"CLASSIC BASEBALL" CUSTOM WTHBALLS SET: RON SANTO

On the blog today, we give Hall of Famer third baseman Ron Santo a card in my custom WTHBALLS "Classic Baseball" set, celebrating the great game's rich history:

Ron Santo was no slouch at the hot corner: nine All-Star games, five Gold Gloves, 342 lifetime homers and 1331 runs batted in in a somewhat short 15-year career, mainly for the North Side Chicago Cubs (he played his last year for the South Side Chicago White Sox) in 1974.

Just take a look at his career, and see the solid numbers year after year, about as consistent a player you could ever ask for.

Between 1963 and 1973 Santo was selected for nine All-Star games, received five Gold Gloves for his defensive work, and four-time finished Top-10 in the National League MVP race, with a high of fourth in 1967.
Post-playing career, Santo moved on to broadcasting, where he was a beloved color commentator over the years, working with guys like Harry Caray, Thom Brennaman and Steve Stone.

He was about as beloved a Cub as there ever was, and finally made it into the Hall of Fame in 2012 as a Veteran's Committee selection, even though tragically it was two years after he passed away.

 

1960s IN-ACTION: 1964 RON SANTO

Good day all!

On the blog today we showcase my 1964 "In-Action" card for Hall of Fame third baseman Ron Santo of the Chicago Cubs:

Always a fun set to create, imagining if Topps began using in-game action shots during the 1960s rather than beginning in 1971.

Ron Santo was no slouch at the hot corner: nine All-Star games, five Gold Gloves, 342 lifetime homers and 1331 runs batted in in a somewhat short 15-year career, mainly for the North Side Chicago Cubs (he played his last year for the South Side Chicago White Sox) in 1974.

Just take a look at his career, and see the solid numbers year after year, about as consistent a player you could ever ask for.

Between 1963 and 1973 Santo was selected for nine All-Star games, received five Gold Gloves for his defensive work, and four-time finished Top-10 in the National League MVP race, with a high of fourth in 1967.
Post-playing career, Santo moved on to broadcasting, where he was a beloved color commentator over the years, working with guys like Harry Caray, Thom Brennaman and Steve Stone.

He was about as beloved a Cub as there ever was, and finally made it into the Hall of Fame in 2012 as a Veteran's Committee selection, even though tragically it was two years after he passed away.

1960S ALL-DECADE TEAM: N.L. THIRD BASEMAN RON SANTO

Up on the blog today, my pick for the National League's top third baseman of the 1960s, and I went with Chicago Cubs legend Ron Santo:

Ron Santo was no slouch at the hot corner: nine All-Star games, five Gold Gloves, 342 lifetime homers and 1331 runs batted in in a somewhat short 15-year career, mainly for the North Side Chicago Cubs (he played his last year for the South Side Chicago White Sox) in 1974.

Just take a look at his career, and see the solid numbers year after year, about as consistent a player you could ever ask for.

Between 1963 and 1973 Santo was selected for nine All-Star games, received five Gold Gloves for his defensive work, and four-time finished Top-10 in the National League MVP race, with a high of fourth in 1967.
Post-playing career, Santo moved on to broadcasting, where he was a beloved color commentator over the years, working with guys like Harry Caray, Thom Brennaman and Steve Stone.

He was about as beloved a Cub as there ever was, and finally made it into the Hall of Fame in 2012 as a Veteran's Committee selection, even though tragically it was two years after he passed away.

1971 "BASEBALL'S GREATEST MOMENTS": RON SANTO

On the blog today, my "missing" 1971 "Baseball's Greatest Moments" card for Chicago Cubs great Ron Santo, Hall of Fame third baseman:

Between 1964 and 1968 the man reeled in five straight Gold Gloves for his great defensive work, while also putting in stellar offensive seasons that saw him average 30 home runs and 100 runs batted in.

By the time he hung up his spikes after the 1974 season, Santo established himself as one of the all-time greats at third base.

A wonderful 15 year career that saw him suit up for the Cubs for all but his final season, Santo was about as solid as you could ever want, especially during the modern "dead-ball" era of the mid-1960's through the mid-1970's.

He walloped 342 lifetime homers, along with 1331 runs batted in, 1138 runs scored and a .277 batting average.

Four times he drove in more than 100 runs, with another four years of 90+. As I stated earlier he he also hit 30+ homers four straight years, between 1964-1967, as well as topping .300 four times.

A nine time all-star and five time Gold Glover, it's a shame it took so long for him to be acknowledged as such, getting inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012, two years after he passed away.

