#297 Dave DeBusschere

Here's another card from Ed, and it's one I'd wanted for a long time. Either it's just random chance that it took so long for me to obtain it, or there are a lot of Knicks fans out there who are hoarding Dave DeBusschere. He joins a list of two-sport athletes in my collection that includes Dick Groat, Steve Hamilton, Ron Reed, Danny Ainge, Bo Jackson, Brian Jordan, Mark Hendrickson, and Deion Sanders. In addition to the preceding list of MLB players with either NBA or NFL experience, I can't forget former Harlem Globetrotter Bob Gibson!

Fun facts about Dave DeBusschere:

-Dave was born in Detroit, MI, and attended the University of Detroit Mercy before signing with the White Sox in 1962 for a $75,000 bonus. He had also been drafted by the NBA's Detroit Pistons, and chose the Sox over the hometown Tigers because they permitted him to pursue a career in pro basketball in addition to pitching.

-At age 21, he spent a portion of his first pro season in the major leagues. Despite walking 23 batters in 18 innings, he allowed only 7 runs (4 earned) for a 2.00 ERA.

-The 6'6" righthander had a much easier time of things in the minors, going 10-1 with a 2.49 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 94 innings at Class A Savannah/Lynchburg in 1962.

-Dave had an impressive rookie campaign for the Pistons in 1962-63, averaging 12.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game and making the All-Rookie Team.

-DeBusschere was up in the majors for the duration in 1963, working as both a starter and reliever. In 24 games (10 starts), he had a 3-4 record with a 3.09 ERA. He also improved his control significantly, dropping from 11.5 walks per 9 innings to 3.6.

-He tossed his first and only career shutout on August 13, 1963, holding the Indians to six hits (all singles) and a walk. He did not allow a hit after the fifth inning, and retired the final ten Cleveland batters in order.

-Dave spent the 1964 and 1965 baseball seasons at AAA Indianapolis, winning 15 games in each year. However, both the White Sox and the Pistons pressured him to limit himself to one sport or the other, figuring that he would not reach his full potential otherwise.

-When the Pistons named him as player-coach in 1964, it hastened his exit from baseball. He hung up his spikes for good in 1965, leaving with a 3-4 record and a 2.90 ERA in parts of two big league seasons.

-DeBusschere lasted only three seasons as Detroit's coach (with a .356 win percentage), but remained a star player for a decade. He was an eight-time All-Star at forward and guard for the Pistons and Knicks, and had six first-team All-Defensive player honors. He was a key contributor for the championship Knicks teams in 1970 and 1973, and retired with career averages of 16 points and 11 rebounds per game. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1983.

-He joined the front office of the ABA's New York (later New Jersey) Nets after retiring, and for a brief period served as the commissioner of the NBA's rival league. Later he rejoined the Knicks as an assistant coach and director of basketball operations. During his tenure in New York, he drafted Patrick Ewing. DeBusschere suffered a fatal heart attack at age 62, collapsing on a Manhattan street on May 14, 2003.

#208 Tommy John

Tommy John's name is synonymous with the elbow ligament replacement surgery that was patented by Dr. Frank Jobe. I realize that Dr. Jobe has benefited financially from his medical breakthrough, but I can't help but wonder whether he's bitter over it. Wouldn't you think they'd call it Frank Jobe surgery?

Fun facts about Tommy John:

-Tommy was born in Terre Haute, IN. He was a star basketball player in high school, but signed with the Indians in 1961 because he thought his career prospects in baseball were better.

-He was only 20 when he debuted with Cleveland in September 1963. The following May 3, he earned his first career win by shutting out the Orioles on three hits.

-A three-team trade sent John to the White Sox in 1965. To reacquire slugger Rocky Colavito, the Tribe gave up John, Tommie Agee, and Johnny Romano. The young southpaw went 14-7 with a 3.09 ERA in his first season in Chicago.

-In all, Tommy won 82 games with a 2.95 ERA in seven seasons with the Pale Hose. He went to his first All-Star Game in 1968, when he posted a 10-5 record and a 1.98 ERA in an injury-shortened season.

-In December 1971, Chicago dealt him to the Dodgers for slugger Dick Allen. He benefited greatly from pitching for a contender, winning 73 percent of his decisions (40-25) in his first three years in L.A. However, his career looked to be over on July 17, 1974. Pitching against the Expos, he allowed the first two batters to reach in the third inning before blowing out the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow while facing Hal Breeden. In a revolutionary procedure, Dr. Frank Jobe replaced the torn UCL with a ligament from John's right forearm. The rest, as they say, is history.

-Following more than a year of rehabilitation (assisted by teammate and physical fitness guru Mike Marshall), Tommy returned to the Dodger rotation in 1976 and went 10-10 with a 3.09 ERA and a league-best 0.3 home runs allowed per nine innings. He was named N.L. Comeback Player of the Year, and went on to pitch in the big leagues for 14 years post-surgery.

-He had his greatest stretch of success from 1977-1980. He won 20, 17, 21, and 22 games in those four seasons, went to three All-Star Games, and had a pair of second-place finishes in Cy Young voting. He also signed a lucrative free-agent deal with the Yankees prior to the 1979 campaign.

-Tommy managed to be on the losing end of three Yankees-Dodgers World Series: 1977-1978 (LA), and 1981 (NY). But he did his part, with a career 6-3 record and a 2.67 ERA in 14 postseason games.

-Throughout the 1980s, he pitched for the Yankees, Angels, Athletics, and Yankees once again. He retired in 1989 after tying the major league record with 26 seasons played. He had a 288-231 record and a 3.34 ERA, and 2,245 strikeouts.

-Since hanging up his spikes, Tommy has broadcast games for the Twins and done some managing and coaching. He was a pitching coach in the Expos organization in 2002-03 and managed the New York-Penn League's Staten Island Yankees in 2004. From 2007-09, he managed the independent Bridgeport Bluefish. He is not currently in the Hall of Fame, having garnered just 31.7% of the vote in 2009, his final year on the ballot.

#276 Hoyt Wilhelm

This is a card that I'm particularly excited to have. I wonder if Hoyt Wilhelm ever got tired of posing for photos while exhibiting his knuckleball grip. I mean, it is the pitch that made him famous.

