#660 - Hank Aaron

Card fact: Hank Aaron is airbrushed into Brewers gear after the Braves dealt him to Milwaukee on Nov. 2, 1974.

What I thought about this card then: Not much. I traded the Aaron card in order to get the '75 card of my favorite player, Ron Cey. It's just as well. The Aaron card was stolen goods as it came out of a pack that I shoplifted from a drug store.

What I think about this card now: Topps was getting collectors ready for what was in store for Aaron in 1975. Aaron had not played a game at designated hitter prior to his trade to the Brewers, but yet Topps is declaring him a designated hitter.

Other stuff: Topps book-ended the set with Hank Aaron cards at No. 1 and No. 660. It took me years to realize this. I just never figured Topps put that much thought into the set. But it's a nice tribute after Aaron's record-setting 1974 season.

The card is one of Aaron's least pleasing ones. Topps chose a photo that was easy to airbrush and it's kind of unfortunate that this is what came out the year after he broke the all-time home run record.

Aaron's also the only player in the set (discounting the MVP subset) featured with two different teams.

(EDIT: The great Hank Aaron died at age 86 on Jan. 22, 2021).

Back facts: Ernie Banks is misspelled. And an O.J. Simpson reference on the back of an Aaron card is a bit of a downer, although it was pretty impressive in 1974.

Other blog stuff: This is the final card in the set. But I'm not quite done. I need to wrap up all the categories, like I did every 100 cards. I'll devote tomorrow's post to that.

#626 - Larry Haney

Card fact: Like the Steve Busby card, the player pictured in this card is not the player listed. That is a photograph of Dave Duncan on Larry Haney's card. So, Haney is actually not pictured in the 1975 set. (Interestingly, Duncan is shown as an Indian on his card, but also appears in the set as an Oakland A).

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

What I think about this card now: Wow, was baseball THAT unpopular in 1974? The attendance looks the same as a random high school game in my area.

Other stuff: Haney was a career-long backup catcher known for his defensive ability. He played for the Orioles, Pilots, A's, Cardinals and Brewers and never had more than 177 at-bats in a season.

After his playing career, which lasted from 1966-78, he became the bullpen coach for the Brewers. He was also a pitching coach for a couple of years in the 1990s.

Haney's son, Chris, was a pitcher in the 1990s for the Royals, Indians, Red Sox, Expos and Cubs. He was also a member of my fantasy teams in the mid-90s.

Haney also has another notable baseball card as his 1969 card features a reverse image of the photo that appeared on the 1968 Topps card and shows him as a left-handed catcher.

Back facts: There have been seven World Series since that unfortunate one in 1966 that went just four games. The most recent was the 2007 Series when the Red Sox beat the Rockies in four straight.

Other blog stuff: A happy 69th birthday to "Shaft" singer Isaac Hayes. Shut your mouth.

#613 - Bill Parsons

Card fact: This is the final Topps card issued during Bill Parsons' career.

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

What I think about this card now: Parsons is airbushed into an A's cap. He was dealt from the Brewers to the A's in June of 1974. Topps didn't do a great job on the cap, but the uniform is pretty good. The gold jersey looks realistic.

Other stuff: Parsons was a 6-foot-6 right-hander who pitched for four seasons in the major leagues. He got off to a terrific start, winning 13 games for the Brewers in 1971 and finishing second to Chris Chambliss in the A.L. Rookie of the Year voting.

Parsons won 13 games again in 1972, even though the Brewers finished in last again. The following year wasn't so great as he stumbled to a 6.69 ERA in 20 games. Milwaukee traded him to Oakland for Deron Johnson. But he pitched in just four games for the A's, and that was the end of his major league career. In late '74, Parsons was acquired by the Cardinals, but didn't play in the majors for them.

Back facts: Another frustrating card for Topps, which went through the effort of airbrushing Parsons into an A's cap only to have him dealt to the Cardinals.

Also, the cartoon is quite random. Why not do a cartoon about every pitching coach in the majors in 1975?

Other blog stuff: We are about to embark on the final subset of the 1975 set. I'm going to handle this subset a little differently than I have the rest of the cards. But I hope it's still interesting.

