Let's follow up yesterday's post with another California Angels
player who was ironically left out of a set the year after he put in the
most playing time in any season during his short career: Billy Parker.
Take a look:
Parker's short three year career was over by the time this card
would have been issued, although at the time most anyone would have
assumed he was not done as he was drafted by the Yankees as a Rule-5
player in December of 1973.
He does appear in the 1972 and 1973 Topps sets, even though he had
less playing time in 1971 & 1972 than in 1973, just like teammate
Orlando Ramirez who I profiled yesterday as mentioned.
In 1973 Parker played in 38 games, good for 115 plate appearances
and a .225 batting average with 14 runs scored and seven runs batted in.
I always find it interesting how players will be chosen one year, then left out in others, without any rhyme or reason.
All told Parker played in 94 games as a Major Leaguer, hitting .222 with 56 hits in 252 at-bats.
He did have some solid Minor League years, with 20+ homers and .300+ batting averages.
Sadly he couldn't translate those numbers with the parent club.
After his playing time here in the States he went on to put in some
time in the Mexican League before hanging them up for good in 1977 at
the age of 35.
