MISSING IN ACTION- 1979 RICH HINTON

Here’s a “missing” 1979 card for former pitcher Rich Hinton, who was coming to the end of his 6-year career at the end of the decade:

Hinton appeared in 29 games for the White Sox in 1978, pitching 80.2 innings and posting a 2-6 record with a 4.02 earned run average.
It would be the second to last season he’d pitch in the big leagues, as he’d go on to take the mound for both the White Sox and Seattle Mariners in 1979, his last campaign as a big league pitcher.
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.

JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT- 1970'S BASEBALL TRIVIA PART #124 (A REVISIT OF #42)

Time for trivia again, and today we look at some pitcher odds and ends. See what you come up with.
As usual I'll post the answers tomorrow. Enjoy:

1. Who are the only two pitchers in the decade to lead their league in Earned Runs allowed, yet sport a sub-3.00 E.R.A.?

2. What pitcher drove in the most runs during a season at the plate in the 1970's?

3. What hurler faced the most batters in any one season during the decade?

4. Among all pitchers who threw more than 250 innings in a season, who allowed the fewest home runs?

5. Among all pitchers who gave up 100 or more runs in a season during the 1970's, who is the only one to NOT surrender a single unearned run during the same campaign?

***SPOILER ALERT! ANSWERS BELOW: 

1.  Wilbur Wood, White Sox. 1972 & Phil Niekro, Braves. 1978.

2. Fergie Jenkins, Cubs. He had 20 runs batted in in 1971.

3. Mickey Lolich, Tigers. 1538 batters in 1971.

4. Ron Reed, Braves / Cardinals. Only 5 home runs allowed in 250.1 innings pitched in 1975.

5. Dick Ruthven, Braves. 112 runs allowed, all earned in 1976. 

MISSING IN ACTION- 1978 SHELDON MALLORY

Here’s a “missing card” for a player I thought I’d never get to make, a missing 1978 card for former one-year wonder and Oakland A’s player Sheldon Mallory.
Check out my card:

I could never find a decent photo of Mallory to use for his short career, and it was driving me nuts until I came across this nice photo not too long ago.
Mallory’s sole Major League season in 1977 consisted of 64 games and a .214 batting average based on his 27 hits over 126 at-bats.
He collected five extra base hits and 12 stolen bases while patrolling the outfield.
Sadly for him that would be the only taste of the big leagues he’d get, playing out the last two years of his professional career in the Toronto and Cleveland minor league systems before leaving the game for good after 1979.

DEDICATED ROOKIE- 1972 RON CEY

Time to go and give “The Penguin” Ron Cey a “Dedicated Rookie Card” in the 1972 set, the first of two sets that he appeared on a multi-player rookie card:

Cey pretty much made an immediate impact in the Major Leagues, going on to a very nice 17-year career that saw him star with the Los Angeles Dodgers at third base, being named to six consecutive all-star games between 1974 and 1979.
By the time he hung up the cleats after the 1987 season, he slammed 316 home runs while collecting 1139 runs batted in, with a .261 lifetime average.
As we all know he’d also be part of an infield that came up together, and stayed together for quite some time, Ron Cey at third, Bill Russell at short, Davel Lopes at second and Steve Garvey at first base.
And very solid and dependable quartet if there ever was one!
They’d help bring the Dodgers four National League Pennants and a World Series victory in 1981 over the New York Yankees.
Not bad at all...

MISSING IN ACTION- 1974 JIM GOSGER

Here’s yet another “missing” New York Mets player, a 1974 card for former outfielder Jim Gosger. And I like the “authenticity” of the final result.
Check it out:

Gosger appeared in 38 games for the National League champs in 1973, hitting .239 with 22 hits in 92 at-bats while manning the outfield.
It was the second to last year of a 10-year career that saw him suit up for the Boston Red Sox, Kansas City/Oakland A’s, Seattle Pilots, Montreal Expos and Mets before retiring after the 1974 season.
All told he batted .226 for his career with 411 hits, 197 runs scored, 30 homers and 177 runs batted in over 705 career games and 1815 at-bats.

TURN BACK THE CLOCK 1952: VIRGIL TRUCKS SPINS TWO NO-HITTERS

Here’s an interesting card to make up: a “Turn Back The Clock” card for one of the most unlikely “highlights” to ever occur, Virgil Trucks and his two no-hitters in 1952.
First, let’s take a look at the card I designed, following the 1972 template for a 20th anniversary:

Now, for those who do not know, why is it so unlikely that Trucks threw these two no-hitters? Well, if you look at his 1952 season you won’t even believe it. The man posted a 5-19 record, with a 3.97 earned run average over 29 starts and 35 appearances.
Granted, he was a much better pitcher than this over his career, but that 1952 season was one for the ages.
On May 15th he beat the Washington Senators 1-0, and then on August 25th he topped himself by spinning his second no-hitter of the year, beating the eventual (and reigning) World Champion New York Yankees by the very same score, 1-0.
At the time he was only the third pitcher to accomplish this feat, joining Johnny Vander Meer, who spun two consecutive no-no’s in 1938, and Allie Reynolds, who’s feat was featured here just about a week ago, as he pitched two no-hitters the year before Trucks in 1951.
Trucks would go on to pitch a very nice 17-year career in the Majors, winning 177 games with a 3.39 ERA and 1534 strikeouts.
He’d post a 20-win season in 1953, and would lead the American League in shutouts twice, with 6 in 1949 and five in 1954, while leading the league in K’s with 153 in ‘49 as well.
And speaking of K’s, in 1938 with the Andalusia team at D-Level, he posted a 25-6 record with a sparkling 1.25 ERA and an eye-popping 418 strikeouts!
Gotta love those Minor League whacky stats!

HALL OF FAME #38: JOHN "POP" LLOYD: CLASS OF 1977

Next up in our “Hall of Fame Inductees” thread is another Negro Leagues great, one of the best shortstops to ever suit up, John “Pop” Lloyd.
Check out the card I whipped up:

Jumping around from team to team since, as he put it, “wherever the money was, I went”, he played for no less than ten organizations during his Hall of Fame career, batting a cumulative .343 as far as recirds show.
Referred to as the “Black Honus Wagner”, he also played in the Cuban League between Negro League stints (and even during off-seasons) for 12 seasons, hitting a combined .329 there as well.
He finally got the recognition he deserved when the Negro League Committee elected him into Cooperstown’s hallowed halls in 1977, securing his place in baseball history.