If it wasn't for long time teammate Ernie Banks, we'd be calling Santo "Mr. Cub".

1975 STARS RETIRE: RON SANTO AND NORM CASH

Good day everyone!

Up on the blog today we have another 1975 "Stars Retire" card, this time celebrating the fine MLB careers of Ron Santo and Norm Cash, who both called it a career after the 1974 season:

Santo hit only .221 as mainly their Designated Hitter in what was his 15th and final Major League campaign, retiring soon after at only 34 years of age.
Of course it was his stalwart career with the Chicago Cubs that eventually got him his rightful place in Cooperstown, hitting .277 with 342 home runs and 1331 runs batted in while playing stellar third base.
Between 1963 and 1973 Santo was selected for nine All-Star games, received five Gold Gloves for his defensive work, and four-time finished Top-10 in the National League MVP race, with a high of fourth in 1967.
Post-playing career, Santo moved on to broadcasting, where he was a beloved color commentator over the years, working with guys like Harry Caray, Thom Brennaman and Steve Stone.
But it was mainly his working relationship with Pat Hughes on the radio that were enthusiastically known as the “Pat and Ron Show”.
Sadly, Santo would die from bladder cancer and complications from diabetes in December, 2010, and would not live to see himself selected for the Hall of Fame, as that would come almost a year later when he was the only player selected by the Golden Era Committee.
Just a crying shame if you ask me.

Cash of course is generally remembered for that incredible 1961 season when he led the American League in batting with a .361 figure, along with an incredible .487 on-base-percentage.
Sadly for him however, he happened to have such a season the very same year a couple of guys from the Bronx, Maris and Mantle, have a “chase to 61”, leading to Maris taking home the MVP with Mantle not far behind.
Throw in a career year for Baltimore Orioles slugger Jim Gentile, and you have Cash ending up fourth in that season’s MVP race.
Incredibly, in Cash’s 17-year career, he never even reached a .300 batting average in any one season again! As a matter of fact if we’re looking at full seasons, the next highest average he reached was .283 in 1971, when he had his last great year, hitting 32 homers and driving in 91 for Detroit.
Overall, by the time he retired after the 1974 season, Cash finished with a .271 average, with 377 homers and 1104 runs batted in, with four All-Star nods.
Five times he topped 30 home runs, while driving in over 80-runs six times while scoring over 80 four times during what many consider a “pitcher’s era”.

Two incredibly under-appreciated players from the '60's who hung up the cleats in 1974, proudly displayed on this 1975 custom.

1970 "IN-GAME ACTION": RON SANTO

The next card from my two-sertes custom set released over the past few months is Hall of Fame third baseman Ron Santo of the Chicago Cubs:

 

Santo made his sixth All-Star team in 1969, having one of his best seasons in the Big Leagues when he drove in a career-best 123 runs along with 29 homers, 97 runs scored and a .289 batting average.

For his efforts he also finished fifth at the end of the year for N.L. MVP, his second best finish after a fourth place finish just two seasons prior.

Between 1963 and 1973 Santo was selected for nine All-Star games, received five Gold Gloves for his defensive work, and four-time finished Top-10 in the National League MVP race, with a high of fourth in 1967.
Post-playing career, Santo moved on to broadcasting, where he was a beloved color commentator over the years, working with guys like Harry Caray, Thom Brennaman and Steve Stone.
But it was mainly his working relationship with Pat Hughes on the radio that were enthusiastically known as the “Pat and Ron Show”.
Sadly, Santo would die from bladder cancer and complications from diabetes in December, 2010, and would not live to see himself selected for the Hall of Fame, as that would come almost a year later when he was the only player selected by the Golden Era Committee.
Just a crying shame if you ask me.

ON-CARD ALL-STAR: 1974 RON SANTO

Moving right along in my long-running "On-Card All-Star" thread where I slap a big beautiful "All-Star" banner on a player's base Topps card, we have the National League's starting third baseman in 1973, Ron Santo:

 

Now, as I did with Carlton Fisk, I needed to recreate Santo's base 1974 Topps card since his original was a landscape layout, so I came up with this one, which presents well I believe.

Santo was named to his ninth, and final All-Star team in 1973, as he entrenched himself as THE National League third sacker during the era, just like Brooks Robinson did over in the American League.

Santo was winding down a wonderful 15 year career by then, one that would see him finish with five Gold Gloves, 342 homers, 2254 hits, 1331 runs batted in and the aforementioned All-Star nods.

