1967 Topps Hal Lanier #4 San Francisco Giants

Today's entry in my 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball Card collection is an infielder who later turned into a Major League Manager during the 1980's. It is Hal Lanier, second baseman for the San Francisco Giants, card number 4 in the 1967 Topps Baseball card set of 609 subjects.

This autograph was obtained through a reputable dealer off of an internet auction site. Hal Lanier beautifully signed the card with a black sharpie. As of March 8, 2012, I have accumulated 571 different signatures in my collection of 1967 Topps Autographed cards.

Hal Lanier played 10 seasons in the major leagues, with the San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees. His career started in 1964 with the Giants, playing second base, shortstop and third base during his time in the big leagues. He was traded to the Yankees at the end of the 1971 season and played 95 games over the next two seasons in New York. His career statistics include a .228 batting average, while hitting 8 home runs and driving in 273 runs while playing 1196 games. His best season was his rookie campaign in 1964 when he batted .274.

After his playing days were over, Hal Lanier worked as a coach and subsequently as a Major League manager for 3 seasons. He won a World Series ring as a third base coach for the 1982 St. Louis Cardinals. Mr. Lanier was hired as Manager of the Houston Astros in 1986 and led the team until 1988. Hal won the National League Manager of the Year Award in 1986 while leading the Astros to a 96-66 record and a playoff appearance. His career managerial record was 254 wins against 232 losses.

1967 Topps Don Mincher #312 California Angels

Today's entry about my collection of 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball cards is a player who was the only All-Star in the Seattle Pilots' franchise history. He also went on to become President of the Southern Minor Baseball League. It is Don Mincher, first baseman for the California Angels. Card number 312 in the 1967 Topps Baseball card set of 609 subjects. Sadly, Don Mincher passed away on March 4, 2012 at the age of 73 after a long illness.

This autograph was obtained on June 2, 2010 in Birmingham, Alabama during the 100th anniversary of the Rickwood Field, the oldest ballpark in America. My friend Ryan and I took a bus trip sponsored by the Tennessee Smokies Baseball Team to Birmingham to get an opportunity for the autograph and watch the game between the Smokies and the Birmingham Barons. Don Mincher was the President of the Southern League in Minor League Baseball and was in attendance with his long time friend, Harmon Killebrew , who was a special guest for the event and threw out one of the first pitches of the game. Also in attendance were many of the former Negro League Baseball players and it was an amazing day of baseball nostalgia and history. I met Mr. Mincher as he walked through the stadium and I requested his autograph on his 1967 Topps card. Don Mincher signed the card with a black sharpie. Definitely a beautiful signature. If you want to know more about my encounter with Harmon Killebrew, read my story from my blog by clicking here. As of March 6, 2012, I have obtained 569 autographs in my 1967 Topps Baseball set.


Don Mincher career in the Major Leagues lasted from 1960 to 1972 and he played for the Washington Senators, Minnesota Twins, Angels, Seattle Pilots, Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers. He was part of two franchise moves, both involving the Senators. The original Senators moved to Minnesota and became the Twins and then the New Senators franchise moved to Texas and became the Rangers. His career statistics include a .249 batting average with 200 home runs and 643 runs batted in while playing 1400 games. Don was named to two All-Star teams, 1967 with the Angels and 1969 with the Seattle Pilots. Since the Pilots moved to Milwaukee in 1970, Don Mincher will always be the lone all-star in the franchise's history. Don Mincher also won a World Series crown in 1972 as a member of the Oakland A's in the 1972, his final season.

Mr. Mincher served in the front office of the Milwaukee Brewers and Huntsville Stars before becoming the President of the Southern League in 2000. He remained in that post until October of 2011 before announcing his retirement. Don was elected to the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2008. To learn more about Don Mincher, read his biography on wikipedia.

1967 Topps Duke Sims #3 Cleveland Indians

 
Today's entry in my 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball Card collection is a catcher who hit the last home run in the "old" Yankee stadium in 1973. It is Duke Sims, catcher for the Cleveland Indians, card number 3 in the 1967 Topps Baseball card set of 609 subjects.

