#510 Ernie Banks

Back again so soon. Ed's dragging me to the finish line on this project, in this case spotting a pretty well-conditioned copy of this high-numbered Ernie Banks card at a hobby show for $20. It's the most I've paid yet, but I'd say it's worth the cost. Now the needs list is down to the Magnificent Seven!

Fun facts about Ernie Banks:

-Ernie was born in Dallas, TX and was signed by the Negro Leagues' Kansas City Monarchs in 1950. He had two stints with the club sandwiched around a tour in the Army, and signed with the Cubs in September 1953.

-The young shortstop jumped right to the major leagues, starting for Chicago in a September 17, 1953 loss to the Phillies. As the first black player in team history, he went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored, and batted .314 with a pair of homers in 10 games.

-Banks was runner-up to Wally Moon in 1954's N.L. Rookie of the Year voting. He played all 154 games for the Cubs, batting .275 with 19 home runs and 79 RBI. Only Hank Sauer (103 RBI) drove in more runs for the club.

-He broke out in 1955 with the first of 11 All-Star seasons, a third-place MVP finish, and a batting line of .295/.345/.596 with 44 homers and 117 RBI.

-Ernie had his greatest seasons back-to-back, winning the National League MVP honors in 1958 and 1959. In the former year, he batted a career-high .313 and led the Senior Circuit with 47 home runs (a record for shortstops at the time), 129 RBI, and a .614 slugging percentage. 1959 brought a .304/.374/.596 slash line, 45 homers, and a league-best 143 RBI.

-He won his one and only Gold Glove in 1960. The following season, the Cubs began transitioning him to first base, the position he played almost exclusively for the next decade.

-Banks played his entire 19-year career at Wrigley Field, where he was known as "Mr. Cub" and beloved for his production, leadership, and enthusiasm. Unfortunately, this also meant that he never got the opportunity to play in the postseason.

-He hit three home runs in one game four times in his career: August 4, 1955 (part of a 7-RBI outburst); September 14, 1957 (nightcap of a doubleheader - let's play two!); May 29, 1962 (4-for-5 with a double); and June 9, 1963 (two off of Sandy Koufax!).

-He retired in 1971 with a .274 average and an even .500 slugging percentage, as well as 512 home runs and 1,636 RBI. His total of 277 home runs as a shortstop was a record that stood for over two decades before being surpassed by Cal Ripken, Jr.

-Ernie was a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 1977, collecting 321 votes out of a possible 383 (83.8%). The 62 voters who didn't choose him should be given severe noogies. He's maintained a close relationship with the Cubs throughout the years, even spending a few years coaching at the end of his playing career. His #14 was retired in 1982, making him the first Cubbie to receive that honor, and in 2008 a statue in his likeness was dedicated outside of Wrigley Field.

#4 NL Home Run Leaders: Willie Mays, Billy Williams, Johnny Callison, Orlando Cepeda, and Jim Ray Hart

Wow, not only is this a crowded league leaders card, it's also continuing a very Giants-centric week here on the ol' blog. Ed picked up this card for me a few weeks back, and as you can see if you scroll down, I'm dealing with a little paper loss on the back. So I'll be looking to upgrade sooner rather than later.

In 1964, Willie Mays continued his display of sustained excellence by clouting 47 home runs, thereby winning his third of four career National League crowns. The 33-year-old Giant had won his first homer title a full decade earlier, going deep 51 times in 1955. He would surpass that previous career high in 1965, leading the Senior Circuit one last time with 52 big flies. He retired in 1973 with 660 home runs, then the third-highest total in history. He was of course bumped down to fourth by the current home run king, his godson Barry Bonds.

Sweet Swingin' Billy Williams was a distant runner-up with 33 round-trippers, a new career high for the 26-year-old Cub. It was the fourth in an impressive string of 13 consecutive 20-homer seasons for Williams. He never captured a home run title, but peaked with 42 homers in 1970. He collected 426 four-baggers in an 18-year career.

The three-man logjam on the bottom row of this card represents a three-way tie for third in homers in the National League. Johnny Callison's 31 dingers were one shy of the career high he'd establish in 1965; he never even hit 20 afterward, but wrapped up his career in 1973 with 226 total. For Orlando Cepeda, 31 was actually his lowest HR output since 1960. However, he also missed 20 games early in the season. He peaked at a league-leading 46 in 1961 and wound up with 379 in a Hall of Fame career. Jim Ray Hart's 31 longballs were the first 31 of his career, earning him a second-place Rookie of the Year finish. He topped out at 33 in 1966, but his prime was short; he played 1,125 games lifetime and accumulated 170 homers.

If you could see the card back, you'd find the top 24 power hitters of 1964 in the N.L., all the way down to Willie McCovey with 18. The grand slam rundown is also provided, with only Bob Aspromonte and league MVP Ken Boyer hitting two grannies. The two most surprising names on the list (in my opinion) are Charlie Smith with 20 HR, and Billy Cowan with 19.

#354 Cubs Rookie Stars: Billy Ott and Jack Warner

Wow, this is another one of those two-player rookie cards in which one player looks old enough to be the other's father. For your information, the baby-faced Billy Ott was actually 23 in 1964, when this photo was likely taken. Warner, who looks a little more world-weary, was also 23 at that time, and is only 4 months older than Ott.

Fun facts about Billy Ott:

-A native of New York City, Billy attended St. John's University before signing with the Cubs in 1960.

-He got off to a fast start in the minors, hitting .307 for Class C St. Cloud in 1961 and jumping to AA San Antonio the following year. There, he hit .281 and slugged .521, with 33 doubles, 23 home runs, and 88 RBI.

-Chicago made Ott a September callup in 1962. Just 21 years old, he appeared in 12 games as a pinch hitter and right fielder. He struggled in 30 trips to the plate, managing 4 hits and 2 walks for a .143 average and .200 on-base percentage.

-Billy did hit his first and only big league homer on September 17, 1962, a seventh-inning solo shot against Ray Washburn of the Cardinals.

-His bat went cold after being promoted to AAA Salt Lake City in 1963. He batted .234/.326/.331 for the season, and improved only marginally to .249/.359/.371 the next year.

