tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78864301847639662022024-03-05T00:40:05.649-05:001963 Topps BaseballThe 1963 (and 1960) sets are some of the most colorful of the decade. Continuing my interest in cards of the 1960s, and since this year was previously unrepresented, I've started this blog. Unlike my 1966-70 blogs, I'll be blogging while I'm building this set, as I only have 29 of the cards so far. (5-OCT-2010)Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-76412433684197473542021-01-09T14:37:00.003-05:002021-01-09T23:25:36.790-05:00Time to Waive Goodbye to This Blog<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLbD2q6oL_4-jlcYZgY5ZTvvTYOEGNct5JGge-KqEWzRlmBeT2Au-ITX71O8UkrPpWWMnkZEm2SShhyrKvssI8FjBg1Qs6bcxwRXSc-H5WukFPbNzgaM_TE07uwJelurYII-XA7zNMcRE/s375/1963.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="187" data-original-width="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLbD2q6oL_4-jlcYZgY5ZTvvTYOEGNct5JGge-KqEWzRlmBeT2Au-ITX71O8UkrPpWWMnkZEm2SShhyrKvssI8FjBg1Qs6bcxwRXSc-H5WukFPbNzgaM_TE07uwJelurYII-XA7zNMcRE/s320/1963.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The time has come to retire this blog.
Several things contributed to this decision: <br /><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Design-wise, the 1963 set my 3rd favorite (behind 1965 and 1967), but many of the players are outside my main interest period of 1967-69. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">2. I have run out of cards to post here (other than for players that I've already posted elsewhere), and I don't like to duplicate players across multiple blogs.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">3. The new Blogger format is a pain in the butt to deal with. The constant hassle with paragraph vs. normal layouts, photos not appearing where you expect them, even commenting on other blogs is sketchy. (If I don't immediately sign out after posting a comment, my next navigation sends a duplicate comment to the blog.) </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">4. I don't have as much time to blog as I used to. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">For these and other reasons, blogging has started to become a chore. A long time ago I set goals on which cards I wanted to blog for each set. I have come to that point on some of my blogs, and am near it on all others except 1969. I intended to push through to the end, but that is feeling like a self-imposed chore now. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">This 1963 blog is just the first domino to fall. Others will follow sooner or later. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I have also enabled comment moderation on all my blogs. This was done not to suppress legitimate comments, but to prevent the blogs from being overrun by spam comments since I will not be reading them as often as I do now. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">One only needs to look at the comments section of just about ANY post on <a href="http://whentoppshadballs.blogspot.com/">this blog</a> to see what happens when the blog owner doesn't keep up with the spammers.</div><p><br /></p>Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-89923372483362288842020-11-25T23:02:00.003-05:002020-11-25T23:05:30.929-05:00Willie Kirkland (#187)<p>I previously posted <a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/2010/01/final-card-willie-kirkland.html">Willie Kirkland</a>'s 1966 card, so I won't say too much about him this time. I just thought this was a good look at the early-1960s Indians' caps. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrckdusXgGooY_aOZOXWqW2M37qZo4TJumiytotIbZcMqPPp9J5hFEiqJCR6DbLuafDhemLhMRvN9T1Si2vu0_dFoWRzU-c-kGeUeA3Gn8SSRV5FvgoZFsN7zMPjfXq9nqHbjrKbzOreGx/s518/1963+Willie+Kirkland+%2528f%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="370" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrckdusXgGooY_aOZOXWqW2M37qZo4TJumiytotIbZcMqPPp9J5hFEiqJCR6DbLuafDhemLhMRvN9T1Si2vu0_dFoWRzU-c-kGeUeA3Gn8SSRV5FvgoZFsN7zMPjfXq9nqHbjrKbzOreGx/w286-h400/1963+Willie+Kirkland+%2528f%2529.jpg" width="286" /></a></div>
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Kirkland was the regular right fielder for the Giants from 1958-60, and for the Indians from 1961-63. After leaving Cleveland he was mostly a backup outfielder. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">He was traded to the Orioles after the 1963 season, but by the following August was playing for the Senators, where he was the 4th or 5th outfielder, until getting his release after the 1966 season. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">After a season with the AAA Hawaiian Islanders, he played in Japan from 1968-73. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div>Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-58941570186726822902020-03-23T17:39:00.000-04:002020-03-23T17:39:02.434-04:00Bob Buhl (#175)<i>Hey, remember me? The 1963 Topps blog? </i><br />
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I posted <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2009/11/final-card-bob-buhl.html">Bob Buhl's final card</a> on my 1967 Topps blog back in 2009, but that was a capless photo, and a scary one at that.<br />
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By 1967, most Phillies fans (including me) were giving Buhl little attention, because of his participation in <a href="https://mlb1960s.blogspot.com/2012/05/ferguson-jenkins-to-cubs-april-1966.html">the early-1966 trade</a> that sent prospect Ferguson Jenkins to the Cubs for a pair of aging starting pitchers.<br />
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By then, Bob's career was winding down just as Jenkins began an 8-year stretch where he won 20 games 7 times, 2 All-Star berths, 1 Cy Young Award, and led the league in wins twice, complete games 4 times, and strikeouts once. The Phillies had their own in-house Steve Carlton, and let him get away!<br />
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So here is a photo of Buhl from better times. It's still a little scary, but at least Topps has him in full uniform.<br />
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Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-78884714906229087662019-09-26T00:00:00.001-04:002019-09-26T01:06:46.339-04:003rd Series Checklist (#191)Many of the checklist posts I see on peoples' blogs are accompanied by statements like "I hate checklists", "Checklists are a waste of a card", or even "When I got a checklist, I usually threw it out".<br />
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Not me! I loved getting checklists. Back in the day, before the internet, before factory set sales, (and even before baseball card magazines!) checklists were the only way to find out what cards were available to collect. Back then, I kept every double and triple of every checklist I would get. (You never knew who might need one, or if you would have to re-do yours because it became an ink-stained mess.)<br />
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The first 3 years I collected cards were 1967-1969. In those sets, the checklists included the floating head of whichever superstar had the "x00" (hero) number on that checklist. How cool was that, as a bonus?<br />
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On this 1963 checklist, there are many names of players who never made it to the 1967 set, so I had no idea who they were for decades. In the past few years, I have begun collecting 1963-66 cards, and have blogged the cards of these players previously unknown to me:<br />
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Bubba Phillips<br />
Ron Piche<br />
Albie Pearson<br />
Willie Kirkland<br />
Roger Craig<br />
Lenny Green<br />
Joe Amalfitano <br />
Ken Hunt<br />
Joe Christopher<br />
Joe(y) Jay <br />
Hobie Landrith<br />
Pete Runnels<br />
Eli Grba<br />
Frank Malzone<br />
Billy Smith <br />
Leo Burke<br />
Jim Gentile<br />
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I still have no idea who these players are, nor their teams or positions:<br />
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Sammy Esposito<br />
Cecil Butler<br />
Glen Hobbie<br />
Gene Conley<br />
Tiger Twirlers <i>(nyuk nyuk)</i><br />
Mike Roarke<br />
Don Leppert <i>(I know he was a coach for some teams)</i><br />
Johnny Logan<br />
Ellis Burton<br />
Dave Stenhouse<br />
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So these last 10 (and the unknowns from the other series) are the 1963 cards I will probably get next.Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-48900935142229499142018-11-21T23:38:00.001-05:002018-12-17T02:00:02.804-05:00Tommie Aaron (#46)<i>I was looking at the "Labels" section in this blog's sidebar tonight, and realized that there were no Giants or Braves posted yet. When I went to my 1952-64 binder, I found out why: I have no Giants, and only 1 Braves card. Here is that Brave - 1/2 of the greatest brothers' home run tandem! </i><br />
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I already posted Tommie Aaron's <a href="http://1968topps.blogspot.com/2009/10/tommie-aaron-why-does-he-have-card.html">1968 card</a>, but didn't really elaborate on his career then.<br />
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Tommie joined the Milwaukee Braves in April 1962, after batting .295 and .299 in his previous 2 minor-league seasons. He played in 141 games as a rookie, mostly as a defensive replacement at 1st base for veteran Joe Adcock, although he did start 39 games there and another 35 starts in the outfield. However, his .231 batting average looks to have punched his ticket back to the minors for 1963.<br />
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In 1963 he played sporadically, only getting 135 at-bats in 72 games from April to July, and again in September.