Fun facts about Hoyt Wilhelm:

-Hoyt was born in Huntersville, NC. After graduating from high school, he pitched for Mooresville of the independent North Carolina State League in 1942. He was then drafted into the U.S. Army and served three years in World War II, earning a Purple Heart for being wounded in the Battle of the Bulge.

-In 1946, he returned to Mooresville and won 41 games in two seasons. The Braves acquired him, but lost him in a minor league draft to the Giants a month later.

-Wilhelm was 29 by the time he made the Giants' big league club in 1952, but he came equipped with a great knuckleball. He'd learned the pitch in his youth by emulating former Senators moundsman Dutch Leonard. Hoyt used the knuckler to go 15-3, leading the National League in winning percentage, ERA (2.43), and games pitched (71). He also compiled 11 saves, but finished a distant second to Dodgers reliever Joe Black, who put up comparable numbers but had the added benefit of playing for the pennant winner.

-Far from a skilled hitter (.088/.139/.106 career AVG/OBP/SLG), he hit his first and only career home run in his first at-bat! It came off of Braves pitcher Dick Hoover on April 23, 1952.

-He went to the first of five career All-Star Games in 1953, but had his best year as a Giant in 1954. That season, he went 12-4 with 7 saves and a 2.10 ERA (194 ERA+). He appeared twice in the club's four-game World Series sweep of the Indians, allowing a single hit in two and a third scoreless innings and picking up a save in Game Three.

-After his performance slipped in the ensuing seasons, the Giants traded him to the Cardinals in February 1957. He was then waived twice within a year, going first to Cleveland and then to Baltimore. It's somewhat surprising that the Tribe put him on waivers, as he had a 2.49 ERA in 90.1 innings to that point, but it wound up paying almost instant dividends. On September 20, 1958, he no-hit the Yankees in just the ninth start of his career.

-In 1959, O's manager Paul Richards converted Hoyt to a full-time starter. In 32 games (27 starts), he went 15-11 with 13 complete games and a league-best 2.19 ERA.

-By mid-1960, Wilhelm was back in the bullpen. Over the next three seasons, he won 27 games and saved 40 more for the Orioles with a 2.63 ERA. Prior to the 1963 campaign, he was traded to the White Sox in a six-player deal that brought legendary shortstop Luis Aparicio to Baltimore.

-Though he was 40 when he arrived in Chicago, the cagey veteran (I've always wanted to say that) saved 92 games in six seasons with the team, compiling a 1.92 ERA in 675.2 innings. He seemed to be improving with age.

-As the 1960s lapsed into the 1970s, Hoyt passed through the clubhouses of the Angels, Braves, Cubs, and Dodgers, finally retiring after Los Angeles released him in mid-1972 at age 49. Amazingly, he made his last All-Star team in 1970 as a 47-year-old (6-5, 13 SV, 3.40 ERA). In parts of 21 seasons, he was 143-122 with 227 saves and a 2.52 ERA. His record of 1,070 games pitched stood until Dennis Eckersley broke it in 1998.

-He managed in the low minors for the Braves organization in 1973 and 1975. Wilhelm was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985, which was his eighth year on the ballot. He was 80 when he died of heart failure in Sarasota, FL in 2002.

#198 Smoky Burgess

The contest is over. I'm officially declaring Forrest Harrill "Smoky" Burgess to be the oldest-looking player in this set! Heck, if it weren't for Bill Rigney and Casey Stengel, ol' Smoky might be the oldest-looking person in the entire set. Assuming this photo was taken during the previous year, he would have been a spry 37. Compare him to Harold Reynolds, who was 47 when this photo was taken and looks no different today at age 50!

Fun facts about Smoky Burgess:

-Smoky was born in Caroleen, NC, and signed with the Cubs as a teenager in 1944.

-After winning batting titles at Class B Fayetteville in 1947 (.387) and AA Nashville the following year (.386), he spent most of the 1949 season in the majors as a pinch hitter, batting .268 with a home run.

-A trade sent him to the Phillies for the 1952 season, where he hit .316 with a .393 on-base percentage in three-plus seasons as part of a catching platoon with Stan Lopata.

-Burgess made his first All-Star team in 1954, as he had a career-high .368 average and .432 on-base percentage. As he played in just 108 games, he was not eligible for the league lead in those categories.

-After being traded to the Reds in early 1955, he found his power stroke and reached personal bests with totals of 21 homers and 78 RBI while batting .301. He made his second straight All-Star Game.

-On July 29, 1955, he punished the Pirates with three home runs and nine RBI as Cincinnati romped to a 16-5 win.

-Smoky was dealt to the Pirates prior to the 1959 season. He made the All-Star team in each of his first three seasons in Pittsburgh, compiling a .298 average in that span. He started five games at catcher in the 1960 World Series, batting .333 (6-for-18) with three multi-hit games as the Pirates squeaked by the Yankees.

-He was acquired by the White Sox late in the 1964 campaign and spent the last three-plus years of his career as a pinch hitter for them. He set a major league record with 145 career pinch hits, later broken by Manny Mota in 1979.

-Burgess retired after the 1967 season as a career .295 hitter in parts of 18 seasons. He totaled 126 home runs and 673 RBI, and he and pitcher Curt Simmons were the last two players active in the 1940s to retire.

-He was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame in 1975 and the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 1978. Smoky spent several years as a scout and instructor in the Braves organization. He was 64 years old when he passed away in 1991.

#586 Tommy McCraw

It's interesting to note that Topps went with "Tommy" for McCraw's 1964 and 1965 cards. Subsequently, they switched to "Tom". For what it's worth, Baseball Reference goes with "Tommy".

Fun facts about Tommy McCraw:

-A native of Malvern, AR, Tommy attended high school in Culver City, CA before signing with the White Sox in 1960.

-In 1962, he jumped from Class C to AAA and hit .326 with a .408 on-base percentage for the Indianapolis Indians.

-McCraw was 22 when he debuted in the majors in June 1963. He started 69 games for Chicago at first base, batting .254 and tying for the team lead with 15 steals. It was the first of eight seasons in which he recorded double-digit steals.

