REVISITING A BLOG POST FROM 2015- "MISSING IN ACTION" 1978 BOBBY TOLAN

On the blog today, thought it'd be fun to revisit an old blog post from July 21st, 2015, where I created a "missing" 1978 card for former outfielder/1st baseman:

 

Tolan appeared in 64 games in 1977, 15 with the Philadelphia Phillies and 49 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, good for 97 plate appearances and 90 at-bats.

He hit .189 with 17 hits, eight runs scored and 10 runs batted in, with a single stolen base.

His best years were with the Cincinnati Reds between 1969 and 1973, topping .300 a couple of times and leading the league in stolen bases in 1970 with 57 and even slamming 21 home runs in 1969 with 93 runs batted in.

He missed all of 1971 after a fantastic 1970 season after rupturing his achilles tendon while playing basketball, violating a clause in his contract, but did make it back to win the 1972 "Comeback Player of the Year" Award in 1972.

Sadly for him however, he was traded to the San Diego Padres for pitcher Clay Kirby after the 1973 season, which saw his performance drop dramatically, hitting only .206, thereby missing out on the tremendous "Big Red Machine" run the next few years.

Dig the awesome 1970's sideburns-into-'stache going on with him on this 1978 card! Love it!

He'd actually make one more "comeback" of sorts in 1979, this time for the Padres, after being out of baseball all of 1978, appearing in 22 games though hitting only .190 with four hits over 21 at-bats, retiring soon after.

In all he'd finish with a .265 average with 193 steals and 1121 hits over 1282 games and 4238 at-bats, as well as a World Series ring as a member of the 1967 St. Louis Cardinals, when they defeated the Boston Red Sox.

NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION- 1976 GAYLEN PITTS

On the blog today, a 1976 "not so missing" card for former Oakland A's infielder Gaylen Pitts, who played the last of his Big League games during the 1975 season:

 

Pitts appeared in only 10 games for Oakland in 1975, going 1-for-3 at the plate with a run scored and an RBI in that limited play.

The previous season he made his MLB debut, appearing in 18 games for the eventual World Champs, hitting .244 with 10 hits in 41 at-bats, scoring four while driving in three.

Sadly for him that would be it in the Big Leagues, as he’d go on to play a couple more seasons in the Minor Leagues for Oakland and the Chicago Cubs before retiring as a player after 1977.
Later on he’d go on to coach and manage in the Minor Leagues, while also coaching with the St. Louis Cardinals under Joe Torre between 1991 and 1995.

CUSTOM SPOTLIGHT- "CAREER CAPPER" 1957 BOB FELLER

Today on the blog I spotlight my 1957 "Career Capper" for Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller, from my custom "The Whole Nine" set released last year:

 

Feller finished up an incredible 18-year Major League career in 1956, one that saw him win 266 games, toss 44 shutouts including three no-hitters, and striking out 2581 batters between 1936 and 1956.

And don't forget, the man lost almost FOUR seasons in his prime serving in the military from 1942 through 1945, easily bringing him close to 400 wins, 3500 K's and 60 shutouts if it wasn't for the war.

What an unsung hero all-around!

He led the league in wins six times, strikeouts seven times, shutouts four times and earned run average once, completing 279 of his 484 career starts.

The eight-time All-Star finished in the top-3 for league MVP three straight seasons between 1939 and 1941, winning 24, 27 and 25 games before sailing off to fight in World War II at the age of 23.

Just an astounding man who incredibly gets left out of the conversation when we talk about all-time greats, especially post-war.

Legend!

1970 "IN-GAME ACTION" SERIES ONE SET AVAILABLE NOW!

 

Greetings everyone!

That time again!

The newest WTHBALLS custom set is upon us!

The first of what will be two series of 1970 "In Game Action" cards. The first series is 25 cards along with a sticker and vintage 1970 Baltimore Orioles Kelloggs Decal, all packaged inside an Ultra Pro two-piece 25-card hard case with color wrap!

Sets are $21 each plus $4.50 postage. Of course as usual, if you buy more than one set postage always stays the same.

See photos attached for the cards and packaged sets.

My paypal is the usual: slogun23@gmail.com

Thank you all for the continued support and interest!

Be well and safe!

Gio/wthballs

 

 

WTHBALLS CUSTOM NEGRO LEAGUE SET: JOSH GIBSON

The next Negro Leagues great spotlighted from my "Negro League Legends" custom set released last Summer is perhaps the greatest of them all, catcher Josh Gibson:

 

Really, what needs to be said about one of the all-time baseball (of ANY league) legends anyone has ever seen?
I remember when I was a kid in the late-70’s/early-80’s, before the internet and information at the tips of your fingers, I would see that image of Gibson in the Guiness Book of World Records, along with their statement that he clubbed over 800 home runs during his playing career, as well as over 70 in a season, and just marvel and wonder about the “what if’s”.
What a treat it would have been to have fully documented numbers and achievements by Gibson against all players. Luckily what we do have are his numbers against his fellow Negro National League players, and they were just as amazing!
By the time Gibson retired at the young age of 34 in 1946, he put up a career average of .350, with 107 home runs in 1825 at-bats. Mind you, this doesn’t take into account all the home runs he blasted in other games such as the Dominican, Mexican, and Cuban (Winter League) games!
Informally, Gibson is credited with a .359 career average with 962 homers, hitting as many as 69 in 1934 and 55 the year before, including barnstorming games.
There’s so much I could write here, but for those who haven’t already, just read up on ANYTHING you can regarding Gibson’s career, it’ll blow your mind, including some of the anecdotes, and you’ll see why he’s considered not only one of the greatest catchers of all-time (in any league), but one of the greatest players, period.
Sadly, he passed away at only 35 years of age, never really seeing all the accolades that would come his way after he was no longer with us.
Such a shame. 

1970 IN-GAME ACTION: BOB GIBSON

The next player that gets a 1970 "In-Game Action" card in my ongoing series (and soon to be released custom set!), St. Louis Cardinals legend Bob Gibson:

 

"Gibby" was on his way to his second Cy Young Award in 1970, finishing the season with a brilliant 23-7 record, along with a 3.12 ERA and a career-best 274 strikeouts over 34 starts and 294 innings.

He also brought home his sixth of what would end up being nine Gold Gloves, while making his seventh All-Star team.

The 23 wins in 1970 marked his fifth 20-win season in six years, eventually settling for 251 wins as a Big League ace, along with 3117 strikeouts (only the second pitcher ever to reach that mark at the time), 56 shutouts and a brilliant 2.91 E.R.A.

A legend of the game, he was a “gimmie” for the Hall of Fame once eligible in 1981, getting named on 337 of 401 ballots cast.
Stories of Gibson’s fierce competitive streak are legendary, and I love each and every one of them!

NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION- 1972 BERNIE SMITH

On the blog today, a "not so missing" 1972 card for former Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Bernie Smith, who played the last of his Big League games in 1971:

 

Smith put in parts of two seasons in the Major Leagues, finishing up with 15 games in 1971, hitting .139 with five hits over 36 at-bats, with a run scored and three RBIs.

His debut was a season earlier when he played in 44 games over the 1970 season, the first for the Brewers organization after relocating from Seattle.

He would spend all of 1972 with Evansville in Double-A ball, but never make it back to the Big Leagues, retiring soon after.

All told, Smith would finish with a .232 batting average, collecting 26 hits in 112 at-bats over 59 games.