#590 - Cesar Cedeno

Card fact: Cesar Cedeno was only 23 at the time this photo was taken (if it was taken in 1974), and he had already appeared on five Topps cards, including receiving the coveted #200 in the 1974 set.

What I thought about this card then: I pulled it from a pack that I bought in a walk to a drug store, and it immediately captured the role as my favorite card throughout much of 1975. Cedeno was another one of those players who I wished was a Dodger. I finally got my wish -- in 1987 -- as Cedeno ended his career by playing for L.A. Unfortunately, he didn't get on a Topps card as a Dodger.

What I think about this card now: Although it's an interesting photo -- is Cedeno walking to the plate preparing mentally for his next at-bat or is he just noticing a bug on the ground? -- it is not a good photo. Shadows all over the place.

However, these were the kinds of cards we really liked as kids. And you might remember that many of the Astros photos were taken at their barren-wasteland training camp. This at least changed things up a little.

Other stuff: Cedeno is one of the first "up-and-coming" stars that I ever knew. He was part of one of those four-part "At Bat" series books by Bill Gutman. I featured the one I owned that covered the stories of Lou Brock, Rod Carew, Steve Garvey and Thurman Munson. The one I took out of the library told the stories of Carlton Fisk, Pete Rose, Bobby Bonds and Cedeno.

Cedeno was called "the next Willie Mays" by many, including his Astros manager Leo Durocher, who had managed Mays. Cedeno had power and speed and piled up the doubles early in his career. He was also a multiple Gold Glove Award winner.

Injuries caught up to Cedeno a little and after more than a decade with the Astros, he was traded to the Reds for Ray Knight. His playing time slowly decreased with the Reds, and he finished out his career with the Cardinals and Dodgers. He later worked as a coach in Latin American leagues as well as in the minor leagues.

Cedeno's career was marred by an off-season incident in 1973 in which he accidentally shot and killed his girlfriend. He was jailed briefly, charged with involuntary manslaughter. It's debatable whether the shooting affected his career, but his torrid career start ended right around this time.

Back facts: "Perhaps baseball's next super-star ..." No pressure.

Other blog stuff: I lost all of my scans for the rest of the cards in the set. So guess what I've been doing lately? Re-scanning 70-plus cards! Weeee! I suppose it could have been worse and I lost the scans around card 143.

#587 - Chris Ward

Card fact: This is the first and only solo Topps card of Chris Ward.

What I thought about this card then: I didn't know it existed. In fact, it is yet another Cubs card from this set that features a player I knew nothing about until I tracked down the card while completing the set in 2004. The Cubs sure had a lot of players in '74 that made little impact.

What I think about this card now: The cap he's wearing looks like some sort of denim trucker's cap.

Other stuff: Except for a single at-bat in 1972, Ward's entire major league career occurred in 1974 when he played 92 games for the Cubs. He finished with 28 hits in 137 at-bats, hitting a mere .204.

Ward would return to the minors for the 1976 and 1977 seasons, playing in the Chicago, Cleveland and San Diego organizations.

Back facts: Wilmer "Vinegar Bend" Mizell was a U.S. congressman in North Carolina. In fact, his tour as a congressman ended just before this card came out as he did not win a fourth term in 1974. But Mizell went on to serve in the Ford, Reagan and Bush administrations.

Other blog stuff: On this date in 2005, the sports of baseball and softball are dropped from the Olympic Summer Games. Summer without baseball. This makes no sense.

#565 - Joe Torre

Card fact: I hate to break it to you, but Joe Torre is not really wearing a Mets cap. He is airbrushed into the cap because he was traded from the Cardinals to the Mets on Oct. 13, 1974.

What I thought about this card then: I didn't see it. But I did associate Torre with the Mets for a long, long time, even though he was primarily a Brave and a Cardinal during his playing career.

What I think about this card now: Torre has a great card in the 1971 Topps set. This is the complete opposite of that.

