NOT REALY MISSING IN ACTION: 1970 RICK BLADT

Good day all!

Up on the blog today, we have a "not so missing" 1970 card for former outfielder Rick Bladt, who made his MLB debut in 1969 with the Chicago Cubs:

Bladt appeared in 10 games for Chicago that season, hitting .154 with two hits over 13 at-bats, driving in and scoring a run.

He'd be stuck in the Minors until 1975, when he found himself a member of the New York Yankees, as he appeared in 52 games, good for 133 plate appearances and a .222 batting average.

He also chipped in 13 runs, 11 runs batted in and 5 extra-base hits, all while manning center field.

That would be it for his Big League tenure.

He did put in a solid 12 years in the Minors, spanning 1966 to 1977 with the Cubs, Yanks and Orioles organizations.

After playing for Rochester of the International League in '77 he was out of baseball for good.

As a side note: he did appear on another card, a Topps 1974 multi-player rookie card (#601) which also features Bake McBride, Brian Downing and Ed Armbrister, three players who went on to have decent careers, especially the former two.

 

NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION: 1970 DANNY FRISELLA

On the blog today, we have a "not so missing" 1970 card for pitcher Danny Frisella, who appeared in only three games for the New York Mets in 1968:

Frisella was drafted by the New York Mets in 1966 out of Washington State University and made it up to the Major Leagues the following year.
He pitched for New York over the next six seasons, having his best year in the big leagues in 1971 when he went 8-5 with a sparkling 1.99 E.R.A. to go along with 12 saves in 53 games after learning to throw a forkball from Diego Segui over the Winter in Venezuela.
In November of 1972 he was traded to the Atlanta Braves along with pitcher Gary Gentry for George Stone and Felix Milan and stuck around for two years before going over to the San Diego Padres in 1975.
Though he posted a record of 1-6, he did have decent numbers overall, but San Diego shipped him to St. Louis after the season, where Frisella started the season in 1976.
But after only 18 games, he was once again traded, this time to the Brewers where he appeared in 32 games, posting impressive numbers of a 5-2 record and a 2.74 E.R.A. as a man out of the bullpen.
Sadly, Frisella never made it back to a Major League mound.
While riding a dune buggy near his home on January 1st, his vehicle tipped over and Frisella was not able to escape in time. He was caught underneath the roll bar as the vehicle rolled over his body, crushing him. He was only 30 years old with a wife and two sons.

His final numbers were: 34-40 record, 3.32 ERA and 57 saves over 351 appearances and 609.1 innings pitched between 1967 and 1976.

 

NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION: 1970 BILL SHORT

On the blog today, we have a 1970 "not so missing" card for former pitcher Bill Short, who finished up a six-year Big League career with four games as a Cincinnati Red in 1969:

Over those four games Short didn't factor in a decision, while pitching to a 15.43 ERA over 2.1 innings.

Originally up with the New York Yankees in 1960, he posted a record of 3-5 in 10 appearances, posting an ERA of 4.79 over 47 innings of work.

He'd spend all of 1961 in the Minors before coming back in 1962, now a member of the Baltimore Orioles, appearing in five games and going 0-0 with a bloated 15.75 ERA in four innings.

It would be a while before he made it back to a Major League mound, that being 1966 when he split the season between the Orioles and the Boston Red Sox, going 2-3 over 14 games with a 3.13 ERA, even tossing his only MLB shutout.

In 1967 he'd find himself in Pittsburgh with the Pirates, appearing in six games though only throwing 2.1 innings, allowing a hit and a run which translates to a 3.86  ERA.

In 1968, new year, new team! Now with the New York Mets, he would appear in a career-high 34 games, all in relief, going 0-3 with a 4.85 ERA over 29.2 innings, picking up a save along the way.

Overall, Short appeared in 73 games as a Big League pitcher, going 5-11 with a 4.73 ERA in 131.1 innings, striking out 71 batters while walking 64, with a shutout and two saves.

 

1960s ALL-DECADE ALL-STARS: RELIEVER HOYT WILHELM

Good day all!

Here's another card I had printed up for a recent WTHBALLS set that never made it to the blog for some reason, my 1970 "All-Decade" 1960s card for the reliever of the decade, Hoyt Wilhelm, Hall of Fame knuckleballer:

Just a beautiful photo of the man with the New York Giants early in his career, a Big League tenure that would begin late, run years beyond most other careers, and lead right to the Hall of Fame, as it should have.

