Random Topps Card of the Day: 1971 Topps #462 Washington Senators Team Card

(Figures that my posts from yesterday and today didn't get published while I was out this weekend.  My apologies.)

It's Retro Sunday!!! Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Sunday, January 15, 2012:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1971 Topps #462.
• Team: 1970 Washington Senators.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1970 stats: Manager Ted Williams, 70-92, .432 PCT., 38 GB, Sixth Place AL East.
• Commentary: I know the Randomizer has picked manager cards in the past, and I know that it has selected team leader cards as well. I think this is the first team card utilizing a team photo on the front of the card. The 1971 set was bold in its design using a black border. Cards from this set are really hard to find in Near Mint or Mint condition. So much so that cards that ARE found in those conditions are usually sold at much higher prices. Anyway, after the original Senators left for the Twin Cities, MLB granted Washington, DC another franchise to take their place. After suffering through futility throughout the 1960's, the Senators hired Ted Williams was hired to lead the team in 1969.  Under Williams' leadership,these Senators did have their first (and only) winning season with an 86-76 record. They weren't able to build on that success as the team faltered the following year to 70-92. The back of the card features team leaders in statistical categories, not from the previous season, but the franchise's all-time leaders. Left fielder Frank Howard was the team's offensive leader with 44 home runs, 126 rbi's, a .283 batting average and a .962 OPS. Dick Bosman was the staff ace with a 16-12 record and 3.00 ERA while Joe Coleman paced the team with 152 strikeouts. Closer Darold Knowles finished 49 games, earning 27 saves. It didn't get much better in 1971, and the team headed to Texas soon afterwards, becoming the Texas Rangers.  Washington DC would not get another franchse until the Montréal Expos moved to DC to become the Washington Nationals.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $2.50-$6.00.

In case you're actually wondering, I don't own this card, but was able to get a crystal clean copy of the image from the from the Baseball Card Cyber Museum. So thank you Joe McAnally and the folks at the BCCM.

Well, it's back to normal on Monday. Tomorrow's card will be: 2004 Topps #431. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST. Come on back then to see what the Topps Card Randomizer gets us to look at then.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama