Bob Veale (#87)

Today's card features Bob Veale, a starting pitcher for the Pirates during the 1960s, until finishing his career as a reliever with the Red Sox. Here we see him in his trademark glasses, about to enter his first full season in the majors.

Although Bob was overshadowed in a league with Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, Juan Marichal, Don Drysdale, and Ferguson Jenkins, he was the ace of the Pirates' staff from 1964 through 1970, and was among the league leaders in strikeouts in the mid-1960s.

Baseball-reference.com shows that Veale's minor-league stats also include 1958 (missing from the card). 

Veale was signed by the Pirates in 1958 and pitched 4 seasons in the minors before making his big-league debut in April 1962. He pitched in 11 games for the Pirates that season, while spending some time at triple-A Columbus.

His first full season with the Pirates was 1963, and by the next season, he had taken over the top spot in a rotation that also included veterans Vern Law and Bob Friend. Veale led the NL with 250 strikeouts in 1964, and in '65 struck out a career-high 276 batters. Unfortunately, that was only good enough for 2nd place behind Koufax' 382 strikeouts. His 18 wins in '64 were the most in his career, although he won in double figures every season from 1964 to 1970. Bob was also 3rd among NL pitchers in strikeouts during the '65 and '66 seasons.

By the time the Pirates made it to the World Series in 1971, Bob had moved to the bullpen. He made 37 relief appearances in his last full season with the Pirates, including 2/3 of an inning in the World Series against the Orioles.

After spending much of 1972 in triple-A, in September Veale was acquired by the Red Sox, and spent 2-plus seasons in their bullpen. He was released after a minor-league-filled 1974 season.

Jim Lemon (#369)

This is the final player card for Jim Lemon. He would re-appear in the 1968 and 1969 sets as the Senators' manager.

Lemon was signed by the Indians in 1948, and made his major-league debut in August 1950.  After 2 years in the military, he played for the Indians' AAA team in 1953, while also playing 16 games for Cleveland. In May 1954 he was sold to the Senators, and spent most of that season playing for class-A Charlotte, and 1955 at class-AA Chattanooga.

Jim finally gained full-season major-league status in 1956. He spent the next 6 seasons as a starting outfielder for the Senators (although by 1961, they would become the Minnesota Twins). After playing right field for 3 seasons, he moved to left field beginning in 1959. Lemon also made his only all-star appearance in 1960.

During his 5 seasons in Washington, Jim hit 27, 17, 26, 33, and 38 home runs. In 1961, he only hit 14 homers. After starting 118 games in 1961, he dropped off to only TWO starts in 1962, while missing most of the season due to injuries and ineffectiveness. His career quickly went downhill, as he went to the Phillies (May 1963) and the White Sox (June '63). The White Sox released him after the season, ending his career.

Lemon took over as Senators' manager in 1968 (when Gil Hodges went to the Mets). After finishing in 6th place the previous season, the Nats were dead last in 1968. As such, Lemon was canned and replaced by Ted Williams. Both Lemon and Williams have a manager's card in the 1969 set.

Jack Baldschun (#341)

Sorry for another Phillie so soon, but I just moved and I can't find the power cord to my scanner, so I'm limited to cards that I've already scanned to my computer. This means a lot of Phillies, Giants, and White Sox players until further notice.


Jack Baldschun was the star bullpen ace for the Phillies in the early 1960s. Upon leaving Philly after the 1965 season, his career flamed out.

Jack was signed by the (old) Washington Senators in 1956. He pitched 5 seasons in the minors, first as a starter, before switching to relief in 1958. The Phillies selected him from the (by then) Minnesota Twins in the Rule 5 draft after the 1960 season.



As a Rule 5 pick, Baldschun was retained on the major-league roster for the entire 1961 season. He didn't merely take up a roster spot - he appeared in 65 games (most in the NL). Jack pitched 99 innings (all in relief). He was the only one of the 10 primary pitchers used that season not to start a game.

Baldschun was the big cheese in the Phillies' bullpen during the '62, '63, and '64 seasons. As in 1961, he was the only pitcher not to start a game for the Phillies in '62 and '63. He compiled records of 12-7 and 11-7 in 1962 and 1963 respectively.

Jack slumped in 1965, and although still leading the staff in games, he shared the bullpen ace duties with rookie Gary Wagner.