Who knows what he could have done if he remained a starter. Who knows what his career numbers would have been if he began his career in his early 20's instead of at the ripe "old" age of 29!
Think about this for a second: the man started his career at 29 and he STILL pitched in 21 seasons. He still ended up setting what was then the all-time record for appearances by a pitcher with 1070.
Throw in seven seasons of sub-2.00 E.R.A.'s, 227 saves, and on top of all of that, TWO E.R.A. crowns in the ONLY two years he even threw enough innings to qualify, and you definitely have a Hall of Fame career when it's all said and done.
Take a look at Wilhelm's rookie season. In 1952 he shows up in New York, pitching for the Giants, and all he does is go 15-3 in 159.1 innings, with a league-leading 2.43 E.R.A. and 11 saves. And this was ALL in relief! He appeared in 71 games without a single start. Just awesome.
He also managed to hit a home run in his first Major League at bat on April 23, 1952, never to hit another one in his career. Go figure.
It would then be another seven years before he would pitch more than 154 innings, this time topping out with a career high 226 with the Baltimore Orioles in 1959 mainly as a starter.
His other numbers that year were good enough to have him selected as an All-Star: 15-11, league-leading 2.19 E.R.A., and 13 complete games with three shut outs.
Whether you had him starting or coming in as a reliever, he was up for the challenge.
Wilhelm finally called it a career after the 1972 season where he appeared in only 16 games for the L.A. Dodgers.
Over the course of his last five seasons (all post-45 years of age), he bounced around a bit and pitched for five teams: White Sox, Angels, Braves, Dodgers and Cubs, going 17-18 with 43 saves.
Nevertheless, Wilhelm was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985, generally considered the first relief pitcher to have this honor bestowed upon him.

 

A REDO OF ONE OF MY OWN: 1970 DON DRYSDALE CAREER CAPPER

On the blog today, I never realized that I forgot to post here my redone 1970 Career Capper for "Double-D" Don Drysdale, for my Series 11 set released back in October of 2022:

This image made much more sense than the one I used when I first created such a card back in 2014, with this image a nice posed shot of the feared slinger at the end of his career.

Though retiring at such a young age, Drysdale still collected 209 wins along with a 2.95 earned run average and 2486 strikeouts.
Imagine if he were able to pitch another three or four years. Would we be looking at a 300-win guy? Most assuredly a 3000 strikeout pitcher for sure.
Nevertheless, his accomplishments in such a short time were good enough for the BBWAA to elect him into the Hall of Fame in 1984, joining old teammate Sandy Koufax and eventually joined by Don Sutton.
Drysdale took home the Cy Young in 1962 while pacing the Senior Circuit in wins, starts, innings and strikeouts, while also posting one of his NINE sub-3.00 ERA campaigns.
Tough as nails when on the mound, he was named to eight All-Star Games, and of course had that magical run in 1968 when he threw 58 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings, including six straight shutouts.

 

WTHBALLS 1970 "ALL-1960s ALL-STARS" 21 CARD SET

Good day all! Hope everyone is doing well.

Happy to say that the newest WTHBALLS offering is now available for purchase, my 1970 "All-1960s All-Stars" set.

Featuring a full 21-cards, this set celebrates my picks for the all-decade teams of both the A.L. and N.L. for the decade of the 1960s.

I picked all eight positions plus a RHP and LHP pitcher for each league, as well as an overall MLB pick for reliever of the 1960s, since I'll use any excuse to create another Hoyt Wilhelm card!

All-time greats line Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente among others are featured in this one, with 16 (17 including Pete Rose) players being Hall of Famers.

As an added treat, the backs have a brief bio on what the players did over the 1960s, earning their spot on these squads and set.

Each set comes wrapped in a "tweaked" 1970 wrapper (see photos attached), and is available for $20 plus $4.50 shipping.

Paypal as usual: slogun23@gmail.com

Fun set to add into my 1970 set binder!

Any questions feel free to contact me...

Gio/wthballs

 

GIMMIE A DO-OVER: 1970 RUDY MAY

Thought it'd be fun to give former pitcher Rudy May a "do-over" on his 1970 card, so here you go, using a much better image of him during his time as a California Angel:

My re-done version

Original Topps release

May made his Major League debut in 1965 as a 20-year-old, appearing in 30 games and tossing 124 innings, certainly good enough for a card in the 1966 set.

He posted a record of 4-9 with a 3.92 earned run average, striking out 76 batters while throwing a shutout.