Aaron was in the minors for all of 1964-67, except for 8 games in the first 5 weeks of the 1965 season. Somehow, he managed to get Topps cards in the '64, '65, and '68 sets despite all that inactivity.<br />
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Tommie resurfaced with the Braves for all of 1968-70, and part of 1971. Although he played quite a bit in 1968 (probably because Rico Carty missed the entire season with tuberculosis), Aaron got less than 70 at-bats in each of his final 3 seasons.<br />
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He played for the Braves' AAA team from 1972-73 before retiring. After his playing career, he was a minor league manager (1973–78) and major league coach (1979–84) for the Braves.<br />
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Aaron passed away in 1984 at age 45.Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-87969082436948374202018-08-26T23:14:00.002-04:002018-08-26T23:14:42.976-04:00Stan Williams (#42)Some years ago, I posted <a href="http://1968topps.blogspot.com/2009/11/back-on-topps-radar-stan-williams.html">Stan Williams' 1968 card</a>. Here is his 1963 card. What's this? The card says "Yankees", but he's wearing a Dodgers' cap. I'm so confused! Topps, please hire some airbrushers so that we, the card-buying public can better understand what we are looking at!<br />
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On second thought, never mind. We are intelligent enough to figure out that if the photo and team name don't match, it's because the player was traded!<br />
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Good photos (no matter what the uniform) are preferred over 1st-grade art projects!<br />
<br />Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-53328290469459109702017-12-30T22:42:00.001-05:002017-12-30T22:43:18.117-05:00Final Card: Sherm LollarSherm Lollar (#118) was signed by the Indians in 1943, and played 3 seasons with their International League club in Baltimore. He made his Indians' debut in April 1946, but also spent part of that season back in Baltimore.<br />
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Lollar played for the Yankees from 1947-48, the bulk of the '47 season with their AAA Newark Bears team. He started 2 games in the 1947 World Series vs. the Brooklyn Dodgers. He rode the Yankee bench for most of 1948 as the 3rd string catcher, playing only 22 games (12 starts).<br />
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After the 1948 season, he was traded to the St. Louis Browns, and was their starting catcher for the next 3 seasons, making his first All-Star team in 1950.<br />
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Following the 1951 season, Lollar was part of an 8-player trade, sending him from the Browns to the White Sox.<br />
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Sherm was the White Sox' starting catcher for the next 10 seasons, making 6 All-Star teams and winning 3 Gold Glove awards. He also played in the 1959 World Series vs. the Dodgers.<br />
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After being the ChiSox' primary catcher since 1952, Lollar's workload began to diminish in 1961. That season he split the catching chores with rookie <a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/2010/02/final-card-camilo-carreon.html">Cam Carreon</a> (starting 93 games to Carreon's 63). The next season it was 85/59 in favor of Carreon.<br />
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In Lollar's final season (1963) he only started 18 games. Carreon started half the games, but <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2015/10/jc-martin-538.html">J.C. Martin</a> (who had been a 1B/3B in the previous season) started 63 games behind the plate.
His final appearance was on September 7th, and he was released after the season, ending his 18-year career.<br />
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After his playing career, he was a coach for the Orioles and Athletics in the 1960s, and a minor-league manager for the A's in the 1970s.<br />
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Lollar passed away in 1977 at age 53.<br />
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In 2000, he was selected to the White Sox' All-Century team.Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-9526238122741677762017-06-06T17:14:00.001-04:002017-06-06T18:38:13.105-04:00Bob Bruce (#24)Some years ago, I posted <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2009/10/classic-crew-cuts-part-2.html">Bob Bruce's final card</a> as part of a group post, but without any mention of his career. Now it’s time to give him the full treatment.<br />
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Bruce began his career in the Tigers' organization in 1953. He missed the 1957 season due to military service, but returned the following season, and made his Tigers’ debut in September 1959.<br />
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Bob played all of 1960 (34 games, 15 starts) and part of 1961 with the Tigers.<br />
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He was traded to the Houston Colt .45s a few months prior to their inaugural 1962 season, and along with <a href="http://1968topps.blogspot.com/2010/01/turk-farrell-217.html">Turk Farrell</a> was one of the team's top starting pitchers from 1962-65.<br />
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In April 1964 he stuck out the side on NINE pitches, one day after <a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/search/label/Sandy%20Koufax">Sandy Koufax</a> had done the same. Bob is one of 12 pitchers to have done that.<br />
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Bruce was the opening day pitcher in 1965, the first regular-season game played in the Astrodome.<br />
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After an off-year in 1966, and with the emergence of Larry Dierker and <a href="http://1969topps.blogspot.com/2015/11/mike-cuellar-453.html">Mike Cuellar</a>, Bruce was traded to the Braves prior to the 1967 season (with outfielder <a href="http://1969topps.blogspot.com/2012/05/final-card-dave-nicholson.html">Dave Nicholson</a>) for 3rd baseman <a href="http://1968topps.blogspot.com/2009/10/final-card-eddie-mathews.html">Eddie Mathews</a>, infielder Sandy Alomar, and pitcher <a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/2014/04/braves-rookies-herb-hippauf-arnie-umbach.html">Arnold Umbach</a>.<br />
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Bob only pitched 12 games for the Braves in his final season, the last coming on June 24th. He played the 2nd half of the season with the Braves' AAA team, before retiring.<br />
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Bruce <a href="http://mlb1960s.blogspot.com/2017/03/rip-bob-bruce.html">passed away in March 2017</a> at age 83.Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-45079066771540311662016-12-30T18:19:00.002-05:002016-12-30T18:19:27.473-05:00Final Card: Vic WertzHere is the final card for slugging right fielder/1st baseman Vic Wertz (#348). Vic played 17 seasons (1947-63), and was a regular from 1949-61.<br />
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Wertz was signed by the Tigers in 1942 and played in the minors from 1942-43, and 1946. During 1944-45, he was in military service.<br />
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Vic made his major-league debut at the start of the 1947 season. He was an outfielder for the first half of his career, and was the Tigers’ 4th outfielder from 1947-48, backing up the corner spots.<br />
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He became a regular in 1949, starting every game (155) in right field, including 150 complete games. Vic followed that with 145, 129, and 113 starts in right field over the next 3 seasons. He also hit 20, 27, 27, and 23 homers in that 4-year span, and made the All-Star team in '49, '51, and '52. <br />
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His final start for the Tigers was on July 20th. Three weeks later, he was traded to the St. Louis Browns in an 8-player deal. He started 36 of the remaining 39 games as the Browns' right fielder.<br />
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Wertz was the regular right fielder in 1953 (117 starts in his 128 games played). When the team moved to Baltimore for the 1954 season, he was the regular right fielder through the end of May, but was traded to the Indians for pitcher Bob Chakales.<br />
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Vic moved in to first base with the Indians, starting almost every game there for the season's final 4 months. He is probably best remembered as the player on the wrong end of "<a href="http://mlb1960s.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-catch.html">The Catch</a>". Wertz hit a long fly ball over Willie Mays’ head in the 1954 World Series, but Mays somehow caught it running full-speed with his back to the play.<br />
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Wertz missed all but 74 games in 1955 due to contracting polio, but recovered and returned to full-time status in '56 and '57. Vic made his final All-Star team in 1957. That would be his last full season for the Indians, as he missed most of the 1958 season, returning in late-July and only seeing action in 25 games, mostly as a pinch-hitter.<br />
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After the '58 season he was traded to the Red Sox with outfielder <a href="http://1969topps.blogspot.com/2013/02/final-card-gary-geiger.html">Gary Geiger</a> for outfielder <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2009/10/jim-piersall-584.html">Jim Piersall</a>.
Wertz and 2 others each started about 1/3 of the games at 1st base in 1959, but Vic bounced back in 1960 to start 110 games there. He start started 82 games over the first 5 months of 1961, then was claimed by the Tigers in September.<br />
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Vic spent the 1962 season on Detroit's bench, only making 14 starts, and was released in May 1963. The Twins picked him up in June, only to release him at the end of the season.<br />
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After his playing career, he formed a group that raised millions for the Special Olympics Winter Games.<br />
Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-64661754996684120862016-10-25T17:45:00.004-04:002016-10-25T22:18:39.461-04:00Final Card: Eli GrbaLong before there was <a href="http://1970topps.blogspot.com/2012/12/lowell-palmer-252.html">Lowell Palmer</a>, there was Eli Grba (<i>pronounced GUR-bah</i>). Actually, this photo (#231) is of Grba's teammate Ryne Duren, but that's a story for another day.<br />
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Eli was signed by the Red Sox in 1952, and made his way to the Yankees' organization in March 1957.<br />
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After missing the '57 and '58 seasons while in military service, he made his major-league debut with the Yankees in July 1959.
