Rollie Fingers (#502)

Here is Rollie Fingers’ first solo card. (He appeared in a late-series AL Rookie Stars card in the 1969 set.) Fingers pitched for the Athletics (1968-76), Padres (1977-80), and Brewers (1981-85) in his 17-year career.

He was signed by the Athletics in December 1964, and after 4 seasons in the minors, he got his feet wet with Oakland in 1 game in September 1968.

Always a starter in the minors, he was primarily a reliever with Oakland, but started 8 games in 1969, 19 in 1970, and 8 in 1971. Beginning in 1972, it was only bullpen work for Rollie for the remainder of his career (except for 2 starts in 1973).

Fingers was an All-Star with the Athletics every season from 1973-76, and led the AL in games pitched in ’74 and ’75. Rollie pitched in every post-season from 1971-75 with the Athletics.

After the 1976 season he was granted free agency, and signed with the Padres. He pitched 4 seasons in San Diego, leading the NL in saves in ‘77 and ’78, and making the All-Star team in 1978.

Traded to the Cardinals in December 1980 in an 11-player deal, 4 days later he was sent to the Brewers in a 7-player deal.

Fingers made the All-Star team in his first 2 seasons in Milwaukee, and led the AL in saves in 1981. He also won the Cy Young and MVP awards in 1981. Although he pitched in the ’81 ALDS, he missed the entire 1982 post-season (including the World Series) due to injury.

After missing the 1983 season with that injury, he returned for 2 more seasons with the Brewers (still with a full workload at age 37 and 38) before getting his release after the 1985 season.

Rumor is that Pete Rose offered him a contract to play for the Reds in 1986, but he would have had to shave off his mustache per team policy, so he declined.

Fingers was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992, only the second reliever to gain entry to Cooperstown by that time.

Joe Torre (#190)

I posted Joe Torre's 1966 card previously, but a baseball lifer like Torre deserves better than the capless, lavender dreck that was the 1966 Braves (and Angels) cards. Here, Joe has a new team AND a new position.

Like his brother before him, Joe began his career with the Milwaukee Braves. Joe was the team's regular catcher for most of his time with the Braves, and was a 5-time all-star.

After the 1968 season, he was traded to the Cardinals for Orlando Cepeda. Torre played mostly 1st and 3rd base for St. Louis, as they had Tim McCarver (and later Ted Simmons) behind the plate. In 1971, Joe led the NL in hits (230), RBI (137), and batting average (.363) and won the MVP award. He also made another 4 all-star teams while with the Cards.

After the 1974 season he was trade to the Mets for pitchers Ray Sadecki and Tommy Moore. Joe played for the Mets for 2 1/2 seasons, then took over as the team's manager in June 1977.

Joe managed the Mets through the 1981 season, then managed his other 2 former teams (Braves from 1982 to 1984, Cardinals from 1990 to 1995).

His greatest success as a manager was with the Yankees. He managed there for 12 years (1996 to 2007), never finishing lower than 2nd place. During his tenure, the Yankees won the division 10 times, the AL pennant 6 times, and the World Series 3 times.

Torre managed the Dodgers from 2008 to 2010, and now works in the league office. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame (as a manager) in 2014.

Harmon Killebrew (#150)

I posted Harmon Killebrew’s 1967 card several years ago, as part of a post about Topps messing up their own color scheme, and used 6 of his cards in an obituary post more recently. Now Harmon is back as the first baseman for the “Hangin’ at the Bat Rack” team.

Killebrew bashed more home runs (393) during the 1960s than any other player, and although he is most often thought of as a 1st baseman, he also played a lot at 3rd base, and even a few seasons in left field, as the Twins moved him around in an effort to get him and fellow sluggers Bob Allison and Don Mincher all into the same lineup.

“Killer” was signed by the (old) Washington Senators as a bonus baby in 1954. That meant keeping him on the major-league roster from day 1 of his pro career. As such, he spent his first 2 seasons with Washington, although only playing in 9 games in ’54 and 38 games in ’55 as a pinch-hitter and backup 3rd baseman (with a few games at 2nd base).

Killebrew finally got his minor-league seasoning from 1956 to 1958. He split his time between Washington and class-A Charlotte in 1956, then spent most of the next 2 seasons in the minors. He hit 29 homers at double-A Chattanooga in ’57 and another 19 dingers in 1958.

In 1959, Harmon was brought back to the majors to stay. In his first season of fulltime play, he led the AL with 42 homers (something he would repeat 5 more times in the next 10 seasons). He also made his first of 11 all-star appearances. Harmon started all but 5 games that season at 3rd base, taking over from last year’s regular, Eddie Yost.

1960 was the team’s final season in the nation’s capital, and Killebrew found himself beginning the season as the 3rd baseman, with rookie Don Mincher at 1st base. By mid-season, Killer was moved to 1st base (a new position for him), and ended up starting 71 games there. Harmon remained at 1st base for most of 1961, although also starting a few dozen games at 3rd. He clouted 46 homers, but was a distant 3rd behind Roger Maris (61) and Mickey Mantle (54).