-Despite his subpar numbers at AAA, the Cubs promoted Billy to the big leagues again in June 1964. He stayed for a month, appearing in 20 games and batting .179 with a single RBI in 39 at-bats.

-Ott got a rare start on June 21, 1964, and celebrated by singling and doubling in four trips to the plate against hard-throwing Bob Veale of the Pirates. He scored both Cubs runs in a 2-1 victory; it was the only multi-hit game of his career.

-The Orioles acquired him prior to the 1965 season. He played 88 games for AAA Rochester, hitting .264 with 2 home runs. It was his final season as a pro.

-In parts of 2 big league seasons, Billy hit .164 with a home run and 3 RBI.

-Had a post-baseball career as a police officer and professional locksmith back in New York City.

Fun facts about Jack Warner:

-Jack was born in Brandywine, WV. He attended high school in Alliance, OH, then signed with the Cubs in 1958.

-He made Chicago's Opening Day roster in 1962, in his fifth professional season. His big league career started with five straight scoreless relief appearances, but he allowed seven runs total in his next two outings and was sent back to the minors with a 7.71 ERA in seven innings.

-Warner fared better in a few cups of coffee at the major league level in 1963, posting a 2.78 ERA in 8 appearances totaling 22.2 innings.

-He was saddled with a tough loss on July 21, 1963. He entered a Cubs-Pirates game in the bottom of the eleventh inning in relief of Jim Brewer, who had allowed back-to-back one-out singles. Jack wriggled out of the jam by striking out Donn Clendenon and inducing a popup off the bat of Bob Bailey. He kept Pittsburgh off the scoreboard with perfect frames in the twelfth and thirteenth innings, and even singled against Don Cardwell in the top of the fourteenth for his only big league hit. But he was stranded at first base, and the Bucs finally solved him in the bottom of the fourteenth with three singles to win the game.

-Jack kept riding the Salt Lake City-to-Wrigley Field shuttle in 1964, allowing three earned runs in nine and one-third innings of big league work (2.89 ERA). He was up with the Cubs in late May, again in mid-June, and once more in September.

-Though he spent most of the first half of the 1965 season with the Cubbies, Warner was used sparingly and with terrible results. He allowed runs in 8 of his 11 appearances, leaving him with an 8.62 ERA in 15.2 innings. The Cubs shipped him out at the end of June, and he caught on with the Mets' AAA Buffalo squad for the rest of the season.

-He spent one more year at AAA, splitting time with Seattle and Phoenix before hanging up his spikes at age 25. In parts of 9 minor league seasons, he was 51-30 with a 3.21 ERA.

-In parts of 4 seasons with the Cubs, Jack was 0-2 with a 5.10 ERA.

#457 Bob Kennedy

Housekeeping Update: This is probably the last update before July 4, as I'm going on a much-anticipated vacation. Enjoy the holiday!

Ah, it's been a while since we've had a truly well-worn card to enjoy. The condition of this card also complements the weary, befuddled expression on Bob Kennedy's face. It's as if he's saying, "What's this 'head coach' malarkey?"

Fun facts about Bob Kennedy:

-Bob signed with his hometown Chicago White Sox in 1937, when he was only 16! Previously he had worked as a vendor at Comiskey Park.

-After a 3-game taste of the majors in 1939, the 19-year-old third baseman played 154 games with the Pale Hose in 1940, making him the first teenager in 40 years to top 150 games in a season. He hit .252 with 74 runs scored and 52 driven in, but slugged only .315.

-During World War II, he served first in Naval Aviation, and later in the Marines.

-In June 1948, Kennedy was traded to the Indians, and hit .301 in limited duty for the duration of the season. There are no specific pinch-hit stats available for that season, but we do know that he hit .395 (17-for-43) as a sub. He appeared in three World Series games, collecting an RBI single in one of his two at-bats as Cleveland won their last championship to date.

-In an expanded role in 1949 and 1950, he hit a cumulative .284 with 50 doubles, 10 triples, 18 home runs, and 111 RBI in 267 games with the Indians.

-He spent most of the 1954 season with the Orioles, who had just moved east from St. Louis. On July 30, his grand slam off of Yankee hurler Allie Reynolds was the first bases-loaded homer for any Oriole.

-Bob also played for the Tigers and Dodgers, and retired in 1957 with a .254 career average, 63 home runs, and 514 RBI in parts of 16 seasons.

-About that "Head Coach" thing: after the Cubs lost 94 games in 1960, owner Phillip K. Wrigley decided to institute a "College of Coaches" in place of a traditional manager. Basically, a small group of coaches from within the organization would rotate in the manager's position with the major league club, ensuring that there was a uniformity of instruction from the minors to the majors. I'm sure you predict a few problems. Players complained that each manager shuffled player roles as he saw fit, and the results were certainly poor: the Cubbies lost 90 games under four coaches in 1961, and plummeted to 103 losses the following year with three men sharing the helm. Kennedy was hired as the man at the top in 1963, but was still saddled with the title of "Head Coach". He oversaw a big improvement to 82-80 that year, though it was still only good for seventh place in the National League. Chicago slipped to 76-86 in 1964, and the Head Coach was cashiered early the next season with a 24-32 record. Leo Durocher was hired prior to the 1966 season, and unequivocably stated in his introductory press conference that his title would be "Manager". So that's that.

-Bob was hired as the Athletics' manager for their first year in Oakland in 1968, and again steered a significant turnaround, from 62-99 to 82-80. Seeking a contract extension at the end of his first season in charge of the A's, he was instead fired by fickle owner Charles O. Finley. He never managed again, but held front office jobs with the Cardinals (Director of Player Development and then Assistant GM), Cubs (GM), Astros (Assistant GM), and Giants (Assistant GM). He passed away in 2005 at the age of 84.

-A pair of his sons played pro ball. Bob Jr. was a seventh-round pick of the Cardinals in 1971, and never reached beyond Class A in five seasons. He later spent a decade scouting for the Mariners, Cubs, and Astros. Terry was also a Cards' draft pick, taken sixth overall in the first round in 1977. He was a catcher for 14 years in the majors with St. Louis, San Diego, Baltimore, and San Francisco. He was a four-time All-Star with a .264 average and 113 career home runs. He has managed in the minors for 11 seasons, and is currently the skipper for San Diego's AAA Tucson club.