He pitched in 19 games in the second half of the '59 season, but found himself back in AAA in 1960. After his mid-June call-up, he pitched in 24 games that season.<br />
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Grba was the #1 pick of the expansion Los Angeles Angels prior to the 1961 season, and was the opening-day pitcher in their inaugural season. He was one of their top 2 starting pitchers in their first 2 seasons, winning 11 and 8 games.<br />
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In 1963 he was converted to a reliever, but after pitching 7 games in April, Grba was sent down to the minors. He returned in late-July to pitch in 5 more games, but his final game of the season (and of his major-league career) came on August 4th.<br />
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Eli played for the Senators' AAA team in '64 and '65, then played in Mexico in 1966. He retired after 5 games with the White Sox' AAA team in 1967.Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-14091244955812730432016-04-20T22:01:00.000-04:002016-04-20T22:03:33.136-04:00Final Card: Billy SmithThis is the first and last card for Phillies' pitcher Billy Smith (#241). By the time this card was issued, Smith's major-league career was already over.<br />
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Smith was signed by the Cardinals in 1953 and played 7 seasons (1953-59) in the Cards' farm system. He also played 2 games in '58 and 6 games in '59 with St. Louis. Smith was mostly a starting pitcher in the minors, but was a reliever during his 3 brief stints in the majors.<br />
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After the 1959 season, he and outfielder Bobby Gene Smith (no relation) were traded to the Phillies for catcher Carl Sawataksi. Bill played for the Phillies AAA teams from 1960 to 1964 (3 seasons in Buffalo, followed by 2 seasons in Little Rock, AR).<br />
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His lone action with the Phillies came in 24 games (5 starts) during the 2nd half of 1962.<br />
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He retired after the 1964 season with a 1-5 career record in 31 games. His only win came in 1962 against the Giants' Juan Marichal.<br />
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Smith passed away in 1997 at age 62.Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-13987810864863235052015-10-11T13:19:00.003-04:002015-10-11T13:19:27.252-04:00Johnnie Wyatt (#376)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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John Wyatt was a Cardinals signee in 1954 following work in the Negro Leagues. He spent a year in their system, another year in the Negro American League (as best as I can determine) and then passed through the Braves organization briefly before landing with the Athletics.<br />
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His journey to the majors was sidelined by two years in the military, a year in the Mexican Leagues and he finally debuted with the A's in September of 1961. He won ten games in 1962 while making some spot starts but mostly working out of the bullpen. After '61 he never made another start in the majors. He led the league in appearances in 1964 and made the AL All Star squad and pitched one (bumpy) inning. He pitched for Kansas City until a trade in June of 1966 sent him to Boston.<br />
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He got his only World Series experience with the '67 Sox. He pitched <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS196710040.shtml">a couple of innings in Game One</a> and did his job, holding the Cards off the scoreboard as the Red Sox tried (unsuccessfully) to mount a late rally versus Bob Gibson. And then he was the <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS196710110.shtml">winning pitcher in Game Six</a> after blowing the save opportunity.<br />
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His career wound down over the next couple of seasons as he pitched briefly for the Yankees, Tigers and A's again before retiring following the 1969 season.<br />
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Some random bits and pieces about Wyatt.....<br />
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From Baseball Reference:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Wyatt holds the all-time single-season record for most home runs given up by a relief pitcher. For the Kansas City A's in 1964, he gave up 23 homers while making no starts. No other pitcher has ever given up at least 20 home runs while making three starts or fewer.</i></blockquote>
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From SABR:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Wyatt finished his big league career with a 42–44 record, 103 saves, and a 3.47 ERA. During his playing career, he had begun work as a real estate developer in Kansas City, Missouri, in the off-season. Wyatt’s mother had owned some property in Buffalo and made a living off the rent, so John resolved to do the same. He saved $7,000 over his first seven years in pro ball and built a 12-unit apartment building on East 29th Street in Kansas City. “No one had ever built a new housing facility in Kansas City for Negroes,” he told Will McDonough. “It was a long shot, but I’m a long shot player…you can’t win if you never take the chance.…The proudest day of my life came with the construction of that building. In one day, I sold three apartments and got a citation from the president [Lyndon B. Johnson].”</i></blockquote>
John Wyatt died in 1998 at the age of 62.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-80681256098553114412015-09-26T11:48:00.000-04:002015-09-26T13:31:36.975-04:00Final Card - Billy KlausHere is the final card (#551) for infielder Billy Klaus. Billy was signed by the Cleveland Indians in 1946, and played 9 <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=klaus-001wil">minor-league</a> seasons in the Indians’, Cubs’, Braves’, and Giants’ organizations.<br />
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He made his major-league debut with the <a href="http://mlb1960s.blogspot.com/2010/01/lact-active-boston-braves.html">Boston Braves</a> in April 1952, playing 7 games before returning to the minors for the rest of the season. He also played 2 games with the Milwaukee Braves in 1953. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMiB9bekpp5hms7rbkK8MTulLB79TD5xo3r-OSaMdRhqCT-MpHknWfxPQVDwTKavyad3JYOGnjY2MwlNFcVxmdgjFwHl9-uKXU3AKKsHB1sn6OEhtZr67JYQaXt9jKqQFH9ZA2zll3OJDr/s1600/1963+Billy+Klaus+%2528f%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMiB9bekpp5hms7rbkK8MTulLB79TD5xo3r-OSaMdRhqCT-MpHknWfxPQVDwTKavyad3JYOGnjY2MwlNFcVxmdgjFwHl9-uKXU3AKKsHB1sn6OEhtZr67JYQaXt9jKqQFH9ZA2zll3OJDr/s400/1963+Billy+Klaus+%2528f%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCavUVcl5TjrVLclLwsc6Wa5X5e2gzSoj0AVTDgvKS954g3sEWIZenqBYPkBcLbOUtcKCiJdLJAMpj-bmvfmC6NJq9ANIA3FrwxRrELM-uokn8YSwWDtEbQFnQfkfYWnmKUfY4qDVeVkkI/s1600/1963+Billy+Klaus+%2528r%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCavUVcl5TjrVLclLwsc6Wa5X5e2gzSoj0AVTDgvKS954g3sEWIZenqBYPkBcLbOUtcKCiJdLJAMpj-bmvfmC6NJq9ANIA3FrwxRrELM-uokn8YSwWDtEbQFnQfkfYWnmKUfY4qDVeVkkI/s400/1963+Billy+Klaus+%2528r%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
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After his 1954 minor-league season, the Giants traded him to the Red Sox, and he was in the majors to stay beginning in 1955. Billy was the BoSox’ regular shortstop in 1955, finishing 2nd in the AL Rookie of the Year voting (to Indian’s pitcher Herb Score).<br />
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Klaus moved over to 3rd base the following season to accommodate rookie shortstop Don Buddin, but returned to shortstop in 1957 when Buddin lost the season to military service.
Buddin returned in 1958, and with 1957 rookie sensation <a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/2009/12/final-card-frank-malzone.html">Frank Malzone</a> entrenched at 3rd base, Klaus was relegated to the bench. Billy only played in 61 games that season – mostly as a pinch-hitter.<br />
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Klaus was traded to the Orioles after the 1958 season, and spent 2 years as the backup SS-3B behind Ron Hansen and <a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/2010/09/brooks-robinson-390.html">Brooks Robinson</a>. The expansion Washington Senators drafted him before the 1961 season, but he only managed to fill a backup role with the first-year team.<br />
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Billy’s last stop was the Phillies, manning their bench for all of 1962 and the first 2 months of 1963 before getting his release on May 24th. He finished the 1963 season in Japan, then played for the Senators’ AA team in 1965-66.<br />
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Klaus passed away in 2006 at age 77. His <a href="http://1969topps.blogspot.com/2012/10/final-card-bobby-klaus.html">brother Bobby</a> was also an infielder for several clubs in the 1960s.
Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-33445811030811266912014-08-03T12:52:00.001-04:002014-08-04T21:04:53.155-04:00Lew Krausse (#104)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJImwMr6nF9C2swbaT6F2lMVeiXej7BeWSfeOdIBEPOHR33LmJimZt3aMpJyFmQ96LtjG2jVftBuKJCFsys8YAo4xa5cvR33oHZdNYupty5eoQj42a9jZvr-GiQsHqKim4P82IvcIfnAoC/s1600/IMG_0010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJImwMr6nF9C2swbaT6F2lMVeiXej7BeWSfeOdIBEPOHR33LmJimZt3aMpJyFmQ96LtjG2jVftBuKJCFsys8YAo4xa5cvR33oHZdNYupty5eoQj42a9jZvr-GiQsHqKim4P82IvcIfnAoC/s1600/IMG_0010.jpg" height="400" width="282" /></a></div>
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Lew Krausse Jr. was <a href="http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YYYsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gooFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5728,1270257&dq=lew+krausse+jr&hl=en">signed right out of high school</a> to a $125,000 bonus contract with the Athletics. A week after signing in June of 1961, he pitched a six-hit shutout against the Angels. That must have made the scout who signed him doubly proud. That scout was his dad, Lew Krausse Sr. The elder Krausse pitched for the Philadelphia A's in the early 30's and had a long minor league career.<br />
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Lew, Jr. ran into rough times the remainder of that rookie season as he lost five straight before ending his year with his second complete game win in September. Arm issues and wildness kept him off the Athletics staff for four years with the exception of a few brief looks by the big club.<br />
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But Krausse returned with a vengeance in 1966 as he won 14 games with a sub-3 ERA. He remained in the A's rotation with varying degrees of success through the 1969 season. He had an interesting relationship with A's owner Charles Finley. The franchise was in free fall late in 1967 when Finley fined Krausse for 'misconduct' on a team flight. The whole thing escalated until Finley ended up firing manager Alvin Dark and releasing outfielder-first baseman Ken Harrelson who went on to help the Red Sox nail down their AL title.<br />
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The A's moved to Oakland the following year and Krausse was unable to reclaim the effectiveness he had in '66. Over the winter following the 1969 season he was dealt to the expansion Seattle Pilots who moved to Milwaukee just days before the season opened. Krausse was the 'Brewers' Opening Day starter and he won 21 games in the two seasons he spent in their rotation.<br />
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Krausse spent the final four years of his career bouncing between the Red Sox, Cardinals and Braves and getting a couple of more shots in the A's minor league chain before he retired after 1975. He owned and operated a business in Kansas City after his playing days.<br />
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Krausse was also known as the victim of one of prankster/pitcher Moe Drabowsky's best tricks. From <a href="http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/e423e439">Krausse's SABR page</a>:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
(In 1966) Krausse found his way into baseball lore as one of the victims of a prank pulled in Baltimore by Orioles pitcher Moe Drabowsky. A former Athletic, Drabowsky dialed the Kansas City bullpen and told coach Bobby Hofman to “get Krausse hot!” Hofman complied, and moments later, the phone rang again: “Okay, sit him down.” To the guffaws of his teammates, Drabowsky repeated this procedure with the compliant Hofman. On the third call Drabowsky asked for Krausse and inquired, [Are y]ou warm, Lew?” Recognizing the voice of his friend and former teammate, Krausse realized they’d been spoofed, and the story made the major-league rounds to the embarrassment of both.</blockquote>
This card has the look of being a 'paint-enhanced' photo. Topps used the same photo on Krausse's 1964 card:<br />
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Here are the images, side by side:<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-88692310959993601412014-07-26T15:47:00.000-04:002014-07-26T15:47:54.982-04:00Dick Hall (#526) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the unsung heroes of the great Orioles teams of the 60's and early '70s, relief pitcher Dick Hall actually began his career as a light hitting outfielder in the Pirates chain in 1952. He was a semi-regular patrolling the Forbes Field outfield in 1954 but he spent the next two seasons transitioning into a pitching role. The Pirates had already tried to find him a home as an infielder when his hitting didn't support his taking up an outfield spot.<br />
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On the mound beginning in 1955 Hall pitched in all or part of four seasons going 6-13. Hall was obviously just learning his craft in those days and looking at his numbers confirms this. His 1959 season in the minors showed he'd adapted well (18 wins) and after a trade to Kansas City he had a respectable year in the A.L.<br />
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A trade to the Orioles for '61 really paid off for Hall (and the O's) He started 13 games that season and pitched well but his career blossomed when he moved to the bullpen full-time in 1962. Over the course of the next five years he went 44-26 with 44 saves. He won a World Series ring in '66 although he never left the bullpen during the Orioles four game sweep.<br />
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Traded to Philadelphia after the '66 Series he pitched two years there before the Phils released him. He re-signed with the Orioles and proved he had something left as he was a part of three Orioles AL championship clubs through 1971. After establishing himself as a pitched he showed great control. According to Baseball Reference in his last 7 seasons, he issued only 23 unintentional walks in 462 innings. He threw only one wild pitch in his entire<br />
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In addition to another World Series ring Hall had the honor of winning the very first American League playoff game. I was there in 1969 as the O's beat the Twins in 12 innings on their way to a sweep. In the top of the 12th inning that day Hall relieved Marcelino Lopez with the bases loaded and one out. He fanned Leo Cardenas and got Johnny Roseboro to fly out to kill the threat. The Orioles won with a squeeze bunt by Paul Blair in the bottom of that inning.<br />
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In five postseason games, all with Baltimore Hall had a pair of wins and as many saves. He also had a single in three at bats showing he hadn't forgotten his days as a position player. After he retired Hall worked as a CPA. In this <a href="http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/thetoydepartment/2009/05/catching_up_with_dick_hall.html">Baltimore Sun interview from 2009</a> Hall discusses how his usual pitching delivery led to his unusual nickname of 'Turkey' and his post career life.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-64978517747753773812014-07-09T17:55:00.001-04:002014-07-26T22:56:50.811-04:00Final Card: Bob OldisThis is the final card for backup catcher Bob Oldis (#404). Bob had cards in the 1953-55 sets, then again from 1960-63.<br />
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Bob was signed by the Washington Senators in 1949, and played in <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=oldis-001rob">the minors</a> for 4 seasons before making his major-league debut in April 1953. Bob only played in 7 games with the Sens that year, and spent most of the season in the minors.<br />
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He was with the big club for all of 1954, but as the 3rd-string catcher only played in 11 games, and did not play at all from mid-June to mid-August. He began the ’55 season with the Senators, but was sent down in early June, having only played in 6 games.<br />
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Oldis spent the next 4 seasons in the minors, with the Senators (1956) and Yankees (1957-59).<br />
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After the ’59 season, he was selected by the Pirates in the Rule 5 draft, and was the Bucs’ 3rd-string catcher in 1960, behind <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2009/10/final-card-smoky-burgess.html">Smoky Burgess</a> and Hal Smith. He played in 22 games during the season, and was a defensive replacement in 2 games in the World Series, although he did not have any plate appearances.