This autograph was obtained through a reputable dealer off of an internet auction site. Duke Sims signed the card with a blue sharpie. As of March 3, 2012, I have accumulated 569 different signatures in my collection of 1967 Topps Autographed cards.

Duke Sims played 11 seasons in the major leagues, with the  Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees and Texas Rangers. His career started in 1964 with the Indians, catching one of the best group of starting pitchers in the 1960's. The rotation of Sam McDowell, card #295, Luis Tiant #377, Sonny Siebert #95 and Steve Hargan #440 were all well respected hurlers. Duke stayed with the Indians until he was traded to the Dodgers in 1971. Sims later signed with the Tigers and helped led the team to the 1972 playoffs. Duke Sims was later traded to the New York Yankees in 1973 and played for the Texas Rangers in 1974 before retiring. His career statistics include a .239 batting average, while hitting 100 home runs and driving in 310 runs while playing catcher, first base and the outfield. His best season was 1970 when he belted 23 home runs and drove in 56 runs.

1967 Topps Jack Hamilton #2 New York Mets

It has been a while since my last blog, but it's time to talk about the collection again. Today's entry in my 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball Card collection is a pitcher known more by one pitch that he threw than his eight year career. It is Jack Hamilton, Pitcher for the New York Mets, card number 2 in the 1967 Topps Baseball card set of 609 subjects.

This autograph was obtained with a through the mail (TTM) request on December 9, 2009 to Mr. Hamilton at his restaurant in Missouri. If you are interested in contacting players through the mail, I highly recommend sportscollectors.net as a resource to the addresses of your favorite players and teams. Jack Hamilton graciously signed my card with a blue ballpoint pen and returned it to me 8 days later. Thank you, Mr. Hamilton. As of March 2, 2012, I have accumulated 569 different signatures in my collection of 1967 Topps Autographed cards.

Jack Hamilton pitched 8 seasons in the major leagues, with the Philadelphia Phillies, Detroit Tigers, New York Mets, California Angels, Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox. His career started in 1962 with the Phillies, after signing as a free agent with the St. Louis Cardinals. Although he began his career as a starter, he spent most of his time in the big leagues as a reliever. His career statistics include 32 wins versus 40 losses while also accumulating 20 saves and 4.53 earned run average.

Jack seemed to lack command and control during his career, walking 348 batters while striking out 357 and throwing 74 wild pitches in his 8 seasons. He only hit 13 batters during his campaigns, but he will always be linked to one batter he hit in 1967, Tony Conligiaro. Conligiaro was an up and coming slugger for the Boston Red Sox and involved in the 1967 pennant race. On August 18th, Hamilton was pitching for the Angels and he hit Tony Conligiaro in the left creekbone with a fastball, fracturing the creekbone and eye socket and damaged the retina. Although the pitch was a complete accident and part of the game, both players and their careers were never the same.

 To learn more about Jack Hamilton, go to his biography at wikipedia.org.

1967 Topps Detroit Tigers Jim Northrup #408

Today's entry in my 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball Card collection is a member of the 1968 World Series Champion Detroit Tigers and a five sport (baseball, football, basketball, golf and track) star in high school. It is Jim Northrup, Outfielder for the Tigers, card number 408 in the 1967 Topps Baseball card set of 609 subjects. Sadly, Jim Northrup passed away June 8, 2011 at the age of 71 from a seizure.

This autograph was obtained with a through the mail (TTM) request on March 18, 2009 to Mr. Northrup at his home in Michigan. If you are interested in contacting players through the mail, I highly recommend sportscollectors.net as a resource to the addresses of your favorite players and teams. Jim Northrup graciously signed my card with a blue ballpoint pen and returned it to me 13 days later. Thank you, Mr. Northrup. As of July 14, 2011, I have accumulated 544 different signatures in my collection of 1967 Topps Autographed cards.