#10 NL Pitching Leaders: Larry Jackson, Juan Marichal, and Ray Sadecki

We're starting this week with a couple of cards that I got from Ed, the only reader of this blog who has hand-delivered cards to my front door. Talk about service!

For some reason, Topps always used to label the league leaders in wins as "pitching leaders". Seems needlessly vague. In this case, the winningest pitcher in the National League, and in all of the major leagues, was righthanded veteran Larry Jackson of the Cubs. He posted a 24-11 record for a Chicago team that won just 76 games all season, making him responsible for nearly a third of all of their victories. But it wasn't enough to earn him the Cy Young Award; only one trophy was given out for the entire MLB in 1964, and it went to Dean Chance of the Angels. The young Los Angeles pitcher was 20-9 with a 1.65 ERA that was nearly half of Jackson's 3.14 mark. I'm sure it didn't put much of a damper on a career year for the Cubbie ace, whose second-highest win total in a 14-year career was 18. He finished strong in 1964, reeling off 9 straight W's from August 22 through September 27 to boost his record from 14-10 to 23-10 before splitting his final two decisions of the year. He might have had an even better season if he didn't call breezy Wrigley Field home: Larry was 10-6 with a 3.83 ERA at home and 14-5 with a 2.55 mark on the road. A little run support never hurts, either. The Cubbies scored 6 runs or more in 11 of Jackson's starts in 1964, and he had 10 wins and a single no-decision in those games. He also won the games he was expected to, posting an overall 9-0 mark against the young Colt .45s and Mets.

The runner-up in 1964 was another right-hander, but that's where the similarities end. Juan Marichal was 21-8 that year for the Giants, one of six times that he topped 20 wins in a season. He had topped the loop with 25 W's in 1963, and would do it again with 26 in 1968. He posted a sparkling 2.48 ERA and led the league with 22 complete games, yet got no votes for Cy Young. If that happened today, we'd never hear the end of it! He averaged 8.75 innings pitched per start in September and October, going 8 strong innings in the only game he did not finish. (There was also an 8-inning CG road loss.) He only made one start in August, which held down his win total, but came back with that great September/October (6-2, 2.19 ERA). He was a Colt and Dodger killer, winning four apiece against those two clubs.

Cardinals southpaw Ray Sadecki was already in his fifth big league season in 1964 when he went 20-11 with a 3.68 ERA at age 23. He would hang around for 13 more, but never had more than a dozen victories in any subsequent season. He had the dubious honor of leading the N.L. with 18 losses for a second-place Giants squad in 1968, and was a swingman and eventually a full-time reliever as his career progressed. Coincidentally, Ray won exactly four games in every month of the 1964 campaign except for April, when he lost his only start. He did the most damage against the Phillies, with a 4-1 record and a 1.91 ERA in four starts against Gene Mauch's men. Sadecki added a 21st win in Game 1 of the World Series, allowing four Yankee runs in six innings and benefiting from a St. Louis offense that hit Whitey Ford even harder.

The expanded leaderboard on the back gives a full rundown all the way down to seven wins. You'll notice that three Hall of Famers (Jim Bunning, Bob Gibson, and Sandy Koufax) just missed the big 2-0, with Tony Cloninger joining them as an oddball. Every team had at least a single 15-game winner with the exception of (who else?) the Mets, whose top W-man was Al Jackson with his gaudy 11-16 mark. Notably absent is Warren Spahn, who went 6-13 with an ugly 5.29 ERA at age 43. It was his last season with the Braves, and the first since 1946 (when he went 8-5 in 24 gamesin which he failed to post at least 14 victories. But we'll deal more with him later.

#402 Joe Amalfitano

I know I'm the guy who's supposed to provide the facts around here, but I find myself wondering what the inscription "A102" on Joe Amalfitano's bat means. Anyone?

Fun facts about Joe Amalfitano:

-Joe was born in San Pedro, CA and attended Loyola Marymount University before signing with the Giants for a $40,000 bonus in 1954.

-At age 20, he found himself on the big league roster due to the bonus baby rules. He went hitless in five at-bats, but still received a full share of bonus money when New York won the World Series that fall.

-After seeing action in 36 games in 1955, he was finally eligible to be sent to the minors. He hit for high averages over the next four years, and returned to the Giants in 1960.

-Amalfitano played regularly for San Francisco in 1960, seeing time at second and third base. He hit a career-high .277 in 106 games, with a home run and 27 RBI.

-On April 30, 1961, he was indirectly involved in a rare feat. The infielder did not play that day, but teammate Willie Mays borrowed one of his bats and used it to hit four homers and drive in eight runs against the Braves!

-With increased playing time for the Giants in 1961 and Houston in 1962, his offensive production slipped.

-He hit only nine career home runs, but his solo shot off of Roger Craig on May 17, 1963 gave the Giants a 4-3 walkoff victory over the Mets in 11 innings. It capped a day in which he went 3-for-4 with a walk.

-Joey joined the Cubs in 1964 and had his best all-around year. Despite hitting only .241, he drew 40 walks to boost his on-base percentage to .331 and his OPS+ to a near-average 96. (The N.L. averages that year were .254 batting and .311 OBP.) He had career highs of 19 doubles, 6 triples, 4 home runs, and 27 RBI, and led the National League in range factor per nine innings at second base.

-Chicago released him in mid-1967, bringing an end to his playing career. In parts of 10 seasons he batted .244 with 9 homers and 123 RBI.

-Joey is still active in baseball nearly sixty years after his debut with the Giants. He coached for the Cubs, Giants, and Padres in the decade following his retirement, and then managed the Cubs on an interim basis for the last week of the 1979 season. Preston Gomez was hired to the post in the offseason, but Amalfitano replaced him in midseason. He helmed the team through the rest of 1980 and 1981, but was fired after running up a 66-116 record. He spent the following season coaching the Reds, and then was hired as Tommy Lasorda's third base coach for the Dodgers, a post he held from 1983-1998. Since then, he's worked for the Dodgers and Giants in front office and instructional capacities.

#220 Billy Williams

Just like that, we're back to the Hall of Famers. As a younger(ish) baseball fan, Billy Williams seems to be a great player who's become overshadowed. Even on his own team, he was dwarfed by larger-than-life personalities like Ernie Banks and Ron Santo. Thoughts?

