SPECIAL REQUEST: 1969 DEDICATED ROOKIE FOR AMOS OTIS

By special request today, a fun 1969 "dedicated rookie" for one of my favorite underrated players of the era, Amos Otis, who began his wonderful Major League career as a member of the New York Mets:

He came up with the New York Mets and played in 48 games for the World Champs that year, while making his Big League debut in 1967 with 19 games as a 20-year-old (watch for my "missing 1968 card soon!).

Topps had him as an inaugural member of the Kansas City Royals for his actual multi-player rookie card in the 1969 set.

Otis could very well be THE most overlooked player of the 1970's as he was nothing but steady through the entire decade, going on to be the American League's top run scorer with 861. driving in 90+ three times while stealing 30+ bases five times.

By the time he retired after the 1984 season after one year with the Pittsburgh Pirates, he ended up with 193 homers, 341 stolen bases, 1092 runs scored and 2020 hits along with a batting average of .277 and 1007 runs batted in.
Considering the “dead ball” era of the early-70’s in the American League, his numbers are up there with the best of them, and it’s sad he gets lost among his contemporaries when looking back at that time in Major League baseball.

 

CAREER-CAPPER: 1985 AMOS OTIS

On the blog today, we have a 1985 "Career-Capper" for one of my favorite underrated players of the 1970s, Amos Otis:

Otis wrapped up a very nice 17-year Big League career with 40 games as a Pittsburgh Pirate in 1984, the only season he suited up for the team after 14 years with the Royals, preceded by two years as a New York Met.

Otis could very well be THE most overlooked player of the 1970's as he was nothing but steady through the entire decade, going on to be the American League's top run scorer with 861. driving in 90+ three times while stealing 30+ bases five times.

By the time he retired after the 1984 season after one year with the Pittsburgh Pirates, he ended up with 193 homers, 341 stolen bases, 1092 runs scored and 2020 hits along with a batting average of .277 and 1007 runs batted in.
Considering the “dead ball” era of the early-70’s in the American League, his numbers are up there with the best of them, and it’s sad he gets lost among his contemporaries when looking back at that time in Major League baseball.

 

1970'S ALL-DECADE TEAM: A.L. OUTFIELDER AMOS OTIS

OK now!

Today I post up my first American League outfielder of the 1970s, often overlooked and underappreciated Kansas City Royal Amos Otis:

The man just needs to get his due when it comes to top outfielders of the 1970s, and I am happy to oblige!

Otis could very well be THE most overlooked player of the 1970's as he was nothing but steady through the entire decade, going on to be the American League's top run scorer with 861. driving in 90+ three times while stealing 30+ bases five times.

He led the A.L. in doubles twice, steals once, and made five All-Star teams while bringing home three Gold Gloves.

By the time he retired after the 1984 season after one year with the Pittsburgh Pirates, he ended up with 193 homers, 341 stolen bases, 1092 runs scored and 2020 hits along with a batting average of .277 and 1007 runs batted in.
Considering the “dead ball” era of the early-70’s in the American League, his numbers are up there with the best of them, and it’s sad he gets lost among his contemporaries when looking back at that time in Major League baseball.

We can easily put together a top-notch squad of overlooked A.L. players from the era, including Roy White, Jim Sundberg, Toby Harrah and Buddy Bell, who I'd put up against just about anyone else!

 

1970 FANTASY RE-DO: AMOS OTIS

On the blog today, thought it'd be fun to re-do Amos Otis' 1970 card since I found a nice image of him from 1969:

Topps originally issued Otis' 1970 card as a non-descript no-cap image of him that helped have his designated as a Kansas City Royal, for whom he'd play in 1970.

But since he came up with the New York Mets and played in 48 games for the World Champs, I thought it'd be cool to have a Mets version.

Otis could very well be THE most overlooked player of the 1970's as he was nothing but steady through the entire decade, going on to be the American League's top run scorer with 861. driving in 90+ three times while stealing 30+ bases five times.

By the time he retired after the 1984 season after one year with the Pittsburgh Pirates, he ended up with 193 homers, 341 stolen bases, 1092 runs scored and 2020 hits along with a batting average of .277 and 1007 runs batted in.
Considering the “dead ball” era of the early-70’s in the American League, his numbers are up there with the best of them, and it’s sad he gets lost among his contemporaries when looking back at that time in Major League baseball.

ON-CARD ALL-STAR: 1974 AMOS OTIS

On the blog today, we add vastly underrated Kansas City Royals outfielder Amos Otis to the "on-card All-Star" thread I've been working on for some time:

Otis, who really is so overlooked, made his fourth All-Star team in 1973, finishing third in the American League MVP race after hitting an even .300 with a career-best 26 home runs while driving in 93.

Two years prior, in 1971, he led the A.L. in stolen bases with 52, while also taking home the first of his three Gold Gloves.

He was nothing but steady through the entire decade, and was the American League's top run scorer with 861. driving in 90+ three times while stealing 30+ bases five times.

By the time he retired after the 1984 season after one year with the Pittsburgh Pirates, he ended up with 193 homers, 341 stolen bases, 1092 runs scored and 2020 hits along with a batting average of .277 and 1007 runs batted in.
Considering the “dead ball” era of the early-70’s in the American League, his numbers are up there with the best of them, and it’s sad he gets lost among his contemporaries when looking back at that time in Major League baseball.

1975 IN-ACTION: AMOS OTIS

Time to go and add that Kansas City Royals spark-plug and grossly overlooked player from the 1970’s, Amos Otis, to my long-running 1975 “In-Action” sub-set:

Otis, who came over to the Royals before the 1970 season in a famously lopsided trade by the New York Mets that netted them Joe Foy, went on to have a wonderful 17-year Major League career, all but three of those seasons in K.C.
All the man did was put in consistent solid seasons year after year, making it to five All-Star games and taking home three Gold Gloves for his defensive work out in centerfield.
He twice led the American League in doubles, while also topping the league in stolen bases once, and even had some “pop” in his bat with six seasons of 15+ homers, with a career high of 26 in 1973.
By the time he retired after the 1984 season after one year with the Pittsburgh Pirates, he ended up with 193 homers, 341 stolen bases, 1092 runs scored and 2020 hits along with a batting average of .277 and 1007 runs batted in.
Considering the “dead ball” era of the early-70’s in the American League, his numbers are up there with the best of them, and it’s sad he get’s lost among his contemporaries when looking back at that time in Major League baseball.

MISSING IN ACTION-"IN ACTION" #47: 1972 AMOS OTIS

Today we have a "missing" 1972 "In Action" card for underrated Kansas City Royals outfielder Amos Otis.

Take a look:

Otis was just coming into his own in 1971, leading the American League in stolen bases with 52 and beginning a nice run of plate production that would see him become a cog in the successful Royals teams of the mid-to-late 1970's.

By the time he retired after the 1984 season he topped 2000 hits, 1000 runs, 1000 RBI's, 340 stolen bases and just under 200 home runs with 193.

He also brought home three Gold Gloves for his fielding in 1971, 1973 and 1974, as well as getting named to five all-star teams.

Excellent all-around numbers that often get buried behind his former teammates and contemporaries of the decade.