Bob was back in triple-A for most of 1961, then was sold to the Phillies after the season.<br />
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His final 2 seasons (at age 34 and 35) was where he saw the most playing time of his career. In 1962 he caught 30 games (23 starts) as the 3rd-stringer behind <a href="http://1969topps.blogspot.com/2012/01/clay-dalrymple-151.html">Clay Dalrymple</a>. In 1963 he finally advanced to the #2 catcher’s slot, catching in 43 games (19 starts) behind Dalrymple and ahead of ex-Angels’ backstop Earl Averill.<br />
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Bob retired after the 1963 season, and stayed on with the Phillies as a coach from 1964 to 1966. He also coached for the Twins (1968) and Expos (1969). Oldis was later a scout for the Phillies and Expos, and since 2002 has been a scout for the Marlins.Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-20875169646311133572014-04-27T13:27:00.000-04:002014-07-26T22:57:27.750-04:00Roy Sievers (#283)Some time ago, I posted every player appearing for the Phillies from 1966-1969 across my various blogs. I think the only key player* for the Phillies from 1963-69 that I haven’t blogged about yet is Roy Sievers, who was their 1st baseman for 1962, 1963, and part of the 1964 season.<br />
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Aside from being an ex-Phillie, Sievers’ name popped up for me two other times. He was one of the <a href="http://mlb1960s.blogspot.com/2010/01/last-active-st-louis-browns.html">last active players from the St. Louis Browns</a>, and he was <a href="http://mlb1960s.blogspot.com/2010/02/who-cant-get-enough-of-washington.html">one of only 8 players to have played for both Washington Senators’ franchises</a>.<br />
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Sievers was signed by the St. Louis Browns in 1944, but didn’t begin playing until 1947. He played in their <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=siever001roy">farm system</a> from 1947 to 1948, then made his major-league debut with the Browns in April 1949. Roy was the Browns’ starting right fielder in his rookie season, batting .306 with 16 homers and 91 RBI. He also won the AL Rookie of the Year award.<br />
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In 1950, although Sievers started more games in center field than any of his teammates, he ended up with the 4th-most playing time among the outfielders. He also started 21 games at 3rd base, as the team rotated more than 5 players through the hot corner.<br />
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Shoulder injuries limited his playing time for the next few seasons. In 1951 he only played in 31 games for the Browns, having been sent to the minors in mid-June. After missing most of the 1952 season, he returned to the Browns in 1953, sharing the starting 1st base assignments with Dick Kryhoski.<br />
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The Browns moved to Baltimore before the 1954 season, but not Sievers. He was traded to the Senators in February, and became the Nats' regular left fielder for the next 5 seasons. Along with the increased playing time (over 500 at-bats each season) came a power surge, as he crashed 24, 25, 29, 42, and 39 homers during those years, along with 102, 106, 95, 114, and 108 RBI. His 1957 totals of 42 homers and 114 RBI led the AL, while he also hit .301 that season.<br />
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1959 was his last season in Washington. Roy only played in 115 games, collecting 19 homers and 49 RBI. After the season he was traded to the White Sox for catcher <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2009/11/final-card-earl-battey.html">Earl Battey</a> and 1st baseman <a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/2013/11/don-mincher-388.html">Don Mincher</a>.<br />
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In his 2 seasons as the White Sox’ 1st baseman, Sievers was recharged, bouncing back with over 25 homers and 90 RBI each season. He also made his last of 4 all-star teams in 1961.<br />
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In November 1961, the Sox moved him to the Phillies for pitcher <a href="http://1968topps.blogspot.com/2010/01/final-card-john-buzhardt.html">John Buzhardt</a> and 3rd baseman <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2009/10/classic-crew-cuts-part-4.html">Charley Smith</a>. Roy was the Phils' regular 1st sacker for all of 1962 and 1963.
In 1964 Sievers shared the 1st base job with rookie <a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/2011/05/final-card-john-herrnstein.html">John Herrnstein</a> through mid-July.<br />
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On July 16th he was sold to the (new) Washington Senators, where he was used mostly as a pinch-hitter until they released him in May 1965.<br />
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Sievers was a coach for the Reds in 1966, then managed in the minor leagues from 1967-70 for the Mets and Athletics.<br />
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<i>* Well, there's also pitcher Ed Roebuck, who played for the Phillies from 1964-66, but Topps didn't make a card for him in 1966, so... </i>Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-1836596385145677582014-03-09T00:17:00.002-05:002014-07-26T22:57:41.722-04:00Curt Simmons (#22)I posted <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2009/09/classic-crew-cuts-part-1.html">Curt Simmons’ final card</a> on my 1967 blog several years ago, but it was part of a multi-card post about the players’ crew cuts, and didn’t get into their playing careers, so Curt is back for a 2nd look.<br />
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Curt Simmons had a 20-year career (1947-67) playing for 4 teams, mostly for the Phillies, and later the Cardinals.<br />
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Simmons was signed by the Phillies in 1947, and pitched that season for the Wilmington (DE) Blue Rocks, the Phillies’ class-B team. He compiled a 13-5 record, then made his major-league debut with the Phillies at age 18 during a September call-up.<br />
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In 1948, southpaw Curt joined 21-year-old righthander <a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/2010/03/final-card-robin-roberts.html">Robin Roberts</a> in a rotation that also included 39-year-old Dutch Leonard and 38-year-old Schoolboy Rowe, both of who began their careers in 1933.<br />
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By 1950, Roberts and Simmons were the Phillies’ #1 and #2 starters, leading them to their first post-season since 1915. Curt missed the final month of the 1950 season and the World Series, due to his call-up to active military service during the Korean War.<br />
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Curt was a solid member of the team’s starting rotation from 1950 to 1957 (except for missing all of 1951 due to military service). He also made the All-Star team in ’52, ’53, and ’57.<br />
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Simmons had an off-year in 1958, and came down with a sore arm in 1959, spending part of that season in the <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=simmon001cur">minors</a>. The Phillies released him in mid-May 1960, after only 4 starts.<br />
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Simmons was picked up by the Cardinals three days later, and spent the next 6 years in their starting rotation. He won a career-high 18 games in 1964, and together with <a href="http://1968topps.blogspot.com/2013/10/bob-gibson-100.html">Bob Gibson</a>’s 19 wins and Ray Sadecki’s 20 wins, they twirled the team to a World Championship.<br />
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He experienced another off-year in 1965, and with a slow start in 1966, he was sold to the Cubs in late June.
Simmons pitched for the Cubs just over 1 calendar year before moving on the the Angels in early-August 1967.<br />
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He was released after the season, ending his 20-year career. He finished with a career record of 193-183, with 1697 strikeouts.<br />
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Simmons and White Sox’ catcher <a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2009/10/final-card-smoky-burgess.html">Smoky Burgess</a> were the last 2 players to retire that had played in the 1940s.Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-48265583066125419392014-02-16T17:34:00.001-05:002014-04-28T00:28:49.735-04:00Hoyt Wilhelm (#108)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'll admit that my love of the Orioles will color my view on this card but.....ain't it a beauty? The colors, the pose, the terrific 'turn of the decade' Orioles uni, the spring training background. Good stuff for sure.<br />
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Anyway, <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wilheho01.shtml">Hoyt Wilhelm</a> is a Hall of Fame pitcher who garnered his fame by mastering the infernal knuckleball. He pitched for nine different clubs over a 21 year career and was 49 years old when he made his <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI197207102.shtml">last big league appearance</a>. He pitched for the Orioles from late 1958 through 1962 spending the 1959 and some of 1960 as a starter. He <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BAL/BAL195809200.shtml">no hit the Yankees</a> in September of '58.<br />
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Wilhelm's dancing knuckleball was responsible for one of the games more notable equipment controversy, the <a href="http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1986-06-06/sports/8602100679_1_glove-elephant-paul-richards">giant 'Elephant glove'</a> pioneered by Oriole manager Paul Richards in 1960 and worn by Hoyt's personal catcher, Joe Ginsberg.<br />
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Notable Achievements (from Wilhelm's <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Hoyt_Wilhelm">Baseball Reference Bullpen page</a>):<br />
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<ul>
<li>5-time All-Star (1953, 1959, 1961, 1962 & 1970)</li>
<li>2-time League ERA Leader (1952/NL & 1959/AL)</li>
<li>NL Winning Percentage Leader (1954)</li>
<li>2-time NL Games Pitched Leader (1952 & 1953)</li>
<li>15 Wins Seasons: 2 (1952 & 1959)</li>
<li>200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 1 (1959)</li>
<li>Won a World Series with the New York Giants in 1954</li>
<li>Baseball Hall of Fame: Class of 1985</li>
</ul>
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His Hall of Fame bio:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i style="background-color: white;">Hoyt Wilhelm didn't make his Major League debut until the age of 28, but he got off to a fast start by hitting a home run in his first at-bat. Twenty years and a then-record 1,069 games later, he had never homered again; but it was on the mound that he distinguished himself as the game's premier reliever. The knuckleballer won 143 games, including a record 124 out of the bullpen. In a rare start for the Orioles in 1958, he no-hit the Yankees.</i></blockquote>