Jim "Silver Fox" Northrup played 12 seasons in the major leagues, with the Detroit Tigers, Montreal Expos and Baltimore Orioles. The "Silver Fox" nickname came from that fact that his hair prematurely turned gray. His career started in 1964 with the Tigers, but did not win a starting position until the 1966 season. He was named the starting Right Fielder which required Future Hall of Famer Al Kaline to move to Centerfield. During the 1966 season, Northrup proved to be a major leaguer to stay by hitting 24 doubles and 16 home runs. His most memorable season was 1968, during which he hit 5 Grand Slams, including 2 in consecutive at bats and one in the World Series. Northrup helped led the Tigers during the 1968 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals by hitting 2 home runs and knocking in 8 runs.

Jim Northrup stayed with the Tigers until 1974, then was traded to the Expos and then again to the Orioles during the season. He ended his career in 1975 with the Orioles. His career statistics include a .267 batting average with 1254 hits, of which 153 were home runs, 610 runs batted in and 603 runs scored. Jim was an excellent fielder as well, with a .981 career fielding percentage in 1301 games. To learn more about Jim Northrup, go to his biography at wikipedia.org.



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1967 Topps Kansas City Athletics Rookies Sal Bando & Randy Schwartz #33

Today's entry for my collection of 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball cards is the first Rookie card in the set that I receive both autographs from the players. It is Kansas City Athletics 1967 Rookie Stars of Sal Bando and Randy Schwartz, card number 33 in the 1967 Topps Baseball set of 609 subjects. As of July 13, 2011, I have accumulated 544 different autographs in the 1967 set.

Sal Bando signed the card first with a through the mail request to his home in Wisconsin. I mailed the card on December 11, 2008 and he returned it signed with a blue sharpie, 9 days later. I held onto the card for a while before mailing it to Randy Schwartz at his home in California on April 7, 2009. Mr. Schwartz returned it 7 days later with a nice blue ballpoint pen signature. Thank you Mr. Bando and Mr. Schwartz for the quick returns. If you have any 1967 Topps autographed cards, please let me know, as I might need them to further my collection.

Sal Bando played 16 seasons in the major leagues between the Kansas City/Oakland A's and the Milwaukee Brewers from 1966 to 1981. He started his career in 1966 in Kansas City and played third base. After the Athletics moved to Oakland, Bando was named Captain of the team and helped the A's win three consecutive World Series titles from 1972-1974. He appeared in 4 All-Star games and his career statistics include a .254 batting average with 242 Home runs and 1,039 runs batted in. After retiring from playing baseball, Mr. Bando joined the Milwaukee Brewers as the General Manager in 1991 and stayed in that position until 1999.

Randy Schwartz played in two seasons with the Kansas City Athletics from 1965 to 1966. In the two seasons in the minor leagues, Randy hit .278 and swatted 51 home runs. His success in the major leagues was limited because the first baseman in front of him was Ken Harrelson, who had a firm hold on the position. Randy had 18 at bats in 16 games, with 3 hits and 2 runs batted in.

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1967 Topps Ed Kirkpatrick California Angels

Today's entry in my 1967 Topps Autographed baseball card collection is a player who had a 16 year career with 5 different teams. It is Ed "Spanky" Kirkpatrick, utility player for the Californai Angels. Sadly, Ed Kirkpatrick passed away today, November 15, 2010 at the age of 66. Card number #293 in the 1967 Topps Baseball card set of 609 subjects.

The autographed was obtained through the mail after sending Mr. Kirkpatrick the card om January 6, 2009 to his home in California. Forty-one days later, I received the card back signed with a blue sharpie. Thank you, Mr. Kirkpatrick. As of November 15, 2010, I have accumulated 512 different signature in my collection.

During Ed Kirkpatrick's 16 year career, he played in 1311 games with .238 batting average, 85 home runs, 424 runs batted in and 34 stolen bases. His career started in 1962 with the Angels, then played there until 1968 when he was traded to the expansion Kansas City Royals. He also played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Texas Rangers and Milwaukee Brewers, retiring in 1977. 

