NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION- 1974 DICK SELMA

Up on the blog this morning, I present a “not so missing” 1974 card for former pitcher Dick Selma, who appeared in only six games during the 1973 season for the Philadelphia Phillies:

Selma, who had some ups-and-downs during his career between 1965 and 1974, was coming of one of those “down” years in 1973 when he posted a record of 1-1 for the Phils in those six appearances, with an earned run average of 5.63 over eight innings pitched.
He’d go on to split the 1974 season with the California Angels and Milwaukee Brewers, going 2-2 with an ERA at 6.39, before spending the next couple of years in the Minors for the Los Angeles Dodgers but never getting a shot back to a Big League mound, retiring before the 1977 campaign.
He had some nice years for some hard-luck teams earlier in his career, such as the 1968 New York Mets when he posted an ERA of 2.75 over 33 appearances, though sporting a record of 9-10 for the second-division team.
Sadly for him, he found himself with the new San Diego Padres in 1969, missing out on that “impossible” run the Mets had straight to a World Championship.
All told, he finished his 10-year career with a record of 42-54, with an ERA at 3.62 over 307 appearances and 840.2 innings pitched, with six shutouts and 31 saves.

MISSING IN ACTION- 1975 DICK SELMA

Here’s a “Missing” 1975 card, and career-capper, for former pitcher Dick Selma, who finished up a decent 10-year career with two appearances with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1974 after starting the season as a California Angel:

Selma originally came up with the New York Mets in 1965, and even put in a nice year for them in 1968 when he started 23 games, tossing three shutouts and posting a very nice 2.75 earned run average over 170.1 innings during the “year of the pitcher” at the age of 24.
But as bum-luck would have it, he was left available for the expansion draft, and the San Diego Padres selected him as the 5th pick.
He pitched well in their inaugural season of 1969, but the Padres turned around and traded him to the Chicago Cubs, where he would end up in an historic pennant race against his former club, pitching well for Chicago, going 10-8 with two shutouts and a 3.63 ERA over 25 starts and 36 appearances.
By the time 1974 rolled around, he just came off four seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, appearing mainly out of the ‘pen with occasional starts, before starting the season in California, where he went 2-2 in a relief roll before making his way to Milwaukee, where he got hit hard in two appearances, giving up five earned runs over just 2.1 innings pitched.
He’d finish his career with a record 42-54, with a 3.62 earned run average and 681 strikeouts over 307 appearances and 840.2 innings pitched, with six shutouts and 31 saves.