HAPPY NEW YEARS EVERYONE! LET¹S LOOK FORWARD TO 2017!

All the very best for the New Years to everyone, and I thank you all for joining me everyday to relive those awesome baseball days during the 1970’s!
I figured today would be a great time to let you all know a little of what I have planned for 2017. Some cool stuff that I hope you all enjoy!
First up, a CHUNK of this year will be taken up by what I will be calling “Not Quite Missing In Action”, which will be “missing” cards of players who made very brief appearances in the Major Leagues, some of whom literally played a SINGLE GAME at the MLB level.
I already have a couple of hundred players lined up, and heck, I figure if you made it all the way up to the “big show”, why not have a card to commemorate it?!
Also on tap for the new year will be a thread for a 1978 sub-set (in the manager-style layout) of “Future Star” cards, with a snapshot of a star player before they made the pros, with a “current” shot on the right. Have a BUNCH of stars with awesome pics of them as amateurs so that will be fun to do!
I also wanted to tackle the 1977 Mariners and Blue Jays cards from the Topps set and recreate them with actual photos of the players in the correct uniforms instead of the airbrushed jobs we saw when opening packs 40 years earlier.
I do realize that the OPC set took care of this in a sense, but I’ve found so many good photos of the players from that year I figured there’s never too much out there, am I right?
A REALLY cool sub-set I want to create is a 1975 “In-Action” set since so many of the stars did not have action photos on their cards.
So as Topps did in 1972, many of the players will have an “In-Action” card in addition to their regular card in the 1975 set.
Among some of the other smaller ideas I have is to periodically drop in “special” cards like they used to do in the 1960’s, with stars paired up in random photos.
I loved that they had those in the 50’s/60’s and wished Topps carried that into the 70’s.
Anyway, it’ll definitely be a packed year for the blog,  so I hope you all continue to check in as I keep feeding one of my obsessions day in and day out.
See you tomorrow as we start it all up again, keeping that 1970’s baseball flame alive!
Now go and get ready for that ball to drop tonight!
All the best to all of you and yours this coming new year!
Gio

MISSING IN ACTION- 1973 JOE GILBERT

Here’s a second “missing” card for former Montreal Expos pitcher Joe Gilbert, which would have represented BOTH cards of his short two-year career:

Gilbert, for whom I created a 1974 card a while back, could have also had a card in the 1973 set based on his 22 appearances in 1972, though his 0-1 record with an eye-popping 8.45 earned run average surely had Topps thinking he wouldn’t be making a return appearance!
Nevertheless, Gilbert finished his two-year stint in the Majors with a 2-5 record over 68 appearances, all out of the bullpen, with a 6.82 ERA with a couple of saves thrown in over 98 innings pitched.

LEADERS OF THE DECADE: BATTING AVERAGE

Next up on the new thread celebrating the high-marks in each league for various statistics is batting average, with the legendary Roberto Clemente and Tigers long time slugger Norm Cash representing each league for the 1960’s:

Clemente’s 1967 average of .357 would give him the fourth, and last, batting championship of his career, and would top his own mark of .351 from 1961 as the National League’s high mark in that category.
Norm Cash, who put together an excellent 17-year Major League career between 1958 and 1974, would have what would normally be an MVP season in 1961 when he topped the league in batting with a .361 mark along with 41 home runs and 132 runs batted in as well as 119 runs scored.
But alas, he had that season at the same time as some other guys named Maris and Mantle, so he had to settle for the American League’s highest average for a season in the 1960’s.
Ironically, it would be the ONLY time Cash even hit .300 in his career, with his .286 average the season before as his NEXT highest mark. Go figure!

FANTASY COACH CARD- 1979 BOBBY DOERR

The next fantasy coach card is of the oldest living baseball player, and baseball Hall of Fame member Bobby Doerr, Red Sox legend and the ONLY player left who appeared in a Major League game in the 1930’s:

Another of those baseball lifers, Doerr continued his baseball tenure after his playing days were over by going into coaching, and by the late 1970’s found himself in Toronto as a hitting coach for the Blue Jays.
It’s incredible to think of this man’s life in Major League ball.
To put things in perspective, he was a teammate of Jimmie Foxx, played against Lou Gehrig, and came up to the Majors BEFORE Ted Williams!
Just incredible…

MISSING IN ACTION- 1970 CARROLL SEMBERA

Here’s a “missing” 1970 card for one of the original Montreal Expos from their inaugural season of 1969, Carroll Sembera:

The righty appeared in 23 games for the Expos, posting a record of 0-2 with a 3.55 earned run average over 33 innings pitched, all in relief.
The following season he’d appear in the final five games of his career, finishing up with a 3-11 record along with a 4.70 ERA in 99 games and 139.2 innings pitched, with all three of his wins coming while with the team that he came up with, the Houston Astros.

