#246 Tom Butters

When I hear the name "Butters", I think of the earnestly naive character from South Park. Given the grimace on Tom Butters' face as he completes his delivery in this photo, I could easily hear him muttering, "Aww hamburgers".

Fun facts about Tom Butters:

-Tom was born in Delaware, OH, and grew up following Lou Boudreau's successful Indians teams. He signed with the Pirates as a 17-year-old in 1957, and attended Ohio Wesleyan University for one semester each year, ultimately graduating with a degree in religion and physical education.

-He didn't reach the majors until 1962, in large part due to control issues; he walked at least 5.3 batters per nine innings in each of his first four years in pro ball.

-Butters made his big league debut on September 8, 1962 with two innings of scoreless relief against the Dodgers. He struck out three batters: opposing pitcher Pete Richert, Ron Fairly, and soon-to-be batting champ Tommy Davis. In four relief appearances that month, the rookie allowed a single run in six innings.

-He spent much of the 1964 season as a low-ranking member of the Pirate bullpen, starting four games and relieving in 24 others. He split the decisions in those four starts, going 2-2 with a solid 2.38 ERA for the year. He still wasn't very precise, striking out 58 and walking 37 in just 64.1 innings.

-While driving through Fayetteville, NC en route to spring training in 1965, Butters' car was struck from the rear by another driver. The collision caused Tom to suffer from severe whiplash, and he dealt with lingering headaches and nausea. He tried to pitch through his maladies, but gave up seven earned runs in nine innings out of the Pittsburgh 'pen and was released in midseason.

-Tom saw the writing on the wall and retired, finishing with a 2-3 record and a 3.10 ERA in parts of four major league seasons.

-He briefly took an admissions job at his alma mater before hiring on at Duke University in the development office. When the head baseball coach died suddenly, Butters was selected for that post at the suggestion of his ex-teammate (and Duke alumnus) Dick Groat. The Blue Devils had an overall record of 43-53-1 in three seasons under the former big leaguer, but were hamstrung by a lack of athletic scholarships.

-Tom's superlative fundraising efforts earned him several promotions, leading to his appointment as athletic director in 1977. His most notable achievement in that role was the 1980 hiring of Mike Krzyzewski as men's basketball coach; 33 years and four national championships later, "Coach K" is still at the school.

-Butters retired from Duke in 1998, and was elected into the university's Sports Hall of Fame a year later. The Schwartz-Butters Athletic Center, the capstone project of Tom's tenure, was dedicated in 2000.

-He still spends most of his time in Durham, NC with Lynn, his wife of more than 50 years. The couple have two children.

(The source for much of this blog post is Rory Costello's SABR biography of Tom Butters, which is rich in detail even though it tends to verge on Duke University boosterism.)

#195 Bob Veale

Man, I can't believe that I skipped over this card the first time around! Bob Veale's thick specs, even more so than his status as a premier strikeout artist, make his card one of the MVPs of the 1965 Topps set.

Fun facts about Bob Veale:

-Bob was born in Birmingham, AL and attended Benedictine College in Kansas before signing with the Pirates in 1958.

-Veale was 26 years old when he made the Pirates' Opening Day roster for the first time in 1962. In his second career start (April 22), he earned a complete-game, 4-3 victory against the Mets for his first win.

-1964 was Bob's first full season in the Pittsburgh rotation, and he led the team in practically every pitching category. He was 18-12 with a 2.74 ERA (128 ERA+) and 14 complete games. He also led the National League with 250 strikeouts (edging Bob Gibson on the season's final day), 0.3 HR/9 innings (only 8 in 279.2 innings pitched), and 124 walks allowed. The high strikeout and walk totals and the low home run yield were trends throughout the 6'6" southpaw's career.

-Veale made the first of back-to-back All-Star teams in 1965, when he posted a 17-12 record and a 2.84 ERA. He also established a career high with 276 strikeouts, a total that was dwarfed by Sandy Koufax's otherworldly tally of 382.

-He was a mainstay starter for the Pirates for the seven seasons spanning 1964-1970. During that time, Bob was 103-87 with a 3.01 ERA (115 ERA+).

-The Bucs moved Veale to the bullpen in 1971. The results were gruesome, as his 6-0 record masked a 6.99 ERA. He allowed 36 earned runs in 46.1 innings, and allowed three of the five batters he faced in that year's World Series to reach base.

-He spent the last two seasons and change of his career as a reliever in Boston, retiring after the Red Sox released him in October 1974. In parts of 13 big league seasons, he was 120-95 with a 3.07 ERA.

-Bob is still the Pirates' record-holder with 7.96 strikeouts per 9 innings during his tenure with the club. He is 38th on the all-time MLB list, though several pitchers ahead of him are still active and may drop as they decline.

-Veale spent about a decade after his playing career as a pitching instructor. Among other teams, he worked in the Braves organization.

-He was selected to the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2006 and still lives in Birmingham.

#2 NL Batting Leaders: Roberto Clemente, Rico Carty, and Hank Aaron

Whoops! I just realized that I never posted the most recent addition to my set, which is this fine card from Greg Mader. Greg sent it as part of a custom-made Opening Day pack, and indeed it was waiting for me at home on April 7 when I got back from watching my Orioles beat Greg's Twins. Thanks again, Greg!

Here's some breaking news for you: Roberto Clemente was pretty darned good. In 1964, he was in the midst of his fifth of 12 All-Star seasons, and he hit .339 to capture his second batting crown. In 1961, he topped the National League with a .351 average, and he defended his 1964 title by swatting .329 the next season. After plunging all the way to fifth in the league with a .317 mark in 1966, Clemente rebounded to top the loop with a career-high .357 average in 1967. In all, he was a top-ten finisher in 13 of his 18 seasons, including each of the last dozen years of his career.