Sadly however, Cooperstown dropped the ball and finally selected him for Hall of Fame enshrinement two years after his passing in 2012.

Really is a shame he wasn't given that honor beforehand, which he deserved.

ON-CARD ALL-STAR: 1970 RON SANTO

This week we reach the starting 1969 All-Star third baseman for the National League in my new "on-card" All-Star idea, showing the previous years' starting all-stars with on-card designation like my favorite cards of 1975-1981:

Santo made his sixth All-Star team in 1969, having one of his best seasons in the Big Leagues when he drove in a career-best 123 runs along with 29 homers, 97 runs scored and a .289 batting average.

For his efforts he also finished fifth at the end of the year for N.L. MVP, his second best finish after a fourth place finish just two seasons prior.

Between 1963 and 1973 Santo was selected for nine All-Star games, received five Gold Gloves for his defensive work, and four-time finished Top-10 in the National League MVP race, with a high of fourth in 1967.
Post-playing career, Santo moved on to broadcasting, where he was a beloved color commentator over the years, working with guys like Harry Caray, Thom Brennaman and Steve Stone.
But it was mainly his working relationship with Pat Hughes on the radio that were enthusiastically known as the “Pat and Ron Show”.
Sadly, Santo would die from bladder cancer and complications from diabetes in December, 2010, and would not live to see himself selected for the Hall of Fame, as that would come almost a year later when he was the only player selected by the Golden Era Committee.
Just a crying shame if you ask me.

 

1975 IN-ACTION: RON SANTO

Adding to my long-running 1975 “In-Action” sub-set today, we have a bit of a swan-song for Hall of Fame third baseman Ron Santo, who finished up his excellent Big League career with one season out of a Chicago Cubs uniform, now as a cross town Chicago White Sox player:

Santo hit only .221 as mainly their Designated Hitter in what was his 15th and final Major League campaign, retiring soon after at only 34 years of age.
Of course it was his stalwart career with the Chicago Cubs that eventually got him his rightful place in Cooperstown, hitting .277 with 342 home runs and 1331 runs batted in while playing stellar third base.
Between 1963 and 1973 Santo was selected for nine All-Star games, received five Gold Gloves for his defensive work, and four-time finished Top-10 in the National League MVP race, with a high of fourth in 1967.
Post-playing career, Santo moved on to broadcasting, where he was a beloved color commentator over the years, working with guys like Harry Caray, Thom Brennaman and Steve Stone.
But it was mainly his working relationship with Pat Hughes on the radio that were enthusiastically known as the “Pat and Ron Show”.
Sadly, Santo would die from bladder cancer and complications from diabetes in December, 2010, and would not live to see himself selected for the Hall of Fame, as that would come almost a year later when he was the only player selected by the Golden Era Committee.
Just a crying shame if you ask me.

GIMMIE A DO-OVER: 1972 "IN-ACTION" RON SANTO

I have always wanted to re-do the 1972 Ron Santo “In-Action” card, so today I’ll post it up here, for better of for worse:

Re-done custom

Original back in 1972

It’s not that I hate the image Topps used for the original, but I have always had a problem with an image on a card that had the subject-player BEHIND another player, no matter what the composition.
On this card that catcher, I believe the San Francisco Giants Dick Dietz, has much more prominent a position on the card, and man that never sits right with me.
Nevertheless, I found a nice time-period shot of the all-time Cubs great third baseman up at bat, so I decided to use it for the card.
Great player who finally got his due in Cooperstown way too late in my opinion. Sometimes the player should be considered for more than just stats or dominance (Vada Pinson, Steve Garvey, Dave Parker, Dick Allen, et al).

THEN AND NOW #17: RON SANTO 1975

My next installment for my "Then and Now Super Veterans" sub-set is a 1975 card celebrating the career of Chicago Cubs legend Ron Santo.

Check it out:

Santo didn't actually even play in 1975, but he did have a card in the set, so I used the '75 design for this card as well.

By the time he hung up his spikes after the 1974 season, Santo established himself as one of the all-time greats at third base.

A wonderful 15 year career that saw him suit up for the Cubs for all but his final season, Santo was about as solid as you could ever want, especially during the modern "dead-ball" era of the mid-1960's through the mid-1970's.

He walloped 342 lifetime homers, along with 1331 runs batted in, 1138 runs scored and a .277 batting average.

Four times he drove in more than 100 runs, with another four years of 90+. He also hit 30+ homers four straight years, between 1964-1967, as well as topping .300 four times.