Sadly, Spanky Kirkpatrick was maimed in a 1981 auto accident that relegated him to a wheelchair for life. Ed Kirkpatrick's post-baseball life is rich in many ways. His hometown of Glendora, California, has named a civic award in his honor, as each year the member of that community who has done the most in support of youth athletics wins the "Ed Kirkpatrick Award."
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1967 Topps Dick Green Kansas City Athletics

Today's entry in my 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball Card collection is a career Athletic and three times World Series Champion. It is Dick Green, second baseman of the Kansas City Athletics, card number 54 in the 1967 Topps Baseball card set of 609 subjects.

This autograph was obtained with a through the mail (TTM) request on December 11, 2008 to Mr. Green at his home in South Dakota. If you are interested in contacting players through the mail, I highly recommend sportscollectors.net as a resource to the addresses of your favorite players and teams. Dick Green graciously signed my card with a black sharpie and returned it to me eleven days later. Thank you, Mr. Green.

Dick Green played 12 seasons in the major leagues, all with the Kansas City then Oakland Athletics team. His career started in 1963, when he played in 13 games. During the 1964 season, Dick Green won the starting second baseman job and stayed a fixture for the A's until the end of his career in 1974. Mr. Green's career batting statistics include a .240 average with 960 hits, of which 80 home run, 422 runs batted in and 427 runs scored. Dick was a member of the Oakland Athletics' World Series Championship team during their run of three straight titles. His contributions in the 1974 Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers earned Dick the Babe Ruth Award as World Series Most Valuable Player. Always an excellent fielder, Dick Green had a .982 career fielding percentage in 1238 games. To learn more about Dick Green, go to his biography at wikipedia.org.


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1967 Topps Johnny Podres Detroit Tigers

Today's entry in my 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball card collection is a pitcher who helped bring the first World Series Championship to the Brooklyn Dodger team in 1955 by winning Game 7 with a shutout against the New York Yankees. It is Johnny Podres of the Detroit Tigers, card number 284 in the 1967 Topps Baseball card set of 609 subjects.

This autograph was one of the very first I obtained to start my collection in September of 2008. I purchased the card from another collector of 1967 Topps Autographed cards at a baseball card show in Knoxville, Tennessee. At the time, this collector had amassed over 350 different autographed cards and was a big motivating factor for me starting my collection. As of September 29, 2010, I have obtained 511 different autographs for this set. Johnny signed the card with a blue ballpoint pen. Mr. Podres had passed away on January 13, 2008 at age 75.

Johnny Podres pitched in the major leagues for 15 seasons from 1953 to 1969. The majority of his career was spent with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers. He pitched for the Dodgers from 1953 to 1966 then was traded mid-season to the Detroit Tigers. Johnny stayed with the Tigers through the 1967 season then was part of the 1969 San Diego Padres expansion team. His career statistics include 148 victories versus 116 losses, 3.68 earned run average, 77 complete games of which 24 were shutouts and 1435 strikeouts. Johnny Podres was named to four All-Star teams from 1958 to 1962, won 3 World Series Rings with the Dodgers, 1955, 1959 and 1963 and was named the MVP of the 1955 World Series by winning 2 games versus the Yankees.

Given his performance in the 1955 World Series, Johnny was named the Sports Illustrated "Sportsman of the Year" at the end of the year. To learn more about Johnny Podres, go to his biography at wikipedia.org. 

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1967 Topps Carl Yastrzemski Boston Red Sox

Today's entry for my collection of 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball Cards is about a player who stayed with the same team his entire career of 23 seasons and ranks very high on many major league baseball statistics. It is Carl Yastrzemski, outfielder of the Boston Red Sox, card number 355 in the 1967 Topps Baseball card set of 609 subjects.

This autograph was obtained from a respectable ebay seller on January 24, 2010 and it has been signed with a black sharpie. I research the autograph against other Carl Yastrzemski autographed pieces and I feel confident it is authentic. As of September 9, 2010, I have accumulated 510 different signature in the collection and I am actively pursuing the others.

