Random Topps Card of the Day: 1967 Topps #245 Curt Flood

It's Retro Sunday!!! Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Sunday, December 15, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1967 Topps #245.
• Player Name, position, team: Curt Flood, outfielder, St. Louis Cardinals.
• Major League Debut: September 9, 1956.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1966 stats (Cardinals): 626 AB, 167 H, 21 2B, 5 3B, 10 HR, 78 RBI, .267 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Signed with the Redlegs as a Free Agent before the 1956 season. Traded by the Redlegs to the Cardinals 12/05/1957. Bats: right. Throws: right.
• Number of regular Topps Cards (includes regular and traded cards only): 14. This is his tenth Topps card.
• Blurb on the back: "One of the steadiest players in the majors, Curt is always around the .300 mark in hitting. He is swift afoot and a defensive standout. Curt was honored by his teammates in 1965 when he was voted "The Most Valuable Cardintl." (sic)
• Commentary: A nice large picture, with the fonts used for the team name the only real design element for the front of the cards, the 1967 Topps set must have been a nice respite from all the designs used in previous years, and is a nice, and probably un-noticed, homage to the design used 10 years prior (the 1957 set also used a large picture). Before Curt Flood became the name most associated with what we now know as Free Agency (if you need to learn the story behind all of that, the History Channel has an easy-to-understand summary of the events that led to dramatic changes in the way the game is played off the field. Leaving that well enough alone, the focus of today's commentary should be about his 1967 season. Two years removed from what is now considered his "Best Year," (as was described on the back of the card), Flood was in the midst of another great season, hitting .304 with 4 home runs, 27 rbi's, and percentages of .361/.392/.753. But an arm injury put him on the shelf for three weeks. When he came back, not only did he not miss a beat, but he was a better hitter than before the trip to the DL. During the Cards' final 62 games, he went 85-228 (a .373 average), drove in 23 more runs (1 homer), and percentages of .400/.443/.843). He would finish the year with a .335 batting average, and on the heels of another outstanding year at centerfield (4 errors in 323 chances), he earned his fifth consecutive Gold Glove award. It was more than enough to help the Cards win the NL pennant. Although Flood would go 5-28 in the '67 World Series against the Red Sox, the Cardinals would go on to win the Championship in seven games. Curt Flood remained on the BBWAA ballot for consideration into Baseball's Hall of Fame. In 15 years on the ballot (1977-79; 1985-1996), he would get no higher than 15.1% of the vote. Curt Flood passed away on January 20, 1997, after developing pneumonia.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $2.50-$6.00.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 3.

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: 2010 Topps Update Series #US87. 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

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1967 Topps #604 Boston Red Sox Team Card

It's Retro Sunday!!! Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Sunday, January 13, 2013:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1967 Topps #604.
• Team: 1966 Boston Red Sox.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1966 stats: Managers Billy Herman (64-82), and Pete Runnels (8-8); 72-90, .444 PCT., 26 GB, Ninth Place American League.
• Commentary: There was a time when both the Yankees and Red Sox were not the best teams in the American League.  The year 1966 was one of those years.  The 1966 Red Sox finished ninth in the American League.  The Yankees?  Tenth.  But the card above is about the Red Sox, so let's talk about it.  How weird is it to see a team card that has the background cropped off it?  The card above looks like it would belong in the 1958 Topps set.  But the font used for the team name pretty much gives it away as a card from 1967.  The back of the card includes the batting leaders in four categories:  batting average (Carl Yastrzemski at .278) home runs (Tony Conigliaro, 28), RBI's (Conigliaro, 92) and his (Yastrzemski, 165).  There is also room for the pitching leaders in two categories:  ERA (Don McMahon, 2.67) and strikeouts (Jim Lonborg, 131).  The rest of the back of the card breaks down the records of the pitching staff against the other nine teams of the American League.  Back then, before divisional play, each team played each other 18 times during the season (9 home, 9 away).  This card shows that the Red Sox had the most success against the White Sox (11-7) and had the most trouble with Orioles and Twins (6-10).  The following year, the team, under new manager Dick Williams, saw a complete 20-game turnaround.  At 92-70, they won the AL Pennant and faced the Cardinals in the World Series.
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $60.00-$120.00.