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Here is a extremely cool video of Wilhelm's technique with commentary by catcher J. W. Porter, a <a href="http://59toppsblog.blogspot.com/search?q=porter">pretty interesting character</a> in his own right. You have to love Ol' Hoyt's Carolina drawl.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-26342138559234253832014-01-20T00:12:00.002-05:002014-07-26T22:58:00.300-04:001963 Rookie Stars (Reds / Phillies)In 1963, Topps began issuing multi-player Rookie Stars cards. These were weird “floating head” cards that featured players from multiple teams. (Beginning in 1964, Topps switched to team-specific Rookie Stars cards, featuring 2 to 3 “normal” photos of players from the same team.)<br />
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What’s unusual about this card is that it features 2 sets of teammates.<br />
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I have already featured all 4 of these players on other blogs, so I’m just going to link them here:
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<a href="http://1968topps.blogspot.com/2011/06/sammy-ellis-453.html">Sammy Ellis</a> played from 1962-69, primarily for the Reds as a starting pitcher.<br />
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<a href="http://1966topps.blogspot.com/2009/10/ray-culp-4.html">Ray Culp</a> debuted with the Phillies in 1963. After 4 seasons there and 1 with the Cubs, he played 6 seasons for the Red Sox.<br />
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<a href="http://1967topps.blogspot.com/2011/06/jesse-gonder-301.html">Jesse Gonder</a> played for 5 teams from 1960-67, but got most of his playing time with the Mets and Pirates from 1963-67.<br />
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<a href="http://1968topps.blogspot.com/search/label/John%20Boozer">John Boozer</a> bounced between the Phillies and their farm system from 1962-69, as a long reliever and spot starter.<br />
<br />Jim from Downingtownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01537007940455183397noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-76391281431083333732014-01-12T00:34:00.003-05:002014-06-13T22:42:19.280-04:00Dodgers' Big Three (#412)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Rangel, Ralph Houses of Manhattan's Coogan's Bluff are visible through the Polo Grounds' ironwork as a special trio of pitchers pose for this 1963 Topps card. Johnny Podres, Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax were indeed the Dodgers' Big Three that season as they led the club to a World Series sweep of the Yankees. The three pitched all but 2/3 of an inning of the Series as the staff held the Yanks to a .207 average.<br />
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The three players represent 522 wins, 6317 strike outs, 17 All Star selections, and 4 Cy Young Awards between them. Koufax and Drysdale of course are Hall of Famers. Many of the Dodger clubs they pitched for after the franchise's move to Los Angeles were light hitting teams that relied on pitching and defense. They were so much dependent on pitching that Don Drysdale, away from the club on family business, is said to have asked "Who won?" when he was told that Koufax had pitched a no-hitter in his absence.<br />
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Podres had his last double digit win total (14) in '63. In fact he never again won more than 7. Drysdale won 19 as he came off his Cy Young season of 1962. His 251 whiffs were actually 19 more than his league leading total of the previous season. They were both very good, but Koufax was so dominant in 1963 that he was chosen as the NL's MVP.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"I can see how he won twenty-five games. What I don't understand is how he lost five." - Yogi Berra talking about Sandy Koufax.</i></blockquote>
This card has been on my radar for ages. I picked up this less than sterling copy recently. It's creased within an inch of it's life but I'm glad to have it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-41800926781304053822014-01-02T02:30:00.000-05:002014-04-28T00:29:04.377-04:00Robin Roberts (#125)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzO14Dxt8g2K-4tdgf8OwJ9GxZ8k9JKQbA6ASgp-sS3My8cCpqwq-MAgTt-DtRexQTVhfbjkUYL9tmgZ1cP4KIJofzHucwKXcidaCDCotdB6sDONzzHYQ86i-K9eS1H9qRoDSwf4BU5Kk/s1600/IMG_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzO14Dxt8g2K-4tdgf8OwJ9GxZ8k9JKQbA6ASgp-sS3My8cCpqwq-MAgTt-DtRexQTVhfbjkUYL9tmgZ1cP4KIJofzHucwKXcidaCDCotdB6sDONzzHYQ86i-K9eS1H9qRoDSwf4BU5Kk/s400/IMG_0001.jpg" width="293" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTNmEaA1nv5oCdPP8fIaDkQT-0GCm4iIVNCmBJJhyphenhyphen3Mb1glArxKH105m75aXFE4oc54AJ99vpxHGPo6ZvSpUjYNeaZG9erQOnnUwaYQwdA3eH6Z_NabSU3508GYXX5tniHcLbFkEghrPVA/s1600/IMG_0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTNmEaA1nv5oCdPP8fIaDkQT-0GCm4iIVNCmBJJhyphenhyphen3Mb1glArxKH105m75aXFE4oc54AJ99vpxHGPo6ZvSpUjYNeaZG9erQOnnUwaYQwdA3eH6Z_NabSU3508GYXX5tniHcLbFkEghrPVA/s400/IMG_0004.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />Here we have Hall of Fame pitcher <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/roberro01.shtml">Robin Roberts</a> looking resplendent yet somewhat odd in his orange and black Orioles' cap. Although he pitched three plus years for my Birds and some for the Astros I still have a hard time thinking of him as anything but a Philadelphia Phillie.<br /><br />For a six year stretch across the first half of the 1950s Roberts was the dominant right hand pitcher in the National League. From 1950 through 1955 he led the league in wins four times, starts six times, innings pitched five times and strikeouts twice.<br /><br />Roberts was a three sport star playing baseball, football, and basketball for Lanphier High School in Springfield, Illinois. Roberts attended Michigan State on a basketball scholarship, but he also pitched for the Spartans' baseball team. He was signed by the Phillies for a $25,000 bonus, pitched for half a season in the minors, then made his debut for Philadelphia in June 1948.<br /><br />He was a Phillie for 14 seasons and went 286-245 for teams that more often than not finished well below the .500 mark. He was instrumental however in the Phils' Whiz Kids pennant winning season of 1950. It was his second full season in the majors and he won 20 games for the first time, a feat he'd accomplish six consecutive seasons.<br /><br />He started Game Two of the 1950 Series against the Yankees and in typical Roberts fashion he pitched all ten innings dueling Allie Reynolds and lost 2-1 when Joe DiMaggio reached him for a home run in the top of the tenth. He pitched one inning of Game Four but never again reached the post-season. He might have had more chances he not been released by the Yankees in May of 1962 after having been purchased in the off-season.<br /><br />While he was still a productive inning-eater for Philadelphia, Roberts numbers slowly declined over the course of the second half of the decade. A 1-10 record in 1961 brought about his sale to the Yankees who thought his experience would benefit the staff and had several starters who were subject to military call-ups in '62. Rain and open dates and lack of opportunities kept Roberts off the mound and he was released late in April. He had offers from Japan and the Reds but only the Orioles met his salary requests and he signed and pitched for the Birds for three and a half seasons while putting up surprisingly good numbers for a guy with so much wear and tear on his arm.<br /><br />He was released by the Orioles in mid-season 1965 and moved on to the Astros for whom he pitched a year before finishing with the Cubs in 1966.<br /><br />From Baseball Reference:<br /><br /><b><u>Notable Achievements</u></b><br /><br /><ul><br /><li>7-time NL All-Star (1950-1956)</li><br /><li>4-time NL Wins Leader (1952-1955)</li><br /><li>5-time NL Innings Pitched Leader (1951-1955)</li><br /><li>2-time NL Strikeouts Leader (1953 & 1954)</li><br /><li>5-time NL Complete Games Leader (1952-1956)</li><br /><li>NL Shutouts Leader (1950)</li><br /><li>15 Wins Seasons: 10 (1949-1956, 1958 & 1959)</li><br /><li>20 Wins Seasons: 6 (1950-1955)</li><br /><li>25 Wins Seasons: 1 (1952)</li><br /><li>200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 14 (1949-1960, 1963 & 1964)</li><br /><li>300 Innings Pitched Seasons: 6 (1950-1955)</li><br /><li>Baseball Hall of Fame: Class of 1976</li><br /></ul><br /><br /><b><u>Roberts' Hall of Fame bio:</u></b><br /><br /><u><br />Robin Roberts was the ace of the Phillies staff for most of his 14 years in a brilliant 19-season Major League career. The durable workhorse with a superior fastball and pinpoint control won 286 games and compiled six consecutive 20-victory seasons. In 1950, he paced the Phils to their first flag in 35 years with a 20-11 record. A tough competitor, he was a frequent league leader in victories, innings pitched, complete games, shutouts and strikeouts, topping the National League in wins from 1952-55. </u><br /><br /><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-6377468068867020132013-12-30T13:04:00.001-05:002013-12-30T13:05:46.442-05:00#574 Hal Kolstad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Wisconsin native <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kolstha01.shtml">Hal Kolstad</a> was a baseball letter-man at San Jose State University and was signed by the Red Sox in 1957. He moved up the Sox' minor league ladder as a starter putting up double digit wins (and about the same number of losses for the most part) but generally good numbers otherwise.<br />
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Baseball Reference (as well as the card's cartoon) point out that Kolstad had a notable 1958 season in the Midwest League, leading the league in strikeouts with 250 and beating Juan Marichal who had 246.<br />
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He earned a spot on the staff for 1962 and appeared in 27 games including a pair of starts. Both ended up being no decisions. In his 25 relief appearances he earned a couple of saves and two losses and posted a 5.43 ERA for the season. He was again with Boston in '63 as the season opened but he made a couple of round trips to the AA level. He lost both decisions that season as well and his ERA in 7 games was a brutal 13.09 in 11 innings. He was farmed out in July and never pitched in the majors again.<br />
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Kolstad finished up his baseball playing days with a season in the Red Sox system and, after a trade, a final year with the Angels' AAA club. His big league career totals show an 0-4 record with a earned run average of 6.59.<br />
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I found a Ron Kolstad also listed among San Jose States list of baseball athletes. That may be a relative. Hal Kolstad's grandson Ryan played for both San Jose State and Concordia University in Oregon.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-56184246917088707612013-12-25T13:39:00.001-05:002013-12-25T13:40:37.328-05:00#196 Doug Camilli<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Catcher <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/camildo02.shtml">Doug Camilli</a> is the son of 1941 NL MVP <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/camildo01.shtml">Dolph Camilli</a>. Doug spent nine season in the majors, six of them complete seasons. He was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers out of Stanford University in 1957. He got brief looks at the majors in 1960 and '61 before he stuck in 1962.<br />
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With the Dodgers Camilli backed up Johnny Roseboro for three years including the Dodgers' World Series winning 1963 campaign. Camilli did not appear in the Series. His best season in a Dodger uniform was 1962 when he hit .284 with 22 RBI in about 100 plate appearances.<br />
