REVISITING MY "THEN & NOW" 1972 CARD FOR MUDCAT GRANT

Let's have some fun today and revisit my ten-year-old 1972 "Then and Now" card for Jim "Mudcat" Grant, one of Baseball's "Black Aces":

Though he did have a card in the 1972 Topps set, he was already done with his Major League days, finishing up with the Oakland A's at the end of the 1971 season after starting it with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Between 1958 and 1966 he was primarily a starter, putting in his finest big league season in 1965 while a member of the American League champion Minnesota Twins, going 21-7 with a 3.30 earned run average, six shutouts and 142 strikeouts over 270.1 innings and 41 games, 39 of which were starts.

By the time he retired, Grant posted a 145-119 record with a 3.63 ERA, 18 shutouts and 54 saves over 571 games and 2442 innings playing for the Indians, Twins, Dodgers, Expos, Cardinals, A's and Pirates.

REVISITING A POST FROM 10 YEARS AGO: 1974 "THEN AND NOW" MILT PAPPAS

From exactly 10 years ago, we revisit my 1974 "Then and Now" card for pitcher Milt Pappas, who had himself a very nice Major League career before he hung them up:

Pappas was one of those few guys that actually had a "career capper" card of sorts since he retired AFTER Topps set up their set for the new year.

In this case, Pappas appears in the '74 set even though he was already done with Major League ball.

Therefore that is why I have him here on a 1974 template, which came out nice and clean.

Pappas was only 34 years old when he retired, even with the 17-year career, as he came up with the Baltimore Orioles as an 18-year old back in 1957.

Though never a 20-game winner or big strikeout guy, he did have consistent, solid years that led him to a 209-164 record with a 3.40 E.R.A., 43 shutouts and 1728 strikeouts as he pitched for the Orioles, Reds, Braves and Cubs.

A little historical footnote: when Pappas won his 200th game in 1972, he became the first pitcher in Major League history to reach that mark without a 20-win season.

REVISITING A POST FROM 2015: "THEN AND NOW" 1974 FELIPE ALOU

Thought I'd revisit a 10-year old post celebrating the playing career of Felipe Alou, elite hitter who went on to a very nice managerial career in the Big Leagues:

By 1974 Alou was wrapping up a very nice 17-year career that saw him top 2000 hits, 200 home runs and 100 stolen bases.

He'd only play three games in '74, with the Milwaukee Brewers, but I have him shown here as an Expos player, the team he was suited up for on his regular Topps card in the set. (Ignoring the awful Traded card as a Brewer he was airbrushed into).

During his career he'd top the National League in hits twice, runs once and total bases once.

His finest year would have to be 1966, when he led the N.L. in runs with 122, hits with 218, at-bats with 666, total bases with 355, while hitting 31 home runs, driving in 74 and batting a cool .327.

He'd end up fifth in MVP voting, and was named to his third all-star team.

After his playing days were over he'd coach and eventually manage in the Major Leagues, leading both the Expos and Giants to first place finishes (1994 and 2003 respectively) during his 14 years as a skipper.

Of course it's also worth mentioning that Alou comes from an incredible baseball family, as brothers Jesus and Matty, son Moises, cousin Jose Sosa and nephew Mel Rojas all got to play in the Big Leagues as well.

As a matter of fact, Felipe got to play with both his brothers, AND even go on to manage his son and nephew later on.

Pretty cool…

 

REVISITING A POST FROM 2014: 1979 "THEN & NOW" LOU BROCK

Good day everyone.

On the blog today we revisit a post from October of 2014, my 1979 "Then & Now" card for the great Lou Brock:

I loved creating cards for this thread a while back, fun stuff!

Here's the original post from that day:

Man! Here's a guy who is often overlooked in baseball history, and funny enough I almost forgot all about him for my "Then and Now" series: Lou Brock.

I just had to use a picture of him with that Cardinals cap on! Just takes me back…

By the end of the 1979 season Brock was closing out his Hall of Fame career, nailing down his 3000th hit to go along with his 938 stolen bases, 1610 runs scored and .293 lifetime average.

Even at the age of 40 he was doing well, batting over .300 (.304) with 21 stolen bases!

An eight-time stolen base champ, he also collected 200 hits in a season four times, with another four seasons of over 190, and he also scored 100+ runs in a season seven times.

Incredibly enough, in Brock's 19-year career, he made the All-Star team only six times! 

The price you pay for coming up during the years of Mays, Aaron, and Clemente! 

Tough luck indeed!