Finishing a not-very-close second in '64 was Rico Carty, who batted .330 in a great rookie season to lead the Braves. That's no small feat, as Hank Aaron hit .328 and Joe Torre clocked in at .321 to give Milwaukee the 2-3-4 finishers in the N. L. batting race. In 1970, Rico blew everyone else out of the water in capturing his lone batting title, with his .366 average well ahead of Torre and Manny Sanguillen's .325 marks. Meanwhile, Hammerin' Hank was a two-time batting champ in his younger days, with first-place finishes in 1956 (.328) and 1959 (.355). Though he totaled 12 top-ten finishes in his illustrious career, there were no more batting titles on the horizon for Aaron.

A few items of interest from the extended leaderboard on the card back:

-Lou Brock sits in sixth place with a .315 average. In 52 games with the Cubs, he was at .251. After being traded to St. Louis, he caught fire and rang up a .348 figure in 103 games. Lou wasted no time in giving the Cubs a case of buyers' remorse!

-I bet Joe Christopher cherished this card, which shows him and his even .300 average ranked just above Willie Mays' .296.

-Get a load of the run of great players in the second column: Willie Stargell, Pete Rose, Bill Mazeroski, Vada Pinson, Nellie Fox, and Ernie Banks, all in a row.

-Poor Al Spangler had his name misspelled as "Spankler". As if putting his .245 average on a batting leaders card wasn't cruel enough.

#160 Roberto Clemente

...No, I will not be referring to him as "Bob", you xenophobic Topps person, you. Much to my surprise, this was one of two cards that arrived unannounced last weekend from all-around swell guy Randy. Only a dirty dozen left to collect!

Fun facts about Roberto Clemente:

-Roberto was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico. At age 19, he signed with the Dodgers during the 1954 season.

-The Pirates claimed Clemente in the minor league draft and he made their big league roster in 1955. He hit just .255 in 124 games, but finished second on the team with 23 doubles and 11 triples, and improved his average to .311 in his sophomore season.

-Roberto was famous for his extremely powerful throws from right field. He led the National League in outfield assists five times, including a high total of 27 in 1961. For his career, his 266 assists rank 17th all-time. He also captured 12 straight Gold Glove Awards.
-Clemente was an All-Star in 12 different seasons as well, beginning in 1960. The following year he won the first of his four batting titles with a .351 average that was bolstered by his ability to reach out and hit pitches out of the strike zone.

-Roberto was named National League MVP in 1966, when he batted .317 and reached career highs of 29 home runs, 119 RBI, and 105 runs scored.

-Though he hit well in his first World Series (.310 AVG, 3 RBI in 1960), the star outfielder was nothing less than a force of nature in the 1971 Fall Classic. He batted .414 (12-for-29) and slugged .759 to help the Pirates outlast the Orioles in 7 games. He captured Series MVP honors, and homered in each of the last two games.

-Despite his increasing stature in the United States, Clemente returned to his homeland nearly every winter during his career to play (and later manage) in the winter league. He felt he owed it to the Puerto Ricans, who otherwise would not have had an opportunity to see him play.

-In December 1972, he organized a humanitarian effort to assist the people of Managua, Nicaragua, who were victims of a devastating earthquake shortly before Christmas. On New Year's Eve, a cargo plane carrying Clemente and four other men experienced technical problems and crashed in the Atlantic Ocean, killing everyone aboard. Roberto was 38 years old.

-His final career totals included a .317 average, 440 doubles, 240 home runs, 1,305 RBI, and exactly 3,000 hits in 18 seasons.

-An exception to the customary five-year waiting period was made, and Clemente posthumously became the first Latin American player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973. The Pirates retired his #21 that same year, and Major League Baseball repurposed a recently-created honor as the Roberto Clemente Award. It is given annually to a player who stands out both on the field and in the community. The most recent winner was DH David Ortiz of the Red Sox; the full list is viewable here.

#502 Don Cardwell

Look at that, I'm back sooner than expected! I have Ed to thank for this one. He emailed me last week to let me know that he found Don Cardwell, and then called me on his way home Wednesday night to let me know that said card was burning a hole in his pocket and he would be by shortly. I saw him pull up and popped down to the street, where he handed me the card through his car window. As I told him, it was the first drive-by card acquisition I've ever completed!

Fun facts about Don Cardwell:

-Don was born in Winston-Salem, NC and lettered in baseball, basketball, and football in high school before signing with the Phillies in 1954.

-He debuted with the Phillies in 1957, earning a save with three innings of competent relief against the Giants in his debut. On April 26, his first big league start was also his first career win, a four-hit shutout against those same Giants. He finished the year 4-8 with a 4.91 ERA.

-After a few more uneven seasons, Cardwell was traded to the Cubs in May 1960. He got his first starting assignment in the second game of a doubleheader vs. the Cardinals in Wrigley, and became the first (and to date, only) pitcher to throw a no-hitter in his team debut! Alex Grammas, the second batter of the game, drew a walk; that was the only blemish on Don's record that day.

-He was a workhouse for a bad Chicago club in 1961, going 15-14 with a 3.82 ERA and career highs of 13 complete games and 259.1 innings pitched. The Cubbies finished with 90 losses, and no other pitcher on the team topped 10 wins.

-After losing 16 games for the second time in 3 years in 1962, Don was traded twice that offseason: from the Cubs to the Cardinals and then to the Pirates. He rebounded nicely, posting a 3.07 ERA that put the lie to his 13-15 record. (The 74-88 Pittsburghers scored 3 runs or less in 20 of his 32 starts.)