"WTHBALLS" ISSUE #9 "1975 MISSING IN ACTION" NOW AVAILABLE!!!

It's that time again!

The newest issue of "WTHALLS", the 1975 "Missing in Action" edition, is now available!
Once again we have a 24-page glossy full-color magazine show-casing the 1975 cards I've created thus far on the blog, including some "career cappers" for Al Kaline and Orlando Cepeda.
This issue also comes with an art card postcard of a second version of the Kaline capper, which sure does look nice when cut and slipped into a penny-sleeve, then into a rigid holder!
As usual the issue is $7 postpaid, and you can paypal me at: john@slogun.com
Thank you all that have helped keep this project moving forward! And all the best for the Holidays!!!
Gio

1975 MISSING CAREER CAPPER- 1975 BOB MILLER

Here’s a “career-capper” and “missing” 1975 card for long-time Major League pitcher Bob Miller, who wrapped up his big league tenure with the New York Mets:

Miller put together a nice 17-year career, starting off in 1957 when he came up with the St. Louis Cardinals as an 18-year old.
In 1974 he appeared in 58 games for the Mets, all in relief, and posted a 2-2 record with a 3.58 earned run average over 78 innings of work.
It was the second tour of duty with the Mets, his first being in 1962 as an “original Met”, and it showed, as he went 1-12 with a 4.89 ERA as a starter with occasional work out of the ‘pen.
The following year the Gods of baseball smiled on him as he found himself in sunny Los Angeles as a member of the eventual World Champion Dodgers, and he had his best season as a Major Leaguer, going 10-8 with a 2.89 ERA over 43 games, 23 of which were starts alongside Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale.
By the time he retired, he finished with a 69-81 record, along with a very nice 3.37 ERA in 694 games and 1551.1 innings, with 52 saves, playing for no less than TEN teams.

A GREAT CARD FROM 1978 ALONG WITH A RE-RUN?

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!!
And I hope 2017 is great for you all!
 
I have always loved the 1978 Darrell Evans card. Don’t know what it is about it, but it has a classic look:

Love the shot, the colors, and especially the set, so I’ve always had this card as one of my favorites from 1978.
I have also always thought it was kind of funny that Topps came back in 1979 with somewhat of a duplicate card for the slugger, but without the same results:

Perhaps it is the overall color-scheme, or the San Francisco jersey he’s wearing (not a fan), or the fact that I never liked the 1979 set as far as the design went.
Just one of those many quirks Topps threw out there during the decade that has stuck with me all these years.

MISSING IN ACTION- 1973 FRANK REBERGER

Here’s a “career-capping” card for former pitcher Frank Reberger, who pitched the last of his 148 Major League games in 1972 as a member of the San Francisco Giants:

Reberger posted a 2-3 record with a 3.99 earned run average over 20 games, 11 of which were starts, along with two complete games.
He’d close out his career with a five-year run that started with the Chicago Cubs in 1968 where he appeared in three games, then over to the San Diego Padres for their inaugural season as an arm out of the bullpen, where he appeared in 67 games and posting six saves.
The rest of the way he suited up for the Giants, ending up with a 14-15 career record with a 4.52 ERA in 148 games, 37 of them starts.

MISSING IN ACTION- 1974 GENE LOCKLEAR

Here’s a card for a guy who had a few “missing” cards during the 1970’s, and this one easily should have been his true rookie card after seeing more than enough action during the 1973 season, Gene Locklear and his 1974 card:

I’ve already created a 1977 card for him as a member of the New York Yankees, and today’s card has him with the San Diego Padres, for whom he ended up finishing the year with after coming up with the Cincinnati Reds.
All told Locklear played in 96 games in ’73, collecting 42 hits over 180 official at-bats for a .233 batting average while playing the outfield.
Funny enough his rookie card would end up being in the 1975 set after a season that saw him appear in only 39 games with 74 at-bats, less than half the action.
Go figure, but we have seen this before haven’t we?
Locklear would end up putting in five-years in the Major Leagues, finishing up with the Yankees as mentioned before in 1977 in which he appeared in a single game, yet went 3-for-5 with two runs batted in and a run scored! That’s a heck of a final game!
He’d end up with a career .274 average based on his 163 hits in 595 at-bats in 292 games playing for the three teams mentioned above.