Other stuff: Torre had a very good playing career, but nobody remembers that because he is fifth all-time in wins by a manager. Torre's stint with the Yankees, in which he won four World Series titles and appeared in six World Series overall, erased an overall perception of Torre as a great player, a decent broadcaster, and a mediocre manager. Up until his stay with the Yankees, he enjoyed moderate success managing the Braves and Cardinals, but that was overshadowed by his poor Mets teams of the late 1970s.

Torre came up with the Braves and was a catching all-star throughout the 1960s. He was traded to the Cardinals for Orlando Cepeda before the 1969 season and moved from behind the plate to first base and third. When he set up shop permanently at third base, his batting numbers soared. He enjoyed tremendous seasons in 1970 and 1971 and was named N.L. MVP in 1971.

Torre ended his playing career with three years with the Mets, and was a player-manager in his last season in 1977. His managing career ended 32 years later with the Dodgers. He's now executive president for baseball operations for MLB.

Back facts: Wow, that cartoon is full of information, isn't it? Johnny Blanchard was a part-time player for the Yankees who went 4-for-10 with two home runs in the 1961 World Series against the Reds.

Other blog stuff: On this date in 1944, Joe Nuxhall became the youngest person to ever appear in a major league game, throwing 2/3s of an inning for the Reds at age 15 in an 18-0 loss to the Cardinals.

#535 - Gene Tenace

Card fact: Fifteen of the 20 Oakland A's cards featured so far have either yellow or green as a border color.

What I thought of this card then: It was one of my favorites. I pulled it while on a family vacation and it came from my all-time favorite pack purchased in 1975 (the pack also contained Bake McBride and Garry Maddox). For a long time that year, I would keep the cards that I pulled from that pack separate from all my other '75 cards. That pack was special.

What I think about this card now: The lighting makes it almost appear as if the photo was taken at night. But we know there were precious few night cards in the '75 set.

Other stuff: Gene Tenace entered baseball history in 1972 when he homered in his first two World Series at-bats during the A's triumph over the Reds. He would go on to hit four home runs total and was named the World Series MVP.

It was his big breakout season and he continued to be a key part of the A's three straight World Series victories. Tenace alternated between first base and catcher during this period. In 1974, he enjoyed a peculiar season in which he hit .211 in 158 games, hitting 26 homers, driving in 73, leading the league in walks with 110, and striking out 105 times.

Tenace was part of the first big free agent class and moved on to San Diego. He returned to the World Series as a support player with the Cardinals in 1982, and finished his career with the Pirates. After his playing days, he became a coach with the Pirates, Astros, and most prominently, the Blue Jays. He returned to Toronto recently when Cito Gaston returned to manage the Blue Jays.

Back facts: This same cartoon trivia question was used just nine cards ago. Different cartoon, but same question. Sheesh.

Also, Tenace's first name of "Fury" is an apparent Americanization of the Italian "Fiore." I think.

Other blog stuff: On this date in 1991, Jose Canseco is photographed leaving the New York apartment of Madonna. Years later, she was hanging out with A-Rod. Madonna sure liked the drug-abusing ballplayers didn't she?

#533 - Rudy Meoli

Card fact: This is one of just four Topps cards of Rudy Meoli during his career.

What I thought about this card then: Sadly, I never saw it.

What I think about this card now: I have read a number of times now about how this was considered one of the great cards in the set by kids collecting in 1975. I'm sure if I saw it when I was a kid, I would think the same thing. It is an action card during a time when action cards barely existed. Not only that, it is one of the more unusual action cards that you will see -- a batter popping straight up. No doubt the catcher is running madly right now attempting to grab the foul ball.

The combination of the unusually dramatic photo and the yellow-red border made young collectors believe this player was a superstar. All of the yellow-red bordered cards evoked the same belief, since all of the all-star cards also featured yellow-red borders, only with a star for the position instead of a baseball.

Other stuff: Meoli was a backup shortstop for the Angels, Cubs and Phillies. He started out as a potential starting shortstop candidate with California and received the starting job in 1973, but managed to hit just .233 in 305 at-bats. The rest of his career, which lasted until 1979, was as a supporting player.

Back facts: Meoli's six RBIs came in a game the Angels won 19-8. His inside-the-park home run was in the fifth inning with the Angels already winning 16-5. Each starting pitcher in that game lasted two-thirds of an inning.