All told, he posted a 152-159 career record, with a 3.46 earned run average, 24 shutouts, 12 saves and 1760 strikeouts between 1965 and 1983.

His finest year was easily 1980, when he led the American League in E.R.A. with a nice 2.46 mark, WHIP at 1.044 and strikeouts-to-walks with a 3.41 number as a member of the New York Yankees.

 

NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION: 1970 CHIP COULTER

Fun card to add to the WTHBALLS roster/checklist today, a "not so missing" 1970 card for former infielder Chip Coulter of the St. Louis Cardinals:

Coulter got his only taste of the Big Leagues with six games at the end of the 1969 season, putting in time at second base while hitting a very nice .316 with six hits over 19 at-bats, scoring three runs while driving in four with a double and a triple.

Sadly that would be it for the man as far as his Major League time went, as he would go on to play three more years in the Minors before retiring after the 1972 season after some time in the New York Mets organization.

At the very least, the man accomplished what so many of us could only dream about, playing Major League ball!

Cheers Chip!

1970 "IN-GAME ACTION"- JIM KAAT

Up on the blog today, a card I almost forgot to post on the blog after it was created and included for my "1970 In-Game Action: Series 2" set a couple years back, my card for new Hall of Famer Jim Kaat:

Kaat came up to the Majors as a 20-year-old in 1959 with the Washington Senators, developing into an All-Star starter when the organization moved to Minnesota and became the Twins.
If there were a Cy Young winner for both leagues in place for the 1965 season, he most likely would have taken home the trophy when he posted a league-leading 25 wins to go along with a 2.75 ERA and 205 strikeouts for the American League champs.
After being selected off waivers by the Chicago White Sox in 1973, he’d go on to post two straight 20-win seasons in 1974 and 1975, before moving on to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1976.
In 1979, at the age of 40, he’d transition to the bullpen, where he would carve out a niche for himself as a reliable reliever, pitching another five seasons, finishing up with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1983, fresh off a World Championship in 1982.
One of the greatest fielding pitchers the game has ever seen, Kaat took home 16 straight Gold Glove Awards between 1962 and 1977. Incredible.
By the time he retired as a player, he appeared in 898 games, posted a record of 283-237 along with a 3.45 ERA and 2461 strikeouts, as well as 31 shutouts and 17 saves.
The man is a walking baseball resource who still shares his knowledge of the game. His time as a New York Yankees announcer was one of my favorites alongside other former players like Ken Singleton and Bill White.

1960S ALL-DECADE TEAM: A.L. LEFT-HANDED PITCHER: JIM KAAT

On the blog today, my pick for the American League's left-handed pitcher of the 1960s, and I went with Minnesota Twins ace Jim Kaat:

You may be surprised by my pick of Kaat as the American League's lefty of the decade. But really, as far as a FULL decade goes, he didn't have much stiff competition. Whitey Ford is the guy who jumps into everyone's mind, but he really had half a decade before his career went South.

As for Kaat, all the guy did was win eight Gold Glove awards, a pennant in 1965 with the Twins, post 142 wins and have five seasons of 15 or more wins, with a high of 25 in 1966, a year he easily would have won the Cy Young had there been one selected for each league at the time.

In the case of the American League, it really was about consistency in this case over anyone with dominant numbers, there just weren't any.

Kaat ended up with a very nice career, moving into the bullpen after a lengthy 20 years as a starter in 1979.

He ended up pitching effectively another five years out of the pen before retiring after the 1983 season with the Cardinals, finishing up with 283 wins, 31 shutouts and 2461 strikeouts in 898 games, 625 of them starting.

He also famously won 16 Gold Gloves total in his career, something only Greg Maddux can relate to (with 18 such awards).

One of my favorite baseball-figures, as a player, a coach, and a broadcaster. The man is a true baseball lifer.

1960S ALL-DECADE TEAM: N.L. LEFT-HANDED PITCHER: SANDY KOUFAX

Today we come to my pick for the National League's left-handed pitcher of the 1960s, and honestly, who else would it be other than Dodger great Sandy Koufax:

Koufax and the "Left Arm of God" legend has only gotten bigger over time.

The years between 1961 and 1966 were amazing, but it was the 1963-1966 period in particular that was just unconscious, and what got him into Cooperstown.

Just look at the numbers, all in FOUR seasons of play:

A 97-27 record, with four E.R.A. crowns, three years of a sub-2.00 mark, 31 shutouts, 89 complete games and 1228 strikeouts, with three of those years topping 300+ K's!