A RE-DO FOR MISSING IN ACTION- 1976 BOB HEISE: "1976 PROJECT"

Thanks to a MUCH better photo released for Bob Heise as a member of the Boston Red Sox, here’s a do-over for the “1976 Project” missing card I created for him a while back:

For those forgetting what the original was like, here’s a refresher:

Definitely a step up!
In 1975 Heise appeared in 63 games for the Boston Red Sox, collecting 138 plate appearances with 126 at-bats.
He batted .214 with 27 hits, three doubles and 21 runs batted in, while scoring 12 runs.
So while he got a card in 1970 based on his four games and 13 plate appearances, he was left out of the set six years later with almost sixteen times more playing time!
Go figure…

TURN BACK THE CLOCK: THE ASTRODOME OFFICIALLY OPENS IT'S DOORS

Let’s go and celebrate what could be considered the beginning of the “modern” stadiums across baseball, the grand opening of that “8th Wonder” in Houston, the Astrodome:

On April 12th, 1965 the Astros played their first official game against the Philadelphia Phillies after an exhibition game against the Yankees three days earlier.
Chris Short of Philadelphia made sure the Houston fans, all 42,652 of the, went home unhappy as he pitched a four-hit shutout, striking out 11 while getting help from (who else) Dick Allen (then “Richie”), who slammed a two-run shot in the third inning off of Astros starter Bob Bruce, who would go seven innings before giving way to Hal Woodeshick who threw the final two frames.
The stadium made it possible for the Astros to play during the scorching Houston Summer with it’s air conditioning and later on it’s “Astroturf” after initial attempts to utilize natural grass failed.
For me, the Stadium along with other “Modern” atrocities like the cookie-cutter Riverfront , Veteran’s and Three Rivers Stadiums with their knee-killing artificial turf made for some unnatural atmosphere’s for a game that was supposed to be all about the great outdoors.
However the times they were a’changin’ and it wouldn’t be until the 1990’s when Major League Baseball returned to their senses and went back to more traditional styles for new ballparks.
But like it or not, the Astrodome was BIG news when it opened as was a marvel of modern technology not only for professional sports but for modern engineering.

"KIND OF" MISSING IN ACTION- 1979 BYRON McLAUGHLIN

Here’s a unique situation, a “missing” 1979 card for a guy who was actually in the set, but on one of those awful multi-player black-and-white rookie cards, Seattle Mariners pitcher (and future on-the-run criminal) Byron McLaughlin:

More on the criminal side of him later, but first let’s go over his 1978 season shall we?
You think a pitcher who appeared in 20 games with 107 innings pitched would actually get his own card, but instead Topps decided that wasn’t enough action to do so, so he ends up on a rookie card with two other guys.
How does that work?
He would go 4-8 with a 4.37 earned run average in that big league action, with 17 of those appearances being starts!
Call me crazy but that deserves a dedicated card, not a spot on a multi-player card.
He would pitch another two seasons with Seattle through 1980 before making a comeback of sorts in 1983 with the California Angels when he appeared in 16 games before calling it a career.
All told he finished with a 16-25 record over 129 games, 35 of which were starts along with a 5.11 ERA in 378.1 innings of work.
Afterwards, seems like Mr. McLaughlin ended up in Mexico producing bootleg athletic footwear like Adidas and Nike for some Korean business associates, finally getting nailed by the Feds, only to skip out on bail and evade capture to thgis very day.
Some think he’s in South America somewhere, while others say Europe.
Either way he’s been one step ahead of authorities for about 30 years now, so who knows if he’s even alive at this point.
Crazy.

TRADED: 1976 DON BAYLOR

Let’s go and give Don Baylor a 1976 “Traded Card” since he was a part of one of the all-

time blockbusters, especially of the decade:

Of course we all know that the trade I’m talking about was the one where Ken Holtzman and Reggie Jackson went over to Baltimore for Baylor and Mike Torrez, among others.
Turns out Baylor would have a solid season for the A’s, but would only play there for one year before becoming a Free Agent and heading South to the California Angels where he would star for the next six years, including a monster MVP season in 1979.
After three solid seasons for the New York Yankees from 1983-1985 he’d play for Boston, Minnesota and back for Oakland between 1986 and 1988 to close out an excellent 19-year career that saw him top 2000 hits, 1200 runs scored, 330 homers, 1200 runs batted in and 280 stolen bases.
Look for my “Groove” nickname card in the near future!