Other blog stuff: I also have the OPC version of the Meoli card. If you're wondering why I'm not showing the OPC version, it's because I've already done so.

#469 - Tom Dettore

Card fact: This is Tom Dettore's rookie card. Woo-hoo!

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

What I think about this card now: I can't get over how many Cubs there are in this set that I had never heard of before. Tom Dettore, Ken Frailing, Carmen Fanzone, Rick Stelmaszek. All of these players I knew nothing about until I was trying to complete this set 30 years after they played.

Other stuff: Dettore started out with the Pirates as a hitter. He switched to pitching and toiled for a few years in the minors before reaching Pittsburgh in 1973. The Pirates promptly traded him to the Cubs on April 1, 1974 (apparently too late for Topps to get Dettore in a Cubs uniform since his cap is airbrushed).

Dettore pitched three years with the Cubs, with 1975 being his most successful season. He was out of the majors by 1977 and done playing by 1978. He later became a coach for the Pirates and Mariners in the minor leagues and continues to coach in the minors at age 63.

Back facts: Pants Rowland was the White Sox's manager from 1915-18 and later became a huge figure in minor league baseball for decades. Another account of his nickname says that he received the moniker when he was a kid, playing baseball in his father's overalls.

Other blog stuff: On this date in 1988, Kirk Gibson walked out of Dodgers training camp after teammate Jesse Orosco places eyeblack in Gibson's cap as a practical joke. L.A. knew there and then that Gibson, who returned the next day, meant business, as he would later show in the World Series that year.

#456 - Bob Coluccio

Card fact: This is the middle card in a Topps Bob Coluccio trilogy. Coluccio had just the three for Topps, but they're great ones. They illustrate the metamorphosis phenomenon that was so common in the '70s. Coluccio goes from a clean-cut West Coast kid to a roadie for a rock band.

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

What I think about this card now: It is a neat, and unusual shot of Coluccio looking the pitch into the catcher's glove. It was rare to get close-ups of game action at this time.

Other stuff: Coluccio was mostly a center fielder for the Brewers, White Sox and Cardinals from 1973-78. His best seasons were in '73 and '74 when he started for Milwaukee. Coluccio was fast, but couldn't get out of the .220s at the plate. Brewers announce Bob Uecker called him "The Macaroni Pony."

Coluccio played a season for the White Sox in '75, then spent all of 1976 in the minors. He was traded to St. Louis, barely played for them, then was traded to the Mets after the '78 season. Coluccio never played for the Mets.

After his career, he became a real estate agent.

Back facts: Nelson Briles, who pitched for the Pirates at the time, sang the National Anthem before Game 4 of the 1973 World Series.

Other blog stuff: This is a very rare morning post (well, "morning when it's light out"). I forgot to scan the back of the card, and then I couldn't sleep -- no doubt because I was broken up over not scanning the back. So there you are. I apologize for upsetting your routine.

#453 - Claude Osteen

Card fact: Claude Osteen is airbrushed into a Cardinals cap as he was traded from the Astros to the Cardinals in August of 1974. He was also airbrushed into an Astros cap on his 1974 Topps Traded card after being traded in December of 1973 in the Jim Wynn deal.

What I thought about this card then: This is one of the cards that I pulled while on vacation in the summer of 1975. I remember liking it quite a bit and being totally oblivious to the fact that there was something funny about the cap he was wearing. I had no idea at the time that Osteen had spent a good bulk of his career as a consistently successful member of the Dodgers' rotation.

What I think about this card now: I'm wondering what jersey Osteen is really wearing. Dodgers or Astros? I'm going with Astros. That color on the jersey doesn't look too fake.

Other stuff: Osteen was a two-time 20-game winner for the Dodgers during a career that spanned from 1957-75. Other than the Cardinals and Astros, he also played for the Reds, Senators and White Sox. He was the key figure in the 1964 trade between the Dodgers and Senators that sent Frank Howard to Washington.

Osteen wasn't a big strikeout pitcher and gave up a ton of hits, but he was also a workhorse in the Dodgers' rotation, often incurring 30 decisions in a single season. He reached the All-Star Game three times. After his career, he became a pitching coach for several teams, including the Dodgers.