REVISITING A POST FROM 2014: THEN& NOW 1974 JUAN MARICHAL

Thought we'd revisit a blog post from almost ten years ago today, my 1974 "Then and Now" card for the great Juan Marichal, who had quite the magnificent Big League career:

Here's the original write-up from July of 2014 as it appeared.

This was the third such "Then and Now" card I created for the blog at the time:

"Following the basic idea of my previous subjects: Bob Gibson and Hank Aaron, this card features Marichal in the last Topps set he actually appeared on (1974), with a new card concept showing him at the end of his career, along with his Topps rookie card, in this case his 1961 debut.

No need getting into his career accomplishments here since it was well documented already, but the "Dominican Dandy" would eventually find himself enshrined in the baseball Hall of Fame in 1983, capping off a stellar career which saw him post a 243-142 record with a 2.89 earned run average, 2303 strikeouts and 52 shutouts, 10 of which came in 1965 alone.

Next up on this thread…well let's keep that a secret for now.

You'll just have to keep an eye out for it…"

THEN AND NOW: 1976 TONY OLIVA

Today’s blog post has a 1976 “Then and Now” Super Veteran card for three time batting champion Tony Oliva of the Minnesota Twins, who wrapped up a wonderful career that season:

 

Even though Oliva played out the 1976 season as a player-coach, I don't think he officially stated that it would be his last season as an active player.
But Oliva established himself as possibly the second best Twins hitter ever at that point (behind Rod Carew), and would retire with a .304 career average, 220 homers and just under 2000 hits (1917) in his 15 year career.
Oliva was well on his way to the Hall of Fame until injuries derailed his Cooperstown march once he reached his 30's.
He burst onto the Major League scene in 1964 when he easily won the American League Rookie of the Year award.
In that year, all he did was lead the league in batting, hitting .323, while slamming 32 homers with 94 runs batted in. 
He also lead the league in runs scored with 109, hits with 217, doubles with 43 and total bases with 374!
Those numbers also got him a fourth place finish in M.V.P. voting as well.
The following year there was no sign of a sophomore jinx, as he once again lead the lead in batting, this time hitting .321, with 16 homers, 98 R.B.I.'s, 40 doubles and 107 runs scored.
He also lead the league in total hits again, this time with 185.
All told in his career, Oliva would win three batting titles (the third coming in 1971 when he hit .337), and would lead the league in hits five times, slugging once (1971), get named to eight straight all-star teams, and have two second-place finishes for M.V.P., in 1965 and 1970.
I wouldn't say his final numbers warrant a Hall of Fame spot for Oliva. But I'll admit that you can argue a good point for it with the career he left us with, and come 2022 he would be selected for a spot in Cooperstown, which is just fine with me!
When you really take a look, he only had 11 full seasons in the Majors, with the half-season in 1976 and three pretty much non-existent years in 1962, 1963 and 1972. 
So his numbers carry a bit more weight in that light.
And wow, what a great hitting combo he and Rod Carew made for the Twins, huh?!
Nice 1-2 punch right there.

THEN AND NOW: 1974 SAM McDOWELL

The next "super veteran" to get a "Then and Now" card here on the blog, fire-baller Sam McDowell, who posted some incredible seasons with the Cleveland Indians before petering out in the first half of the 1970's:

 

Over his 15-year career he was at times unhittable, six times topping 200 strikeouts, two of those seasons saw him top 300.
He’d go on to lead the league in K’s five times during his amazing run between 1965 and 1970, along with a 20-win season in 1970 and a career low 1.81 ERA in the “Year of the Pitcher” 1968.
It’s a shame he only had ten full seasons during his career, seeing as he ended up with 2453 career strikeouts with a 141-134 record and a nice 3.17 ERA.
Once he was traded to the San Francisco Giants for Gaylord Perry after the 1971 season his career went downhill quickly, barely hanging on the final four years before retiring after 1975.
Nevertheless between 1964 and 1971 he was a monster on that mound, striking fear in opposing batters while racking up the K’s and getting named to six all-star teams.

 

REVISITING A POST FROM AUGUST, 2014: "THEN & NOW" LUIS APARICIO

On the blog today, revisiting an old post from August 18th of 2014 celebrating the career of "Little Louie" Aparicio, Hall of Fame shortstop who wrapped up a brilliant career in 1974:

 

Here's the original write-up:

"Next up on my "Then and Now" Super Veterans thread is Hall of Fame shortstop Luis Aparicio.

He actually wrapped up his playing days by the end of the 1973 season, but Topps (for a change) went ahead and issued a card for him in their 1974 edition. So the card I designed was patterned after that year's set.