He took home three Cy Young Awards, finished third in 1964, and won the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1963, with two other second-place finishes in 1965 and 1966, his final two years of Major League ball.

In the postseason he was equally as brilliant, being voted MVP of the World Series in both 1963 and 1965, leading the Dodgers to championships.

He posted a 4-3 lifetime record with a 0.95 earned run average, two shutouts and 61 strikeouts in 57 innings of work.

In his three losses in postseason play, he gave up THREE earned runs! So it's not like he choked in those games either.

Sadly we all know how his career ended because of arm troubles, causing him to retire at the age of only 30.

Man how I wish we could have seen him pitch into the 1970's!

Would have been awesome to see him on those card-issues into the mid-decade, no?

That five year stretch was so awesome that he was elected in the Hall on his first try, being named to 86.9% of the ballot.

There are some out there that feel he didn't "perform" long enough to warrant a Hall selection, let alone a first-year induction.

And most of the time I'd agree.

However we are talking some rarified stuff here, so with Koufax it was indeed a no-brainer.

What do you all think? Anybody out there think Koufax didn't perform long enough for a Hall of Fame induction?

REVISIT: "HALL OF FAME LEADERS-1970 N.L. ERA" POST FROM 2013

Good day all.

Thought it'd be fun to revisit an old thread of mine here on the blog, "Hall of Fame League Leaders", spotlighting league leader cards from the 1970s that were entirely populated by future Hall of Famers, beginning with the 1970 National League E.R.A. card:

Now that is an elite threesome I'd build any team around!

Here's the write-up for that post as it was posted:

"I'm going to go ahead and start a new thread today called "Hall of Fame Leaders", which are league leader cards throughout the decade of the 1970's that featured ONLY Hall of Fame players.
When I got back into collecting vintage cards after a long absence in the mid-2000's, I really got into tracking down any of these cards for their "star power".
Luckily, the '70's were loaded with such cards.
Here we have Topps 1970 National league E.R.A. leader card (#67), which features no less that three top-notch Hall of Famers: Juan Marichal, Bob Gibson and Steve Carlton.
I like the fact that we have a sort of "passing the torch" with this card. Gibson and Marichal were at the latter half of their powerful careers, and Steve Carlton was just getting started.
We have two pitchers who dominated throughout the 1960's sandwiched around a guy who would star throughout the 1970's and into the 1980's.
Combined, we're looking at 823 wins and 9556 strikeouts in 57 years of Major League action.
Oddly enough, the three legends you see here each lead the N.L. in E.R.A. only once, and only a couple years apart: Gibson in his phenomenal 1968 season (how he lost nine games that year is STILL incredible!), Marichal in 1969, and Carlton in 1972.
Nevertheless, if there was ever a definition of "star power", this would be up there.
Bob Gibson would be the first to enter the Hall in 1981, with Marichal joining him just two years later in '83 and Carlton rounding out the party in 1994 after a 24 year career."

 

1960S ALL-DECADE TEAM: A.L. RIGHT-HANDED PITCHER: DEAN CHANCE

Our blog post today, my selection for the Right-handed American League pitcher of the 1960's, and I went with Cy Young Award winner Dean Chance:

First off, my kingdom for a nice portrait photo of the ace pitcher during his time pitching for the Los Angeles Angels!

I just could not find such a photo for this card, and hope to before I come to printing this set up later this year.

Anyway, I went with Dean Chance based on his two 20-win seasons, his sick 1964 Cy Young winning year, 11 shutouts in 1964, and five sub-3.00 E.R.A. campaigns by the time the '60's were in everyone's rear-view mirrors.

In 1962, his first full-year in the Majors, he finished third for Rookie of the Year, going 14-10 with a 2.96 E.R.A.

Throughout the rest of the decade it was more of the same, as he posted solid numbers year in and year out.

But it was his 1964 season that was far and away his best year in the Majors, as he finished with a 20-9 record with a sparkling 1.65 earned run average, 11 shutouts and 207 strikeouts, leading to a Cy Young win and a fifth-place finish in M.V.P. voting for the Los Angeles Angels.

He'd post another 20-win season in 1967, now as a member of the Minnesota Twins, going 20-14 with a 2.73 E.R.A., five shutouts and 220 strikeouts, and followed up in 1968 with a career high of 234 K's along with a 2.53 E.R.A., six shutouts and a mediocre 16-16 record.

Sadly for Chance this would be his last full season in the Majors, even though he was still only 27 years old.