ANOTHER CARDINAL AIRBRUSH CLASSIC FROM THE 1970¹S: 1977 DAVE RADER

Seems the St. Louis Cardinals had their good share of CLASSIC airbrush cards throughout the decade, especially in the 1975 set.
Here’s one from a couple years later in 1977, the Dave Rader card:

Rader found himself in St. Louis as part of the trade that brought Mike Caldwell and John D’Acquisto to the Cardinals for Willie Crawford, John Curtis and Vic Harris on October 20th of 1976.
It would be the first of four teams in four years for him, closing out his 10-year Major League career with the Boston Red Sox in 1980 after years with the Phillies (1979) and Chicago Cubs (1978).
He’d finish up with a .257 batting average with 619 hits over 2405 at-bats in 846 games.

NICKNAMES OF THE 1970'S: "SWEET SWINGIN BILLY FROM WHISTLER" BILLY WILLIAMS

I just had to create a “nickname” card for Billy Williams, even if the name itself would be a doozy to fit on ANY card.
So without much choice, I went a created a 1974 card since the horizontal format helped cramming the name in there:

By then Williams was about to move on to the Oakland A’s for the last couple seasons of what was to be a Hall of Fame career, which ended in 1976.
A mainstay of the Chicago Cubs along with Ernie Banks and Ron Santo, Williams would have been a two-time National League MVP if it weren’t for a guy by the name of Johnny Bench, who Williams finished second in voting to in BOTH 1970 and 1972.
Regardless, “Sweet Swingin’” Billy was one heck of a player, smashing 426 lifetime homers along with 2711 hits, 1410 runs scored, 1475 runs batted in and getting named to six all-star teams over 18-years.

MAJOR LEAGUE FOUNDERS: JIM DEVLIN 1876-1976

Here’s a card for a sad figure in early baseball history, pitching (and hitting) star Jim Devlin, who was banned for life along with early slugger George Hall for throwing games:

Devlin was originally a first basemen during his playing days in the National Association before becoming a pitcher playing for the Louisville club of the newly formed National League in 1876.
An iron horse of a pitcher, he would go on to pitch virtually every inning of the teams games in both 1876 and 1877 while collecting 30 and 35 wins respectively.
Oddly, he also led the league in losses both years with 35 and 25, yet his 1876 season was indicative of those early years of pro ball, as he would post a 30-35 record with a tiny 1.56 earned run average over 68 starts and 622 innings of work!
Sadly for him, after going 35-25 for Louisville in 1877, with a 2.25 ERA in 61 starts (all completed of course), there was growing suspicion that he and some teammates were throwing games.
After some investigation these truths came out and Devlin confessed begging for forgiveness to no avail, as league president William Hulbert banned all players involved for life.
Devlin’s career was over by the age of 28, and he asked for a pardon every year until his death in 1883 after serving as a police officer in Philadelphia at the young age of 34.

1960'S SEASONAL LEAGUE LEADERS: HOME RUNS

Today I wanted to start a somewhat short sub-set theme for the 1970 set, a “Decade’s League Leader” celebrating the high mark in each big-time stat during the decade of the 1960’s.
Just like in the multi-league league leader cards of later in the 1970’s Topps created, this one will have the American and National League player who achieved the best figure in that particular category, such as today’s statistic, home runs:

Of course we all know that Roger Maris hit those 61 home runs in 1961 to have the highest seasonal total of the decade.
Over in the National League we have the great Willie Mays who slammed 52 homers during his MVP 1965 season to top the league for the 1960’s.
If you haven’t figured it out already, I’m really big on the whole “end-of-decade” thing and love looking back and recapping the previous ten years, such as “Player of the Decade”, etc.
I’ll just be covering the big triple crown stats for both pitching and hitting, as well as saves and stolen bases, maybe even runs scored, so if you’re into this type of thing as much as I am keep an eye out for them.

AWESOME CARD- 1972 IN-ACTION TOMMY DAVIS

I have always thought the Tommy Davis “In Action” card was one of the best of the 1972 sub-set by Topps.
Check it out:

What a great in-game photo used for the horizontal format card!
Looks like New York Yankee Horace Clarke is taking a running lead while Davis is coming off the bag on the pitch.
Now THAT is doing an “In Action” card right! Wish they were all this good instead of cards like Bob Barton, etc.
One last thought: interesting to remember that between 1949 and 1998, Tommy Davis was the ONLY Major League player to reach 150+ runs batted in for a season, when he did so in 1962, funny enough the ONLY time he even topped 100 in his 18-year career.
Go figure...

FANTASY COACH CARD- 1972 LUKE APPLING

Here’s a “fantasy” 1972 coach card for beloved lifer Luke Appling, one of the greatest Chicago White Sox players, who went on to have a lengthy career as a coach:

“Old Aches and Pains” coached for the White Sox in 1970 and 1971 after a coaching and managing stint for the Kansas City Athletics in the late-60’s.
It made sense that he was back in the South Side of Chicago since he played his entire 20-year career with the White Sox, collecting over 2700 hits, two batting titles and playing on seven all-star games between 1930 and 1950.
I will always remember that home run he hit off of Warren Spahn at the age of 75 in 1982 at an old-timers game at RFK Stadium!

