COACH CARD- 1976 DON MCMAHON

Time to go ahead and give one of my favorite under-appreciated pitchers Don McMahon, fellow Brooklynite, a coach card, this one a 1976 example:

McMahon moved on to coaching while still an active player with the San Francisco Giants in the early-70s before retiring as an active player for good after the 1974 season at the age of 44.
A couple of years later he was sharing his wisdom with the Minnesota Twins pitching staff, sharing what he himself picked up as a Big League pitcher for 18 seasons between 1957 and 1974.
Considering that McMahon was already 27 years of age when he debuted in 1957 with the Milwaukee Braves, it’s amazing he even threw for 18 years.
By the time he retired, he appeared in 874 games, and except for two starts for the Houston Colt .45’s in 1963, all others were out of the bullpen, establishing himself as a relief specialist on his way to 152 saves and 505 games finished, with a very nice 2.96 earned run average playing for seven organizations.
A product of the famous Erasmus High School in Flatbush Brooklyn, he’d finish his career with a record of 98-68 while also winning two championships, 1957 with the Braves and 1968 while with the Detroit Tigers.

MISSING IN ACTION WHILE COACHING: 1974 DON McMAHON

Here’s a “missing” card with an interesting twist: a Don McMahon player card even though he split duties as player AND coach for the San Francisco Giants during the 1973 season:

The veteran relief pitcher (and fellow Brooklyn native) lent his experience as a 17-year veteran of the big leagues to the Giants pitching staff, while ALSO going 4-0 with a sparkling 1.48 earned run average in 22 games and 30.1 innings as a 43 year old!
Now how is THAT for showing the youngsters how to do it?!
McMahon put together a grossly underrated 18-year career that saw him appear in 874 games between 1957 and 1974, posting a 90-68 record with a brilliant 2.96 ERA with 152 saves over 1310.2 innings of work.
Year in and year out the man did his job and did it well, suiting up for seven different organizations split between both leagues.

THEN AND NOW: 1972 DON McMAHON

Let's go and give former longtime pitcher Don McMahon a "Then and Now" card as part of the 1972 set, his final appearance as a player in a Topps set:

By the time he retired after the 1974 season, McMahon put together a wonderful 18-year career that had him appear in 874 games, all but two out of the bullpen, with 152 saves and a nice 2.96 earned run average over 1310.2 innings.

Playing for seven organizations between 1957 and 1974 he was a valuable arm off the bench, posting ten seasons of sub-3.00 ERA, with five of them coming in under 2.00, and in 1957 with the Milwaukee Braves and in 1968 with the Detroit Tigers, he was a World Champion for good measure.

To be honest, McMahon should have had a card in both the 1973 and 1974 Topps sets. I already created on for the 1973 omission, but look for my 1974 and possibly 1975 "Career Capper" in the near future!

MISSING IN ACTION-1973 DON McMAHON

Here's a "missing" card of a player who put together a really nice 18-year Major League career: Don McMahon and a 1973 card that never was.

Check it out:

By the time 1973 came around, McMahon was a 43-year old relief pitcher who was still somewhat effective out of the 'pen.

In 1972, pitching for the San Francisco Giants, McMahon went 3 and 3 with a 3.71 earned run average and five saves over 44 games and 63 innings.

Always a relief pitcher, McMahon started only two Major League games (in 1963 for the Houston Colt .45's) among his 874 appearances between 1957 and 1974.

I think I'll even design a "missing" 1974 card for him since he pitched in 22 games in 1973, good for a 4-0 record with a sparkling 1.48 E.R.A.

I don't remember exactly where he stood among all-time pitching appearances even as late at the early 1980's, but I DO remember that he was in the top-10, if not the top-5 at the time.

It's remarkable to even see that McMahon didn't play a Major League game until he was 27 years old, reminiscent of Hoyt Wilhelm.

McMahon could have easily joined Wilhelm as the first pitchers to log 1000 appearances in a career.

For his career, McMahon finished with a 90-68 record, 2.96 E.R.A. and 152 saves over those aforementioned 874 games played with seven organizations: Braves, Colt .45's (Astros), Indians, Red Sox, White Sox Tigers and Giants.

Keep an eye out for his 1974 "missing in action" card in the near future.