Fun facts about Billy Williams:

-A native of Whistler, AL, Billy was a teenager when he signed with the Cubs in 1956.

-He had brief trials in Chicago in 1959 and 1960 before earning the regular left field job in 1961. That year he became Rookie of the Year thanks to a .278 average, 25 home runs, and 86 RBI. More impressively, his 115 OPS+ would turn out to be the second-lowest of his long career.

-Williams earned his first All-Star nod in 1962, when he batted .298 and was second on the Cubs with 22 home runs and 91 RBI. He also led the team with 94 runs scored and 70 walks.

-He set a National League record by playing in 1,117 consecutive games between 1962 and 1971. Steve Garvey eventually surpassed his mark in 1983.

-Claimed another Senior Circuit record by hitting five home runs over the span of two games, Sept 8 and Sept 10, 1968. Remarkably, Leo Durocher replaced him in left field with Jose Arcia in the eighth inning of the latter game; it became moot, as Williams' spot in the batting order did not come up again before the end of the contest.

-In 1970, Billy led the National League with 137 runs scored and 205 hits. He batted .322 and set personal bests with 42 home runs and 139 RBI, but was a distant second to Johnny Bench in MVP voting.

-April 6, 1971 saw the Cubs and Cardinals put on an Opening Day classic. Fergie Jenkins and Bob Gibson dueled into the tenth inning with the score tied 1-1. In the bottom of the tenth, Williams won the game with a solo home run off of Gibson, one of ten career homers he hit off of the St. Louis ace.

-His greatest all-around year was 1972, when he topped the N.L. with a .333 average, .606 slugging percentage, and 348 total bases. He also clubbed 37 homers and drove in 122. Once again, Bench bested him in the MVP race, but by a closer margin (263 points to 211).

-Williams spent the final two years of his career as a designated hitter in Oakland, participating in the 1975 ALCS for his only postseason experience. He retired in 1976 with a .290 average, .361 on-base percentage, and .492 slugging. He totaled 426 home runs and 1,475 RBI.

-Billy coached for the Cubs (1980-1982, 1986-1987, 1992-2001) and Athletics (1983-1985). He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987, having to wait until his sixth year on the ballot to gain entry. The Cubs retired his #26 that same year.

#34 Cal Koonce

Not only can you make out the #34 on the back of Cal Koonce's jersey, but that's also the card number! I might be the only one who thinks that's neat, but it's my blog, so nyah.

Fun facts about Cal Koonce:

-Cal was born in Fayetteville, NC and attended nearby Campbell College (later to become a university). He signed with the Cubs in 1961.

-He was just 21 when he made Chicago's Opening Day roster in 1962. He allowed only one run in a complete game victory in his first start on April 22 vs. the Cardinals. The rookie pitched around nine St. Louis hits and four walks, with a bases-loaded walk to Stan Musial spoiling the shutout with two outs in the ninth inning.

-Koonce finished second on the staff in wins, going 10-10 with a 3.97 ERA despite 84 strikeouts and 86 walks.

-His next full big league season was 1965, when he started 23 games and relieved in 15 others for the Cubs. His record was 7-9 with a 3.69 ERA and a career-high 88 strikeouts.

-Beginning with the 1966 campaign, Cal was used primarily in relief. After being acquired by the Mets in mid-1967, he pitched his best ball, putting up a 2.80 ERA in 45 innings for the remainder of that season. The following year, he went 6-4 with a 2.42 ERA and his 11 saves were two less than Ron Taylor's team-leading total.

-Despite spending the entire 1969 season with the Mets, he had a down year, with a 4.99 ERA and 1.53 WHIP. New York did not call upon him once in the postseason en route to their first World Series win.

-Cal was dealt to Boston during the 1970 campaign, and retired after the Red Sox released him in August 1971. In parts of 10 seasons he was 47-49 with a 3.78 ERA and 24 saves.

-His younger brother Don was a minor league relief pitcher in the Mets, Braves, and Tigers organizations (1968-1974). Despite a 2.63 career ERA and a good deal of success at AAA, he never did reach the majors.

-He was inducted into the Campbell Sports Hall of Fame in 1987. Other honorees include Gaylord and Jim Perry, as well as Koonce's other brother Charles.

-Cal returned to Campbell University as head baseball coach from 1980-1986. He went on to become the first general manager of the South Atlantic League's Fayetteville Generals, who were a single-A affiliate of the Tigers from 1987-1996. Cal spent the last few years of his life battling lymphoma before succumbing to the disease in 1993 at age 52.

#27 Dick Bertell

Just to clarify, this is catcher Dick Bertell, not 1930s and 1940s shortstop Dick Bartell, a.k.a. "Rowdy Richard". In fact, this Dick looks quite pleasant and unassuming.

Fun facts about Dick Bertell:

-A native of Oak Park, IL, Dick attended Iowa State University before signing with the Cubs in 1957.

-In his fourth pro season, he received a September callup to Chicago. He debuted on September 22, 1960, driving in a run on a sacrifice fly in his first trip to the plate.

-In 1961, he split catching duties with Sammy Taylor and hit .273 with 33 RBI in 92 games. He also threw out 43.5% of attempted base stealers.

-On August 26, 1961, he led off the ninth inning with a game-tying home run against Pittsburgh fireman Roy Face, sparking a five-run rally that ensured a 7-3 Cubs road win.

-Dick batted a career-high .302 in 1962 while sharing the load behind the plate with Cuno Barragan and Moe Thacker (yes, I just wanted an excuse to drop the names of Cuno Barragan and Moe Thacker).

-He led the National League with a 60.8% caught stealing percentage in 1963, gunning down 45 of 74 would-be thieves!

-Bertell was traded to the Giants during the 1965 season and played sparingly behind starting catcher Tom Haller. He spent all of 1966 at AAA Phoenix.

-He was traded back to the Cubs in April 1967, but played in only two games before returning to the minors. Chicago released him a month later, ending his playing career.

-In parts of 7 seasons, Dick batted .250 with 10 home runs and 112 RBI. He had a 47.6% caught stealing rate for his career.

-He passed away at age 64 in 1999.