-Though he batted just .236 in 1967, he did set career highs with 55 runs scored, 18 doubles, 11 home runs, and 24 steals.

-Three of Tommy's 1967 homers came in one game on May 24. He took Twins starter Dean Chance deep with one aboard in the fourth and again with two on in the seventh, and added another three-run shot against Jim Kaat in the ninth. Add it up, and you've got eight RBI, a personal best.

-He was one of the top defensive first baseman in the league, leading in range factor for three years straight and placing top-five in total zone runs five times.

-His ninth-inning home run off of Oakland's Fred Talbot on September 14, 1969 broke an 8-8 tie and gave the Pale Hose a wild walk-off win.

-Joined the Senators in 1971 for their final season in Washington. His RBI pinch single on September 30 was the last hit in Sens history. Two batters later he was caught stealing on the final offensive play in team history. He then stayed in the game at first base and recorded the last putout. It was only the second out of the ninth inning, but the fans at RFK Stadium rushed the field. Although the home team was winning 7-5, the umpires declared a forfeit and the Yankees won.

-Tommy spent the tail end of his career with the Indians and Angels, and was the first designated hitter ever for the Halos. He hit .294 and slugged .442 in a part-time role with both teams in 1974. He played his final game the following year. In parts of 13 seasons, he hit .246 with 75 home runs, 404 RBI, and 143 steals.

-McCraw jumped right into coaching, serving as Frank Robinson's batting instructor in Cleveland. Over the next three decades, he also held the same post with the Giants, Orioles, Astros, Mets, Expos, and Nationals.

#516 Al Weis

In one of the packages that reader and commenter Max has sent me over the past few years, there was a fantastic customized version of this card. Some mischievous young collector had taken pen to cardboard and covered Al Weis with bruises and stitches and what-have-you, making him look like some sort of Frankenstein's Monster. I don't know exactly where that masterpiece is at the moment, so I'll share another artful card that Max was kind enough to bestow upon me. I don't have another copy of Walter Alston's card yet, so for the time being this beauty is in the set binder.

Fun facts about Al Weis:

-A native of Franklin Square, NY, Al signed with the White Sox in 1959.

-He debuted with Chicago at age 24 late in the 1962 season.

-As a part-time middle infielder with the 1963 White Sox, he batted .271 and tied for the team lead with 15 steals to earn a selection to the Topps All-Rookie Team.

-Though his average dipped to .247 in his sophomore season, he split time at second base with Don Buford and stole a team-best 22 bases. Only Luis Aparicio swiped more bags in the American League.

-Weis' playing time waned from 1965-1967. During the 1967 season, he was put out of commission after breaking his leg in a collision with Frank Robinson, who barreled into him at second base to break up a double play.

-Following a trade to the Mets, Al's bat completely abandoned him; he batted only .191 in parts of four seasons in New York.

-He did have a shining moment or two during the 1969 World Series. He drove in the winning run with an RBI single off of Dave McNally in the ninth inning of Game Two, and he tied Game Five with a solo home runs in the seventh against McNally. Overall, Weis hit .455 (5-for-11) with four walks and three RBI as the Mets upset the Orioles in five games. When a guy with a .553 career OPS puts up a 1.290 in the Series, you're living a charmed life.

-Unfortunately for Al, the good times stopped there. After batting .207 in 130 at-bats in 1970, he appeared in 11 games for New York the following season before the team released him in July to end his career. In parts of 10 seasons he was a .219 hitter with 7 home runs and 115 RBI.

-If you're looking to cherry-pick stats, he was a career .292 hitter with a .792 OPS in the fourth inning.

-One feather in his cap: his final career hit was a two-run homer off of future Hall of Famer Steve Carlton on September 3, 1970.

#498 Gene Stephens

Though Gene Stephens' career overlapped with All-Star infielder Vern Stephens, they were not related. They were briefly teammates with the 1952 Red Sox, and both played at different times for the Orioles and White Sox. It probably means something; what that could be, I have no clue.

Fun facts about Gene Stephens:

-Gene was a native of Gravette, AR. He signed with the Red Sox at age 18 in 1951.

-After earning an All-Star selection at Class D High Point-Thomasville (.337 AVG, 32 2B, 10 3B, 22 HR), the teen began the 1952 season in Boston. He batted .226 in 21 games, with a few short stints in the majors bookending a season largely spent in the minors.

-Stephens spent much of 1953 with the Red Sox but didn't do much to distinguish himself. His shining moment came on June 18, when he became the first major leaguer in the modern (post-1900) era to collect three base hits in a single inning. He singled, doubled in two runs, and singled in another run in Boston's 17-run seventh inning as they romped over the Tigers 23-3. Another BoSox player matched the feat decades later: Johnny Damon.

-Gene spent much of the 1950s as a backup outfielder, sometimes snidely referred to as "Ted Williams' caddy". He did bat .293 in 157 at-bats in 1955, and did even better in his limited starts (.322 in 29 G).

-Boston traded center fielder Jimmy Piersall after the 1958 season, seemingly paving the way for Stephens to play more regularly. However, a wrist injury suffered while making a diving catch cost him seven weeks in May and June of 1959. He did recover, batting .294 in 78 games (51 starts) after his return.

-He was a Baltimore Oriole for almost precisely a calendar year. Boston traded him to the O's on June 9, 1960 and the Birds dealt him to Kansas City on June 8, 1961. He was traded for a pair of characters: first Willie Tasby (who once played center field in his socks because he refused to wear metal cleats during a thunderstorm) and later "Marvelous" Marv Throneberry.

-Three years of poor results and injuries saw Gene land with the White Sox' AAA Indianapolis club in 1963. He regained his stroke, batting .305 with 17 home runs and 72 RBI to earn a late-season look.

-He finished his big league career as a part-timer in Chicago in 1964, though he competed back in the minors for two subsequent seasons. In parts of 12 seasons, he was a .240 hitter with a .325 on-base percentage, 37 home runs, and 207 RBI.