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: 1988 Topps Traded #108T. 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

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1967 Topps #607 Mickey Stanley

It's Retro Sunday!!! Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Sunday, June 6, 2010:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1967 Topps #607.
• Player Name, position, team: Mickey Stanley, outfielder, Detroit Tigers.
• Major League Debut: September 13, 1964.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1966 stats (Tigers): 235 AB, 68 H, 15 2B, 4 3B, 3 HR, 19 RBI, .289 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Signed by the Tigers as a Free Agent before the 1961 season. Bats: right, Throws: right.
• Any special information about this specific card: Stanley's second regular Topps card. Found amongst the final series of cards Topps produced in 1967, it is not an easy one to track down. Once again, the Topps Card Randomizer picks its favorite retro set for today's subject, the 1967 Topps set. With it's extra large picture, with the team name towards the bottom of the card in big bold letters, the player's name and position above, and the facsimile autograph, can you argue with it? Anyway, in Stanley's second full season with the Tigers, he led the team in batting average (.289), even though he was on the DL for more than a month. The blurb on the back reads that against the Indians, "Mickey batted an incredible .459." It goes on to say, "As a pinch-hitter for the Bengals, Mick batted .333 last year." As with most of the players cards, the back features two cartoons. The first reads that Mickey led Syracuse (the Tigers minor league team) in Homers in 1965 (10). The second shows a tiger in a baseball uniform catching a ball, with the words "In 1966, he (Stanley) didn't commit a single error." Stanley stayed with the Tigers until his release in 1978. So in 15 seasons with Detroit, he hit 117 home runs, drove home 500 runs, and hit a decent .248. He was also a four-time Gold Glove award winner (in 1968, 1969, 1970, and 1973).
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $20.00-$50.00.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 4 cards.

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: 1996 Topps #323. 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

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1967 Topps #114 Jack Baldschun

It's Retro Sunday!!! Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Sunday, May 2, 2010:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1967 Topps #114.
• Player Name, position, team: Jack Baldschun, pitcher, Cincinnati Reds.
• Major League Debut: April 28, 1961.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1966 stats (Reds): 1-5, .167 PCT, 44 SO, 25 BB, 5.53 ERA.
• Any special information about player: Signed by Senators as a Free Agent before the 1956 season. Traded by the Orioles to the Reds 12/09/1965. Bats: right, Throws: right.
• Any special information about this specific card: Baldschun's sixth regular Topps card (total does not include any combo cards). How cool is this. The last time we featured a 1967 Topps card, I mentioned that Milt Pappas was traded by the Orioles to the Reds for Frank Robinson. Guess who was also sent over to the Reds in that deal? That's right...Jack Baldschun (although he was traded TO the Orioles three days earlier). Baldschun was primarily a reliever, and one used very often at that. Even now, although he only pitched nine seasons in the majors, he among the career leaders in games finished (267, good for 138th) and made frequent appearances in the league leader boards in games pitched (even leading the National League in 1961). As with many other 1967 Topps cards, there are two cartoon panels above the blurb on the back. The first mentions that Jack "led the NL with 65 appearances (we've already covered that), the other that he was "credited with 48 saves in his 5 years as a Pirate." The blurb does not mention the infamous trade (unlike Pappas') but does compliment Baldschun on being "one of the top relief pitchers in the majors for the past six seasons. Jack was bothered by arm trouble last year, and was used sparingly." It's not often you get injury reports on the back of a baseball cards. It was nice to know why Baldschun, who normally pitched no less than 65 games a season, didn't appear in so many games (if you consider 42 games "not so many."
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $1.00-$2.00.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 0 cards.

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: 2003 Topps #220. 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

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1967 Topps #254 Milt Pappas

It's Retro Sunday!!! Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Sunday, April 4, 2010:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1967 Topps #254.
• Player Name, position, team: Milt Pappas, pitcher, Cincinnati Reds.
• Major League Debut: August 10, 1957.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1966 stats (Reds): 12-11, .522 PCT, 133 SO, 39 BB, 4.29 ERA.
• Any special information about player: Signed by Orioles as a Free Agent 06/26/1957. Traded by the Orioles to the Reds 12/09/1965. Bats: right, Throws: right.
• Any special information about this specific card: Pappas' tenth regular Topps card (total does not include any combo cards). Right of the bat, we can say that this card is an uncorrected error card. Why? Because they forgot to add Pappas' facsimile autograph to the card. Pappas is more known for two things: 1. He was traded to the Reds in the deal that sent HOF Frank Robinson to the Orioles; and 2. As a Chicago Cub, he was one out away...ONE LOUSY OUT AWAY...from a perfect game (he still managed to get the no hitter). The back of the card has surprisingly a limited number of stats (6: W, L, PCT, SO, BB, ERA). I guess because the backs are vertically formatted and the fact that the print was too big (had to make it readable) are reasons why. But as with many other 1967 Topps cards, there are two cartoon panels above the blurb on the back. The first mentions Pappas' 28 major league shutouts, the other that he was named to the AL All-Star Team in 1962 and 1965. The blurb mentions the infamous trade, and that Milt (up to that point) "had never had a losing season in the majors. His first National League victory came at the expense of the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 6, 1966."
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $2.00-$4.00.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 1 card.