MISSING IN ACTION CAREER CAPPER- 1973 MAURY WILLS

Time to go and give former base-stealing master Maury Wills a “missing” career-capping 1973 card:

Will closed out an excellent 14-year career, appearing in 71 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers, batting .129 with 17 hits over 132 at-bats with 16 runs scored.
It was a sharp drop-off for the shortstop since he had a very productive season the year before, batting .281 with 73 runs scored and 15 stolen bases along with 169 hits as a 38-year-old.
Of course the pinnacle of his career is the 1962 season where he took home the National league MVP Award after setting the new single-season stolen base record with 104 while collecting 208 hits and 130 runs scored for the Dodgers.
This was right in the middle of a six-year run of leading the league in stolen bases, while also appearing in five all-star games and taking home a couple of Gold Glove Awards.
Overall he retired with a .281 batting average based on 2134 hits in 7588 at-bats with 586 stolen bases and 1067 runs scored in 1942 games.

TURN BACK THE CLOCK: KEN JOHNSON FIRST TO LOSE A CG NO-HITTER

Imagine reaching one of the heights of pitching magic in the Major Leagues and yet LOSING the game?
Today we look back at the first pitcher to LOSE an official no-hitter that he pitched, Ken Johnson of the Houston Colt .45’s:

On April 23, 1964, Johnson took the mound for the then-known Colt .45’s against the Cincinnati Reds.
With the score at 0-0 into the ninth-inning, Pete Rose reached second base on an error by Ken Johnson himself, went to third on a ground-out, then scored on another error, this one committed by future Hall of Fame second baseman Nellie Fox on a Vada Pinson grounder.
After opposing pitcher Joe Nuxhall retired the side in the bottom of the ninth, Johnson became the first pitcher to ever lose a complete-game no-hitter.
By the time Johnson retired after the 1970 season with the Montreal Expos, he left with a 91-106 record, primarily with losing teams, along with a 3.46 earned run average and 1042 strikeouts over 1737.1 innings and 334 appearances, 231 of them starts.

AIRBRUSHING AN ALL-STAR RELIEVER: 1977 BILL CAMPBELL

I’ve always gotten a kick out the airbrushing job all-star reliever Bill Campbell got after his monster 1976 season in the 1977 Topps set:

I like how the airbrushers at Topps didn't even bother with the Twins uni Campbell was wearing.
"Close enough".
 Campbell had one of the best seasons of any reliever in ’76, going 17-5, leading the American League with a .775 winning percentage, along with a 3.01 earned run average with 20 saves, all out of the ‘pen with a league-leading 78 appearances!
So what does that get him? A plane ticket to the Boston Red Sox, for whom he suited up in 1977 on his way to leading the American League in saves with 31 that season.
One of the early free agents, he capitalized and signed with the Bosox on November 6th of 1976, so Topps had to scramble to get the star fireman into the correct cap, if not the correct uniform.
He would go on to pitch five years for the Red Sox, before bouncing around a bit for the last six seasons of his 15-year career, ending up with a 83-68 record along with a 3.54 ERA over exactly 700 appearances, all but nine out of the bullpen.

MISSING IN ACTION- 1977 CHUCK TAYLOR

Here’s another player I’ve created a previous “missing” card for, Montreal Expos pitcher Chuck Taylor, who I earlier created a 1976 card for, and today a 1977 slab:

Taylor closed out a nice eight-year career in 1976, posting a 2-3 record with a 4.50 earned run average over 31 games and 40 innings pitched, all out of the bullpen.
He had a decent run as a reliever the last three years of his career after coming up with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1969 as a starter.
After spending three seasons in St. Louis, he split a year between the New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers in 1972 before moving North of the border, pitching the last four years for the Expos.
He would end up at 28-20 with an impressive 3.07 ERA over 607 innings and 305 appearances, all but 21 in relief.

MISSING IN ACTION- 1973 TOM SHOPAY

Here’s a “missing” 1973 card for a guy who can be the poster child for 1970’s missing cards: former Baltimore Oriole Ton Shopay:

As it is, I think I’ve already created a couple of cards for him, and today’s card is based on his 49 games played in 1972, when he batted .225 with nine hits over 40 at-bats for the ‘Birds.
Shopay originally came up with the New York Yankees in 1967 and played parts of seven years in the Major Leagues.
He would be out of the game for good after the 1977 season, ending up with a .201 batting average with 62 lifetime hits in 309 at-bats covering 253 games, all but 36 of them for Baltimore.