#186 Billy Cowan

Billy Cowan looks perplexed, like maybe he's troubled by the fact that his pinstripes don't match up at the shoulder seam.

Fun facts about Billy Cowan:

-A native of Calhoun City, MS, Billy briefly attended the University of Utah before signing with the Cubs in 1961.


-A year after totaling 35 homers, 122 RBI, and 27 steals and putting up a .307/.351/.612 line between Class B Wenatchee and AA San Antonio, he earned the 1963 Pacific Coast League MVP award with a .315 average, 40 doubles, 25 home runs, 120 RBI, and 31 steals at Salt Lake City.

-Cowan debuted with Chicago on September 9, 1963, delivering a pinch single against Curt Simmons in his first at-bat.

-The Cubs made him their starting center fielder in 1964. He flashed his power with 19 home runs and drove in 50, and led the club with a dozen steals. However, the rookie’s plate discipline was lacking; he walked 18 times and struck out 128 and batted .241 with a .268 on-base percentage.

-Billy was traded twice in 1965: a January swap sent him to the Mets for George Altman, and in August New York dealt him to the Braves. His performance was dismal: .180/.202/.301 with 3 homers and 9 RBI in 189 plate appearances. He was still swinging at everything, as evidenced by totals of 4 walks and 54 strikeouts.

-He spent the entirety of both the 1966 and 1968 seasons in the minors, as well as a portion of 1967. In between, he continued to scuffle in a 34-game stint with the Phillies.

-Cowan finally found his role as a part-timer with the Angels in 1969. After beginning the season with a disastrous tenure for the Yankees, he was sold to the Halos and batted .304 (17-for-56) with 4 home runs, 10 RBI, and 10 runs scored.

-His 12th-inning home run against Wilbur Wood on September 6, 1969 gave California a 2-1 walkoff win against the White Sox.

-Billy remained productive in 1970-1971, batting .276 in each season while getting most of his at-bats against left-handed pitchers (he was a righty).

-After appearing in three games, he was released by the Angels in May 1972, bringing his career to a close. In parts of eight seasons he hit .236 with 40 home runs and 125 RBI.

#386 Cubs Rookie Stars: Paul Jaeckel and Fred Norman

Sheesh, more rookies? I never realized there were so many of these cards in the 1965 Topps set. Neither of these guys look like they have started shaving.

Fun facts about Paul Jaeckel:

-Paul (referred to as "Jake" on Baseball Reference) was born in East Los Angeles and signed with the Cubs out of high school in 1960.

-In 1963, he posted a 15-9 record and a 3.11 ERA at class A Wenatchee.

-Despite struggling at AAA Salt Lake City in 1964 (10-18, 5.05 ERA, 129 K/125 BB), he received a September callup to the Cubs at age 22.

-On September 24, 1964, Jaeckel earned a win in his second big league game. He relieved starter Dick Ellsworth to begin the eighth inning with the Cubs trailing the Dodgers 3-1. The rookie allowed a single hit in two scoreless innings, though he made things interesting by throwing two wild pitches in the ninth before catcher Jimmie Schaffer picked Maury Wills off of third base. The Cubs picked up a run in the eighth and two more in the ninth, with Ron Santo's sacrifice fly scoring Jimmy Stewart to clinch the victory.

-A week later, Jake got his first career save in his next outing, another 4-3 win over L.A. This time, he bailed out starter Cal Koonce in the eighth inning. Koonce had allowed three straight singles, plating a run and bringing the go-ahead run to the plate. Jaeckel entered with nobody out and induced an RBI groundout that plated the third Dodger run. He retired the next two batters to quell the threat, then escaped a jam in the ninth. Leadoff hitter Tommy Davis had doubled, but was gunned out at third by catcher Vic Roznovsky. The young pitcher slammed the door on the home team by striking out Willie Crawford.

-His impressive major league stat line consisted of a win, a save, and a spotless ERA comprising four two-inning stints of scoreless relief.

-Jake never made it back to the major leagues, spending two more seasons in the Cubs farm system and an additional year split between the Cardinals and Angels' AA squads before hanging it up in 1967. His unimpressive minor league record was 49-70 with a 4.28 ERA.

Fun facts about Fred Norman:

-Fred hailed from San Antonio, TX and signed with the Athletics as a teenager in 1961.

-He debuted with the A's at age 20 in 1962. Although he spent portions of 5 seasons in the majors between 1962 and 1967, he totaled only 15 big league games pitched before the 1970 season.

-The Dodgers finally gave Fred an extended look in 1970, when he was 27 and in the midst of his tenth pro season. He put up a bloated 5.23 ERA in 62 innings, and was dispatched to St. Louis late in the year.

-The Cardinals dealt the southpaw to the Padres in June 1971, and he proved he belonged in the National League with a 3.32 ERA in 20 games (18 starts). Of course, you wouldn't be able to tell that by looking at his 3-12 record for the 100-loss Friars.

-Norman led San Diego with 6 shutouts in 1972 and went 9-11 with a 3.44 ERA. Remarkably, he allowed only 2 runs in 73 innings in his wins - a 0.25 ERA!

-On September 15, 1972, he struck out 15 Reds batters in a 1-0 victory. Every Cincy batter, including pinch hitters Julian Javier and Hal McRae, fanned at least once.

-A mid-1973 trade to the Reds allowed him to experience the joys of run support. Only 1-7 at the time of the deal, he went 12-6 in his 24 starts for Cincinnati. He would spend 6.5 seasons with the club, winning between 11 and 14 games each year (85-64 total) with an aggregate ERA of 3.43.

-Fred earned World Series rings with the Reds in 1975 and 1976, despite struggling in his Fall Classic appearances in both years. He did earn a win in Game Two of the 1975 NLCS by holding the Pirates to a single earned run in six innings.

-Loved to face: Chris Speier (.121/.239.207 - 7-for-58, 1 HR, 3 RBI). Hated to face: Bob Watson (.346/.386/.679 - 28-for-81, 6 2B, 7 HR, 18 RBI).

-He retired after spending the 1980 season in Montreal. In parts of 16 big league seasons, he was 104-103 with a 3.64 ERA and a 99 ERA+. You could say that he was almost perfectly average.