Carl "Yaz" Yastrzemski played 23 seasons for the Boston Red Sox from 1961 to 1983. That is a record for longevity with one team shared with Brooks Robinson of the Baltimore Orioles. During his Hall of Fame career, Carl achieved the following statistics, .285 career batting average, 3,419 hits, of which 452 were home runs, 1,844 runs batted in and 1,845 walks and 1,157 extra base hits in his 3,308 games played. The 3,308 games played is second all-time behind Pete Rose's 3,562. Yaz was elected to 18 all-star games, won 7 Gold Glove Awards and is the last batter to win the Triple Crown, leading the American League in 1967 with the highest Batting Average, Home Runs and Runs Batted In. Carl was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989 with 94% of the vote on his first year of eligibility.

Carl Yastrzemski career started in the shadow of Baseball legend Ted Williams, who played left field also for the Boston Red Sox. Carl led the Red Sox after Williams retired and handed over the left field position to Jim Rice, who also played well enough to be elected to the Hall of Fame in 2009. Interestingly enough, Carl Yastrzemski was also linked to another Hall of Famer, Jim Brown of Pro Football. In high school, Carl broke Jim Brown record basketball scoring record at Long Island High School. Carl was given a basketball scholarship by Notre Dame before switching to baseball.

To learn more about Carl Yastrzemski, check out his biography at wikipedia.org.

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1967 Topps Bud Harrelson New York Mets

Today's entry for my collection of 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball cards is about a player, coach and manager who is known as a light hitter with a bat, but a big hitter during a fight. It is Bud Harrelson of the New York Mets, card number 306 in the 1967 Topps Baseball card set of 609 subjects.

This autograph from Bud Harrelson was obtained with a through the mail request to his residence in New York on December 11, 2008. Eleven days later, I received the card back from Mr. Harrelson with a beautiful blue sharpie signature. Thank you, Bud! As of September 6, 2010, I have accumulated 510 different signatures for the collection.

Darrel "Bud" Harrelson played 16 seasons of Major League Baseball from 1965 to 1980. The majority of his career (1965-1977) was played for the Mets. After the Mets, Bud was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies and played there until 1979, then was traded to the Texas Rangers, where he played his last season, 1980. Known as an excellent fielding shortstop during his career, Bud had a .969 career fielding percentage and won the Gold Glove in 1971. As a hitter, Bud's career batting average was .236 with 1120 hits, of which 7 were home runs, drove in 267 runs and stole 127 bases. Bud Harrelson was named to the 1970 and 1971 National League All-Star teams and won two World Series rings, in 1969 as a player for Amazin' Mets and in 1986 as a coach for the Mets.

Always a fiery competitor, Bud Harrelson let his emotions get the better of him in the 1973 National League Championship Series against Pete Rose and the Cincinnati Reds. During game three of the series, Pete Rose slid hard into Harrelson at second base while trying to break up a double play. Bud Harrelson took exception to the aggressive slide and a fight ensued between Rose and Harrelson and the benches from both teams joined the fray. The Mets fans were so upset by the fight, they started throwing objects onto the field and the game was almost called off. It took several members of the New York Mets to calm the crowd and let the game resume.

After his playing days were over, Bud Harrelson became a coach for the Mets for several seasons and finally got his chance to manage the Mets in 1990 and 1991. He posted a career managerial record with 166 wins versus 151 losses. He was never given another opportunity to manage in the Major League after the firing. To learn more about Bud Harrelson, go to his biography at wikipedia.org.

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1967 Topps Don Sutton Los Angeles Dodgers

Today's entry in the 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball card collection is that of a Hall of Fame Pitcher and now broadcaster for the Atlanta Braves. It is Don Sutton of the Los Angeles Dodgers, card number 445 in the 1967 Topps baseball card set of 609 subjects.

This autographed card was obtained in person before the Dodgers played against the Atlanta Braves on August 15, 2010. As a broadcaster for the Braves, Mr. Sutton arrives a few hours before each home game and as he walks into the ballpark, he is available to autograph items for the awaiting fans. I was fortunate enough to be in attendance of the game, which was the fourth game in four days of my 2010 Baseball weekend. Mr. Sutton signed my card with a blue sharpie I had provided. It is the 510th autograph obtained in my collection of 1967 Topps cards. Thank you, Don Sutton!