FANTASY 1972 MIA-MIA: DON DRYSDALE

Thus completing my “fantasy” run of Don Drysdale cards, today I post the “missing” In-Action card for the 1972 set that would accompany the 1972 card I created for him a couple weeks ago:

As stated earlier in the other post, I wonder what his career numbers would have been had he played into the 1970’s.
Would he have been the second 3000-strikeout pitcher after Walter Johnson? Could he have reached 250 wins?
Sadly it wasn’t meant to be as he left the game after the 1969 season, just one year removed from his record-breaking scoreless streak that saw him set a record that wouldn’t be matched until another Los Angeles Dodger, Orel Hershiser, would come along in 1988.

MISSING IN ACTION 1974 LARRY HOWARD

Here’s a “missing” 1974 card for a player I already created a 1973 card for, former catcher Larry Howard:

I created the 1973 card a while back, showing him as a Houston Astros player, and today we have him as an Atlanta Brave, as he split the 1973 season with both teams.
Turns out that 1973 season would be his last in the big leagues, appearing in 24 games, with only four in Atlanta, on his way to a .161 batting average with nine hits in 56 at-bats.
That would close out a short four year career that had him play 133 games, hitting .236 with 86 lifetime hits in 365 official at-bats.

FANTASY COACH CARD- 1978 FRANK ROBINSON

Here’s a fantasy coach card for Hall of Fame slugger Frank Robinson, who was back in Baltimore after a managerial stint in Cleveland, making him the first African-American Major League skipper:

After his prolific playing career that saw him wallop 586 homers, garner two MVP Awards (one in each league), and win two championships while with the Orioles, Robinson put together a long and respected post-playing career that STILL has him working for the Commissioner as Senior Advisor.
In between, he not only led the Indians, but also went on to managerial jobs with the Baltimore Orioles, San Francisco Giants and Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals.
One of THE respected voices in baseball, Robinson has managed to equal his spot in baseball history off the playing field as well as on it.

1976 PROJECT- A DEDICATED CRAIG REYNOLDS CARD

Here’s a 1976 card for a player who appeared on a multi-player rookie card in the set: Craig Reynolds of the Pittsburgh Pirates:

“Reader Jim” wanted a dedicated card for Reynolds based on the amount of action he had with the Pirates in 1975.
Reynolds came up in ’75 and appeared in 31 games, batting .224 with 17 hits over 76 official at-bats while playing shortstop.
After only four games in 1976 he would get his chance for full-time action as a member of the inaugural Seattle Mariners team of 1977, playing in 135 games as their very first shortstop (there’s a great trivia question!).
He would actually represent the team the following year at the All-Star Game, yet find himself playing for the Houston Astros the very next season, where he would end up playing the rest of his 15-year career.
A solid player generally off the bench, he would end up with a .256 batting average with 1142 hits in 4466 at-bats over 1491 games while playing through the entire infield.

TURN BACK THE CLOCK- BERT CAMPANERIS HITS 2 HOMERS IN MLB DEBUT

Here’s a card celebrating the awesome Major League debut of former Kansas City/Oakland A’s star Bert Campaneris, who hit two home runs off of Minnesota Twins pitcher Jim Kaat on July 23rd, 1964:

Campy became just the second player in history at the time to accomplish the feat, joining Bob Nieman who accomplished the feat in 1951, and joined since then by three others.
Considering the guy would stick around for 19 years and play another 2327 games before he was through, the fact that he’d only hit another 76 homers makes his debut that much more special.
Of course slugging notwithstanding, Campaneris would go on the become an all-star shortstop in the 1970’s as part of the three-time World Champion Oakland A’s teams that also featured guys like Reggie Jackson, Gene Tenace and Joe Rudi.
I’ve always dug the odd season of 1970 when he slugged 22 homers, the only season in his career that he even hit double-digits, let alone 20+! With his second highest total would be the eight homers he hit in 1972.
By the time he retired after the 1983 season after 60 games with the New York Yankees, he finished with over 2000 hits, 1000 runs scored and 649 stolen bases, leading the American League six times with a high of 62 in 1968 and 1969, and was named to six all-star teams.