-Arm troubles sidelined the righthander for most of the 1964 season, but he returned in 1965 with a 13-10 mark and a 3.18 ERA for the Bucs. It was his second and final big league season with a positive win-loss total.

-Don spent the later years of his career as an elder statesman on the burgeoning Mets staff after the Pirates dealt him in December 1966. His contributions to the 1969 "Miracle Mets" included an 8-10 mark and a 3.01 ERA as a swingman, and he posted a career-best 121 ERA+.

-Cardwell retired after getting knocked around for both the Mets and Braves in 1970. In parts of 14 seasons, he was 102-138 with a 3.92 ERA.

-He was no slouch with the bat, totaling 15 home runs in his career. His best individual season was 1960, when he batted .208 and slugged .416 with 5 homers and 9 RBI.

-After baseball, Don made his home back in North Carolina, working for Parkway Ford and excelling at golf with a handicap that was as low as single digits at one time. He passed away in January 2008 at age 72.

#12 NL Strikeout Leaders: Bob Veale, Bob Gibson, and Don Drysdale

When I opened up my queue last night to see which card was next, there were only 16 left to write up. I can't tell you how energizing that is; I thought I would never catch up! The next six cards all came from recurring character Ed, who I can't possibly thank enough for his help with this set. This card in particular is a favorite, with two Hall of Famers being dwarfed by the looming figure of the becspectacled and bevested Bob Veale.

1964 was Bob Veale's first full season as a starter, and also marked his only strikeout crown. He whiffed 250 batters in 279.2 innings spread over 40 games (38 starts). He had only 5 games with double-digit K's, but did have a high-water mark of 16 in 12.1 shutout innings against the Reds on September 30. 8 days prior, he turned in his best 9-inning effort by fanning 15 Braves in a hard-luck 2-0 loss. The 1964 race to the top with Bob Gibson was neck and neck. On September 26, Veale's 5 K's in 5 IP left him with 229 total. "Hoot" had 232, and added 4 more in 8 innings on the 28th to give him some breathing room. But Veale's next start was the 16-K game, and Gibson nabbed 7 in his final start on October 2. Interestingly, both men pitched in relief on October 4: working on 3 days' rest, Veale whiffed 5 in 2 innings. Gibson had only a day of rest and added just a pair of strikeouts in 4 innings to finish with 245. Though the Pirates southpaw never topped the league in punchouts again, he established a career high in 1965 with 276, finishing well behind Sandy Koufax's record-shattering 382 K's. Veale is still 32nd-best all-time with 7.96 K/9 IP.

No need to cry for Bob Gibson, who had better years to come. 1964 marked his third straight year with 200+ strikeouts, and he too set a new career best the following year with 270. He too hit double digits in K's 5 times in 1964, topping out at 12 thrice. In his dominant Cy Young season of 1968, he captured his only strikeout title with 268 to go along with a league-best 1.12 ERA and 13 shutouts. He fanned 269 the next year and a career-high 274 the year after that, and retired in 1975 with 3,117 K's - 14th-best all-time.

Don Drysdale already had 3 strikeout crowns to his name by 1964. He got the honors in 1959 (242), 1960 (246), and 1962 (2.32). His 251 whiffs in 1963 were actually his personal best, but that year he trailed both teammate Koufax (306) and Cincinnati's Jim Maloney (265). In '64, he racked up 4 double-digit strikeout games, peaking with a dozen in a 9-inning win over the Cardinals on August 31. Despite a relatively short 13.5-season career, his total of 2,486 K's is still 30th-most in MLB history.

Going on down the line, Topps lists the 51 "top" strikeout men in the National League for 1964. By the time they get down to double digits near the top of the second column it starts getting silly, but it did allow them to squeeze in 43-year-old Warren Spahn at the very bottom. Besides, some 9-year-old who was president of the Don Nottebart Fan Club was probably thrilled to see his hero make it onto a league leaders card.

#377 Willie Stargell

Okay, one last Hall of Famer in this great batch from Max! Being a younger collector, it's always a neat contrast to see much older cards of players whose primary image comes from their veteran years, like Willie Stargell or Gaylord Perry. After all, Willie was popularly known as "Pops".

Fun facts about Willie Stargell:

-A native of Earlsboro, OK, Willie attended high school in California before signing with the Pirates in 1958.

-He debuted with Pittsburgh in September 1962, and made the National League All-Star team for the first of seven times in 1964, his first season as a regular starter. He hit .273 that year and led all Pirates with 21 home runs. His 78 RBI trailed only Roberto Clemente (87) for the team lead.

-Stargell hit a career-high .315 in 1966 with 30 doubles, 33 home runs, and 102 RBI. Overall, he drove in 100 or more runs in five different seasons.

-Finished second to Joe Torre in 1971 MVP balloting despite a batting line of .295/.398/.628 with personal bests of 48 homers (most in the N.L.) and 125 RBI for the World Champion Pirates.

-Willie's career year was 1973, when he paced the Senior Circuit with 43 doubles and 44 home runs (the first player to lead his league in both categories since Hank Greenberg in 1940), as well as 119 RBI, a .646 slugging percentage, a 1.038 OPS and a 186 OPS+. All that, and he still got edged out for the MVP by Pete Rose. Rose outhit him .338 to .299, but had only an .838 OPS.

-Late in his career, the outgoing Stargell became "Pops", the key on-field leader of the strong Pittsburgh clubs of the late 1970s. He gave out small yellow star patches to reward teammates for good play, and the stars were affixed to the team's black pillbox caps. He was also responsible for the adoption of Sister Sledge's "We Are Family" as the team's rallying song in the 1979 championship season. (As an Orioles fan, I'm glad I wasn't around for that.)