Back fact: That's a lot of stats. I like the half inning he pitched for the Reds in 1961.

Other blog stuff: Here is the original Osteen I pulled from that pack in the summer of '75:

Still should've known the cap was airbrushed.

#430 - Luis Tiant

Card fact: It's been 48 cards since the last non-All-Star, yellow-red bordered card.

What I thought about this card then: Never saw it. No doubt, I would rank it among the best, if not the best, card in the set.

What I think about this card now: You just read it.

Other stuff: My first memories of major league baseball was watching the 1975 World Series on television, specifically Carlton Fisk's Game 6 home run. But I also remember a lot of talk about Luis Tiant at that time. My dad must have been the one doing the talking. I know Tiant amused him, and as a Red Sox fan, he was pretty pleased with how he performed for the Red Sox in the postseason that year.

Tiant's strange pitching wind-up, in which he turned toward second base, was the talk of baseball at that time. Roger Angell, my favorite baseball writer, gave the following titles to Tiant's wind-up, all intended to describe what he went through with his motion:

1. Call the osteopath
2. Out of the woodshed
3. The runaway taxi
4. Falling off the fence
5. The slipper-kick
6. The low-flying plane

So, that's who I think of when I think of the '75 World Series. Not Fisk. Not Carbo. Not Bench. I think of Tiant and his Game 1 and Game 4 victories, especially the 6-0, 5-hitter in the first game against the Reds. In fact, Tiant became such a big part of rooting for the Red Sox in the late '70s, that his history before the Red Sox still takes me by surprise.

Tiant was plucked off the garbage heap in 1971. After a phenomenal 1968 season for the Indians, he lost 20 games in 1969 and was traded to the Twins. In Minnesota, he broke his shoulder blade and was done for the year. The Twins released him. After a minor league fling with the Braves, the Red Sox acquired him, and he became a beloved figure in Boston.

I was crushed when he signed with the Yankees after the 1978 season. He enjoyed his last good season in 1979 and then finished things out with the Pirates and Angels in '81 and '82.

Tiant, one of the best-known Cuban-born ballplayers today, remains a popular figure at age 70. ESPN recently aired a documentary on him.

(EDIT: Luis Tiant passed away at age 83 on Oct. 8, 2024).

Back facts: Topps is stating the obvious with the write-up at the bottom. Twenty-two wins and 311 innings pitched pretty much says it all.

Other blog stuff: On this date in 1934, Bill Bixby was born. Don't make him angry ...

#382 - Don Baylor

Card fact: Don Baylor's card looks very similar to teammate Paul Blair's card. It's a good way to get youngsters mixed up.

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

What I think about this card now: Baylor has basically had the same look his entire baseball life. If I've seen him smile, I don't remember it. He always looks vaguely annoyed.

Other stuff: Baylor is one of the most successful designated hitters in history. He also may have remained with the Orioles his entire career if Baltimore wasn't so interested in getting Reggie Jackson. Baylor, along with Mike Torrez and Paul Mitchell, was shipped to Oakland for Jackson and Ken Holtzman.

Baylor lasted just a year with Oakland before signing with the Angels in California's big free agent splurge. He would go on to win the AL MVP award in 1979, then continue on with the Yankees, Red Sox, Twins and back to the A's. He made the postseason with six different teams between 1970-88, including three straight appearances between 1986-88 for three different teams.

After his playing career, he became a hitting coach, then was the Colorado Rockies' first manager. He later managed the Cubs, and is now hitting coach for the Diamondbacks.

(EDIT: Don Baylor died at age 68 on Aug. 7, 2017).

Back facts: This might be the most perfect cartoon in the entire set. The cartoon mentions Ron Hunt's feat of leading the league in getting hit by a pitch seven straight years on the back of the card of a player who would go on to surpass Hunt's career HBP total and become one of the all-time leaders in hit by pitches!

Baylor has 267 career HBPs, good for fourth place all-time. Hunt has 243, which is sixth all-time.

