Here's a "missing" card of a player who put together a really nice
18-year Major League career: Don McMahon and a 1973 card that never was.
Check it out:
By the time 1973 came around, McMahon was a 43-year old relief pitcher who was still somewhat effective out of the 'pen.
In 1972, pitching for the San Francisco Giants, McMahon went 3 and 3
with a 3.71 earned run average and five saves over 44 games and 63
innings.
Always a relief pitcher, McMahon started only two Major League
games (in 1963 for the Houston Colt .45's) among his 874 appearances
between 1957 and 1974.
I think I'll even design a "missing" 1974 card for him since he
pitched in 22 games in 1973, good for a 4-0 record with a sparkling 1.48
E.R.A.
I don't remember exactly where he stood among all-time pitching
appearances even as late at the early 1980's, but I DO remember that he
was in the top-10, if not the top-5 at the time.
It's remarkable to even see that McMahon didn't play a Major League game until he was 27 years old, reminiscent of Hoyt Wilhelm.
McMahon could have easily joined Wilhelm as the first pitchers to log 1000 appearances in a career.
For his career, McMahon finished with a 90-68 record, 2.96 E.R.A.
and 152 saves over those aforementioned 874 games played with seven
organizations: Braves, Colt .45's (Astros), Indians, Red Sox, White Sox
Tigers and Giants.
Keep an eye out for his 1974 "missing in action" card in the near future.