-Three of his career homers were hit off of Detroit's Frank Lary, his most against any opposing pitcher. They included his only inside-the-park home run (a pinch-hit HR no less), his only longball to lead off a game, and a two-run pinch-hit homer in the seventh inning to give the Orioles the lead in a game they won 3-1 (box score here).

-Gene was later employed for 21 years as a district manager at the Kerr-McGee Refining Company, an Oklahoma company that was the largest offshore driller in the United States. He then retired to Grandbury, TX.

#480 Joel Horlen

Is it just me, or does Joel Horlen look like Orel Hershiser in this photo? A little less nerdy, maybe.

Fun facts about Joel Horlen:

-A native of San Antonio, TX, Joel was a second-team All-American at Oklahoma State University, where he led the Cowboys to the College World Series in 1959 before signing with the White Sox.

-He earned the win in his big league debut (September 4, 1961) with four innings of shutout relief against the Twins. In the game, he wore a jersey with no number on the back, as it was the only spare road top available!

-Staked a claim to Chicago's starting rotation with an 11-7 record and a 3.27 ERA in 1963.

-Horlen took a leap forward in 1964, leading the American League with an 0.93 WHIP and 6.1 hits allowed per 9 innings. His 1.88 ERA trailed only Dean Chance of the Angels, yet he had only a 13-9 record to show for his efforts as the Pale Hose bats produced only 2.84 runs per start for him.

-Low earned run averages and disappointing win-loss records were the theme from 1964-1968. In that five-year span, Joel had a miniscule mark of 2.32 and a WHIP of 1.06 but his record was an underwhelming 67-56.

-His standout season was 1967, when he got a bit more support and started 8-0 en route to a 19-7 record and league-leading marks in ERA (2.06), shutouts (6), and WHIP (0.95). He made his only All-Star team but finished a distant second in Cy Young voting to Jim Lonborg, whose 22-9 record and 246 strikeouts for the pennant-winning Red Sox obscured an inferior 3.16 ERA.

-Also of note that year was Joel's September 10, 1967 no-hitter against the Tigers. Only a third-inning walk of Bill Freehan and a fifth-inning error by Ken Boyer kept him from perfection.

-Though he lost some effectiveness as the 1970s dawned, it is worth noting that the White Sox did not release him until the spring of 1972, two weeks after the players had voted unanimously for a labor strike. Horlen had been the team's representative in the players' union.

-He finished his major league career with a 3.00 ERA in 32 games (26 in relief) for the 1972 World Champion Athletics. He spent a brief stint with Cleveland's AA team in his hometown of San Antonio the following year. In parts of 12 big league seasons, Joel was 116-117 with a 3.11 ERA.

-He's spent years coaching and scouting for the Giants organization, and is an avid golfer. He also briefly returned to the mound at age 52 with the St. Lucie Legends of the Senior Professional Baseball Association in 1989. There is an extensive interview with Horlen at White Sox Interactive.

#458 John Buzhardt

There's nothing like a good closeup to ruin the effect of pinstripes. This photo puts the seam where torso and sleeve meet on full display. Of course, pinstripes are best used in moderation. In the 1990s, every team and their mother was shoehorning pinstripes into their uniform designs. The monstrosities that Disney foisted upon the Angels still give me night terrors.

Fun facts about John Buzhardt:

-John was born in Prosperity, SC and signed with Cubs in 1954 out of high school.

-He made his major league debut in September 1958, pitching well in four relief appearances before beating the Dodgers in back-to-back starts. The 21-year-old allowed five hits in each start, twirling a complete game in the first and falling two outs shy of repeating the feat in the second. He finished 3-0 with a 1.85 ERA in six games.

-Batted only .135 (60-for-445) in his career, but singled off of Sandy Koufax for his first big-league hit.

-He pitched a gem on June 21, 1959, allowing only a second-inning walk to Wally Post and a third-inning single to Carl Sawatski and shutting out the Phillies 4-0. With Post erased via a double play, Buzhardt faced only one batter above the minimum.

-In January 1960, he was one of three players traded to the Phillies for Richie Ashburn. He did not pitch badly in his two seasons in Philadelphia (4.18 cumulative ERA), but the club was atrocious. Their total record was 116-202, and John was saddled with an 11-34 mark.

-On July 28, 1961, Buzhardt five-hit the Giants in the second game of a double header and the Phillies won 4-3. On August 20, he gritted out another complete-game win in the second half of a twinbill, beating the Braves 7-4. In between those two games, the Phils set a modern MLB record by losing 23 straight!

-His fortunes changed in November 1961 when he was traded to the White Sox. After a so-so first season with his new club, the righthander combined for 32 wins, 20 losses and a 2.84 ERA from 1963-1965.

-John slipped to 6-11 with a 3.83 ERA in 1966. Curiously, four of his six wins were shutouts.

-After being passed from Chicago to Baltimore to Houston throughout the second half of the 1967 season, he concluded his career with a 4-4 record, a 3.12 ERA, and 5 saves pitching mostly in relief for the Astros in 1968. Overall, he was 71-96 with a 3.66 ERA in parts of 11 seasons.

-Buzhardt returned home to Prosperity and eventually became a foreman for the Kodak Company. He died in June 2008 at age 71, several years after suffering a stroke.

#430 Gary Peters

This photo is taken at an interesting angle. With Gary Peters not looking directly at the camera, and the lens zoomed in far enough that you can't tell whether he's in a goofy pitching pose, it almost looks like it could be candid.

Fun facts about Gary Peters:

-Gary was born in Grove City, PA and briefly attended Grove City College before signing with the White Sox in 1956.

-Though he made his major league debut in 1959, Chicago brought him along slowly. He spent four seasons at AAA and totaled only 12 major league games pitched from 1959 through 1962.

-Finally arriving to the big leagues for good in 1963, 26-year-old Gary declared his intentions with a league-leading 2.33 ERA. His 19-8 record (including an 11-game win streak) was the best on a 94-win White Sox club, and he completed 13 games and allowed only nine home runs in 243 innings. He captured American League Rookie of the Year honors and finished eighth in MVP balloting.

