Next up on my ongoing "missing" 1972 In-Action card sub-set is former pitcher Ken Holtzman:
Holtzman was pitching in his first season for the Oakland A's in '72 after coming over from the Chicago Cubs, and
he would contribute exceptionally well for the team that would go on to
three straight championships in his first three years.
He'd go on to win 19, 21 and 19 wins between 1972 and 1974, posting
ERA's of 2.51, 2.97 and 3.07 with 10 shutouts, while never pitching
less than 255.1 innings.
Then he'd go on to win 18 in '75 with a 3.14 ERA while topping 250+ innings pitched once again in his last year for the A's before being part of the monster Reggie Jackson trade that sent them to Baltimore in the Spring of '76.
He'd put together a very nice 15-year career, finishing with a
174-150 record, with a 3.49 ERA, 31 shutouts and 1601 strikeouts before
retiring after the 1979 season.
What a pitching staff the A's had when you put Holtzman in there
with Catfish Hunter and Vida Blue. Not a bad trio, and on top of that
you had future Hall of Fame reliever Rollie Fingers out of the 'pen!