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He was sold to the Senators for the '64 season and that was his busiest year as he got into 75 games while serving as Paul Casanova's back-up and pinch hitting. His playing time dwindled over the course of the next two seasons and he moved into the coaching ranks in Washington in 1967. The next season he was activated at the end of the season and got into one final big league contest. He whiffed twice but got a single in his last major league at bat.<br />
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Camilli remained in the game as a coach and minor league instructor and manager through 1992, mostly in the Red Sox system.<br />
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Gil Hodges played with both Doug and Dolph. Doug Camilli caught Sandy <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI196406040.shtml">Koufax' third career no-hitter</a> on June 4, 1964.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7886430184763966202.post-14291897421238604772013-11-17T07:30:00.000-05:002013-11-17T09:42:04.463-05:00#24 Bob Bruce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Bob Bruce signed with the Detroit Tigers in 1953. The righty pitcher took a long slow trip up the Tigers' minor league ladder and spent a year in the military before he finally debuted in September of 1959. His first appearance that year was a one inning mop up stint in which he walked two. He returned to the mound on September 27 making his first career start. It was against the White Sox at Briggs Stadium and Bruce was treated pretty shabbily, and not just by the Sox. Here is the Baseball Reference play-by-play for the top of the first:<br />
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<table class="sortable stats_table" id="play_by_play" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(116, 118, 120); color: black; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.6875em; margin-bottom: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr class="partial_table black_text bold_text shade_text" data-row="0" style="color: #414345; font-weight: 700 !important; vertical-align: top;"><td align="left" colspan="12" csk="0.9" style="border-color: rgb(116, 118, 120) rgb(116, 118, 120) rgb(170, 170, 170); border-style: solid solid dotted; border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span class="half_inning_start" style="background-color: white; vertical-align: inherit;">Top of the 1st, White Sox Batting, Tied 0-0, Tigers' Bob Bruce facing 1-2-3</span></td></tr>
<tr class="" data-row="1" id="event_1" style="vertical-align: top;"><td align="right" csk="1" style="border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(116, 118, 120); border-style: dotted dotted dotted solid; border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">t1</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">0-0</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">0</span></td><td align="right" csk="0.000" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span class="tooltip" id="DET195909270-1" style="background-color: white; color: #aa0000; cursor: pointer; vertical-align: inherit;">---</span></td><td align="left" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="tooltip" id="DET195909270-1" style="color: #aa0000; cursor: pointer; vertical-align: inherit;"></span></span></td><td align="left" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"></td><td align="right" csk="CHW.0.001" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">CHW</span></td><td align="left" csk="Aparicio,Luis0.001" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">L. Aparicio</span></td><td align="left" csk="Bruce,Bob0.001" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">B. Bruce</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></td><td align="left" csk="20.001" style="border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(116, 118, 120) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170); border-style: dotted solid dotted dotted; border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">Single to LF</span></td></tr>
<tr class="hl" data-row="2" id="event_2" style="vertical-align: top;"><td align="right" csk="2" style="border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(116, 118, 120); border-style: dotted dotted dotted solid; border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">t1</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">0-0</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">0</span></td><td align="right" csk="1.001" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span class="tooltip" id="DET195909270-2" style="background-color: white; color: #aa0000; cursor: pointer; vertical-align: inherit;">1--</span></td><td align="left" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="tooltip" id="DET195909270-2" style="color: #aa0000; cursor: pointer; vertical-align: inherit;"></span></span></td><td align="left" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"></td><td align="right" csk="CHW.0.002" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">CHW</span></td><td align="left" csk="Fox,Nellie0.002" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">N. Fox</span></td><td align="left" csk="Bruce,Bob0.002" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">B. Bruce</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></td><td align="left" csk="4.002" style="border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(116, 118, 120) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170); border-style: dotted solid dotted dotted; border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">Aparicio Steals 2B</span></td></tr>
<tr class="" data-row="3" id="event_3" style="vertical-align: top;"><td align="right" csk="3" style="border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(116, 118, 120); border-style: dotted dotted dotted solid; border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">t1</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">0-0</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">0</span></td><td align="right" csk="1.010" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span class="tooltip" id="DET195909270-3" style="background-color: white; color: #aa0000; cursor: pointer; vertical-align: inherit;">-2-</span></td><td align="left" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="tooltip" id="DET195909270-3" style="color: #aa0000; cursor: pointer; vertical-align: inherit;"></span></span></td><td align="left" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"></td><td align="right" csk="CHW.0.003" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">CHW</span></td><td align="left" csk="Fox,Nellie0.003" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">N. Fox</span></td><td align="left" csk="Bruce,Bob0.003" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">B. Bruce</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></td><td align="left" csk="4.003" style="border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(116, 118, 120) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170); border-style: dotted solid dotted dotted; border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">Aparicio Steals 3B</span></td></tr>
<tr class="" data-row="4" id="event_4" style="vertical-align: top;"><td align="right" csk="4" style="border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(116, 118, 120); border-style: dotted dotted dotted solid; border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">t1</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">0-0</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">0</span></td><td align="right" csk="1.100" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span class="tooltip" id="DET195909270-4" style="background-color: white; color: #aa0000; cursor: pointer; vertical-align: inherit;">--3</span></td><td align="left" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="tooltip" id="DET195909270-4" style="color: #aa0000; cursor: pointer; vertical-align: inherit;"></span></span></td><td align="left" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"></td><td align="right" csk="CHW.0.004" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">CHW</span></td><td align="left" csk="Fox,Nellie0.004" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">N. Fox</span></td><td align="left" csk="Bruce,Bob0.004" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">B. Bruce</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></td><td align="left" csk="14.004" style="border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(116, 118, 120) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170); border-style: dotted solid dotted dotted; border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">Walk</span></td></tr>
<tr class="bold_text" data-row="5" id="event_5" style="font-weight: 700 !important; vertical-align: top;"><td align="right" csk="5" style="border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(116, 118, 120); border-style: dotted dotted dotted solid; border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">t1</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">0-0</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">0</span></td><td align="right" csk="2.101" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span class="tooltip" id="DET195909270-5" style="background-color: white; color: #aa0000; cursor: pointer; vertical-align: inherit;">1-3</span></td><td align="left" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="tooltip" id="DET195909270-5" style="color: #aa0000; cursor: pointer; vertical-align: inherit;"></span></span></td><td align="left" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">R</span></td><td align="right" csk="CHW.0.005" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">CHW</span></td><td align="left" csk="Landis,Jim0.005" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">J. Landis</span></td><td align="left" csk="Bruce,Bob0.005" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">B. Bruce</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></td><td align="left" csk="18.005" style="border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(116, 118, 120) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170); border-style: dotted solid dotted dotted; border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">Reached on E6 (Ground Ball); Aparicio Scores; Fox to 2B; Landis to 1B</span></td></tr>
<tr class="" data-row="6" id="event_6" style="vertical-align: top;"><td align="right" csk="6" style="border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(116, 118, 120); border-style: dotted dotted dotted solid; border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">t1</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">1-0</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">0</span></td><td align="right" csk="2.011" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span class="tooltip" id="DET195909270-6" style="background-color: white; color: #aa0000; cursor: pointer; vertical-align: inherit;">12-</span></td><td align="left" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="tooltip" id="DET195909270-6" style="color: #aa0000; cursor: pointer; vertical-align: inherit;"></span></span></td><td align="left" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"></td><td align="right" csk="CHW.0.006" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">CHW</span></td><td align="left" csk="Kluszewski,Ted0.006" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">T. Kluszewski</span></td><td align="left" csk="Bruce,Bob0.006" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">B. Bruce</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></td><td align="left" csk="9.006" style="border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(116, 118, 120) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170); border-style: dotted solid dotted dotted; border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">Wild Pitch; Landis to 2B; Fox to 3B</span></td></tr>