Don Sutton's career started in 1966 for the Los Angeles Dodgers and lasted 23 seasons. He pitched for the Dodgers until 1980, then went to the Houston Astros for two seasons. After the Astros, Don pitched for the Milwaukee Brewers from 1982 to 1984, the Oakland A's in 1985, the California Angels from 1985 to 1987 and finally ending his career back with the Dodgers in 1988. Always a model of consistency during his career, Don Sutton won at least 10 games in 21 of his 23 seasons. His Hall of Fame statistics include 324 wins, 58 of them shutouts, 3,574 strikeouts, a career 3.26 earned run average and 5 one-hitters. Don Sutton also was selected to four All-Star Games, winning the MVP award in the 1977 classic. Don helped his teams to the baseball playoffs in 5 seasons with 4 times his team making it to the World Series, all losing to the eventual champion. Don Sutton was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998 and had his uniform number 20 retired by the Dodgers that same year.  An interesting fact about Don Sutton is that he has the distinction of the most at-bats during his career without a home run, his 1,354 at bats is the record amongst major league baseball players.


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To learn more about Don Sutton, go to his biography at wikipedia.org.

1967 Topps Atlanta Braves Team Card with Cito Gaston

Today's entry of my 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball cards was obtained after 18 months of trying. It is Cito Gaston, rookie during the 1967 Atlanta Braves Spring Training and pictured on the team card, number 477 in the 1967 Topps Baseball card set. It is the 509th autograph in my pursuit of collection the set.

This autograph was obtained in person on August 13th, 2010 at the Blue Jays versus Angels game in Anaheim, California. I called Cito Gaston, the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, over before the game and requested his autograph. When I presented the card, he looked at the picture and the back of the card, then I told him it was during his rookie season and he acknowledged the same. He signed the card with a blue sharpie I had provided. The reason it took 18 months is because during my 2009 Spring Training trip, I had attended two different Blue Jays games and in each I asked Mr. Gaston for his autograph and both times he was unable to sign. I guess being the manager has a lot of responsibility. Third time was the charm! Thank you Mr. Gaston.

Clarence "Cito" Gaston played in the major leagues for 10 season from 1967 to 1978. His career started with the Braves in 1967, playing 9 games and rooming with Hall of Famer Hank Aaron. He was drafted by the San Diego Padres in 1969 as an expansion pick. He played for the Padres until 1974 then went back to the Braves from 1975 to 1978 before finishing his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1978. Cito's career statistics include a .256 batting average, 91 home runs, 387 runs batted in and 13 steals. His best season was 1970 for the Padres, which included being selected to the 1970 All-Star team.

After his playing days were over, Cito Gaston went into the coaching profession and has made quite a name for himself. Starting out as a hitting instructor for the Blue Jays from 1982 until 1989, then he became manager of the Toronto Blue Jays. Cito built the team into a contender and in 1992 and 1993, he led the Blue Jays to their only World Series Championships. He remained as manager until the 1997 season until being replaced by pitching coach, Mel Queen, incidentally card number 374 in the 1967 Topps Baseball card set. Cito Gaston was given the opportunity to manage the Blue Jays again in 2008 and has helped rebuild the team to respectability through the 2010 season. Cito has announced that he is retiring at the end of the season. He has managed 1689 games throughout his career, winning 872 while only losing 817.

To learn about Cito Gaston, check out his biography at wikipedia.org.

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1967 Topps Gary Peters Chicago White Sox

The mailbox streak is back again! No new additions to my 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball card set, so I went back into my collection to find an excellent success. It is Gary Peters, pitcher of the Chicago White Sox. Card number 310 in the 1967 Topps Baseball set of 609 cards.

This autograph was obtained with a through the mail to Gary Peters home in Florida on March 18, 2009. I received the card back 9 days later with a beautiful blue sharpie signature. Thank you Mr. Peters. If you are interested in sending through the mail (TTM) requests to players, go to sportscollectors.net for addresses of players and teams.