A nine time all-star and five time Gold Glover, it's a shame it took so long for him to be acknowledged as such, getting inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012, two years after he passed away.

If it wasn't for long time teammate Ernie Banks, we'd be calling Santo "Mr. Cub".

"1960'S ALL-DECADE TEAM" SUB-SET FOR THE 1970 TOPPS SET: THIRD BASEMEN

Here's a position for my "All-Decade" 1970 sub-set creation that was about as easy as it gets: third base.

Brooks Robinson and Ron Santo were easy picks as the best at their position in their respective leagues for the 1960's.

Both future Hall of Famers who distanced themselves from the rest of the pack, and make for a nice card. Take a look:

Brooks Robinson, he of 16 Gold Gloves, an M.V.P. In 1964, 15 All-Star games, and over 2800 hits and two World Championships over his stellar 23 year career playing entirely for the Baltimore Orioles, was not only the third baseman of the DECADE for the American League, but perhaps still is the third baseman of FOREVER in the A.L.

His hitting was good enough (for his era) to have him stand out as a perennial All-Star, but his fielding was just plain out of this world.

Who can forget his fielding display in the 1970 World Series, frustrating the Cincinnati Reds with play after play?

The man was truly the "Human Vacuum Cleaner"!

Over on the National League side, Ron Santo was no slouch himself: nine All-Star games, five Gold Gloves, 342 lifetime homers and 1331 runs batted in in a somewhat short 15-year career, mainly for the North Side Chicago Cubs (he played his last year for the South Side Chicago White Sox) in 1974.

He was about as beloved a Cub as there ever was, and finally made it into the Hall of Fame in 2012 as a Veteran's Committee selection, even though tragically it was two years after he passed away.

Just take a look at his career, and see the solid numbers year after year, about as consistent a player you could ever ask for.

Two great third basemen that made this entry for the thread easy.

Next up we move on to Catcher, which was not as easy as one might think…

Stay tuned and see who the players are.

HALL OF FAME LEADERS II: 1970 NATIONAL LEAGUE R.B.I.

Continuing with this new thread profiling league leader cards that feature only Hall of Fame players,  today we have three sluggers who finished 1-2-3 in the National League in R.B.I.'s in 1969, making for a fantastic superstar loaded baseball card in the 1970 set (#63): Willie McCovey, Ron Santo and Tony Perez.
Combined, we're looking at 1242 lifetime home runs, 4538 runs batted in, 7197 hits and 22 all-star appearances over SIXTY Major League seasons!
All three players were stalwarts of the N.L. throughout their careers and each finished in the top-10 in M.V.P. voting for the 1969 season: McCovey won the award while Santo finished fifth and Perez finished tenth.
As a matter of fact, these three stars received M.V.P. votes in a staggering 24 years during their playing careers.
Needless to say, the Hall of Fame inevitably came calling for each of them: 1986 for McCovey, 2000 for Perez and 2012 Santo, cementing their rightful place in baseball history.

Three R.B.I. machines at the height of their careers.

"GIMME A DO-OVER"- PART XIII: 1974 #270 RON SANTO

After redesigning the 1974 Fergie Jenkins card for the last "do-over" post, let's stay on the same set a little longer and look at one of my most hated star cards of the decade: #270 Ron Santo.
Seriously. Let me explain what I hate about this card: EVERYTHING!
Let's take a look and get reacquainted...

"You talkin' to me?!"

Where do we even begin?
First off, why was THIS photo used for a horizontal layout? Santo is off to the left of the card, with another player inexplicably just under his face behind him. I swear if you use your imagination it looks like a "mini" player looking down Santo's jersey while hanging on. Why no action shot if you insist on the landscape card?
Then, another teammate seems to be looking RIGHT AT the photographer taking Santo's picture from way back on the right side, while a sparse Spring training crowd is looking on.
Santo looks somewhat annoyed by all of this as he squints while fighting off the glare of the sun.
Either that, or it looks like the photographer yelled out "Hey Ron!!" and caught Santo as he spun around to see who was calling for him.
Ugh. I really get so annoyed with this card. What a shame that this was his last Cubs card. 
For my "do-over", I decided to use a nice portrait pose in a vertical layout. It seemed like a more appropriate last Cubs card for the Chicago legend and future Hall of Famer.
I can honestly say that this card has been one of my most hated cards for about 30 years now.
I always felt it was such a half-assed job for such a popular player.
Anyway, onto the new design:

Better on so many levels.