-His first All-Star nod came in 1964, when he went 20-8 to lead the A.L. in wins. His 2.50 ERA was nothing to sneeze at, and he paced the Pale Hose with 205 strikeouts. He also had a seventh-place finish in MVP voting as his team improved to 98 wins.

-In 1966, he collected a second A.L. ERA crown with a miniscule 1.98 mark. His 0.98 WHIP was also the best on the junior circuit, but a combination of injuries (he was limited to 27 starts) and poor run support left his record at a so-so 12-10.

-1967 was the last great season for Gary, as he struck out a career-high 215 batters and compiled a 16-11 record with a 2.28 ERA. His 6.5 hits per 9 innings was the lowest rate in the league, and he was an All-Star for the second time. He retired all nine batters that he faced in the Midsummer Classic, including strikeouts of Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Orlando Cepeda, and Dick Allen.

-In the last five seasons of his career, Peters failed to post an ERA lower than 3.76. He was still solid, though, with the best effort coming for the Red Sox in 1970 (16-11, 4.06 ERA, 10 CG).

-He had a reputation as a skilled hitter, totaling a .222 average with 19 homers and 102 RBI. In 1963 he batted .259 (21-for-81) and slugged .444 with 3 homers and 12 RBI. On May 26, 1968, manager Eddie Stanky actually batted him sixth for his start against the Yankees! Unfortunately Gary went 0-for-2 at the plate and was knocked out of the game in the fourth inning.

-More offensive feats from Peters: he hit home runs in nine consecutive seasons - every year that he was a full-time starter. He was often called upon to pinch hit, and socked four pinch homers in his career - including a walkoff two-run shot in the bottom of the 13th against Kansas City's Wes Stock on July 19, 1964!

-He retired after pitching out of the bullpen for Boston in 1972. In parts of 14 seasons (10 full), he was 124-103 with a 3.25 ERA.

#368 White Sox Rookie Stars: Ken Berry and Joel Gibson

Wow, believe it or not, it's been three months since the last Rookie Stars card was featured on this blog! This may not be one of the more high-profile rookie cards in the set, but I guarantee that you'll learn something interesting about Ken and Joel by the end of this post.*

*=Not a guarantee.

Fun facts about Ken Berry:

-A Kansas Citian by birth, Ken attended Wichita State University before signing with the White Sox in 1961.

-He debuted in Chicago at age 21, receiving cups of coffee in 1962, 1963, and 1964.

-In his first full season in the majors (1965), he became the Sox' starting center fielder. Although he hit only .218, he swatted a career-high 12 home runs.

-Berry made the All-Star team in 1967, likely on the strength of his 20-game hitting streak that stretched from late May through mid-June.

-He was regarded as an excellent defensive center fielder, and won Gold Gloves in 1970 and 1972. He led the American League in fielding percentage four times in a five-year span, twice turning in errorless seasons. Most people take that statistic with a grain of salt, but Ken also performed well in more advanced defensive measures like range factor and total zone runs. He had a strong arm as well, and led the A.L. with 13 outfield assists in 1972.

-Following a November 1970 trade, he spent three seasons with the Angels. In 1972 he hit a personal-best .289 in addition to winning his second Gold Glove.

-Ken finished his career with a year of part-time duty in Milwaukee and a few months in Cleveland, retiring in 1975 with a career batting average of .255 in parts of 14 seasons. He totaled 58 home runs and 343 RBI.

-He founded the Ken Berry League in Topeka, KS, a Little League baseball and softball organization.

-In 1988, Ken served as a baseball consultant on the set of the film Eight Men Out, and had a bit part as a fan.

-Berry has managed in the Yankees, Royals, White Sox, Padres, and Mets organizations, and piloted Chicago's AA Birmingham Barons to the Southern League championship in 1989. That team included future major leaguers such as Robin Ventura, Wilson Alvarez, and Buddy Groom. He's also been a minor league coach for the Mets and Brewers.

Fun facts about Joel Gibson:

-This is going to be a short one, as Joel never did make it to the big leagues.

-Joel was born in Gastonia, NC, and was signed by the Phillies in 1961 after attending Wilmington (NC) College and North Carolina State.

-His best year in the minors was 1962, when he went 12-11 with a 2.91 ERA, 186 strikeouts, and 12 complete games. He split the year between class A Williamsport and AAA Buffalo, and was 7-3 with a 2.54 ERA for Williamsport.

-The following year, Gibson had been touted for the fourth slot in the Phillies' major-league rotation until a one-car accident in January 1963 sidelined him with a compound fracture in his left arm.

-The White Sox acquired him in late 1964 in a trade that sent Rudy May to the Phils, and intended to keep him on the major league roster. Sadly, he suffered a broken bone in his right wrist as a result of a line drive by catcher J.C. Martin.

-Joel pitched in just 22 games over two seasons for their AA Lynchburg and AAA Indianapolis clubs. He balked when Chicago tried to demote him and move him to the bullpen. His career was over in 1966, at which time he was only 26 years old.

-In five minor league seasons Joel was 33-30 with a 3.75 ERA.

-After baseball, Gibson went to work for Piedmont Airlines in North Carolina and also took up golf.

#345 Floyd Robinson

I don't know what it is, but I enjoy being able to see a player's name on the back of his jersey on older cards. You can also see his jersey number 3 on the sleeve (these were known as "TV numbers", as they were for the benefit of fans watching at home).

Fun facts about Floyd Robinson:

-Born in Prescott, AR, Floyd attended high school in San Diego, after which he signed with the Pacific Coast League's Padres club in 1954.

-The Indians acquired him in 1957, but sent him to the White Sox prior to the 1960 season. He debuted with Chicago that August, hitting .283 in 22 games.

-The 25-year-old became the ChiSox' starting right fielder in 1961 and finished third in A.L. Rookie of the Year voting on the strength of a team-leading .310 average. He also showed some pop with 20 doubles, seven triples, and 11 home runs.

-1962 was a career year for Floyd. He led the league with 45 doubles and paced his team with ten triples, 109 RBI, and a .312 average. He also landed in the top ten of the MVP vote.

-On July 22, 1962, he had the rare distinction of going 6-for-6 in a nine-inning game, a 7-3 victory over Boston. Incredibly, he scored only one run and had one RBI; all six hits were singles.