Gary Peters pitched in the Major Leagues for 14 seasons from 1959 to 1972 for the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox. Gary pitched a total of 12 games between 1959 and 1962, each season he was sent back to the minors to gain more experience. His first full season was 1963 with the White Sox and he proved he was ready for the big leagues. He won 19 games and posted a 2.33 earned run average for the season and was named the American League Rookie of the Year. Gary won 20 games in 1964 and was named to the American League All-star team. He also made the 1967 All-Star team. Overall, Gary Peters won 124 games, struck out 1420 batters and had a 3.25 career E.R.A. Gary was also known as an excellent batter for a pitcher, hitting 19 home runs and driving in 102 runs in his career. He was used as a pinch hitter regularly throughout his career and batted in the 6th place in the lineup on May 26, 1968, which is unheard of for a pitcher.

To learn more about Gary Peters, go to his biography on wikipedia.org.

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1967 Topps NL Rookies with Gary Sutherland and Don Shaw

The mailbox was empty today, but yesterday I received a nice surprise. It was a card returned from a through the mail request to Gary Sutherland, rookie 2nd Baseman/Shortstop of the Philadelphia Phillies. Card number 587 in the 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball card set of 609 cards.

I mailed this card to Gary Sutherland to his home in California on February 22, 2010 and 32 days later, Gary returned the card with a blue sharpie autograph with a slight smear. I don't mind the smear too much, it kind of fits the card with the multiple creases. This autograph marks the 480th different signature that I have obtained for my collection. I still have about 150 more autographs to go to complete the set.

Gary Sutherland played 13 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1966 to 1978. His career started with the Philadelphia Phillies and ended with the St. Louis Cardinals. He also played for the Montreal Expos, the Houston Astros, the Detroit Tigers, the San Diego Padres and the Milwaukee Brewers. During his career, Gary Sutherland amassed 754 hits and a .243 career average, hit 24 home runs and 239 runs batted in. As a curious note, Gary scored the first run in the Montreal Expos franchise history on April 8, 1969 against the New York Mets.

Now it is time to contact Don Shaw and see if he would be willing to sign the card also. Wish me luck...


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1967 Topps Twins Team Card with Tony Oliva and Rod Carew

The empty mailbox streak of 7 days has ended in a BIG way! Today, the mailbox had a super surprise waiting for me. It was an envelope from Tony Oliva of the Minnesota Twins post marked from Fort Myers, Florida, the spring training home of the team. Enclosed in the envelope were several items including this card for my 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball card set. It is the Twins Team card, number 211 in the 1967 Topps set of 609 cards. It has been signed by Tony Oliva and Rod Carew!

There is a long story behind this autograph card. The story begins during my Spring Training trip three weeks ago to Florida. On March 4, my friend Jim and I visited Fort Myers to see the Twins practice and then saw the Twins and Boston Red Sox play a game that night. Knowing that Tony Oliva was a member of the Twins front office, I had brought his 1967 Topps card, #50 just in case I ran into him. During the day, we waited for the players and coaches to arrive and we noticed that Tony Oliva and Rod Carew had driven to the ballpark together. They drove past the autograph collectors without signing any cards. I guess that was strike one. As the practice progressed, Mr. Oliva was instructing several Twins players in the batting cages along with Rod Carew. After a break in the practice, I asked Tony Oliva if he would be willing to sign my card for my collection.

He refused and said he was working. Strike two. Undeterred, I continued to follow Tony during the practice and at one point he saw me standing alone as he came out of the clubhouse and I asked if he would sign me card. Again, he refused and went back to work. I guess that was a foul ball, no third strike yet. As the practice started to wind down and the players and coaches started the leave the field, Tony was called over by a couple of fans and he started to sign some autographs. As he was signing the autographs, I asked if he would sign my card for my collection. He passed me over a couple of times, but I did not give up. Finally, he took my card and signed it with a blue sharpie that I provided. Persistence paid off.