MISSING IN ACTION- "IN ACTION"- 1972 JIM PERRY

Here’s the next “MIA-MIA” card, one of 215 games winner and 1970 Cy Young Award recipient Jim Perry, who was in the middle of his most productive run of his 17-year career:

Perry was coming off a 17-win season in 1971, which followed his 24-win award-winning campaign of the year before while pitching for the Minnesota Twins.
He would go on to win 13, 14 and 17 wins each of the next three years, the last of which was back with the team he came up with in 1959, the Cleveland Indians.
He’d wrap up his Major League action with 15 games with the Oakland A’s (of which I am DESPERATELY looking for color photos of), going 3-4 with a 4.66 earned run average, leaving him with a 215-174 record along with a 3.45 ERA and 1576 strikeouts over 3285.2 innings and 630 appearances, 447 of which were starts.
Along with his Hall of Fame brother Gaylord, the pair would go on to win over 525 Major League games between them! Amazing...

MISSING IN ACTION- 1978 HECTOR TORRES

Here’s a card for a guy who had a few “missing” cards throughout the decade, former infielder Hector Torres, today’s card being a 1978 “capper” of sorts:

Torres finished up a nine-year career spanning 1968-1977 with 91 games for the Toronto Blue Jays, hitting .241 with 64 hits over 266 at-bats. Decent playing time for a guy left out of the 1978 set.
He should have also been included in the 1973 and 1977 sets considering his playing time the previous seasons, just about 200 plate appearances both times.
He’d end up with a .216 average over his career, with 375 hits in 1738 official at-bats in 622 games playing for five teams: Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs, Montreal Expos, San Diego padres and Blue Jays.

A LITTLE GLIMPSE OF THINGS TO COME...

Here's a nice shot of the first four "wthballs" custom postcards trimmed to size, given FREE with each of the next four issues of "wthballs" magazine.

The 1974 Willie Mays postcard is available now buy purchasing a copy of the "1974 Missing in Action" magazine (#6), with the other postcards available with each subsequent issue. These art-cards are issued as 4" x 6" postcards that can be cut to size if you like. Or keep them at full-size if you prefer!

MISSING IN ACTION- 1972 CLYDE MASHORE

Here’s a guy I already gave a 1974 “missing” card to, and today will give a 1972 edition: former Montreal Expos outfielder Clyde Mashore:

Mashore appeared in 66 games for the Expos in 1971, hitting .193 with 22 hits over 114 at-bats while manning the outfield at all three slots.
He would put in 5 partial seasons in the Majors, all but his debut with Montreal, and a scant 2 games with the Cincinnati Reds in 1969 at the age of 24.
After the 1973 season he’d play 1974 in the Minors for Memphis, the Triple-A affiliate for the Expos before leaving the game for good, finishing up with a .208 batting average based on his 87 hits over 419 at-bats in 241 games.

1972 FANTASY CARD- DON DRYSDALE

Here’s the last of my Don Drysdale “Fantasy Cards” where I wondered what his cards would have looked like had he been able to play more than his relatively short 14-year career that spanned between 1956 and 1969:

Drysdale, though he did eventually make the Hall of Fame, retired with a 209-166 career record, with a 2.95 earned run average and 2486 strikeouts. Excellent numbers of course, but arguably borderline stats for the Hall (think Jack Morris, Luis Tiant, etc).
So imagine if he was able to tack on some more wins and maybe even reach 3000 strikeouts, which at the time of his retirement only the great Walter Johnson had done in Major League history.
The man WAS a beast though, intimidating batters along contemporary hurler Bob Gibson like few before or since, five times leading the National League in plunked batsmen, just to let them know who was boss.
Love guys like that!
Only wish we would have been able to see him pitch more, and more importantly regale us with stories a lot longer than his short 56 years, shockingly passing away in 1993.
“Big D”, Don Drysdale.

MISSING IN ACTION- 1974 BUZZ CAPRA

Though he would go on to have his finest season in a Major League uniform in 1974 as a member of the Atlanta Braves, I am posting a “missing” card for Buzz Capra for that year as a New York Met, for whom he suited up the previous season:

Capra was purchased by the Braves from the Mets in March of 1974, so I don’t think Topps would have had him on his upcoming team in time for printing.
Capra appeared in 24 games for the “Ya Gotta Believe” Mets of 1973, all out of the bullpen, as he posted a 2-7 record with a 3.86 earned run average.
But once in Atlanta in 1974 he was in a groove, as he went on to lead the National League in ERA with a sparkling 2.28 along with a 16-8 record over 39 games, 27 of which were starts.

THEN AND NOW: EDDIE FISHER 1960-1973

Here’s a card celebrating the solid Major League career of relief pitcher Eddie Fisher, who put in 15 years between 1959 and 1973:

Fisher had some excellent seasons in the mid-1960’s with the Chicago White Sox, with his best in 1965 when he made the all-star team and went 15-7 with 24 saves, all in relief, with a 2.40 earned run average.
He continued to be an arm out of the ‘pen until his last season when he returned to the White Sox and they tried him out as a starter for half of his appearances, going 8-8 as a 36-year old.
Overall he finished with an 85-70 record with a 3.41 ERA along with 82 saves for no less than six organizations, leading the American League in appearances in both 1965 and 1966.

