REVISIT: MISSING IN ACTION- 1975 MICK KELLEHER

On the blog today, we revisit another 10-year old post, this time my 1975 "Missing in Action" card for Mick Kelleher:

It’s a stretch being that Kelleher appeared in 19 games for the Astros during the 1974 season.
But it can be argued that he easily could have appeared on a card, at the very least a multi-player rookie card, in any given year between 1974 and 1975.
As it was he didn’t appear in a Topps set until 1977 after a relatively full season with the Chicago Cubs the previous year.
Nevertheless, Kelleher hit .158 during the 1974 season, collecting nine hits over 57 at-bats while playing shortstop.
He would go on to play 11-years in his career, mainly with the Cubs where he’d see the bulk of his 622 lifetime games.
In those, he collected 230 hits in 1081 at-bats, good for a .213 average.

REVISITING MY "MISSING" 1973 CARD FOR MICK KELLEHER

Thanks to a recent email from one of you asking how Kelleher could be wearing a home uni while clearly at Shea Stadium, I felt it would be a good time to revisit this 10-year-old blog post:

I have no answer as to why this happened, where he does look to be wearing a home uniform while on the road.

Am I wrong here? Or can it just be the road uni with a rainy-day lighting influence here making it seem otherwise?

I tell you, I didn't even remember that Kelleher came up with the Cardinals, then went on to play for the Astros and then the Cardinals yet again before moving on to the team I always remember him with, the Cubs.

In 1972 he played in 23 games for the Cardinals, hitting .159 with 10 hits over 63 at-bats. Not much of a showing for the 24-year old, but at the very least perhaps a slot on a multi-player rookie card?

He got to play in more games the following season, yet Topps left him out of their set yet again in 1974 and once again in their 1975 set, this time as a Houston Astro.

Needless to say, I'll be tackling those in the near future as well!

Kelleher put in 11 years as a Major League player, moving on to the Detroit Tigers and California Angels in 1981 and 1982 before becoming a long time coach (presently with the New York Yankees).

He retired with a .213 batting average, collecting 230 hits over 1081 at-bats in 622 games.

He never did get to put in a full year, but the closest he came was in 1976 when he appeared in 124 games and posted 363 plate appearances, pretty much setting career highs in almost every category.

Keep an eye out for the other "missing" cards for Kelleher right here, as I've already scored a few photos of him that will work perfectly…

 

NOT REALLY MISSING IN ACTION- 1974 MICK KELLEHER

Today’s blog post has a 1974 “not so missing” card for former infielder Mick Kelleher, the third card I’ve created for the man here:

Kelleher played in 43 games during the 1973 season, while only getting 44 plate appearances and 38 official at-bats, hitting .184 with seven hits, two of them doubles.
It can be argued that he easily could have appeared on a card, at the very least a multi-player rookie card, in any given year between 1974 and 1975, hence my two other creations for him (1973 and 1975).
As it was he didn’t appear in a Topps set until 1977 after a relatively full season with the Chicago Cubs the previous year.
Nevertheless, Kelleher hit .158 during the 1974 season, collecting nine hits over 57 at-bats while playing shortstop.
He would go on to play 11-years in his career, mainly with the Cubs where he’d see the bulk of his 622 lifetime games.
In those, he collected 230 hits in 1081 at-bats, good for a .213 average.

MISSING IN ACTION- 1975 MICK KELLEHER

Was sent this nice image of former infielder Mick Kelleher so I decided to make a “missing” 1975 card for him.
Check it out:

It’s a stretch being that Kelleher appeared in 19 games for the Astros during the 1974 season.
But it can be argued that he easily could have appeared on a card, at the very least a multi-player rookie card, in any given year between 1974 and 1975.
As it was he didn’t appear in a Topps set until 1977 after a relatively full season with the Chicago Cubs the previous year.
Nevertheless, Kelleher hit .158 during the 1974 season, collecting nine hits over 57 at-bats while playing shortstop.
He would go on to play 11-years in his career, mainly with the Cubs where he’d see the bulk of his 622 lifetime games.
In those, he collected 230 hits in 1081 at-bats, good for a .213 average.

MISSING IN ACTION- 1973 MICK KELLEHER

Here's the first of what will be THREE "missing" cards for former infielder Mick Kelleher, who first appeared on a baseball card in 1977, five years after his Major League debut:

I tell you, I didn't even remember that Kelleher came up with the Cardinals, then went on to play for the Astros and then the Cardinals yet again before moving on to the team I always remember him with, the Cubs.

In 1972 he played in 23 games for the Cardinals, hitting .159 with 10 hits over 63 at-bats. Not much of a showing for the 24-year old, but at the very least perhaps a slot on a multi-player rookie card?

He got to play in more games the following season, yet Topps left him out of their set yet again in 1974 and once again in their 1975 set, this time as a Houston Astro.

Needless to say, I'll be tackling those in the near future as well!

Kelleher put in 11 years as a Major League player, moving on to the Detroit Tigers and California Angels in 1981 and 1982 before becoming a long time coach (presently with the New York Yankees).

He retired with a .213 batting average, collecting 230 hits over 1081 at-bats in 622 games.

He never did get to put in a full year, but the closest he came was in 1976 when he appeared in 124 games and posted 363 plate appearances, pretty much setting career highs in almost every category.

Keep an eye out for the other "missing" cards for Kelleher right here, as I've already scored a few photos of him that will work perfectly…