<tr class="bold_text" data-row="7" id="event_7" style="font-weight: 700 !important; vertical-align: top;"><td align="right" csk="7" style="border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(116, 118, 120); border-style: dotted dotted dotted solid; border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">t1</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">1-0</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">0</span></td><td align="right" csk="2.110" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span class="tooltip" id="DET195909270-7" style="background-color: white; color: #aa0000; cursor: pointer; vertical-align: inherit;">-23</span></td><td align="left" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="tooltip" id="DET195909270-7" style="color: #aa0000; cursor: pointer; vertical-align: inherit;"></span></span></td><td align="left" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">RO</span></td><td align="right" csk="CHW.0.007" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">CHW</span></td><td align="left" csk="Kluszewski,Ted0.007" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">T. Kluszewski</span></td><td align="left" csk="Bruce,Bob0.007" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">B. Bruce</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></td><td align="left" csk="2.007" style="border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(116, 118, 120) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170); border-style: dotted solid dotted dotted; border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">Groundout: 2B-1B; Fox Scores; Landis to 3B</span></td></tr>
<tr class="bold_text" data-row="8" id="event_8" style="font-weight: 700 !important; vertical-align: top;"><td align="right" csk="8" style="border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(116, 118, 120); border-style: dotted dotted dotted solid; border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">t1</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">2-0</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">1</span></td><td align="right" csk="1.100" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span class="tooltip" id="DET195909270-8" style="background-color: white; color: #aa0000; cursor: pointer; vertical-align: inherit;">--3</span></td><td align="left" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="tooltip" id="DET195909270-8" style="color: #aa0000; cursor: pointer; vertical-align: inherit;"></span></span></td><td align="left" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">R</span></td><td align="right" csk="CHW.0.008" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">CHW</span></td><td align="left" csk="Romano,John0.008" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">J. Romano</span></td><td align="left" csk="Bruce,Bob0.008" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">B. Bruce</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></td><td align="left" csk="18.008" style="border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(116, 118, 120) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170); border-style: dotted solid dotted dotted; border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">Reached on E5 (Ground Ball); Landis Scores/No RBI/unER</span></td></tr>
<tr class="" data-row="9" id="event_9" style="vertical-align: top;"><td align="right" csk="9" style="border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(116, 118, 120); border-style: dotted dotted dotted solid; border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">t1</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">3-0</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">1</span></td><td align="right" csk="1.001" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span class="tooltip" id="DET195909270-9" style="background-color: white; color: #aa0000; cursor: pointer; vertical-align: inherit;">1--</span></td><td align="left" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="tooltip" id="DET195909270-9" style="color: #aa0000; cursor: pointer; vertical-align: inherit;"></span></span></td><td align="left" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">O</span></td><td align="right" csk="CHW.0.009" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">CHW</span></td><td align="left" csk="Smith,Al0.009" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">A. Smith</span></td><td align="left" csk="Bruce,Bob0.009" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">B. Bruce</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></td><td align="left" csk="3.009" style="border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(116, 118, 120) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170); border-style: dotted solid dotted dotted; border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">Strikeout</span></td></tr>
<tr class="bold_text" data-row="10" id="event_10" style="font-weight: 700 !important; vertical-align: top;"><td align="right" csk="10" style="border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(116, 118, 120); border-style: dotted dotted dotted solid; border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">t1</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">3-0</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">2</span></td><td align="right" csk="1.001" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span class="tooltip" id="DET195909270-10" style="background-color: white; color: #aa0000; cursor: pointer; vertical-align: inherit;">1--</span></td><td align="left" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="tooltip" id="DET195909270-10" style="color: #aa0000; cursor: pointer; vertical-align: inherit;"></span></span></td><td align="left" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">RR</span></td><td align="right" csk="CHW.0.01" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">CHW</span></td><td align="left" csk="Rivera,Jim0.01" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">J. Rivera</span></td><td align="left" csk="Bruce,Bob0.01" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">B. Bruce</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></td><td align="left" csk="23.01" style="border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(116, 118, 120) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170); border-style: dotted solid dotted dotted; border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">Home Run (Deep RF); Romano Scores/unER; Rivera Scores/unER</span></td></tr>
<tr class="" data-row="11" id="event_11" style="vertical-align: top;"><td align="right" csk="11" style="border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(116, 118, 120); border-style: dotted dotted dotted solid; border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">t1</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">5-0</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">2</span></td><td align="right" csk="0.000" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span class="tooltip" id="DET195909270-11" style="background-color: white; color: #aa0000; cursor: pointer; vertical-align: inherit;">---</span></td><td align="left" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="tooltip" id="DET195909270-11" style="color: #aa0000; cursor: pointer; vertical-align: inherit;"></span></span></td><td align="left" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">O</span></td><td align="right" csk="CHW.0.011" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">CHW</span></td><td align="left" csk="Phillips,Bubba0.011" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">B. Phillips</span></td><td align="left" csk="Bruce,Bob0.011" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">B. Bruce</span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></td><td align="right" style="border: 1px dotted rgb(170, 170, 170); margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></td><td align="left" csk="2.011" style="border-color: rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(116, 118, 120) rgb(170, 170, 170) rgb(170, 170, 170); border-style: dotted solid dotted dotted; border-width: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px; white-space: nowrap !important;"><span style="background-color: white;">Popfly: SS</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So Bruce gives up a hit to Luis Aparicio, allows him to steal second and third, walks Nellie Fox, gets Jim Landis to ground to short where it's booted (or thrown away), uncorks a wild pitch, coaxes a run scoring grounder out of Big Klu, gets Johnny Romano to ground to third where it's booted (or thrown away), whiffs Al Smith, gives up a home run to Jungle Jim Rivera and finally gets out of the inning on a pop up. Jimmy Dykes pulled the plug on Bruce to start the second and with the season ending a few days later Bruce had the whole winter to re-live that nightmare inning.<br />
<br />
Another interesting thing happened later in the same game and it had nothing to do with Bob Bruce directly. Sox manager Al Lopez replaced his entire team on the field to start to bottom of the sixth. Again, here is the BR game summary:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; white-space: nowrap;">Bottom of the 6th, Tigers Batting, Behind 2-5, White Sox' Barry Latman facing 2-3-4</span></div>
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<i style="background-color: white;">Barry Latman replaces Bob Shaw pitching and batting 9th<br />Cam Carreon replaces John Romano playing C batting 5th<br />Earl Torgeson replaces Ted Kluszewski playing 1B batting 4th<br />Billy Goodman replaces Nellie Fox playing 2B batting 2nd<br />J.C. Martin replaces Bubba Phillips playing 3B batting 8th<br />Sammy Esposito replaces Luis Aparicio playing SS batting 1st<br />Johnny Callison replaces Al Smith playing LF batting 6th<br />Joe Hicks replaces Jim Landis playing CF batting 3rd<br />Jim McAnany replaces Jim Rivera playing RF batting 7th</i></blockquote>
You don't see that happening very often. Looks like El Señor was saving his troops for the post season. His club had clinched the pennant five days earlier.<br />
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But Bob Bruce persevered and remained with the Tigers through 1961 as a reliever and spot starter. He was traded to Houston in December of 1961 and became a solid member of the Colt 45s' starting rotation in their first season. He won 42 games for the Colts/Astros in five seasons. He was the first pitcher in that franchise's history to win 15 games (1964) and he pitched in the last game played in Colt Stadium and the first game in the Astrodome. In and April 1964 game versus the Dodgers he struck out the side on 9 pitches. He became only the twelvth pitcher to do that. Amazingly he did it the next day after Sandy Koufax had become the eleventh to do it.<br />
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Bruce finished his career in 1967 with the Atlanta Braves and retired to San Antonio, Texas where he works in the real estate business.<br />
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Little Topps quirks that amuse me department: I've been in Houston since 1967 and have never seen the city's name abbreviated as 'HSTN.' except on a Topps card.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0