-Robinson remained productive for the Pale Hose over the next three seasons, batting .282 and averaging 13 homers, 65 RBI, and 69 walks.

-After his average dipped to .237 in 1966 (more troubling was his .325 slugging percentage), he was traded to the Reds for pitcher Jim O'Toole.

-He continued to flounder in his lone season in Cincinnati, and fared no better in 1968 in Oakland and then Boston, and that was all she wrote. In parts of nine seasons, he hit .283 with 36 triples, 67 home runs, and 426 RBI. His on-base percentage was a solid .365.

-Floyd's last home run was a pinch-hit job on April 16, 1968. The two-run clout gave the A's a 4-3 lead over the Yankees in the ninth inning, and they won by that margin.

-His cousin was a fellow major league outfielder of the era, Tommie Reynolds.

#328 Eddie Fisher

This Eddie Fisher is not to be confused with the 1950s and 1960s entertainer who was married to Debbie Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor, and Connie Stevens. Though I'm sure he tried to convince those ladies at various times that he was their husband, though. It's worth a shot.

Fun facts about Eddie Fisher:

-A native of Shreveport, LA, Eddie graduated from the University of Oklahoma and signed with the Giants in 1958.

-He debuted with San Francisco in his second pro season, but appeared in only 35 major league games in three seasons before being traded to the White Sox.

-His first full season was a success, as he started 12 games for Chicago, relieved in 45 others, and went 9-5 with five saves and a 3.10 ERA in 1962.

-From 1963-1966, he was bullpen-mates with the ageless Hoyt Wilhelm, who helped him to refine his own knuckleball.

-He was an All-Star in 1965, when he led the American League with 82 appearances (all in relief), 60 games finished, and a 0.98 WHIP. He also went 15-7 with 24 saves and a 2.40 ERA. He was tabbed as the Fireman of the Year.

-Fisher led the league in appearances for a second straight year in 1966, when he combined for 67 games pitched for the White Sox and Orioles. Following a midseason trade to Baltimore, he was instrumental in the pennant drive with five wins, 13 saves, and a 2.64 ERA.

-Eddie spent one more year in Baltimore before making a stop in Cleveland (2.85 ERA, 1.09 WHIP) followed by a successful three-plus-year stint with the Angels (21-19, 3.22 ERA, 17 saves).

-In his second appearance in his final season, the 36-year-old got a rare start and an even rarer complete game victory, topping the Rangers 10-5.

-After a return engagement with the Pale Hose, he finished his career in 1973 with the Cardinals. In parts of 15 seasons he was 85-70 with 81 saves and a 3.41 ERA.

-Eddie had a productive second career in finance and business as owner of his own sporting goods store in Oklahoma and president of First Federal Savings and Loan.

#253 Danny Cater

I see the name Danny Cater and I think of cartoon critter Wally Gator. "See you later, Danny Cater!" Hmm...it's a good thing John Sterling wasn't around to deliver home run calls for him.

Fun facts about Danny Cater:

-Hailing from Austin, TX, Danny signed with the Phillies in 1958 fresh out of high school.

-He was named the Appalachian League MVP in his first pro season, as he hit .345 and slugged .586 with Johnson City.

-Hit for average and power at each minor league stop, and made the big league club in 1964. He made only 160 trips to the plate in 60 games, but did hit .296 with 45 runs scored.

-Traded to the White Sox, Danny was a starter in his sophomore season and hit .270 with a career-best 14 home runs.

-He was dealt again the following year, going to the Athletics in a midseason deal. He spent three-plus seasons with that club, including a memorable 1968 campaign in which he finished second in the American League with a .290 average. It was a notoriously poor year for hitters, as the entire A.L. hit .230 overall and only batting champ Carl Yastrzemski (.301) topped .300.

-Speaking of batting average, pitcher and author Jim Bouton claimed in Ball Four that Cater had the ability to figure out his "on his way down to first base".

-Danny followed his stint in Oakland with two years in the Bronx, hitting a career-best .301 with 76 RBI for the 1970 Yankee squad that finished runner-up to the A.L. East champion Orioles.

-Traded to Boston for pitcher Sparky Lyle in a deal that had major benefits for the Yankees, Cater was just a part-time player for the Red Sox for three seasons before winding down his career with a 22-game swing through St. Louis in 1975.

-In addition to a pair of five-hit games, he totaled four hits in a game eighteen times. On August 12, 1973, the 33-year-old infielder went 4-5 with a double, a homer, four runs scored, and four RBI in a 14-8 victory over the Angels.

-For his 12-year career, he hit .276 with minimal power (.377 slugging percentage), totaling 66 home runs and 519 RBI.

#382 J.C. Martin

Today we move on to the next transaction, which was conducted almost a year ago - I will catch up eventually - with reader Michael F. He sent the slabbed Steve Blass card that I recently referenced, as well as a bunch of the gold embossed inserts that Topps released in 1965 and this J.C. Martin card and asked for nothing in return. Thanks so much, Michael!

Fun facts about J.C. Martin:

-J.C. called Axton, VA home. He signed his first pro contract with the White Sox in 1956.

-Made his major league debut in 1959 at age 22, and received cups of coffee that year and the following season as well.

-As a corner infielder, made the Topps All-Star Rookie Team in 1961. However, he hit only .230 with five home runs and 32 RBI.

-After spending most of 1962 in the minors to convert to catcher, he returned to the majors in 1963 and flirted with the Mendoza line for the next two years.

-Had a career year in 1965, batting .261. He also set a dubious record (since broken) by allowing 33 passed balls, thanks in large part to Chicago's knuckleballing duo of Eddie Fisher and Hoyt Wilhelm.

-Caught Joe Horlen's no-hitter against the Tigers on September 10, 1967.

-Was relegated to backup duty during a two-year stint with the Mets (1968-1969), but figured prominently in their postseason run in 1969. Provided insurance with a pinch-hit two-run single in New York's Game One win in the NLCS.

