get stronger as the game progresses. They used to say that about Fernando Valenzuela all the time. It does seem physically impossible. I think saying, "Gullett doesn't get as tired as other pitchers during the course of a game," might be more accurate.

Gullett was right in the middle of the peak of his career at this point. He'd have another great season in 1975.

Other blog stuff: Happy birthday to Steve Garvey, card #140 in the 1975 set. He is 61 years old today!

#56 - Rick Wise

Card fact: This is Wise's first card in an official Red Sox uniform. He is airbrushed into a Red Sox cap on his 1974 Topps card.

What I thought about this card then: Wise was one of those pitchers that I always liked and wanted on my team, chiefly because he played for three teams that I always liked: the Phillies, Cardinals and Red Sox. (Later, he'd play for the Indians and Padres). I acquired this card a few years after 1975, which means I sought out this card and purchased it with the pathetic amount of cash I made as a paperboy.

What I think about this card now: Wise looks like he's been drugged.

Other stuff: Wise is known for a few things: he was traded for Steve Carlton, he was the winning pitcher in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series, he played in the Little League World Series. But I like this quote attributed to him: "The designated hitter rule is like having someone else take Wilt Chamberlain's free throws." No argument here.

Back facts: The write-up on the bottom is mentioned several times on Wise's baseball cards. It has to be one of the best single-game accomplishments ever. I know I was impressed as a kid.

When I saw the cartoon as a kid, I thought Woodrow Wilson was balancing a bird cage with his bat. Silly me. It was a drawing of the White House in the background, not a bird cage.

Other blog stuff: Nothing about the blog, really, but I wanted to show this other card I have of Rick Wise:

Great shape, right? This card represents the line between when I treated cards as toys, much like a Matchbox car or a ball, and when I treated cards as precious items to be preserved. My preservation abilities weren't very refined until I became a teenager in the 1980s. But after the mangling of this 1977 Rick Wise, I would never allow any of my cards to be treated this severely.

Kind of sad.