Today
we have a “missing” 1971 Topps card for Tito Francona, who wrapped up a
nice 15-year career in 1970 with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Take a look:
Father of current Cleveland Indians Manager Terry Francona, Tito
appeared in 84 games in his final big league season, split between the
Oakland A’s and Brewers.
He hit .235 with 23 hits over 98 at-bats with both four runs scored and
runs batted in while playing both first base and the outfield, the two
positions he’d mainly play throughout his career.
Francona came up in 1956 with the Baltimore Orioles and ended up second
in Rookie of the Year voting behind Chicago White Sox speedster and
future Hall of Fame player Luis Aparicio.
In that season Tito would hit .258 with 115 hits over 445 at-bats, with nine homers, 62 runs scored and 57 RBI’s in 139 games.
His finest season was his first with the Cleveland Indians, for whom he
had his best years, when he batted .363 with 20 homers and 79 RBI’s in
122 games.
He didn’t qualify for the batting title based on his 443 plate appearances, but he did finish fifth in MVP voting.
All told he’d finish his career with a .272 average with 1395 hits in
5121 at-bats over 1719 games, with 125 home runs and 656 RBI’s and 650
runs scored.