#565 Ernie Broglio

There are many fans who only know of Ernie Broglio because of "Brock for Broglio". Let's try to remedy that, right here and right now!

Fun facts about Ernie Broglio:

-A Berkeley, CA native, Ernie spent parts of three seasons with the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League, and ultimately signed with the Giants in early 1956.

-He had an impressive two-year record of 34-10 at AA and AAA before being traded to the Cardinals in October 1958.

-St. Louis brought him straight to the majors at age 23 in 1959. He struggled a bit, going 7-12 with a 4.72 ERA, but did toss three shutouts. One of these was a two-hit gem against Cincinnati on June 27 in which he retired the final 13 batters consecutively.

-Ernie had a phenomenal sophomore season, going 21-9 with a 2.74 ERA despite starting only 24 of his 52 games. He tied Warren Spahn for the National League lead in wins, and led in adjusted ERA+ (150) and fewest hits per nine innings (6.8). He finished a distant third in Cy Young voting behind winner Vern Law (20-9, 3.08 for the pennant-winning Pirates) and Spahn (21-10, 3.50) and was ninth in MVP voting.

-He won both ends of a double header on July 1, 1960 by permitting no earned runs in 2.1 total innings of relief. He entered the second game with the bases loaded and allowed an inherited runner to score by walking Alvin Dark, but retired the next batter to keep the game tied and benefited from a two-run Cardinals rally in the top of the ninth.

-Other notables in Ernie's 21-win season included a 1-hit, 14-strikeout masterpiece against the Cubs on July 15 and a 12-inning complete game win over the Pirates on August 11.

-After just managing to break even in 1961-1962, Broglio tied for the team lead in wins in 1963 by going 18-8 with a 2.99 ERA. He also reached career highs with five shutouts and 250 innings pitched.

-This is where we come to the trade. Remember that at the time of the deal (June 15, 1964), Ernie was still only 28 years old and had a career mark of 70-55 with a 3.43 ERA. Lou Brock was 25 and in two-plus seasons with the Cubs he had failed to realize his promise: .257/.306/.383 with 20 home runs, 86 RBI, and 50 steals in 327 games. How were the Cubs to know that their new pitcher would wash out of the league in three years, or that Brock would hang around for another 16 and amass over 3,000 hits and 900 steals in a Hall of Fame career?

-Unfortunately, the aforementioned deal (which was actually a three-for-three trade) did turn out poorly for Chicago. Broglio woke up in August with a stiff elbow and required surgery to repair ligament damage. In parts of three seasons he pitched just 59 games for the Cubs, going 7-19 with a 5.40 ERA. After spending the 1967 season in the minors with the Reds, he hung up his spikes.

-In parts of eight big league seasons he was 77-74 with a 3.74 ERA.

#528 George Altman

George sure looks like he worked up a sweat taking his hacks in batting practice.

Fun facts about George Altman:

-George was born in Goldsboro, NC and attended Tennessee State University before signing with the Cubs in 1955. He was the first player in Tigers history to make it to the majors, beating college teammate Fred Valentine by a few months.

-He missed all of 1957 and part of the 1958 season due to military service, but hit .325 at Class A Pueblo upon his return and made the Cubs' opening day roster in 1959 at age 26.

-"Big George" showed some pop early in his career, batting .245 with 12 homers as a rookie and improving to .266 with 13 homers the following year. He boosted his slugging percentage by 72 points from one season to the next. On the defensive side of things, he was also a gifted outfielder as a younger player.

-1961 was his breakout year. He made the first of two All-Star teams and led the National League with 12 triples. He also belted 27 home runs and paced the Cubs with 96 RBI and a .303 average.

-A few highlights from that 1961 season: On August 4, he became the first player to hit two home runs off of Sandy Koufax in the same game. In the first of that year's two All-Star games, he hit a pinch homer off of Mike Fornieles to give the N.L. a 3-1 lead in a game they won 5-4.

-George's power numbers dipped a bit in 1962 (22 HR, 74 RBI), but he boosted his average to .318 and ranked fourth in the league with a .393 on-base percentage. He even stole a team-high 19 bases while repeating as an All-Star.

-Traded to the Cardinals in a six-player deal, Altman had a disappointing 1963: .274 AVG, .740 OPS, 9 HR, 47 RBI in 135 games.

-After slipping further the next season with the Mets (.230 AVG, .594 OPS, 9 HR, 47 RBI in 125 G), he spent 1965-1967 back with the Cubs as a part-time player. Chicago demoted him to AAA Tacoma for much of the 1967 season, his last in American professional baseball. He then signed with the Lotte Orions of the Japanese League.

-George was rejuvenated in Japan, batting .309 with 205 homers in eight seasons with the Orions and Hanshin Tigers and retiring at age 42.

-In parts of nine MLB seasons, he was a .269 hitter with 101 home runs and 403 RBI.

#436 Don Elston

This is Don Elston's final baseball card. I'll give you a moment to compose yourselves. You can see half of Don's uniform number on his back; he wore #36 with the Cubs. According to Casey Ignarski's well-researched website, other notable Cubbies to wear that number included first baseman Eddie Waitkus and pitcher Robin Roberts.

Fun facts about Don Elston:

-Don was born in Camden, OH and signed with the Cubs in 1947.

-He made his major league debut at age 24, on September 17, 1953. Also playing in his first big league game for the Cubs that day was shortstop Ernie Banks.

-Elston was hit hard in two games in 1953, and did not resurface in the majors until 1957. By that time, he was with the Dodgers. After only one appearance for Brooklyn, he was reacquired by the Cubs. This time, Chicago kept him around for eight seasons.

-After fashioning a 3.56 ERA, a 6-7 record, and 8 saves in 39 games as a rookie, Don became the go-to guy out of the Cubs bullpen. "Everyday Elston" averaged 58 games pitched in his seven full seasons on the North Side, leading the National League in that category in 1958 and 1959.

-He was at his best in 1958, with a 9-8 record, 10 saves and a 2.88 ERA.

-An All-Star selection highlighted Don's 1959 season, when he had a 3.32 record and career highs of 10 wins and 13 saves. He earned the save in the first of that year's two All-Star games, pitching a scoreless ninth and stranding Nellie Fox as the tying run on second base.