At the time of the cartoon, Baylor had 33 career HBPs, and had led the league in the category with 13 in 1973. But he was far from the single-season totals of 35 and 28 in the mid-1980s when he led the league in HBPs four straight years.

How did Topps know?

Other blog stuff:  The No. 1 song in the country on this date in '75 was "Fly Robin Fly" by the Silver Connection. What a god-awful song.

#364 - Doug Bird

Card fact: This is the first post on this blog composed during the time change. So I began this post as it approached 2 a.m., and now it is just after 1 a.m. So, I'm going back in time as I document collecting the 1975 Topps set. I'm going back in time while I go back in time! That's heavy, man.

What I thought about this card then: This is another player that shares his first name with my brother. But I don't think my brother was too fond of Doug Bird. I know we thought the guy's last name was funny.

What I think about this card now: If Bird wasn't wearing the baseball duds, he'd look like he stepped off the set of Little House on the Prairie.

Other stuff: Bird was a consistent reliever for the Royals during their rise to prominence. He relieved for them in the 1976, 77 and 78 A.L. Championship Series against the Yankees. But Bird also worked as a starter. In 1976, he started 27 games, then went back to full-time relieving in 1978.

Bird was later traded to the Phillies, and then he signed with the Yankees as a free agent. The Yankees proceeded to trade him to the Cubs. With Chicago, Bird was used mostly as a starter. Bird ended his career in 1984 with the Red Sox.

(EDIT: Doug Bird died on Sept. 24, 2024 at age 74).

Back facts: The 30 saves that Bird compiled in his first two years in the major leagues amounted to half of his total for his career, which last 11 years. He saved 60 games overall.

Other blog stuff: On this date in 1973, New Jersey became the first state to allow girls to play Little League baseball.

#362 - Steve Hargan

Card fact: This card marks Steve Hargan's return to the Topps set after a three-year absence. His previous Topps card was in the 1972 set. He had a card ever since 1966, but he fell into rough times in the early '70s.

What I thought about this card then: This is what a Texas Ranger should look like, and Hargan is probably one of the reasons why I think all the Rangers should have wild hair and a mustache. This was one of the early cards I received in that first year of collecting and I thought Hargan was at least 8-feet tall. Later, I saw his 1968 Topps card for the first time, and I couldn't believe it was the same person.

In fact, Hargan is also clean-shaven in his 1972 card, too. That was right before he "went away" for two years. By "went away" I mean he toiled in the minor leagues, but given his drastically changed look doesn't it seem like he did hard time?

What I think about this card now: It looks like his uniform shirt is untucked. I hate that Prince Fielder crap. Tuck your shirt in mister.

Other stuff: Hargan was a steady but unspectacular starter for the Indians during the 1960s. In 1970, he went 11-3 for Cleveland with a 2.90 ERA. But the following year, he was a dreadful 1-13 with a 6.19 ERA. He struggled early in 1972 and was sent to the minors for two years.

During that time, he was acquired by the Rangers. He bounced back in 1974 with a decent season, then had two so-so years before getting drafted by the expansion Blue Jays. He finished up his major league career with Atlanta in 1978.

(EDIT: Steve Hargan died at age 83 on Oct. 30, 2025).

Back facts: I'm quite sure I didn't take the cartoons literally when I was a youngster, otherwise I would be really freaked out that there was a scoreboard that actually EXPLODED.

Other blog stuff: I'll just take a moment to remember Mr. Anderson:

RIP, Sparky. I think your enthusiasm and positive attitude will continue to serve you and your family well.

#338 - Rick Stelmaszek

Card fact: This is the last Topps card issued during Rick Stelmaszek's playing career. He didn't play in the majors past 1974.

What I thought about this card then: I never saw it. In fact, I was totally unaware of this player until I was completing the set a few years ago. I'm kind of proud of my knowledge of ballplayers from the mid-1970s. Thanks to collecting baseball cards back then, I got to know just about all of them. But when completing the set, I came across a handful that were completely new to me, and threw me for a loop -- "how did I miss this guy?" Stelmaszek was one of the ones I missed.