From the moment he made it to the Majors in 1956 with the Chicago White Sox, Aparicio was a star.

He took home the A.L. Rookie of the Year that season, and proceeded to be an all-star player for most of his 18-year career.

Between 1956 and 1964, nine consecutive years, he led the American League in stolen bases every single season!

As a member of the "Go-Go" 1959 Chicago White Sox he finished second to teammate Nellie Fox for Most Valuable Player, and he'd go on to win nine Gold Glove Awards before hanging up the spikes.

All told he suited up for the White Sox, Baltimore Orioles, and Boston Red Sox for the final three years of his illustrious career.

By the time he retired the numbers were solid: 2677 hits, 1335 runs scored, 506 stolen bases and over 10000 at-bats!

It took a few years on the ballot, but he was finally inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984."

THEN & NOW: 1979 DON KESSINGER

Up on the blog today, we have a 1979 “Then & Now” Super Veteran card for former Chicago Cubs All-Star Don Kessinger, who wrapped up a nice Major League career as player-manager with the cross-town White Sox:

 

  

Originally up to the Majors in 1964 as a 21-year-old, he would play the first 12 years of his career on Chicago's North Side with the Cubbies, before moving on to the St. Louis Cardinals for a season and a half, then the Chicago White Sox for the last two and a half years of his 16-year career.

Kessinger was really a great player who gets lost over the years, making six all-star teams over his career, along with two Gold Gloves for such a great Cubs team at the time.

In 1969 Kessinger had perhaps his best season in the Big Leagues, collecting a career-best 181 hits, 38 doubles, 53 runs batted in and 109 runs scored.

In 1979, his last season of his career, he was also named manager of the White Sox before handing over the reigns to a young up and coming field general, a guy named Tony LaRussa.

For Kessinger, he would finish his career with 1931 hits, 899 runs, 100 stolen bases and a .252 batting average over 7651 at-bats and 2078 games played.

As a manager however, he didn't have the same result, lasting only 106 games into the 1979 season before getting let go, leading the team to a record of 46-60.

His replacement, Tony LaRussa, incredibly is STILL managing to this day, which boggles my mind.

REVISITING AN OLD BLOG POST FROM AUGUST 4TH, 2014: THEN AND NOW #8: HARMON KILLEBREW 1975

Up on the blog today, how about we revisit one of my favorite "early" blog posts, this one from August of 2014 celebrating the great Harmon Killebrew with my 1975 "Then and Now" card:

 

I have been a super-fan of the man since the age of 10 in 1979, when I first saw this "stranger's" stats on the back of a 1973 card, and I couldn't believe my eyes!

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

"What does anyone need to be reminded of regarding Killebrew?

He was an absolute BEAST at the plate, crushing 573 lifetime homers, MOST of them during the pitching-era of the 1960's into the '70's.

Eight 40+ home run seasons, nine 100+ runs batted in seasons, seven 100+ base-on-balls seasons, an M.V.P. in 1969 (with five top-5 finishes in M.V.P. voting as well), and a Hall of Fame induction in 1984.

I remember as a ten-year old in 1979 scoring a 1973 Killebrew card from my cousin, and I was absolutely dumbfounded by the statistics on the back!

I never heard of this guy, yet I was looking at numbers that made my jaw drop.

I just couldn't understand why his name wasn't plastered everywhere. Ha!"

THEN AND NOW- 1977 BILL FREEHAN

Time to go and add all-star catcher (and should-be Hall of Famer in my eyes) Bill Freehan of the Detroit Tigers to my "Then and Now" Super veterans series, celebrating the man's great Big League career:

It's easy to forget that Freehan was an eleven-time all-star, five-time Gold Glover, and finished in the top-ten in M.V.P. voting three times, with a second place finish in 1968 behind teammate Denny McLain.
1964, his first full year in the Majors, was arguably his finest season, as he hit .300 for the only time in his career along with 18 homers and 80 R.B.I.'s.
But for the rest of his career Freehan put up solid numbers year after year, while taking care of a Detroit pitching staff that featured guys like McLain, Mickey Lolich and Earl Wilson.
He really was ahead of the rest of the pack as far as A.L. catchers during the decade.

A solid player through and through, he'd retire after the 1976 season with a .262 lifetime average, 200 homers and 758 runs batted in over 1774 games and 6073 at-bats.

As far as Major League catchers go, especially for that era, I feel he should be in the Hall, representing that era between Yogi Berra and Carlton Fisk in the American League.

