MISSING IN ACTION: 1966 WORLD SERIES CARD: 1965 GAME SEVEN

On the blog today, we finally get to the seventh game of the 1965 World Series, in a 1966 sub-set that Topps decided to skip in their set:

After falling behind in the Series two-games-to-one, the Los Angeles Dodgers came all the way back to win it all in the seventh game, thanks in part to Sandy Koufax and his three-hit shutout, in which he struck out ten.

Koufax was masterful, as he walked three while giving up two singles and a double, winning his second game of the Series after a Game Two loss, giving the Dodgers their second championship in three years.

For the Minnesota Twins, their Game Two winner Jim Kaat took the loss this time, giving up two runs in his three innings of work, the only two runs the Dodgers would score, or even need for that matter.

Lou Johnson hit a homer while Wes Parker went two-for-four with an RBI for the Dodgers, with Jim Gilliam also collecting two hits in the Fall Classic.

That wraps up a fun "missing" 1960's sub-set here on the blog, and I hope to tackle a few others over the rest of the year.

See you then!

MISSING IN ACTION: 1965 WORLD SERIES GAME 6

Good day everyone!

On the blog today, we move on to a "missing" 1966 World Series card for the 1965 "Fall Classic", which Topps decided to leave out of their set for some reason:

With their backs up against the wall heading into the game down three games to two, the Minnesota Twins tied it all up with a 5-1 win thanks to Game 1 winner Jim "Mudcat" Grant, who picked up HIS second win of the series.

Grant was masterful as he pitched a six-hit complete game, giving up one earned run while striking out five, the only blemish a 7th inning home run by Ron Fairly.

For the Los Angeles Dodgers, Game three hero Claude Osteen took the mound in hopes of taking the title, and he didn't pitch bad at all, giving up two runs, only one earned, over five innings while striking out two and walking three.

Incredibly, Grant also helped his own cause by slamming a three-run homer of reliever Howie Reed in the sixth, giving himself all the run support he needed.

This all set up a Game Seven showdown for the title, with Dodger ace Sandy Koufax facing Twins ace Jim Kaat.

See you next week for THAT card!

MISSING IN ACTION: 1965 WORLD SERIES GAME 5

Today on the blog, we move on to Game 5 of the 1965 World Series in my "missing" 1966 sub-set, which Topps decided to skip in their set:

And just like that the Los Angeles Dodgers came all the way back from a two-games-to-none hole to take the Series lead, three-games-to-two, thanks to Game Two loser Sandy Koufax, who came back to toss a fantastic four-hit shutout, striking out 10 batters.

It was ALL Dodgers this game, with L.A. pouncing on Twins' starter Jim Kaat early for two runs in the first and two more in the third, giving Koufax all the support he needed as he cruised to the complete game win.

For the Dodgers, Maury Wills would go 4-for-5 while Ron Fairly went 3-for-5, out-hitting the Twins themselves by three hits!

Twins starters mustered three hits against Koufax, with pinch-hitter Sandy Valdespino picking up a hit as well.

Heading into Game Six, the Dodgers were poised to win their second championship in three years, see you next week for that card!

 

MISSING IN ACTION: 1965 WORLD SERIES GAME 4

On the blog today, we move on to Game 4 of the 1965 World Series, which was left out of the 1966 Topps set for some reason:

The Los Angeles Dodgers came back to tie the Series up two games apiece after the Twins stunned everyone, taking the first two games for a commanding lead.

Thanks to pitcher Don Drysdale, who took the Game 1 loss, the Dodgers won Game 4 7-2, with Drysdale throwing a complete game, striking out 11 batters while walking two.

Wes Parker and Lou Johnson hit solo homers for the Dodgers, while Ron Fairly drove in three runs, giving Drysdale all the support he needed.

For the Twins, opening game winner Jim "Mudcat" Grant took the loss, giving up five runs in five innings, while Harmon Killebrew and Tony Oliva hit homers in the losing cause.

Next up, game 5!

MISSING IN ACTION: 1965 WORLD SERIES GAME 3

On the blog today, we move on to Game Three of the 1965 World Series in my 1966 sub-set, which Topps inexplicably left out of their set:

With the Minnesota Twins shocking everyone, taking a two-games-to-none lead by beating Los Angeles Dodger aces Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax, the Series moved to L.A. and the Dodgers needed a win badly.

Luckily for them, young pitcher Claude Osteen was up to the challenge, tossing a complete game shutout with a 4-0 win, striking out two while issuing two walks and allowing five hits.

Twins starter Camilo Pascual allowed three runs over five innings, with Lou Johnson and John Roseboro driving in the three runs in the fourth and fifth innings.

The game was completed in an economical two hours and six minutes, giving the Dodgers life in trying to recapture the Title that they last won two seasons earlier in 1963.

Incredibly, there were only three strikeouts TOTAL in the game, something I cannot imagine nowadays! Incredible.

1965 MISSING WORLD SERIES SUB-SET IN 1966 SET: GAME 2

Today on the blog we have a "missing" 1966 World Series card, this time for Game 2 of the 1965 "Fall Classic" between the Minnesota Twins and Los Angeles Dodgers, which Topps (for some reason) left out of their set:

Shocking the Dodgers and their starter Don Drysdale for a win in Game 1, the Twins would do it again against L.A.'s ace Sandy Koufax, with young Jim Kaat outdueling the reigning N.L. Cy Young winner by a final score of 5-1 to take a commanding 2-0 lead, winning both their games at home at Metropolitan Stadium.

The game was scoreless into the bottom of the sixth inning until Kaat himself drove in the first two runs of the game with a single, giving himself a 2-0 lead.

The Dodgers would cut that lead in half the next inning with a run, but the Twins answered back quickly, scoring a run in their half of the inning before breaking it open in the eighth with two more, with Kaat shutting them down in the top of the ninth for the win.

The Twins would be set up very nicely as the Series would shift to Los Angeles for Game 3, resting on a two game lead, both wins against the L.A. aces in Drysdale and Koufax.

Next week, my card for Game 3!

1965 MISSING WORLD SERIES SUB-SET IN 1966 SET: GAME 1

Today on the blog, we begin a 1960's "missing" thread, this one the missing cards from the 1966 set covering the 1965 World Series:

For some reason in 1966, Topps decided to scrap the popular World Series sub-set from their set, which a few of us were discussing on Twitter a few months back, so I thought it's be fun to whip-up a quick set highlighting each game, seven in total since the Series went the full seven games.

The Los Angeles Dodgers faced the Minnesota Twins in the World Series, a match-up that had the Dodgers who had their aces Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale battling the heavy-hitting Twins, with players like Harmon Killebrew and young stud Tony Oliva.

In Game 1 at Metropolitan Stadium in Minneapolis, Drysdale would open the series up against Jim "Mudcat" Grant, and by the time the game was over the Twins surprised everyone with an 8-4 win, knocking Drysdale out of the game by the third inning.

Grant would toss a complete game, allowing only two runs on ten hits, while Drysdale was roughed up, allowing seven runs in 2.2 innings, three of those runs earned.

The hitting stars of the Twins that day had Don Mincher and 1965 A.L. MVP Zoilo Versalles with both hitting homers, Versalles also driving in four runs.

The lone stand-out batter for L.A. would be Ron Fairly, who hit a solo-homer in the 2nd inning, while Maury Wills would go 2-for-5 at the plate.

Next week, a Game 2 highlight card!