What I think about this card now: Stelmaszek is majorly airbrushed into a Cubs cap. It appears he's wearing an Angels uniform, which is funny, because on his 1974 Topps card, he is airbrushed into an Angels cap. Stelmaszek appeared on a couple of those three-rookie cards in the early '70s, but the '74 and '75 cards are his only solo cards, and he's airbrushed into his new team on both of them!

Other stuff: Stelmaszek was a career backup catcher for the Senators, Rangers, Angels and Cubs between 1971-74. He didn't have more than 44 at-bats in any one season, and he hit .170 for his career. I'm actually surprised that he made the set this year. He must've been one of the last players to make the cut.

After the Cubs, Stelmaszek kicked around in the minors with teams like the Yankees and Expos until taking up a coaching career. He has been a coach with the Minnesota Twins for the last 30 years.

For all things Stelmaszek, you need to visit Johngy's Beat. The blog's author was a neighbor of Stelmaszek and his blog is filled with stories about him. He also sponsors Stelmaszek's baseball-reference.com page. I may not have heard of Stelmaszek a few years ago, but I sure know about him now.

(EDIT: Rick Stelmaszek died at age 69 on Nov. 6, 2017)

Back facts: Stelmaszek's father's last name was "Stelmack"? Perhaps dad altered the family name? Or maybe a bloop by Topps?

Also, I just missed publishing this card on Stelmaszek's birthday, which was Friday.

Other blog stuff: On this date 60 years ago, Susan Anton was born. If you remember Susan Anton, then you really are a child of the '70s. I don't think I've thought of her in 30 years.

#337 - Kevin Kobel

Card fact: This is Kevin Kobel's first solo card.

What I thought about this card then: I didn't see it. The first card of Kevin Kobel's that I saw was his 1979 Topps card. For some reason, I pulled that card a lot that year. (It wasn't one of the double-printed cards in the set either).

What I think about this card now: It's a pleasant, sunny day at Yankee Stadium. That Anacin ad appears a lot in the background of baseball cards.

Other stuff: Kobel played parts of six seasons in the major leagues between 1973-80. He was a starter mostly in 1974 and 1977. He spent the other years primarily as a reliever. Kobel received the most decisions of his career in 1974 when he went 6-14 for the Brewers with a 3.99 ERA, pitching a career record 169 innings.

Kobel was purchased by the Mets in 1977. After a solid season as a reliever and periodic starter in 1978, he was made a starter for the '79 season, going 6-8 with a 3.51 ERA in 27 starts. Kobel was traded to the Royals in the middle of the 1980 season, but never played in the majors again.

Back facts: A couple of things. First, I am always interested in any ballplayer who is from Buffalo. You'll note the back reads that Kobel's hometown is Colden. That is a small speck of a village south of Buffalo, in snowbelt land. It's also close to where Kobel went to high school at St. Francis.

The other thing is we have seen this cartoon before. It's the exact same cartoon that appeared with this card. That was just 14 cards ago! I never knew that any of the cartoons were repeated in this set until I posted this card. I must admit I'm a bit disappointed.

Other blog stuff: The No. 1 song in the country on this date in 1975 was "Bad Blood" by Neil Sedaka, which also featured Elton John. I never understood why this song was popular. I mean there was a lot of bad music in the '70s, but this song wasn't even catchy. I didn't get it.

#333 - Dick Drago

Card fact: The only ballplayer in the set that also doubled as a secret agent. ... OK, I made that up. But doesn't he look like a secret agent? And that name! That has to be the name of someone in a spy novel.

What I thought about this card then: Did not see it. However, Dick Drago's 1976 Topps card is the first double I ever had. What a unique moment that was to have TWO of the same card! Today, I have 25 of the same card, and I don't bat an eye. I'm so spoiled.

What I think about this card now: Is that a water tower in the distance?

Other stuff: Drago was an original Kansas City Royal, serving as one of their primary starters in 1969 (I guess you could call Wally Bunker the ace of the staff that year). He remained a starter for the Royals for five years, then was traded to the Red Sox for Marty Pattin. From that point, he became a relief pitcher, coming out of the bullpen for Boston, the California Angels, Baltimore, Boston again and Seattle. His biggest claim to fame may be that he gave up the final home run of Hank Aaron's career.

