NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION- 1971 JULIO NAVARRO

Today's blog post has a "not so missing" 1971 card for former pitcher Julio Navarro, who made it back to a Major League mound in 1970 after three years toiling in the Minors between 1967 and 1969:

Navarro appeared in 17 games with the Atlanta Braves, not factoring in a decision along with a 4.10 earned run average over 26.1 innings of work.

It was his first taste of Major League ball since 1966 when he appeared in a single game for the Detroit Tigers, giving up three earned runs without retiring a batter for an "infinite" ERA.

Originally up in 1962 with the Los Angeles Angels, he would leave the Big Leagues behind and go on to play in the Mexican League from 1972 through 1974 before retiring for good at the age of 40.

For his Major League stint, he finished with a record of 7-9, with an ERA of 3.65 over 130 appearances and 212.1 innings pitched, with all but one appearance out of the bullpen, picking up 17 saves along the way.

 

NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION- 1974 RAY NEWMAN

Up on the blog today we have a career-capping "not so missing" 1974 card for three-year Major League pitcher Ray Newman:

Newman appeared in eleven games for the Milwaukee Brewers during the 1973 season, posting a very nice 2.95 earned run average over 18.1 innings of work, all out of the bullpen.

Originally up in 1971 as a member of the Chicago Cubs, he went 1-2 as a rookie over 30 appearances, posting an ERA of 3.52 in 38.1 innings.

In 1972 he was with Milwaukee, but only appeared in four games, not factoring in a decision while not giving up an earned run over seven innings.

Sadly for him, after his 1973 season, he'd spend two years in the Detroit Tigers Minor League system but never get a shot at the Majors again, retiring in 1975.

All told, he finished his Big League stint with a record of 3-3, along with an ERA of 2.97 over 45 appearances and 63.2 innings.

 

NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION- 1975 ROGER MILLER

On the blog today, a great card to add to the "WTHBALLS" checklist, a "not so missing" 1975 card for two-game Major League pitcher Roger Miller of the Milwaukee Brewers:

Miller's entire Big League career was over a week in September of 1974, appearing in two games while not factoring in a decision, sporting an earned run average of 11.57 over 2.1 innings.

He would toil for another two seasons in the Milwaukee Brewers' Minor League system but never get another chance at a Big League appearance again.

In 1977, still only 22 years of age, he'd call it a career after a round season in the Minors where he ended up with a 5.75 ERA over 38 appearances and 108 innings pitched.

 

NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION- 1974 CURT MOTTON

Up on the blog today we have a "not so missing" 1974 card for former Baltimore Orioles outfielder Curt Motton, who was at the tail-end of his Big League career when this card would have seen the light of day:

Motton appeared in only five games for Baltimore in 1973, hitting .333 with two hits over six official at-bats, with two runs scored and four runs batted in.

He would be back in 1974 to appear in what would end up being his last Major league games, seven to be exact, going 0-8 at the plate before calling it a career shortly after.

Over his eight-year MLB tenure, he hit .213 with 121 hits in 567 at-bats, but most importantly was a member of the juggernaut Oriole teams between 1969 and 1971, with a World Championship in 1970.

 

MINOR LEAGUE DAYS- REGGIE JACKSON

This week's addition to my 1971 "Minor League Days" sub-set is future Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson, who wasn't too far removed from HIS Minor League days by the time this card would have seen the light of day:

The young budding All-Star was 21-years-of-age when this photo was taken, showing him with the Birmingham A's, a team for whom he hit .293 with 17 home runs and 58 runs batted in over 114 games in 1967.

Of course, a year later we all know he'd be a starter in the Major Leagues, hitting 29 home runs and even getting some MVP attention before really exploding onto the Big League scene with a 1969 campaign that saw him hit a career-best 47 home runs, along with 123 runs scored and 118 RBIs, finishing fifth in MVP voting.

The man was just destined for baseball greatness since his days at Cheltenham High School in Pennsylvania.
Recruited by pro teams and colleges alike, he went on to Arizona State where he was actually on a football scholarship.
Of course we all know the story of the 1966 amateur draft, where the New York Mets held the #1 pick, and opted for high school catcher Steve Chilcott instead of who many considered the true #1 overall amateur, Jackson.
With the second pick, the Kansas City Athletics (later Oakland) picked the slugger and the rest is history, as he would eventually lead the organization to three straight championships between 1972-1974 before being traded in a blockbuster to the Baltimore Orioles where he’d play for one season in 1976.
As a highly coveted free agent before the 1977 season, Jackson signed with the New York Yankees, and with Reggie in NYC, the legend exploded as he helped the Yankees to two championships in 1977-78.
With his larger than life persona, New York ate it up and before you knew it, he was known around the world, even getting his own candy-bar by the end of the decade.
For a kid like me growing up in Brooklyn in the ‘70’s, Reggie was like a God, larger than life, and before he finished up his career in 1987, putting in 21 seasons, he would put together a Hall of Fame career with 563 homers, 1702 runs batted in, an MVP Award in 1973, and five championships.
Add to that 14 all-star nods, four home run titles, a legendary homer in the 1971 All-Star Game against Dock Ellis, his 1977 World Series performance, and you can see why he goes down as one of the most well-known baseball personalities in the history of the game.

 

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.

 

NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION- 1977 RICH HINTON

Happy Holidays everyone!!! I hope you're all safe and well! We survived a heck of a storm last night here in Central Jersey. The wind was something else!

On the blog this morning we have a "not so missing" 1977 card for former pitcher Rich Hinton, who suited up for 12 games as a Cincinnati Red during the Championship 1976 season, his only time with the team:

Hinton was already with his fourth Big League team when he appeared in those 12 games for the Reds, going 1-2 with a 7.64 earned run average in 17.2 innings of work.

He would go on to play in Mexico for 1977 before coming back to the Majors and finishing out his career with time spent as a Chicago White Sox (his third stint with the team), and finally the Seattle Mariners in 1979.

Over the course of his six years in the Majors he’d post a 9-17 record, with a 4.87 ERA over 116 games and 249.2 innings pitched.