After the 1965 season, Baldschun was traded to the Orioles for veteran outfielder Jackie Brandt and pitching prospect Darold Knowles (who would become the Phillies' bullpen stopper in 1966). Three days later, Baltimore flipped Jack to the Reds in the Frank Robinson trade.

He appeared in 9 games (13 innings) for the Reds, but spent most of 1967 and all of 1968 with the Reds' AAA team. Baldschun was released by Cincinnati prior to the 1969 season, and signed with the expansion San Diego Padres in mid-April. Jack spent the entire 1969 season with the Padres, but appears to have been the 9th man on a 10-man (expansion team) staff.

Baldschun split the 1970 season between San Diego and their AAA team, with his final big-league appearance coming on August 21st. After 1 game with triple-A Hawaii in 1971, his career was over.

Final Card: Bob Will

This is the final card for Cubs' outfielder Bob Will (#58). Will was signed by the Cubs in 1954, and spent 6 seasons in their farm system, although he played 70 games with Chicago in 1957 and a few in 1958.

In 1960 Bob was the team's regular right fielder, starting 110 games there along with another 2 dozen games as a pinch-hitter and defensive replacement. In 1961 rookie Billy Williams joined the Cubs, which re-shuffled the outfield and sent Will to the bench. He would remain a backup player for all of '61 and '62, and part of 1963.



Will's last major-league game came on June 12, 1963. He spent the remainder of that season and all of 1964 in the minors. Later in the 1964 season, he moved to the Cardinals' organization.

Bob Will looks like an excellent choice for Night Owl's upcoming "Best Glasses in the History of Baseball Cards" series.

Art Mahaffey (#385)

I have 69 cards in the 1963 set, and 21 of them are Phillies. I better start working them in now and then, otherwise this will turn into an all-Phillies blog down the road.


Art Mahaffey was one of the Phillies' top starting pitchers in the early-to-mid 1960s. Art was signed by the Phillies, and pitched for 4 1/2 seasons in their minor-league system. In 1956 he played for the class-D Mattoon (IL) Phillies, where not one of his teammates made it to the big leagues. The following season, while pitching for class-B High-Point-Thomasville (NC), one of his teammates was future Phillies' pitcher and manager Dallas Green. His manager there was Frank Lucchesi, who would manage the Phillies from 1970-72.

After compiling a 16-5 record in 1959 and 11-9 in the first half of 1960, Mahaffey made his major-league debut with the Phillies on July 30th, joining a rotation that included Robin Roberts, Jim Owens, and John Buzhardt. Art started 12 of his 14 games that season, and finished with a 7-3 record.



Mahaffey was a key member of the Phillies rotation from 1961 through 1964. He led the NL with 19 losses in 1961, but the Phillies were a bad team, and he must have been doing something right, or he wouldn't have remained in the rotation.

1962 brought an almost complete turnover of the rotation, as rookies Jack Hamilton and Dennis Bennett, along with veteran Cal McLish replaced Roberts and Buzhardt. Mahaffey led the staff in starts (39) and innings (274) while posting a 19-14 record.

Mahaffey's starts were cut in half in 1963, since rookie Ray Culp and lefty Chris Short both joined the rotation (and Hamilton was traded away). In fact, Art dropped to #4, ahead of only Bennett.

He bounced back in 1964 with a 12-9 record, but was still stuck in the #4 starter's role, behind newly acquired Jim Bunning, as well as Short and Bennett. This was his last effective season as a starting pitcher. In 1965 he only started 9 games (mostly in May), and was relegated to the bullpen for much of the season, in favor of Ray Herbert and Bo Belinsky (both acquired from the American League in the off-season).

After the 1965 season, Mahaffey was traded to the Cardinals (with outfielder Alex Johnson and catcher Pat Corrales) for 1st baseman Bill White, shortstop Dick Groat, and catcher Bob Uecker. Art split the 1966 season between the Cardinal's bullpen and starting for triple-A Tulsa. He played his last major-league game on July 17, 1966.

On April 1, 1967 Mahaffey moved on to the Mets, in a 5-player trade involving Jerry Buchek and Ed Bressoud. He would play that season with the Mets' and Cubs' minor-league teams before retiring.