The
second WTHBALLS "card that never was" from my never-released 1972
"All-Star Ticket" bookmark set celebrating the classic 1971 Midsummer
Classic is that of Willie McCovey, starting first baseman for the
National League:
Just
a fun set I thought of producing a few years back before finally
deciding on the All-Star set I eventually released, which sold-out
quickly funny enough.
What needs to be said about the man at this point here on the blog?
When he got called up to the Big Leagues in 1959, all he did was tear the seams
off the ball by hitting .354 with 13 homers and 38 runs batted in along
with 32 runs scored in only 52 games, copping a Rookie of the Year
Award and setting the tone for his 22-year career.
In 1969 he had his finest season, as he
made his fifth All-Star team, on his way to taking home the
league MVP Award after a year that saw him lead the league with 45
homers, 126 RBIs, a .453 OBP and a .656 slugging percentage, as well as a
whopping 45 intentional base on balls.
The man put it ALL together that year!
By the time he retired in 1980, he crushed 521 home runs, collected
over 2000 hits, drove in over 1500, and left his mark as one of the
most feared sluggers of his generation.
In 1986, his first year of eligibility, he was voted into the Hall of Fame with 81.4% of the ballots cast.
Man, what a threesome McCovey, Willie Mays and Orlando Cepeda made back in the 1960's for San Francisco, huh?Just incredible.