-He finally won his MVP award in 1979, sharing the honor with Cardinals first baseman Keith Hernandez. Willie hit .281 that year with 32 homers and 82 RBI. Ironically, it was one of his least impressive seasons statistically. Of course, he was undoubtedly rewarded for his role as a team captain, and for producing those numbers at age 39. He capped the year off with a .455 average (5-for-11) with two homers, two doubles and six RBI in an NLCS sweep of the Reds, followed by a .400 mark (12-for-30) with four doubles, three homers, and seven RBI in the seven-game World Series victory over the Orioles. He was named NLCS MVP and Series MVP, with his Game Seven performance (4-for-5, 2 2B, the eventual game-winning 2-run HR) cinching his Fall Classic honors.

-He retired after the 1982 season, his 21st in a Pirates uniform. The team immediately retired his #8 jersey. His career totals included a .282 average, .360 on-base percentage, .529 slugging percentage, 475 home runs, and 1,540 RBI. He is Pittsburgh's all-time leader in career home runs and RBI.

-He was famous for not just the frequency of his home runs, but also the sheer magnitude. He hit 7 of the 16 balls to ever leave Forbes Field, and often reached the upper deck in Three Rivers Stadium. He holds the distance records at Dodger Stadium (507 feet), Veterans Stadium (unknown), and Olympic Stadium (535 feet). As Don Sutton once said, "He doesn't just hit pitchers, he takes away their dignity."

-Stargell spent several years as a Braves coach, and was a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 1988.  Later in life, he suffered from kidney trouble, and died at age 61 on April 9, 2001. That same day, the Pirates opened their new stadium, PNC Park, and dedicated a statue in his likeness on the premises.

#54 Joe Gibbon

Before we get down to brass tacks, I'd like to apologize to Joe Gibbon. I just looked over the list of upcoming posts on this blog, and Ol' Joe is about to be overshadowed in a big way. Have I tantalized you? Stay tuned!

Fun facts about Joe Gibbon:

-Joe was born in Hickory, MS and attended the University of Mississippi, where the 6'4" youngster was an All-American basketball player. The Pirates signed him in 1957.

-He spent three seasons in the minors, going 16-9 with a 2.60 ERA at AAA Indianapolis in 1959 to earn a spot in the big leagues the following year.

-Gibbon earned wins in each of his first two big league games: April 17 and April 23, 1960. He totaled five scoreless innings of relief in the two contests. Overall he went 4-2 with a 4.03 ERA for the World Champs. He also allowed three runs in three innings of relief in the World Series.

-Starting a career-high 29 games in his sophomore season, Joe went 13-10, one win shy of Bob Friend's team lead. He had a tidy 3.32 ERA and led the Pirates with 3 shutouts. He ranked sixth in the N.L. in ERA and WHIP (1.23), third in shutouts, and tenth in strikeouts (145).

-The southpaw was at his best on September 26, 1961, blanking the Dodgers on one hit and three walks and striking out seven. A Bob Aspromonte pinch single to lead off the sixth inning spoiled the no-hit bid, but Gibbon promptly picked off the runner.

-He sported a sub-4.00 ERA in four consecutive seasons, including a hard-luck 1962 in which he had a 5-12 record.

-Joe was traded to the Giants along with Ozzie Virgil for Matty Alou after the 1965 season, and soon became a relief specialist. In 1968 he allowed only 7 earned runs in 40 innings for a 1.58 ERA.

-He totaled 11 saves each in the 1969 and 1971 seasons. He split the former between the Giants and Pirates, pitching to a 1.93 ERA in 35 games after his return to Pittsburgh. The latter season was spent with the Reds.

-Cincinnati and Houston both released Gibbon over the course of the 1972 season, bringing his career to an abrupt halt. In parts of 13 seasons he was 61-65 with a 3.52 ERA and 32 saves.

-His cousin was Don Castle, the Senators' 1st-round draft pick in 1968. Don peaked in 1973, when he hit .325 with 31 doubles and 88 RBI at AAA Spokane to earn a cup of coffee with the Rangers.

#463 Manny Mota

"Now batting for Pedro Borbon...Manny Mota...Mota."

Fun facts about Manny Mota:

-A native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Manny was 19 when he signed with the Giants in 1957.

-He never batted lower than .289 in a minor league season, and made it to the majors in 1962 with San Francisco. He appeared in 47 games, batting .176 before returning to the minors at the end of July.

-Mota was traded twice in the following offseason, going from San Francisco to Houston to Pittsburgh. He would stay with the Pirates for seven seasons, though.

-He broke out in 1966 with career highs of .332 AVG/.383 OBP/.472 SLG.

-Manny developed a reputation as a player who could lash line-drive singles with regularity; his batting average topped .300 in seven seasons (minimum 100 AB).

-After a two-month stint in Montreal, he was dealt to the Dodgers; he would spend the rest of his career there, encompassing 13 seasons. In L.A. he became a pinch-hit specialist, breaking Smoky Burgess' record for career pinch hits when notching #146 in 1979. Fellow longtime Dodger Lenny Harris passed Mota in 2001.

-He made his lone All-Star team in 1973, when he batted .351 in the first half at age 35.

-Manny joined the Dodgers' coaching staff in 1980, and remained the team's batting instructor for ten seasons. The club even activated him briefly during the 1980 and 1982 seasons!

-In parts of 20 big league seasons, he batted .304 with 31 home runs and 438 RBI.

-Four sons played professional baseball, with two making it to the majors; Andy played in 27 games for the Astros in 1991, and Jose played briefly for the Padres (1991) and Royals (1995).