A NICE AIRBRUSH JOB- 1974 KEN BRETT

Today we’ll look at a nice airbrush job by the Topps folks, the 1974 Ken Brett card, which has him painted into his new teams garb, the Pittsburgh Pirates:

Not a bad paint-job! Nicely done.
Brett was traded over to the West side of Pennsylvania from the Philadelphia Phillies for Dave Cash. Somewhat of a lopsided trade as Cash gave the Phils a guy who’d get on base on front of sluggers Mike Schmidt and Greg Luzinski.
Brett on the other hand would win 22 games for the Pirates over two seasons before heading to the Bronx as part of the Doc Medich/Dock Ellis/Willie Randolph big swap in December of 1975.
Nevertheless he did put in a solid 14 years in the Major Leagues, retiring after the 1981 season and 349 appearances.
He wound up with an 83-85 record playing for 10 teams between 1967 and ’81, starting just under half of his games.

MISSING IN ACTION- 1973 GARRY JESTADT

Here’s a career-capping “missing” 1973 card for Garry Jestadt, who had a brief three-year career in the Majors from 1969 to 1972, fitting in three organizations played for:

Jestadt finished his short MLB tenure with the San Diego Padres in 1972, appearing in 92 games playing the infield and batting .246 with 63 hits over 256 at-bats.
He originally came up with the Montreal Expos during their inaugural 1969 season, before a very brief stay on Chicago’ North-side for the Cubs, coming to San Diego during the 1971 season where he’d stay through the following year.
All together he played in 176 Major League games, batting .260 with 118 hits over 454 at-bats, all while playing second, short and third.

MISSING IN ACTION: "IN ACTION"- GENE TENACE

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!
I wish you all a peaceful, relaxing day...
Here’s a “missing” 1972 “In-Action” card for a guy who was just starting a great run through the mid-70’s, all-star Oakland A’s catcher/first baseman Gene Tenace:

Though he didn’t put in a full season for the A’s in 1972, he was just beginning to become one of the key players in Oakland’s three-peat team that also included Reggie Jackson, Joe Rudi and Sal Bando.
Putting in time behind the plate as well as at first base, Tenace went on to hit over 20 homers five times in his career along with six seasons of drawing 100+ walks.
After the 1976 season Tenace, along with many of his star teammates was shipped off by eccentric team owner Charlie Finley, and found himself as a member of the San Diego Padres, where he would play for the next four seasons before moving on to St. Louis for two years and lastly the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1983, his last in the big leagues.
He would total 15-years in the Major Leagues, winning three championships, an all-star berth in 1975, and hitting 201 home runs while batting .241 along with a very nice .388 on-base-percentage because of his walk totals.
Oh yeah, and he had an awesome full name: Fiore Gino Tennaci!

ISSUE #6 OF "WTHBALLS": 1974 "MISSING IN ACTION" AVAILABLE FRIDAY! ADDED BONUS!

I'm happy to let you all know that you can start ordering the latest issue of "wthballs", the "1974 Missing in Action" issue on Friday.
And beginning with this issue, there will be an added bonus!
Included with every issue from here on in will be a postcard of one of my custom cards, with die lines for those of you who'd like to cut the card since it is at actual size.
This issue's insert card is my creation of a Willie Mays "Career Capper" from way back, giving the "Say HeyKid" a nice send-off to his awesome career!
As usual you can all order by paypal, by sending me $7 at: john@slogun.com
Nice issue with Mays, Frank Howard, Johnny Callison and much much more!
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, and thank you for all the support thus far!

MISSING IN ACTION- 1974 LEO CARDENAS

Here’s a missing 1974 card for long-time Major League shortstop Leo Cardenas, who put in a very nice 16-year career between 1960 and 1975:

Cardenas put in almost half a season with the Cleveland Indians in his only season there after a three-year stint in Minnesota.
For the season he batted .215 with 42 hits over 195 at-bats, the first time since 1962 he didn’t play a full year.
A five-time all-star and Gold Glove winner in 1965, Cardenas came up with the Cincinnati Reds and played through the 1968 season before moving on to the Twins for their playoff bound 1969 season, where he would play for the next three years.
After his Cleveland cameo he would move on to the Texas Rangers for the final two seasons, retiring in 1975 after playing in 1941 games with 1725 hits in 6707 at-bats, good for a lifetime .257 average.