1969 would see Chance make only 15 starts, going 5-4 with a 2.95 E.R.A. and 50 K's in only 88.1 innings before scraping together two more years playing for the Indians, Mets and Tigers.

He would be out of baseball for good by 1972, only 30 years old, but his solid seven years between 1962-1968 still makes him my pick as the righty pitcher on my A.L. All-Decade team for my 1970 sub-set.

 

1960S ALL-DECADE TEAM: N.L. RIGHT-HANDED PITCHER: JUAN MARICHAL

Hello all!

On the blog today, my pick for the "All-1960s" National League right-handed pitcher of the decade, and I went with an easy pick, San Francisco Giants legend Juam Marichal, the "Dominican Dandy":

I don't think many of you would argue with me on this pick!

The man was born to pitch.

Once called up to the big show in 1961, he would go 6-2 over his first 11 starts, with a 2.66 ERA and six complete games, including a shutout in his 1st MLB start.
As much as Marichal is celebrated as an all-time pitching legend, you still have to feel for the guy when you consider the timing of all his banner years in the big leagues.
In 1963 he has his breakout year, going 25-8 with a 2.41 E.R.A., but takes a back seat to another guy who has a breakout year, Sandy Koufax.
In 1966 he wins 25 games again, but again takes a backseat to a now dominating Koufax, who wins 27 along with a bunch of other eye-popping numbers.
In 1968 he sets a career high of 26 wins to go along with a 2.43 earned run average, but wait, a guy named Bob Gibson has a year for the ages, winning both the Cy Young Award and the M.V.P.
But when you look at the decade as a whole, there wasn't a better pitcher in the game from 1960-1969, as Marichal went on to win 191 games, winning 25 or more wins three times, post seven sub-3.00 E.R.A. seasons,  top 200+ strikeouts six times , and get selected as an all-star every year between 1962-1969.
What a BEAST on the mound!
Easily would have been the first 3-time Cy Young winner if not for Koufax and Gibson.
Ah well, I’m sure his spot in Cooperstown makes it a bit easier to take.

"Dominican Dandy" indeed!

 

1960S ALL-DECADE TEAM: A.L. OUTFIELDER AL KALINE

Good day all!

On the blog today we come to my third outfielder for my "All-Decade 1960s" American League squad, and I went with Detroit Tigers legend Al kaline, a player who often gets overlooked even though he had one heck of a career:

What a quiet legend Kaline was. Buried under names like Aaron, Mays, Mantle, etc, he just went about his business year in and year out and paved the way for his eventual induction into Cooperstown's hallowed halls in 1980.

The 1960's saw Kaline make eight All-Star teams, win seven Gold Gloves, and receive solid M.V.P. support seven of ten years, finishing as high as second in 1963.

Though he only led the league in a primary offensive category only once (doubles in 1961) in the 1960s, Kaline's consistency was his strength, as he topped .300 four times, 20 homers five times, and a .500 slugging percentage five times.

The 15-time all-star topped 3000 hits, 1600 runs, 1500 runs batted in and came one home run short of 400 over his stellar career, which also included 10 Gold Gloves for his defensive prowess.
An easy Hall of Fame pick, he was inducted in his first year of eligibility in 1980 with 88.3% of the ballots cast.
“Mr. Tiger” indeed!

 

1960S ALL-DECADE TEAM: N.L. OUTFIELDER HANK AARON

Good day all!

On the blog today, my final pick for National League outfielder of the decade to go along with Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente, none other than Hank Aaron, which makes for a RIDICULOUS outfield trip leading the Senior League through the 1960s:

I mean, it's not even fair to have these three together patrolling the outfield under any circumstance.

As for Aaron?

There's really no need to get into it with one of the All-Time best, but let's do it anyway.

For the decade, all Aaron did was score over 100 runs a season every year but 1968 (the "year of the pitcher"), hit over 40 homers five times, drive in over 100 runs six times, and lead the National league in primary offensive categories 17 times.

He was an All-Star every single season, and finish in the top-10 in M.V.P. voting seven times.

The man was a machine, and it was that consistency that lead to his massive lifetime totals in almost every offensive category: homers, runs batted in, runs scored, hits, total bases, you name it.

On top of all of that, the 1960's brought out the "speed" in Aaron, as he totaled double digits in stolen bases nine times during the decade, the ONLY times he stole as much in his entire 23 year career.

Imagine: Mays, Clemente and Aaron on the same team. Just wild...