The following season he led the AL with 48 homers and 126 RBI (and 142 strikeouts), and found a new position (left field). He started 150 games in left, after the Twins acquired veteran 1st-sacker Vic Power from the Indians a few days before opening day. The next 2 seasons were carbon-copies of 1962. Harmon led the league with 45 and 49 homers, and was the team’s everyday left fielder.

Following knee surgery, Killebrew returned to the infield starting in 1965. That season, he was limited to 113 games and only 25 home runs, missing all of August and most of September with a dislocated elbow (from a collision with a baserunner). He returned on 9/21, just in time to play against the Dodgers in the World Series. He bat .286 with 1 homer in the post-season.

When Mincher was traded to the Angels after the 1966 season, Killbrew primarily played 1st base for the rest of his career, although he was back at 3rd base for most of 1969 and 1970. Killer again led the AL in home runs in 1967 (44) and 1969 (49). In 1969, he also led the league with 140 RBI and won the MVP award.

In his last 2 seasons (1974-75) he was primarily used as a DH. He was released by the Twins in January 1975, and played his final season with the Royals.

Killebrew was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984. In 2010 he was diagnosed with cancer, and died in 2011 at age 74.

Jim Bunning (#403)

Jim Bunning returned to the Phillies in 1970, after a 2-year hiatus. He was the team's opening-day pitcher in 1971, the first-ever game at Veterans Stadium.

Bunning was signed by the Tigers in 1950 and pitched in the minors for 7 seasons (1950-56). In those last 2 seasons, he also pitched 15 games for the Tigers.

1957 was Jim's first full season in the majors, and he marked the occasion by winning 20 games, leading the AL with 267 innings pitched, and making his first of 7 all-star appearances. Bunning starred for the Detroit for 6 more seasons, twice leading the AL with 201 strikeouts.

After the 1963 season he was traded to the Phillies with catcher Gus Triandos for outfielder Don Demeter and pitcher Jack Hamilton.

Jim was the Phillies' ace for the next 4 seasons, winning 19 games 3 times. During his 1st season in Philly, he pitched a perfect game against the Mets on Fathers' Day. He won 17 in his final season, then moved on to the Pirates for 4 players, including pitcher Woody Fryman and shortstop prospect Don Money.

After two off-years in Pittsburgh and Los Angeles, Bunning returned to the Phillies for 2 seasons before retiring after the 1971 season at age 39. (The Phillies would acquire Steve Carlton months later.)

Bunning spent some time managing in the Phillies' farm system before entering politics. He was a congressman, then a US Senator from Kentucky from 1987 to 2011.



With this post, all Phillies' planets are aligned:

Normal orbits will resume shortly, except for this 1970 blog, which will feature Phillies for the next few posts.

Roberto Clemente (#350)

Look! Topps finally relented after 15 years and acknowledged his first name to be Roberto, not Bob.



Clemente was a fixture in the Pirates' outfield since 1955. His only season in the minors was 1954 with the Montreal Royals (the Brooklyn Dodgers' triple-A team). According to Baseball-Reference.com, Roberto was signed by the Dodgers before the 1952 season, but didn't play until 1954.

The Pirates selected him in the Rule 5 draft following the 1954 season. I wonder if the Dodgers ever stopped kicking themselves for that mistake?

Reggie Jackson (#140)

Although 1970 would be Reggie Jackson's 4th year in the majors, this was only his 2nd card. Somehow, Topps failed to include Jax in the 1968 set (even on an "Athletics Rookie Stars" card). This despite being the 2nd overall pick in the 1966 draft, and spending the latter part of 1967 with the Kansas City Athletics. Not to worry though, our friend Steve at WhiteSoxCards has taken care of that problem.



Reggie was "the straw that stirred the drink" long before Darryl Strawberry arrived on the scene. He and Rick Monday were among the first wave of stars for the Oakland A's, and after a long career, he returned to Oakland for his 21st and final season as a DH, teaming up with Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco.

Sparky Anderson (#181)

This is Sparky Anderson's rookie card for the managerial phase of his career.

Most everyone knows about his long managerial career with the Reds (1970-78) and the Tigers (1979-95), but he was in baseball long before that.

Sparky was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1953, and spent 6 seasons in their minor-league system as a 2nd baseman (except for his 1st season, when he was a shortstop).

After the 1958 season, the Dodgers traded Sparky to the Phillies, where he became their regular 2nd baseman, starting 145 games there. Because he didn't hit very well, that was Anderson's only season in the majors. He spent 1960-63 with the triple-A Toronto Maple Leafs, before retiring as a player.



Sparky spent the 1964 to 1968 seasons as a minor-league manager, before taking a coaching job with the expansion San Diego Padres in 1969. As you can see by the picture on his card, Sparky may be the first person airbrushed OUT of a Padres uniform. (Quite a change from the dozens of players airbrushed INTO Padres (and Expos, Royals, Pilots) uniforms in the 1969 set.)

After only 1 season of big-league coaching, Anderson was given the reins of the Big Red Machine in 1970, and the rest is history.

As noted on many other blogs here, Sparky Anderson passed away 3 days ago. One thing I'll remember about Sparky Anderson is that he's seems to be the only person that ever referred to Johnny Bench as "John".

Rest In Peace, Mr. Anderson!