-His second big at-bat in the 1969 postseason gets its own bullet point. In the bottom of the tenth inning of Game Four of the World Series, he bunted and reached safely when Oriole pitcher Pete Richert's errant throw hit him in the arm. Rod Gaspar scored the winning run on the play; although replays showed that Martin was running inside the baseline and should have been called out for interference, the umpires claimed that he did not intentionally interfere. As an O's fan, I'd love to know how they divined his intentions.

-Ended his career with a three-year turn as a Cubs reserve; retired after the team released him in the spring of 1973. For his career, he hit .222 with 32 home runs and 230 RBI in parts of 14 seasons.

-Coached for the Cubs in 1974 and broadcast White Sox games on WSNS alongside Harry Caray in 1975.

#9 1964 AL Wins Leaders: Chance, Peters, Bunker, Pizarro, and Wickersham

Happy Thanksgiving, folks! I'm thankful for this nifty card, one of a couple dozen that I received in a trade from Steve, a diehard Cubs fan who has a blog of his very own. Give it a look, why not?

The labeling on this card is pretty murky. On the front it just says, "Pitching Leaders". Way to narrow it down, Topps. The back gives the more specific (and delightfully quirky) "Victory Leaders". These men are victors! They exult in the lamentations of their conquered foes' women! Huzzah!

Whereas some of the league leaders cards feature multiple Hall of Famers in one fell swoop, not one of the five men pictured here has gotten the call to Cooperstown. Of the quintet, Juan Pizarro was the winningest over the course of his career with 131 W's. But in 1964, they were five of the finest pitchers in the American League. Let's break it down.

Dean Chance was the standard bearer with 20 wins and nine losses, as well as a miniscule 1.65 ERA. He was the runaway Cy Young Award winner, back when there was just one winner for all of MLB. Tying him in the win department was Gary Peters of the White Sox, who was followed closely by teammate Pizarro with 19. Also clocking in with one win for each of his 19 years was Rookie of the Year runner-up Wally Bunker, who's giving a Brady Bunch-esque sideways glance to Juan. Then there's Dave Wickersham, who also fell a game short of the big 2-0. Dave never topped a dozen wins in any other season, incidentally.

I love the detail that they put into the leaderboards in this set. Assuming that I can count this late at night, the top 54 winners in the A.L. are listed here. This may very well be the only time that Bob Heffner and John O'Donoghue were ever mentioned in the same space as Robin Roberts and Mickey Lolich. You'll also notice the misspelling of Jim Kaat's last name as "Katt", which recurs on his own card. No respect.

#313 Jimmie Schaffer

Do you remember when Ken Griffey, Jr. started wearing his baseball cap backwards in the early '90s and the guardians of the sport lost their minds? You really have to wonder what all of the fuss was about, especially since catchers had already been doing it for decades.

Fun facts about Jimmie Schaffer:

-Born in Limeport, PA, Jimmie signed with the Cardinals as a teenager in 1955.

-Finally got promoted to St. Louis in his seventh professional season, and singled in his first career at-bat against Chicago's Dick Ellsworth.

-Hit .255 as a rookie, and his 153 at-bats would prove to be a career high.

-After an offseason six-man trade sent him to the Cubs, Schaffer hit 7 of his 11 career home runs in 1963. He victimized his former team three times, and also went deep against Hall of Famer Warren Spahn!

-A broken hand in 1964 hastened the end of his time as a role player; he hit .205 and was traded across town to the White Sox the following winter.

-Jimmie saw action in only 55 games for four major league teams in the final four years of his career (1965-1968), hitting .154 for the White Sox, Mets, Phillies, and Reds.

-His 128 career hits are tied for ninth-most among players born on April 5. The top three are early 1900s Yankee Wid Conroy (1257), ex-Pirates 2nd baseman Rennie Stennett (1239), and former ChiSox teammate Ron Hansen (1007).

-In parts of eight big league seasons, he hit .223 with 11 home runs and 56 RBI. He would continue playing in the minors through the 1970 season.

-After spending 1970 as a player for Baltimore's AAA Rochester club, Jimmie became a manager in the Orioles' organization the following year. He led the Bluefield Orioles to a league championship. He stayed in the farm system through 1977, adding another championship to his resume with the 1973 Lodi Lions. Later, he would manage Texas' farm club in Tulsa (1979) and Baltimore's farm club in Hagerstown (1989).

-Coached in the majors for the Rangers (1978) and Royals (1980-1988), receiving a World Series ring for his work with the 1985 champs.

#234 Chicago White Sox Team Card

Did you miss me? I can't make promises, but I'll try not to fall ill or to get distracted by my sister's wedding and/or weeklong training courses in D.C. Luckily, the latter two events were one-time occasions, so I'm going to get back on the horse with this very colorful team card. Peep those black, white, and red stirrups! It looks like the White Sox were trying to lay claim to the Red Sox as well.

The Al Lopez-managed White Sox finished close, but no cigar in 1964. 98 wins and 64 losses was good for second place, a game shy of the American League Champion Yankees. The Pale Hose spent 39 days in first place while jousting with New York and Baltimore, but couldn't keep pace down the stretch. The faithful fans on the South Side of Chicago packed Comiskey Park 1,250,053 strong, good for the second-highest attendance in the A.L.

The Sox were a middling offensive team, placing sixth in the league with a .247 average and seventh with 642 runs (3.96 per game). However, their patience was a virtue, as they topped the loop with 562 walks. The big producer was third baseman Pete Ward (.282, 23 HR, 94 RBI), though shortstop Ron Hansen (.261, 20 HR, 68 RBI) and right fielder Floyd Robinson (.301, 11 HR, 59 RBI) also contributed to the attack.

Pitching was the driving force in Chicago's success, with the Pale Hose hurlers relying on control (league-best 401 walks allowed) in allowing an A.L.-low 501 runs (3.09 per game). The team ERA was 2.72, with All-Stars Gary Peters (20-8, 2.50 ERA) and Juan Pizarro (19-9, 2.56) comprising a fierce 1-2 punch in the starting rotation. Joe Horlen (13-9, 1.88) and John Buzhardt (10-8, 2.98) rounded out the top four. 41-year-old closer Hoyt Wilhelm baffled batters with his knuckleball (12-9, 1.99, 27 saves).