1960S ALL-DECADE TEAM: A.L. OUTFIELDER MICKEY MANTLE

Today on the blog, my second American league outfielder on my 1960's All-Decade team, and it was an easy pick with Mickey Mantle, even if he put time in at first base as well towards the end of his legendary career:

Mantle is one of those guys I really don't think we need to get into as far as his accomplishments on the baseball diamond. It'd be kind of like a joke to start writing about his career since it would take up a book's worth.

But alas, 500+ homers, a bushel of World Championships, three Most Valuable Player Awards, a Triple Crown season in 1956 and the hearts of more fans than we can even imagine to this day.

"The Mick" in all his glory, enshrined in his rightful place in Cooperstown, along with his longtime buddy Whitey Ford in the same HOF class.

Though his true glory days were during the 1950s, Mantle would still take home one of his MVP trophies in the 1960s (1962), with three runner-up seasons, his only Gold Glove (1962), eight All-Star nods, and a home run title (1962).

The man became an American icon, idol for millions, and easily one of the most recognizable celebrities over the past 100 years before sadly leaving us way too soon at the age of 63 in 1995.

Not too bad a Hollywood script...

REVISITING A POST FROM 2014: 1970 VAN KELLY MISSING IN ACTION

Fun card and post to revisit today on the blog, my 1970 "missing in action" card for former infielder Van Kelly, who got the spotlight here on April 5th of 2014 as one of the earlier "missing in action" creations by yours truly:

Here's the original write-up for the blog post way back when:

Kelly really should have had a card in the 1970 Topps set after playing almost half of San Diego's inaugural season the previous year, manning both third and second base.

Kelly didn't leave much of a mark in the Majors, playing in 73 games in 1969 and only 38 games the next.

But I'd like to think that 222 plate appearances in '69 would be enough to warrant a card, especially for a 23 year old who seemed to be on the verge of a "career", no?

All told, Kelly would play in 111 games in his career, finishing with a .221 batting average, 66 hits, four homers, 25 runs scored and 24 runs batted in during his short career.

But thanks to the world of baseball card geeks like me, his name lives on!

 

1960S ALL-DECADE TEAM: N.L. OUTFIELDER WILLIE MAYS

Today we have my pick for the second outfielder on my national League team of the 1960s, and about as easy as it gets as I go with the Sporting News Player of the 1960s, all-time great Willie Mays:

The man flat-out raked during the decade of the '60's!

All the man did was finish in the top-10 in M.V.P. voting seven times, taking home the award in 1965 (with many remarking that HE should have won in 1962 over Maury Wills), top 30-homers six times, 40 homers four times, and 50 in 1965 (being the last to reach that mark until George Foster hit 52 in 1977).

Throw in seven 100+ R.B.I. seasons, six 100+ runs seasons, five .300+ years, nine Gold Gloves and all-star appearances every single year, and you see why it was so easy to choose the "Say Hey Kid" as the player of the decade.

Is it me, or is being voted "Player of the Decade" pretty freakin' big?!

I think such an honor speaks volumes historically, and it's a shame it goes so unnoticed through the years.

Anyway, so far an outfield of Roberto Clemente and Willie Mays both in their prime is ridiculously elite! And with the addition of my third outfielder on the N.L. team, which I'm sure you can all guess, it would easily be the greatest outfield the game would ever see if they had the chance to play together.

1960S ALL-DECADE TEAM: A.L. OUTFIELDER CARL YASTRZEMSKI

On the blog today, my pick for one of the three outfield slots in my 1960s American League All-Star team, and I went with Boston Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski:

Easy to pick the legend for this squad, as he had his best decade of his lengthy career in the 1960s, marked by three batting titles, an MVP monster year in 1967 when he took the red Sox on his shoulders and helped them reach the World Series, 

The man was at his height of his game at the time this photo was taken, already a three-time batting champion, Triple Crown winner in 1967, and five-time Gold Glove winner.

As someone who grew up in New York City during the second half of his career, it's really easy to forget that Yastrzemski was a Long Island, New York boy before he went on to become a New England legend.

And how could he NOT become a legend, what with 23 years of Major League ball, all with the Red Sox, turning in three batting titles, a Triple Crown in 1967 along with an MVP Award, seven Gold Gloves, 18 all-star nods, and 25 league-leads in primary offensive categories.

By the time he did the retirement tour in 1983, he scored 1816 runs, collected 3419 hits, 646 doubles, 452 homers, 1844 runs batted in along with a .285 batting average.

He was just plain awesome…