Drago's career ended in 1981. Afterward, he ran into tax and child-support issues, but apparently that's been smoothed over.

By the way, I always get Drago and Diego Segui confused, which is why I keep thinking Drago had a son that played major league baseball. But he didn't. You hear that, brain?

(EDIT: Drago died on Nov. 2, 2023 at age 78).

Back facts: I remember being confused as to why baseballs were rubbed with mud. It seems like a practice we should have moved past by now.

Other blog stuff: In keeping with today's Red Sox theme, on this date in 1975, the Red Sox clinched the American League Championship Series against Oakland with a sweep, punctuated by Carl Yastrzemski's two hits and two standout plays in the outfield.

#329 - Ted Kubiak

Card fact: If I had confidence in my ability to identify stadiums in cards, I would determine whether the Oakland Coliseum or Candlestick Park was featured the most often in the photos in the 1975 set. It's probably a toss-up between those two and Yankee Stadium. I do know that this photo was taken in Oakland.

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

What I think about this card now: Ted Kubiak was a minor league manager in my town for three seasons. We covered his team every day for the sports section of our newspaper. It was what you would call "a necessary relationship." We weren't thrilled about him, he wasn't thrilled about us. But we stayed civil most of the time. So, that's what I think about when I see this card.

Other stuff: Ted Kubiak was a good-field, sort-of-hit infielder for 10 seasons. He's known mostly for his time with the Oakland A's, as he won three straight World Series rings with Oakland as a back-up second baseman and shortstop.

Kubiak began his major league career with the A's organization when they were still in Kansas City. He was traded to Milwaukee in 1969 and played in 158 games for the Brewers during their first season in Milwaukee. Kubiak played 121 games the next year, then was traded to the Cardinals for Jose Cardenal, Bob Reynolds and Dick Schofield. After a brief stop in Texas the following year, he was dealt to back to the A's where he spent three seasons.

Kubiak ended his career with two seasons with the Padres. In fact, he was traded to San Diego for the player featured in the previous post, Sonny Siebert.

Kubiak has managed in the Oakland and Cleveland organizations for the last 20 years, including the last 15 with Cleveland. He's the manager for the Lake County Captains, a Class A team.

Back facts: Hey! Another Brooklyn Dodgers cartoon question!

Other blog stuff: The No. 1 song on this date in 1975 was "I'm Sorry" by John Denver, as in, "I'm sorry" to inform you that I'll be taking a break on this blog for a couple of days. Have a good weekend.

#289 - Ken Rudolph

Card fact: This is Ken Rudolph's first card in anything other than a Cubs uniform. You can argue that he's not really in a Cardinals uniform, but you wouldn't get anywhere. Like arguing with the umpire after he calls you out, you're out if the ump says you're out. And you're a Cardinal if Topps says you're a Cardinal.

What I thought about this card then: Never saw it. Didn't know Ken Rudolph existed until just a few years ago.

What I think about this card now: Painting the interlocking St. Louis logo on an airbrushed cap must've been a bitch.

Other stuff: Rudolph was a career back-up catcher, mostly for the Cubs, but he also played for the Giants, Cardinals and Orioles over nine seasons. He spent the 1974 season with the Giants. He was then traded to the Cardinals with relief pitcher Elias Sosa (also airbrushed into a Cardinals cap in the '75 set) for catcher Marc Hill. The October deal didn't leave Topps enough time to get Rudolph in a Cardinals uniform, so you have the mess you see before you.

Rudolph is now a high school baseball coach in Phoenix, Ariz. You can see a brief video interview with him from 2009.

Back facts: The cartoon helps explain why Bill Nicholson was nicknamed "Swish." Nicholson was a slugger for the Cubs in the 1940s and nearly won MVP honors in back-to-back years. His nickname came because of his mighty swing, but also because he struck out a fair amount. But his totals are nothing compared with the strikeout totals that today's players produce.

Other blog stuff: On this date in 2007, the Rangers set an American League record for runs in a game by thumping the Orioles 30-3. The same two teams are playing each other today. (Yes, that was my attempt to wake up the Rangers).