#478 Wilbur Wood

If you grew up in the 1970s, you probably find it hard to believe that Wilbur Wood was ever this young. Looking at the cards from his White Sox years, you'd probably assume that he sprung to life fully formed as a 40-year-old man.

Fun facts about Wilbur Wood:

-A native of Cambridge, MA, Wilbur signed with the Red Sox out of high school in 1960.

-He debuted with Boston in 1961 at age 19, but totaled only 159.2 in his first five seasons in the big leagues. He finally earned his first win on August 29, 1965 in his 67th career game.

-In October 1966, the Pirates traded Wilbur to the White Sox, where his career finally took off after he switched exclusively to throwing the knuckleball. From 1968-1970, he led the American League in games pitched each season, including a then-record 88 appearances in 1968. He also led Chicago with 16, 15, and 21 saves, respectively and vultured 32 total wins with a 2.50 ERA.

-Skipper Chuck Tanner moved the knuckleballer to the starting rotation in 1971. Though Wood initially resisted, his low-stress delivery made him a dominant workhorse. That year he made the All-Star team for the first time and went 22-13 with 22 complete games and 7 saves. His 1.91 ERA translated to a league-leading 189 ERA+. Not bad for 334 innings of work!

-In 1972 he became the last pitcher to start 49 games in a season, and would have reached 50 if not for a lockout that shaved a few games off of the schedule. He went 24-17 to lead the A.L. in wins, posted a 2.51 ERA, and reached a career high of 376.2 innings pitched. In addition to a second straight All-Star selection, he also missed out on the Cy Young by a narrow margin to Gaylord Perry (24-16, 1.91).

-The following year, Wood achieved another statistical anomaly by both winning and losing 20 games (24-20). He again led the league in wins, starts (48), and innings (359.1). However, his 3.46 ERA was his highest in a full season.

-Showcasing his durability, he earned a pair of wins on May 28, 1973. The day began with the resumption of a suspended game from two days prior between Chicago and Cleveland. Wilbur pitched the last five innings and allowed a single unearned run, and a Dick Allen three-run homer in the bottom of the 21st clinched it. The tireless pitcher then got the start in the regularly scheduled game and tossed a four-hit shutout!

-The lefty had another unusual day on July 20, 1973. He started the first game of a doubleheader with the Yankees, but failed to retire a batter and was yanked after allowing six runs. The Sox ran him back out to start the nightcap, and he didn't fare much better, allowing 7 runs (5 earned) in 4.1 innings. That's how you lose two games in a single day.

-As he continued to devour innings in 1974-1975, his ERA climbed and his wins dropped. However, it was an unfortunate accident in May 1976 that threatened his career. A comebacker by Detroit's Ron LeFlore shattered his left kneecap and ended his season.

-Wilbur rehabbed faithfully but was inconsistent upon his return in 1977. He retired a year later with 164 wins, 156 losses, 114 complete games, and 57 saves in parts of 17 seasons. His ERA was 3.24.

#412 Bob Bailey

With pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training, it's only right that we peek at the Pirates' 1960s Grapefruit League digs. Back then, they trained in Fort Myers, FL. They've been in Bradenton since 1969. Thankfully we've got our first warm day in weeks here in Baltimore, so I'm not too bitter about all of the Florida-and-Arizona-bound players.

In less welcome news, former outfielder Gino Cimoli, who was featured on this blog just last month, passed away on Saturday at age 81. My thoughts go out to his family.

Fun facts about Bob Bailey:

-Bob was born in Long Beach, CA and was a top prep player at Woodrow Wilson High. The Pirates signed him in 1961 for an attention-grabbing $135,000 bonus.

-He jumped to AAA Columbus in his second pro season and had a batting line of .299/.406/.535 with 109 runs scored, 31 doubles, 28 home runs, and 108 RBI. He was named Minor League Player of the Year by The Sporting News and was promoted to the majors in September 1962 at age 19.

-Bailey spent four full seasons in Pittsburgh and failed to live up to the lofty expectations, peaking in 1966 with a .279/.360/.447 mark and 13 home runs and 46 RBI in 433 plate appearances.

-After a disappointing two-year stretch with the Dodgers (1967-1968), Bob was sent to Montreal for a nominal fee. On April 8, 1969, he doubled in two runs in his first at bat to record the first hit and RBIs for the Expos franchise in an 11-10 victory over the Mets.

-After gaining momentum with a .265 average and 53 RBI in 405 plate appearances in 1969, he had a career year with the 1970 Expos. Splitting time between left field and third base with an occasional start at first base, he led the team with a .407 on-base percentage and .597 slugging percentage. His 28 home runs and .287 average were personal bests, and he drove in 84 runs.

-In all, Bob was a regular for the first six years of his seven-year tenure in Montreal. In 1973, he led the team with 26 home runs and drove in a career-high 86. The following year, he walked 100 times to pace the squad with a .396 on-base percentage.

-A renewed organizational focus on speed and defense left the slow-footed, lead-gloved Bailey relegated to the bench in 1975. He had 279 plate appearances in 106 games that year, his lightest load yet for a full season.

-He spent his final three years as a pinch hitter for the Reds and Red Sox, retiring in 1978 with a .257 average and .347 on-base percentage in parts of 17 seasons. He totaled 189 home runs and 773 RBI, and was a member of the 1976 World Champion Reds (though he did not appear in postseason play).

-His final career home run was a solo shot off of Paul Lindblad that hit the upper deck facade in left field at Yankee Stadium on August 3, 1978.

-Bob managed in the minors for six seasons with the Expos (1979-1981), Astros (1984), and White Sox (1986-1987).