 

A BIT OF A CHEAT HERE- 1977 THAN & NOW FOR MINNIE MINOSO

Admittedly, today’s card is a bit of a cheat since he wasn’t really an active player in 1977, but I couldn’t resist creating a “Then & Now” card for the great Minnie Minoso, who made his historic appearance as a player during the 1976 season:

As I stated recently when I posted his “Nickname of the 1970’s” card about a week ago, I always felt the appearances he made in both 1976 and 1980 may have actually hurt him as far as Hall of Fame selection in the future, with the circus-like feel of the promotional gimmicks.
Nevertheless, the man’s career is incredibly underrated, and perhaps in the future he’ll find his way into Cooperstown, though sadly after his passing.
Of course we remember that Minoso had a card in the 1977 set as a “Record Breaker” for becoming the oldest player to collect a hit when he did so over eight at-bats at the age of 50, hence the 1977 template for this card.
Definitely a fun card to add to the collection! I would have been in awe of seeing a 1952 card way back then, at the age of eight. Probably didn’t see one until a couple years later.

THEN AND NOW: 1978 ED KIRKPATRICK

I’ve been meaning to create this 1978 “Then and Now” card for long-time catcher/utility-man Ed Kirkpatrick for some time now. Happy to get it out today:

Kirkpatrick put in 16 seasons in the Big Leagues between 1962 and 1977, coming up as a 17-year-old with the Los Angeles Angels, for whom he played the first seven years of his career.
In 1969 he was one of the original Kansas City Royals, having the best run of his career through 1973 with them, getting the only truly full-time work in the Majors in that period.
In 1974 he found himself as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates, for whom he got to play in his only post-season action, coming in 1974 and 1975 during the National League Championship Series.
He played with the Pirates into the 1977 season before getting traded first to the Texas Rangers, then to the Milwaukee Brewers, where he played out the season, and his career.
Interesting note I never knew before: the trade that brought him to Milwaukee in his final season of 1977 was for slugger Gorman Thomas, who was sent to Texas!
Turns out that the Brewers purchased Thomas back and thus led to him becoming the slugging home-run champ we all got to know later in the decade, into the 1980’s.
As for Kirkpatrick, he finished his MLB career with a .238 batting average, with 824 hits in 3467 at-bats, appearing in 1311 games while playing every position except for pitcher and shortstop along the way.
Truly a utility man who could fill in anywhere.

SUPER VETERAN "THEN AND NOW": 1971 CURT FLOOD

Time to honor All-Star outfielder and a major factor in the way the game is structured to this very day, Curt Flood, with a “Then and Now” card in the 1971 set:

Flood pretty much sacrificed his career by the early-70’s , fighting MLB for their handling of players “as cattle” in regards to trades, releases, eventually opening the doors for Free Agency and allowing players some control over their own careers.
You have to understand how HUGE this was, as it was something players have been trying to do since the late-1800’s (think of the failed Players League of 1890).
Sadly for Flood, while it did end up helping ballplayers soon after he left the game, his own playing career was over by the age of 33, really 31.
Beginning in 1962 Flood strung together eight fantastic seasons starring for the St. Louis Cardinals, consistently batting over .300, two 200-hit seasons, and seven straight Gold Glove Awards, right up to the 1969 campaign.
Then it all began with a trade to the Philadelphia Phillies along with others including Tim McCarver for superstar slugger Dick (Richie) Allen and a couple of other players.
Flood refused to report to his new team, eventually forcing the Cardinals to send prospect Willie Montanez to complete the deal, essentially ending his career as a player while he fought to have control over his own career, fighting the “reserve clause”.
After sitting out the season in 1970, the Phillies eventually sent him to the Washington Senators, where Flood played the last 13 games of his career before leaving the team within the first month, abruptly closing out a great career that could have been Hall of Fame worthy had he played longer.
If you’re not familiar with Flood’s case, and his teaming up with Players’ Union head Marvin Miller, you MUST read up on this to understand the state of the game today.
I just touched upon some brief points here, but the case and Flood’s decision to pursue this cause is incredible.
Every single player today has much to thank Flood and his sacrifice, allowing the Free Agent boom of the mid-70’s to change the game forever, leading to the salaries and benefits even the average players have today.