-In 1962, he had a personal-best 2.44 ERA on a Cubs staff that had a cumulative mark of 4.54. He also led the team in saves for the fifth and final time.

-After a rough 1964 season (5.30 ERA, 1.87 WHIP), Chicago released Elston and he retired. In parts of nine seasons he was 49-54 with 63 saves and a 3.69 ERA.

-Don was a fast starter, sporting a career record of 29-20 with 42 saves and a 3.11 ERA in the first half. In the second half of seasons he was just 20-34 with 21 saves and a 4.25 ERA.

-He managed the Cubs' California League team, the Lodi Crushers, in 1966. He was let go before season's end with a 59-81 record. He stayed in Chicago after baseball, working in sales and remaining involved in charitable causes. In January 1995, he suffered a fatal heart attack at age 65.

#420 Larry Jackson

Is "Larry Jackson" the most ordinary name of any player in this set? Ron Reed, Charlie Smith, and Bob Miller, to name a few, would certainly give him a run for his money. But he certainly wasn't an ordinary man.

Fun facts about Larry Jackson:

-Born in Nampa, ID, Larry attended Boise State University and signed with the Cardinals in 1951.

-In 1952, he dominated the Class C California League with a 28-4 record for the Fresno Cardinals. He had a 2.85 ERA and struck out 351 batters in 300 innings to take home the league's MVP award.

-St. Louis took their time with Jackson, promoting him to the majors in 1955 at age 24. He did not become a full-time member of the starting rotation until his fifth season, but by then he was already a two-time All-Star.

-The aforementioned All-Star seasons were 1957 (15-9, 3.47 ERA) and 1958 (13-13, 3.68).

-His best season with the Cards was 1960, when he posted an 18-13 record and a 3.48 ERA and completed 14 of his league-leading 38 starts. He was also chosen to the All-Star team for a third time.

-Larry was traded to the Cubs for the 1963 season, and received a fourth All-Star nod as he compiled a career-best 2.55 ERA in spite of a 14-18 record for the seventh-place club.

-Jackson received credit for nearly one-third of the Cubs' 76 wins in 1964, leading the majors with 24 victories against just 11 losses. He completed 19 of 38 starts and his 3.14 ERA was the lowest on the team. He finished...second in Cy Young voting, as there was only one award given for all of MLB and it went to the Angels' Dean Chance (20-9, 1.65 ERA, 11 shutouts). Hardly seems fair.

-He had the rare and dubious distinction of losing 20 games a year after winning 20, as the Cubs slipped to 72 wins in 1965 and Larry's ERA jumped to 3.85, leaving him with a rocky 14-21 mark.

-Larry spent the following three seasons with the Phillies, doing some of his best work in his mid-30s (2.95 cumulative ERA). Following the 1968 season, he was drafted by the new Montreal club but chose to retire. In 14 seasons he won 194 games (a record for a pitcher who never played on a pennant winner), lost 183, completed 149, and had a 3.40 ERA.

-He stayed busy after hanging up his spikes, making his mark back in Boise. He was a sportswriter, an insurance agent and lobbyist for paper manufacturers, and a four-term member of the Idaho State Legislature. He died of cancer in 1990 at age 59.

#334 Vic Roznovsky

You can't see it here, but in the photo on Vic Roznovsky's 1969 Topps card he has a primitive-looking batting glove. He may have been one of the first to wear one. Or maybe Vic was just a fashion plate.

Fun facts about Vic Roznovsky:

-Born in Shiner, TX, where they make a fine beer, Vic signed with the Pirates in 1958.

-He had gradual climb through the minor leagues, passing through the Pittsburgh and San Francisco organizations before finding a home with the Cubs.

-Made his major league debut with Chicago in 1964, his seventh pro season. He was 25 at the time.

-Hit .197 in 35 games as a rookie, but caught nine of 15 would-be base stealers (60%).

-Played in a career-high 71 games in 1965, hitting .221 with three homers and 15 RBI.

-Hit only four career home runs, but one came against Hall-of-Famer Don Drysdale on May 21, 1965 and provided the eventual margin of victory.

-Drove in four runs on May 26, 1965, with a bases-loaded walk and a three-run homer in an 8-6 win over the Mets.

-Was traded to the Orioles in March of 1966, and was the club's primary backup catcher in their World Championship season.

-Together with Boog Powell, hit back-to-back pinch homers in the ninth inning to tie the August 26, 1966 game with Boston at two apiece. It was the fourth time in history that this had occurred; Baltimore won the game in the 12th inning.

-Spent all of the 1968 season at AAA Rochester and then was traded to the Phillies, where he ended his career in 1969. In parts of five big league seasons, Vic hit .218 with four homers and 38 RBI.

#314 Sterling Slaughter

Wow, Sterling Slaughter is an excellent name. You've got "Sterling", which denotes something of high quality, and "Slaughter", which is an intimidating and fierce surname. Plus the consonance of the double-s names rolls off of the tongue.

Fun facts about Sterling Slaughter:

-Born in Danville, IL, Sterling attended Arizona State University and was a first-team All-American in 1963.

-He signed with the Cubs in 1963, becoming the first Sun Devil to sign a pro contract. A few years later, fellow ASU players like Sal Bando and Reggie Jackson would follow in his footsteps.

-After winning ten games with a 3.00 ERA at AA Amarillo in his first pro season, he made it to the big leagues with the Cubs in 1964.

-Sterling made a few relief appearances before winning his first career start on May 30, blanking the Braves for seven innings on one hit (and five walks) in a 2-0 victory. He held future Hall of Famers Eddie Mathews and Hank Aaron hitless in six plate appearances, striking out each man once.

-In his very next start, Slaughter stymied the Braves again, going the distance in a 5-2 win. He allowed only one earned run on six hits and struck out a career-high eight. He also singled off of opposing pitcher Hank Fischer for his first and only career hit.

-Unfortunately he couldn't keep it up and was used sparingly as the season went on, ending up 2-4 with a 5.75 ERA in 20 games (six starts). Supposedly arm troubles hampered his performance.

-Back in the minors in 1965, Slaughter was second in the AA Texas League with 15 wins to go with a 3.00 ERA. He didn't fare as well in the following two seasons between AA and AAA, and his career was over in 1967 at age 25.