#592 Frank Bork

If I had to guess, I'd say that Frank Bork is the Swedish Chef's favorite baseball player. Bork bork bork!
Fun facts about Frank Bork:
-Frank was born in Buffalo and signed with the Pirates in 1960 at age 19.
-He had some outstanding years in the low minors, going 15-4 with a 3.34 ERA at Class D Hobbs and 19-7 with a 2.00 ERA at Class B Kinston.
-He made the Pittsburgh team in the spring of 1964 and debuted with two scoreless innings of relief against the Cubs on April 15.
-On April 26, he was called upon in the ninth inning to preserve a 3-2 lead with two on and two out, but allowed an inherited run to score on a Tim Harkness single. He wriggled out with the game tied at three, and lucked into his first career win via a walkoff single by Roberto Clemente in the bottom of the inning.
-Frank's initial big league save came at the expense of the Cardinals on May 2. He tossed a scoreless ninth inning to preserve a 5-4 lead.
-Bork finished the season with two wins, two losses, two saves, and two holds. In 42 innings over 33 appearances, he had a 4.07 ERA.
-The Pirates returned him to the minors in 1965, and he spent the final three years of his career at AA and AAA.
-Afterwards, he worked as a manufacturer's representative.

#571 Ozzie Virgil

I believe that the Commish commented on yesterday's post suggesting that this was "Hatless guys with oily hair week" on the blog. Lo and behold, it's another bare-headed wonder! Remember, I'm just posting these cards in the order I received them.

Fun facts about Ozzie Virgil:

-Ozzie was born in Monte Cristi in the Dominican Republic. He honed his baseball skills while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps (1950-1952) and signed with the Giants in 1953.

-When he debuted with the Giants late in the 1956 season, he became the first Dominican native to play in the majors. He paved the way for future stars such as Juan Marichal, Sammy Sosa, and Pedro Martinez.

-In 1957, Virgil played in a career-high 96 games, spending time at four positions: third base, shortstop, and the outfield corners. He batted .235 with 4 home runs and 24 RBI.

-He became the first dark-skinned player in Tigers history when he joined the club via trade in 1958. On June 17 of that season, he went 5-for-5 with a double and a run scored in his first-ever game at Detroit's Briggs Stadium.

-Ozzie spent more time in the minors than the majors, totaling 1491 games in parts of 13 minor league seasons with a .285 average.

-He briefly played for the Athletics (11 games in 1961), Orioles (a single game in 1962), and Pirates (39 games in 1965) before finishing his career back with the Giants in 1966. He appeared in a single game with San Francisco in 1969, when he was on the coaching staff.

-In parts of nine big league seasons, Virgil batted .231 with 14 home runs and 73 RBI.

-His son Ozzie Jr. was a catcher for the Phillies, Braves, and Blue Jays (1980-1990). He was a two-time National League All-Star.

-From 1969 through 1988, Virgil coached for the Giants, Expos, Padres, and Mariners. The last 13 years of his time as an MLB coach were all spent under Hall of Fame manager Dick Williams. In 1996, he managed the Giants' Class A Bellingham farm team for 38 games.

-In 2006, his native province opened the Osvaldo Virgil National Airport, offering domestic flights to and from other Dominican cities.

#536 Andre Rodgers

Geez, I hope we get a smiling player soon. These guys are starting to depress me.

Fun facts about Andre Rodgers:

-Born in Nassau in the Bahamas, Andre was a skilled cricket player. The Giants signed him in 1954 even though the 19-year-old had never played baseball.

-He took to the game quickly, batting .387 with 28 homers at class C St. Cloud in 1955 and .354 with 43 doubles, 31 homers, 88 RBI and 82 walks three years later at AAA Phoenix. In the latter season, his OPS was a whopping 1.148!

-Rodgers became the first Bahamanian major leaguer when he debuted with the Giants in April 1957. He appeared in only 32 games that year, but made his mark with a two-out, tiebreaking grand slam in the ninth inning of a June 21 game against the Cubs. Chicago rallied in the home half of the inning, but the Giants pulled it out with a pair of runs in the tenth.

-He was on the Giants' big league roster for parts of four seasons, all as a part-time player. Two trades in the 1960-1961 offseason sent him first to the Braves and then to the Cubs, where he received a chance to play regularly.

-In 1962, Andre became Chicago's everyday shortstop when Ernie Banks moved to first base. He achieved career highs with 20 doubles, 8 triples, and a .278 average.

-He hit only .239 in 1964, but his 12 home runs and 46 RBI were both personal bests.

-Following a 1965 trade to the Pirates, Rodgers spent his final three big league seasons as a reserve. In 178 at-bats for Pittsburgh in 1965, he batted .287. As a pinch-hitter that year, he was 7-for-22 (.318).

-Overall, Andre batted .249 in parts of 11 seasons, with 45 home runs and 245 RBI.

-He also had a 49-game stint in 1968 with Japan's Taiyo Whales, struggling to produce (.210/.275/.370).

-Andre passed away in 2004 in his native Nassau at age 70.

#438 Harry Walker

My best guess is that the uniform that Harry "the Hat" Walker has been artfully airbrushed out of is that of the St. Louis Cardinals. He coached for the club from 1959-1962, and spent the following two seasons managing in their farm system. I couldn't fit it into the Fun Facts, but he got his nickname due to a habit of compulsively adjusting his cap in between pitches during his at-bats. He is also the subject of the oldest card that I currently own, a 1949 Bowman that I picked up at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Baltimore this past August.