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: 1987 Topps Traded #115T. 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

P.S. Happy Easter Everyone. jba

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1967 Topps #340 Joe Pepitone

It's Retro Sunday!!! We gave the Topps Card Randomizer the week off so we can highlight seven cards redeemed from Topps' Million Card Giveaway. Introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Sunday, February 28, 2010:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1967 Topps #340.
• Player Name, position, team: Joe Pepitone, first baseman-outfielder, New York Yankees.
• Major League Debut: April 10, 1962.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1966 stats (Yankees): 585 AB, 149 H, 21 2B, 4 3B, 31 HR, 83 RBI, .255 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Signed by Yankees a Free Agent before 1958 season. Bats: left, Throws: left.
• Any special information about this specific card: Pepitone's sixth regular Topps card. If you're looking for anything special about the 1967 Topps set in terms of design...you're not really going to find one. Other than the team name in big bold letters and a facsimile autograph, the design department really mailed the design in for this set. Although, you have to admit for the mid-60's, it's not so bad of an effort (do this in the 21'st century, and you're asking for mass overhauls in the graphics department). Pepitone led the Bronx Bombers in home runs with his 31 and 83 RBI's. At least that's what the back of his card reads. It goes on to read that the "popular first sacker is one of the game's best fielders...a good clutch performer, Joe broke up several games with timely hits...". Pepitone's minor league numbers are included on his card, showing that he made stops in Auburn, Fargo, Binghamton, Amarallo, and Richmond before hitting the big time in New York. There are two cartoons above the stats and comments. The first one indicates that Joe "once crashed 2 homers in one inning" The other one says that he "hit a grand-slammer in the 1964 World Series."
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $4.00-$8.00.
• How many cards of this player do I own?: 5 cards.

In case you're actually wondering, I don't own this card. And this time I was not able to get a crystal clean copy of the image from the Baseball Card Cyber Museum. However, thanks to Topps' new promotion, the Million Card Giveaway, and after figuring out how to find a card by it's numeric ID, I was able to snag the image you see above. For the record, the card in Topps' baseball card library is #8151.

Well, it's back to normal on Monday. and we're already into March. The Topps Card Randomizer back at work and has already selected the next seven cards we'll be looking at next week. Tomorrow's card will be: 1985 Topps #350. Post will arrive at 1:00 PM CST.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama

Random Topps Card of the Day: 1967 Topps #60 Luis Aparicio

It's Retro Sunday!!! Thanks to the Topps Card Randomizer, introducing the Random Topps Card of the Day for Sunday, January 10, 2010:

• Official Card Set Name and Card Number: 1967 Topps #60.
• Player Name, position, team: Luis Aparicio, shortstop, Baltimore Orioles.
• Major League Debut: April 17, 1956.
• Last Line of Statistics: 1966 stats (Orioles): 659 AB, 182 H, 25 2B, 8 3B, 6 HR, 41 RBI, .276 AVG.
• Any special information about player: Signed by White Sox as a Free Agent in 1954. Traded by the White Sox to the Orioles 01/14/1963. Bats: right, Throws: right.
• Any special information about this specific card: Aparicio's twelfth regular Topps card (total does not include all-star, highlights, or league leader cards). It is of interest to note that while listed as an "Infielder" on the front of the card, his position on the back of the card reads "shortstop." Error? Extremely simple design, with the team name ORIOLES in big yellow letters. The back of the card is green with black letters. Vertically oriented backs instead of the usual horizontal backs. Players cards included two cartoon sketches related to the subject. In Aparicio's case, one shows that he led the AL in stolen bases nine times with a drawing of an oriole "stealing a base," and the other mentioning that he led the O's with 25 SB's (and a drawing of a player packing bases into a closet). The blurb mentions that since being acquired from the White Sox, Luis "seems to play his best abll against his former teammates."
• Lo-Hi Beckett value: $4.00-$8.00.

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 1967 Topps Baseball blog. So thank you Jim from Downingtown. He wrote about this card on his site previously on his blog.

Well, it's back to normal on Monday. Tomorrow's card will be: 1991 Topps #703. 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