#319 Ken McMullen

I have a kind of goofy affinity for Ken McMullen, because he was my first non-Oriole from the 1967 Topps set. I received him from David in Tribe Cards' 12 Days of Christmas giveaway a few years back. He also looks kind of like current Oriole Ty Wigginton, whose physical appearance amuses me.

Fun facts about Ken McMullen:

-Born in Oxnard, CA, Ken signed with the Dodgers in 1960 out of high school.

-He got a cup of coffee with the Dodgers at age 20 in 1962.

-After three years of sparing play in Los Angeles, Ken was traded to the Senators in a seven-player blockbuster. Frank Howard (to Washington) and Claude Osteen (to L.A.) ended up being the big pieces of that deal.

-Installed as the full-time third baseman with his new team, McMullen blossomed as a power hitter and strong defender. He was the club's second-best producer in 1965 with a .263 average, 18 home runs, and 54 RBI.

-Reached double-digit home runs in seven straight seasons (1965-1971), including 20-homer totals in 1968 and 1971. His best season was 1969 (.272 with 19 HR and a career-high 87 RBI).

-On August 9, 1967, his 20th-inning home run was the game-winning tally for the Senators as they beat Minnesota in the longest game in Twins history to that point.

-Was dealt to the Angels in 1970 and spent his final three years as a regular with them.

-Returned to the Dodgers in 1973 for a three-year stint, mostly as a pinch hitter.

-Finished his career as a part-time designated hitter and corner infielder in Oakland (1976) and Milwaukee (1977). In parts of 16 years, he hit .248 with 156 home runs and 606 RBI.

-Ken walloped a pinch-hit home run in his final career at-bat, on September 14, 1977. The opposing pitcher was Tom House, and the two-run shot extended the Brewers' lead over the Mariners to 8-5.