Fun facts about Harry Walker:
-Born in Pascagoula, MS, Harry signed with the Phillies in 1937.
-Baseball was the family business: father Ewart "Dixie" Walker pitched for the Senators (1909-1912), uncle Ernie was an outfielder for the Browns (1913-1915), and brother Fred "Dixie" Walker was an outfielder for the Dodgers and four other teams (1931-1949).
-Harry had the misfortune of entering his prime during World War II. He hit .294 with 28 doubles in 1943 to earn an All-Star selection in his first full season at age 26. He then served in the U.S. Army from that November through January 1946.
-He struggled in his first year back, but delivered the game-winning hit in the ninth inning of Game Seven of that year's World Series. Overall, he batted .412 (7-for-17) with four walks and six RBI in the Fall Classic.
-The Cards traded him to the Phillies in May of 1947, and he responded by batting .363 for the year to capture the National League batting title. He also paced the senior circuit with a .436 on-base percentage and 16 triples, and made a return trip to the All-Star Game.
-He played full-time in only one other season after 1947, spending time with the Phillies, Cubs, Reds, and Cardinals. In parts of 11 seasons he hit .296 with 10 home runs and 214 RBI.
-Walker became a manager in the St. Louis farm system in 1951, and led the Rochester Red Wings to postseason appearances in 1952 (league champs), 1953, and 1954. Early in the 1955 season, he was promoted to the majors to replace Eddie Stanky as the Cards' skipper. He was even active for 11 games (hitting 5-for-14, a .357 average), but his minor league success did not translate. The team went 51-67, and he was not retained at the end of the year.
-Accepting a reassignment to the minors, Harry won two more league championships with the Texas League's Houston Buffaloes, and returned to St. Louis as a coach from 1959-1962. He bookended the coaching stint with another couple of years in the minors, at which point he accepted the Pirates' managerial position.
-Pittsburgh had a 10-game improvement to 90-72 in Walker's first season at the helm, and in 1966 they went 92-70 and finished in third place, just three games out of first. However, the Bucs fired him the following year with a 42-42 record in mid-July. He was hired by the Astros the following June, and piloted the team for five seasons. Incidentally, his only winning season in that span was 1972; he was canned on August 25 that year with a 67-54 record. He totaled 630 wins and 604 losses in the majors, a .511 win percentage.
-In the years after his managerial career ended, Harry became the first baseball coach at the University of Alabama and served as a batting tutor for the Cardinals and other major league clubs. He died at age 82 in Birmingham, AL in 1999.

#362 Don Schwall

Don Schwall was born in Wilkes-Barre, PA. I just drove past Wilkes-Barre on my way home from a weekend getaway on Monday afternoon. Small world? Sure it is.

Fun facts about Don Schwall:

-While playing basketball at the University of Oklahoma (he was 6'6"), Don was named to the All-Big Eight team in 1957. He signed with the Red Sox the following year.

-Boston called for the righthander in May of 1961 after he'd won 49 games in three-plus minor league seasons. His 23-6 record with the Class D Alpine Cowboys in 1959 was a standout.

-At age 25, the rookie proved that he was ready for the big leagues by winning his first five starts (5-0, 3 CG, 1 SHO, 1.31 ERA) and beginning his career on a 13-2 run before a late-season slump left his final stat line at a still-impressive 15-7 with a 3.22 ERA and ten complete games. He led the team in wins despite starting only 25 games, made the All-Star Team, and beat out teammate Carl Yastrzemski for American League Rookie of the Year honors.

-He two-hit the Orioles on June 13, 1962 as the Red Sox won 4-0.

-On September 8, 1962, he beat Early Wynn and the White Sox 10-5. In addition to scattering 12 hits and four walks in eight innings, D

-Schwall slumped to 9-15 with a 4.94 ERA in 1962, and was traded to the Pirates with catcher Jim Pagliaroni in the offseason. The Red Sox received Dick Stuart and Jack Lamabe in return.

-The change of scenery seemed to do Don some good, as he walked less than 100 batters for the first time the following year and lowered his ERA to 3.33. But the Pirates weren't great shakes (74-88), and he lost big again with a 6-12 record, including an eight-decision skid to end the year.

-After returning to the minors in 1964, he was moved to the bullpen the following season and boosted his record to 9-6 with four saves and a 2.92 ERA.

-He pitched decently but was used sparingly by the Pirates and Braves in 1966, and was released by Atlanta mid-1967 after appearing in just one game, ending his career at age 31.

-In parts of seven seasons, Schwall was 49-48 with a 3.72 ERA.

#291 Jerry Lynch

This photo is almost identical to the one used for Jerry's 1966 card. He must not have wandered far from that batting cage.

Fun facts about Jerry Lynch:

-A native of Bay City, MI, he signed with the Yankees in 1951.

-Was claimed by the Pirates in the Rule V draft prior to the 1954 season and played 98 games for them as a 23-year-old rookie.

-Improved his batting average 45 points from his first season to his second (.239 to .284) and went from four doubles to 18 in the same number of plate appearances.

-After appearing in only 19 major league games in 1956, he was drafted by the Reds.

-In 1958 he topped 400 at-bats for the only time in his career and responded with a .312 average and 16 home runs and 68 RBI.

-Became known as a great pinch hitter in Cincinnati; for his career he ranks tenth with 116 pinch-hits and second all-time with 18 pinch homers.

-In 1961, he helped the Reds to win the pennant, hitting .315 and slugging .624 in part-time duty with 13 homers in just 181 at-bats. Five of his longballs and 25 RBI came in pinch situations.

-His two-run homer on September 26, 1961 broke a tie with the Cubs in the top of the eighth. It was ultimately the game-winning hit as the Reds clinched the National League crown.