The 1964 season was the midpoint of a heartbreaking three-year run in which the White Sox average 95.6 wins a year, but earned three second-place finishes. After a World Series appearance in 1959, the former "Go-Go Sox" were unable to maintain momentum. They slid into irrelevance in the second half of the 1960s and would not reach the postseason again until 1983.

#215 Pete Ward

Check out the big, toothy smile on Pete Ward! Of course, back-to-back 20-homer seasons would put a pretty wide grin on my face, too.

Fun facts about Pete Ward:

-His father, Jim Ward, played in the National Hockey League for 12 years with two Montreal franchises.

-Pete was born in Montreal, and attended college at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR. (He would eventually become the first player from that school to play in the majors.) He signed with the Orioles in 1958.

-Hit .321 over five minor league seasons and led the International League with 34 doubles in 1962 to earn a late-season callup with Baltimore.

-After an offseason trade with the White Sox that involved two future Hall of Famers (Hoyt Wilhelm to Chicago and Luis Aparicio to Baltimore), Pete earned the starting third base job for his new team. He earned a runner-up finish in BBWAA Rookie of the Year voting behind teammate Gary Peters, putting up an impressive stat line of .295 with 34 doubles, 22 home runs, and 84 RBI. The Sporting News split with the baseball writers, tabbing Ward as their top rookie. The young infielder also garnered a ninth-place slot in the MVP voting, as the Pale Hose won 94 games.

-Was just as good in 1964, batting .282 with 23 home runs and 94 RBI. Chicago had another near-miss that year, improving to 98 wins but missing the pennant by a single game. Pete improved to sixth in the MVP balloting.

-Tragedy struck in 1965, as Ward injured his neck in a car accident and his productivity suffered. A back injury the following year further curtailed his playing time and production.

-Returned to play in 146 games in 1967, bouncing between first and third base and the corner outfield positions. He hit just .233 but was otherwise valuable, walking enough to draw a .334 on-base percentage and homering 18 times.

-Had a similar season in 1968, batting .216 but walking a career-high 76 times for a .354 OBP. Went deep 15 times, and drove in 50.

-Was reduced to a part-time role over his final two seasons (though he did hit .370 as a pinch hitter in 1969) and finished his career as a .254 hitter in parts of nine seasons. Hit 98 home runs with 427 RBI.

-Spent eight years as a minor league manager for the Yankees, White Sox, and Pirates, compiling a 562-529 record. Pete also was a coach for the Braves in 1978. He is a member of the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame, the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, and the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame.

#58 Fred Talbot

I was mildly surprised when I received this Fred Talbot card from Don. I've read Jim Bouton's Ball Four cover-to-cover twice, and I always pictured Talbot as being a more hirsute, gruff-looking kind of guy. You know, someone along the lines of Paul Shuey or Sparky Lyle. It hadn't even occurred to me that mustaches were verboten in baseball until Charlie Finley's 1970s A's. Sometimes your own perceptions run wild, you know?

Fun facts about Fred Talbot:

-Despite being born in Washington, D.C., Fred was fortunate enough not to be signed by the Senators. Instead, the White Sox inked him to his first pro contract in 1958.

-His first major league win was less than impressive. He relieved John Buzhardt in the first game of a June 7, 1964 doubleheader against the Tigers, allowed a run in one and two-thirds innings, and was the pitcher of record when Pete Ward's single restored the slim lead that he had given away. The Sox later put the game away with four late-inning tallies, but all Hoyt Wilhelm (3 IP, 3 K, 0 ER) got in relief of Talbot was a lousy save.

-His second big-league win came sixteen days later and was a bit more impressive. He manuevered his way around ten Boston baserunners to whitewash the Red Sox, 2-0.

-In January 1965, he was sent to Kansas City as part of a three-team trade that sent Rocky Colavito back to Cleveland. It ended up being a lousy trade for the Tribe, as they sent two young players named Tommie Agee and Tommy John to Chicago and got one more All-Star year out of Colavito before his decline.

-Tied with Rollie Sheldon for the A's team lead with 10 wins in 1965. At 59-103, the club was beyond lousy. Hawk Harrelson (66 RBI) was their leading run producer.

-Fred never could catch a break. While his earned run averages were below-average for his time, he wasn't a terrible pitcher (4.12 career ERA), yet he never once had a winning record. The closest he came was 1966, when he went 4-4 with the Athletics and 7-7 with the Yankees to earn a career-high 11 wins.

-Had a small part in an American-League-record-tying 29-inning doubleheader on August 29, 1967. The Red Sox won the first game in the standard nine, beating the host Yankees 2-1. In the bottom of the 20th inning of the nightcap, John Kennedy singled with one out and took second when Jim Bouton (more on him later) was hit by a pitch. Talbot pinch-ran for Bouton but was not needed for long; the next batter was Horace Clarke, who singled home Kennedy with the winning run!

-Had the honor of spending three months with ex-Yankee teammate Jim Bouton and the Seattle Pilots, and judging from the text of Bouton's Ball Four, could dish it out as well as he took it when it came to clubhouse ribbing. Thought Talbot was the victim of a fake paternity suit and a fake $5,000 prize, he got his revenge in smaller doses. For instance, once he found out that Bouton sent the fake prize telegram, he cut in front of him to take the last spot in an air-conditioned cab back to the hotel, shouting, "Take the next cab, you Communist." Bouton also suspected that Fred was the anonymous ex-teammate who reviewed Ball Four by opining that the writing would "gag a maggot".

-Hit two home runs while with the Pilots, doubling his career total. One of those Seattle longballs was a grand slam that won $27,000 for Mr. Donald Dubois of Gladstone, OR courtesy of the Pilots' Home Run for the Money promotion. This laid the groundwork for the aforementioned prank, in which Bouton sent a phony telegram from "Dubois" offering Talbot $5,000 of the prize as a sign of gratitude.

-Left baseball in 1970 with a lifetime record of 38-56 and went into construction. He's been retired since 1996 and lives in Falls Church, VA. I've been there. It's an unremarkable place, but they've got a Long John Silver's. Mmm.