#298 Jim Stewart

Oh, hey! I loved this guy in Vertigo and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington!

...What do you mean, it's not that Jim Stewart?

Fun facts about Jim Stewart:

-Born in Opelika, AL, Jimmy played collegiately at Austin Peay State University before signing with the Cubs in 1961.

-After batting .289 in his first three pro seasons, Stewart debuted with Chicago in September of 1963 and compiled a .297 average in 13 games.

-His first two major league hits came on September 10 of that year against Bob Gibson. He doubled off of the future Hall of Famer in his first trip to the plate that day!

-Jimmy came up as a shortstop but made his mark as a supersub, playing every position on the diamond except for pitcher.

-1964 was the only season in which he topped 300 at-bats. He hit .253 with 17 doubles, 33 RBI, and 49 walks in 132 games that year.

-Stewart struggled at bat in the mid-1960s and spent most of the period from 1966-1968 in the minors with the Cubs and White Sox.

-The Reds drafted him from the Pale Hose and he settled into a bench role, hitting .252 with Cincy from 1969-1971 and seeing a bit of action in the NLCS and World Series in 1970.

-His pinch three-run home run off of Tom Seaver gave the Reds a 7-5 lead in the nightcap of an August 23, 1970 doubleheader. It was the decisive blow in a Cincinnati win.

-Was traded to the Astros in the big eight-player deal that sent Lee May to Houston and brought Joe Morgan to Cincinnati; was a sub-Mendoza batter for two more seasons before calling it quits.

-In parts of ten seasons, Jimmy hit .237 with eight homers and 112 RBI.

#264 Bob Buhl

Bob Buhl (rhymes with "mule") does not look like a man to be trifled with.

Fun facts about Bob Buhl:

-Born in Saginaw, MI, Bob signed with the White Sox as a teenager in 1947.

-Chicago let him go after his first pro season and he signed with the Braves.

-After serving in the military for two years (1951-1952), during which time he was a paratrooper in the Korean War, he finally debuted in Milwaukee in 1953 and went 13-8 with a 2.97 ERA that was third in the National League. He would go on to six top-ten finishes in ERA in his career.

-In 1956, Bob set a major league record by beating the eventual pennant-winning Dodgers eight times in one season. In nine games (eight starts) vs. dem Bums, he was 8-1 with a 2.42 ERA. He completed four of his starts, including a six-hit shutout on July 12.

-He posted double-digit wins in nine of the ten seasons in which he was healthy and starting full-time. His career year was 1957, when he went 18-7 (a league-leading .720 win percentage) with a 2.74 ERA and 14 complete games for the World Champion Braves. He was hit hard in two abbreviated World Series starts, but his teammates picked him up and downed the Yankees in seven games.

-His lone All-Star appearance was in 1959, when he was 15-9 with a 2.86 ERA and a league-best four shutouts.

-Bob was traded to the Cubs in 1962 and set a record for offensive futility by going 0-for-70 on the season. His 0-for-87 skid that spanned two seasons is another record. For his career, he had the most at-bats of any player with a sub-.100 average (76-for-857, .089).

-In 1966, Chicago dealt the 37-year-old pitcher to the Phillies along with Larry Jackson for three players, including a 23-year-old rookie named Fergie Jenkins. Buhl had a 4.93 ERA in 35 games for the Phils. Jackson had a 2.95 ERA and won 41 games over three seasons, but Jenkins won 282 more games en route to the Hall of Fame.

-Philadelphia released Buhl in 1967, capping his 15-year career. Overall he was 166-132 with a 3.55 ERA and 111 complete games.

-Bob passed away in Titusville, FL, in February 2001. He was 72 at the time. Former Braves roommate Eddie Mathews died just two days later.

#244 Lindy McDaniel

I think we can safely add "Lindy" to the list of names we may never see again in baseball. His birth name was Lyndall, by the way. I was going to make a Triple Lindy joke, but regrettably McDaniel never hit a three-bagger in his career. Que sera, sera.

Fun facts about Lindy McDaniel:

-Born in Hollis, OK, Lindy signed as a bonus baby with the Cardinals in 1955.

-His brother Von McDaniel was a pitcher and a fellow St. Louis bonus baby; they were teammates in 1957 and 1958. Another brother, Kerry Don McDaniel, was a minor league pitcher for the Cards.

-After appearing in only four games as a 19-year-old rookie, he hit the ground running in 1956, amassing a 3.40 ERA in 39 games (32 as a reliever). The following year he started a career-high 26 games and went 15-9 with a 3.49 ERA and 10 complete games.

-Was the Cardinal bullpen ace by 1960, when he had a career year: 12-4 (including 12-2 in relief), 2.09 ERA, 26 saves (led the N.L. in this category for the second straight year), 0.94 WHIP, and 105 strikeouts against just 24 walks (4.38-to-1). He made his only All-Star team, finished third in Cy Young and fifth in MVP voting, and won the inaugural Sporting News Reliever of the Year Award.

-After a couple of down years, Lindy was traded to the Cubs in a six-player deal. He rebounded with a strong 1963 season: 13-7, 2.86 ERA, and a league-best 22 saves. The effort earned him a second Reliever of the Year Award.

-While pitching for the Yankees in August 1968, he retired 32 consecutive batters over a span of four relief appearances. On August 23, 1968, he entered a tied game in the ninth inning and stymied the Tigers for seven perfect innings. After McDaniel was long gone, the game was ruled a tie at the conclusion of the 19th inning!

-Had one of his best seasons at age 34 in 1970, when he went 9-5 with 29 saves, a 2.01 ERA, and a 0.99 WHIP for the Yankees.

-Lindy must have had Detroit's number. On August 4, 1973, he entered a game in Tiger Stadium in the second inning and held the home team to six hits and one run in thirteen innings, earning the win.

-Retired after two solid seasons with the Royals. In a 21-year career, he was 141-119 with a 3.45 ERA and 172 saves. He appeared in 987 games, which was second only to Hoyt Wilhelm at the the time of his retirement.

-A longtime devoted member of the Church of Christ, McDaniel wrote a monthly newsletter entitled Pitching for the Master. It was distributed to his fellow church members and other MLB players and their families.