-Returned to Pittsburgh in 1963, playing out his career there and retiring after being released in 1966. In parts of 13 seasons he hit .277 with 115 home runs and 470 RBI.

-Nearly half of his career homers (53) came in the seventh inning or later.

#265 Jim Pagliaroni

Jim looks solemn in this photo. Maybe he's trapped in the batting cage and is resigned to a life as a caged animal.

Fun facts about Jim Pagliaroni:

-Born in Dearborn, MI, Jim signed with the Red Sox as a bonus baby in 1955.

-He made his debut at age 17, but appeared in only one game before going to the minors for seasoning.

-Jim returned to Boston in 1960, hitting .306 in 28 games.

-He took over the starting duties behind the plate in 1961, and hit a game-tying grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning on June 18. The Sox had given up five runs in the top of the frame to fall behind 12-5, and rallied back for eight runs and a thrilling walkoff win. For an encore, he caught all 13 innings of the second game of that day's doubleheader and hit the game-winning homer!

-Caught Bill Monbouquette's no-hitter in 1962 and Catfish Hunter's perfect game in 1968.

-Was traded to Pittsburgh and spent four seasons as their primary catcher (1963-1966).

-Set a Pirates record for home runs by a catcher with 17 in 1965, also driving in a career-high 65 runs.

-Finished his career with a year-plus in Oakland and a forty-game swing with the Seattle Pilots, playing his last game in 1969.

-In parts of 11 seasons he hit .252 with 90 home runs and 326 RBI.

-After retiring, Jim went on to live in Grass Valley, CA, where he was executive director of a food and agricultural company servicing the Pacific Rim. He passed away just last month, having suffered from cancer and heart ailments. He was 72.

#492 Gene Freese

I've wandered home after spending the weekend snowed in with my better half in Calvert County, so it's time to get back on the horse with this now-45-year-old card set. Next man up is Gene Freese, who to the best of my knowledge was never nicknamed "Mr. Freese". Batman? Anybody?

Fun facts about Gene Freese:

-Born in Wheeling, WV, Gene signed with the Pirates in 1953 as a nineteen-year-old.

-His older brother George Freese was a third baseman who briefly played for the Tigers, Pirates, and Cubs.

-Gene cracked the Pittsburgh starting lineup as a 21-year-old rookie in 1955, alternating between second base and third base and hitting .253 with 21 doubles, eight triples, and 14 homers.

-After a sophomore slump, he rebounded in 1957 with a career-high .283 average as a part-time starter at three positions (adding a few games in left field).

-Played for five teams in a four-year span (Pirates, Cardinals, Phillies, White Sox, Reds), and actually had a productive run in the midst of all of that movement. In 1959, he hit 23 homers for the Phillies, including consecutive pinch-hit longballs in April.

-Placed third in the American League with 32 doubles for the White Sox in 1960, and drove in 79 runs as the primary third baseman.

-Was a crucial cog for the pennant-winning Reds in 1961, reaching personal bests with 26 home runs and 87 RBI. The Yankees shut him down in the World Series, as he managed one double in the five-game series.

-A broken ankle in 1962 derailed his career, as return engagements with the Pirates and ChiSox were unproductive, and he finished his major league career with the Astros in 1966.

-After prolonging his career in AAA in 1967-1968, Gene called it quits. In his big league career, he hit .254 with 115 home runs and 432 RBI in parts of a dozen seasons.

-Freese returned to the minors to manage the Brewers' AA Shreveport team in 1973-1974, racking up a 129-147 record. Later, he owned the Third Base Inc. night club in nearby New Orleans.

#558 Tommie Sisk

Have you ever wondered what causes some Toms to go by "Tommie" and others to go by "Tommy"? Or "Willie" vs. "Willy"? Maybe even "Johnnie" vs. "Johnny"? No? Just me, then? Alright.

Fun facts about Tommie Sisk:

-Hailing from Ardmore, OK, Tommie signed with the Pirates out of high school in 1960.

-Was pitching in AAA by his second pro season, and had a five-game look with Pittsburgh a year later at age 20.

-In 1963, Sisk spent his first full season in the majors. Pitching mostly out of the bullpen, he fashioned a strong 2.92 ERA and 1.20 WHIP (both career bests) while leading the team with 57 appearances.

-After a disastrous sophomore effort (6.16 ERA), Tommie recovered in 1965. He started a dozen games and relieved in 26 more, going 7-3 with a 3.40 ERA.

-Tossed his first career shutout on September 20, 1965, two-hitting the Mets. The only New Yorker to reach second base was Johnny Lewis, who tripled with one out in the ninth inning but was thrown out trying for an inside-the-park home run!

-Despite a 4.14 ERA in 1966, Sisk received enough support to boast a 10-5 record.

-1967 was a career year for Tommie. Starting 31 games for the Pirates, he turned in a fine 3.34 ERA and ranked tenth in the National League with 11 complete games. Still, he had only a 13-13 won-lost total to show for it. A large part of his success can be attributed to his ability to keep the ball in the park - he allowed just six home runs in 207.2 innings!

-The majority of his final season in Pittsburgh was spent back in the bullpen (3.28 ERA).

-In 1969 he was traded to the expansion Padres club, and his performance and his win percentage suffered (2-13, 4.78 ERA, six saves). However, he collected the first save in team history by preserving Johnny Podres' 2-0 victory on April 9.

-Sisk got off to a bad start with the White Sox in 1970 and was traded to Cleveland on June 15. The Indians kept him at AAA Wichita for the remainder of the season. He tried his luck with the Expos the following year, but performed poorly in eight games at AAA Winnipeg before bringing his career to a close at age 29. In parts of nine big league seasons he was 40-49 with a 3.92 ERA and ten saves.