THEN & NOW SUPER VETERAN- 1972 MIKE McCORMICK

Haven’t done one of these in a while, so here’s a 1972 “Then & Now” for former Cy Young winning pitcher Mike McCormick, who finished up a nice 16-year career in 1971 with the Kansas City Royals, though he appeared on a Topps card as a San Francisco Giant:

Turns out McCormick, who originally came up to the Majors in 1956 as a 17-year old with the New York Giants, signed with the team right before the 1972 season, then retired in June without appearing in a game that season.
McCormick had his best seasons in the Majors with the Giants, which included two tenures with the organization: 1956-1962 and 1967-1970.
In 1967, his first season back with his old club, he went on the win the NL Cy Young when he posted a record of 22-10 with a 2.85 earned run average along with five shutouts.
Back in 1960 at the age of 21 he led the NL with his 2.70 ERA while going 15-12 with four shutouts and three saves over 40 appearances.
By the time he retired, he finished his Big League career with a record of 134-128, with a 3.73 ERA and 23 shutouts along with 12 saves over 484 appearances, 333 of them starts, with 2380.1 innings pitched.

"THEN & NOW" SUPER VETERAN: 1979 MICKEY STANLEY

I have to admit, as I initially scoured the decade for players who had a long career and had their last card in the 1970’s, I completely missed long-time Detroit Tigers outfielder Mickey Stanley!
So here’s his 1979 addition to one of my favorite sub-sets from the blog:

Stanley was a four-time Gold Glove center-fielder who played his entire career with the Tigers, from 1964 when he came up as a 21-year-old through the 1978 season.
From 1967 to 1973 he was a starter, putting in solid seasons in Motown where he twice went full seasons without an error (1968 and 1971).
By the time he retired, he finished with a .248 batting average, with 1243 hits over 5022 at-bats, with 641 runs scored and exactly 500 RBIs in 1516 games.
I have always loved the careers of guys like Stanley, Roy White, Bob Montgomery, who played for 10 or more years, never really being a super-star or even a full-timer in some cases, yet all with the same team.
Imagine that today.

THEN AND NOW- SANDY ALOMAR

Haven’t done a “Then and Now” card in a while, so today I post up a 1979 edition for Alomar patriarch Sandy Alomar Senior, who put together a nice 15-year career before retiring after the 1978 season:

Alomar came up with the Milwaukee Braves back in 1964, but didn’t get to play full-time until he joined the California Angels in 1969, where he would play until he was purchased by the New York Yankees in July of 1974.
He’d play the last two seasons of his career with the Texas Rangers, retiring after the 1978 season before moving on to coaching for various organizations.
Of course, he also had a couple of sons who became pretty good baseball players themselves, 1990 American Rookie of the Year Sandy Alomar Jr, and future Hall of Fame second baseman Roberto Alomar.
Not a bad baseball family tree!

THEN AND NOW: EDDIE FISHER 1960-1973

Here’s a card celebrating the solid Major League career of relief pitcher Eddie Fisher, who put in 15 years between 1959 and 1973:

Fisher had some excellent seasons in the mid-1960’s with the Chicago White Sox, with his best in 1965 when he made the all-star team and went 15-7 with 24 saves, all in relief, with a 2.40 earned run average.
He continued to be an arm out of the ‘pen until his last season when he returned to the White Sox and they tried him out as a starter for half of his appearances, going 8-8 as a 36-year old.
Overall he finished with an 85-70 record with a 3.41 ERA along with 82 saves for no less than six organizations, leading the American League in appearances in both 1965 and 1966.

THEN AND NOW- WILLIE DAVIS 1961-1977

Next up in my “Then and Now” super veteran series is former long time Dodgers center fielder Willie Davis, who capped off a wonderful 18-year career in 1979 with the California Angels, but had his last card in the 1977 Topps set:

Davis came up with the Dodgers as a 20-year old in 1960, just in time to be a part of the organization’s great run which included two world championships in 1963 and 1965, as well as a World Series appearance in 1966.
A speedster who racked up hits and had the occasional power, Davis finished his career with over 2500 hits, 182 home runs and 398 stolen bases, along with a nice .279 batting average in 2429 career games.
Though he played the first 14 years of his career in L.A., Davis would go on to play for five teams over the last four years of his career: Montreal Expos, Texas Rangers, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres and the Angels in 1979 after a two-year absence from MLB ball in 1977 and 1978 when he played in Japan.

THEN AND NOW: COOKIE ROJAS 1963-1977

Let’s celebrate the career of former all-star second baseman Cookie Rojas, who pretty much split a very nice 16-year career between the Philadelphia Phillies and Kansas City Royals with a brief stop over in St. Louis during the 1970 season and his promotion to the Major Leagues with the Cincinnati Reds in 1962:

The five-time all-star, and fan-favorite, was closing out his career with the American League West champion Royals, doling out the wisdom to young studs like George Brett and Al Cowens.
By the time he retired, he left with 1660 hits, 713 runs scored and a .263 lifetime average over 1822 games.