I thanked Tony Oliva for the autograph, shook his hand and asked if he would take a picture with me and he obliged. That would have been a great story in itself, but it did not end there. After I arrived home, I decided to write Tony a letter apologizing for being so persistent in pursuit of his autograph. Enclosed with the letter, I included two 8x10s of the picture of me and Tony Oliva, two more 1967 Topps cards, the Twins Team card above and the 1966 American League Batting Leaders card, #239, and a gift card to Outback Steakhouse. I asked if he could sign one of the 8x10s and keep the other and asked he if could sign the Batting Leaders card, already signed by Hall of Famer Al Kaline and the Twins Team card. I also asked if he could have Hall of Famer Rod Carew sign the team card as well. I mailed the envelope on March 10, 2010 and received it back 12 days later with both photos signed and both cards signed. Even Rod Carew signed the team card. Thank you very much, Mr Oliva and Mr. Carew!

Tony Oliva's career lasted 15 seasons in major league baseball, all with the Minnesota Twins. He started his career in 1964, winning the American League Rookie of the Year award and named to the American League All-star for the first of eight consecutive seasons. He ended his playing days in 1978 with a career .304 batting average, 220 home runs and 947 runs batted in, 329 doubles and a total of 1917 hits in 1676 games. Tony's eight consecutive All-Star appearances to start his career broke the previous record set by Hall of Famer Joe Dimaggio of the New York Yankees. Tony Oliva won 3 batting titles during his career, 1964, 1965 and 1971 and won a Gold Glove award in 1966. The latter part of his career was hampered by injuries and there has been much debate about his place in baseball history. Considered one of the best players not in the Baseball Hall of Fame, Tony Oliva deserves his place in Cooperstown.

To learn more about Tony Oliva and his career, go to his biography at wikipedia.org.
 
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1967 Topps Andy Etchebarren Baltimore Orioles

The mailbox streak has reached 7 days now, I am hoping for a new addition soon. I went back into my collection of 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball cards and found a card to share. It is Andy Etchebarren, catcher of the Baltimore Orioles. Card number 457 out of 609 in the 1967 Topps Baseball card set.

This autograph was obtained with a through the mail request to Andy Etchebarren on May 23, 2009 care of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs Baseball team, where he was a coach. He signed the card with a black sharpie and returned it to me 13 days later with an excellent autograph.

Andy Etchebarren played Major League Baseball for 15 seasons from 1962 to 1978. His career started with the Baltimore Orioles in 1962 appearing in 2 games then he returned to the minor leagues until 1965 when he played 5 games for the Orioles. In 1966, Andy Etchebarren became the starting catcher and stayed in the majors for the rest of his career. Andy played for the Orioles until early 1975 when his contract was purchased by the California Angels and finished his career with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1978. Andy Etchebarren's career statistics include 948 games played, posting a career .235 batting average, hitting 49 home runs and driving in 309 runs. Andy was selected to the American League All-Star team in 1966 and 1967 and was a member of the Baltimore Orioles' World Championship team in 1966 and 1970. He was the last man to ever bat against Sandy Koufax, when he hit into a double play during the sixth inning of Game 2 of the 1966 World Series.

After his playing days were over, Andy Etchebarren starting a second career of coaching baseball. He coached within the Baltimore Oriole organization at many levels and currently Andy is the manager of the York Revolution.

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1967 Topps Ken Holtzman Chicago Cubs

Today's entry for my collection of 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball cards is the all time wins leader for Jewish pitchers even ahead of Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax. It is Ken Holtzman, pitcher for the Chicago Cubs. Card number 185 in the 1967 Topps Baseball card set.

This autograph was obtained with a through the mail request to Ken Holtzman at his home in Missouri on January 6, 2009. Mr. Holtzman signed the card with a black ballpoint pen and returned the card to me 41 days later. Thank you, Ken!

Ken Holtzman pitched 15 seasons in the major league from 1965 to 1979. He debuted with the Chicago Cubs in 1965 and stayed with the Cubs until 1971 when he was traded to the Oakland A's before the 1972 season. Ken also pitched for the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees before returning to the Cubs in 1978 and retired after the 1979 season. Ken Holtzman won 174 games in his career, striking out 1,601 batters and posting a 3.49 earned run average. He pitched two no-hitters (August 19, 1969 and June 3, 1971) and was selected to two All-Star team in 1972 and 1973. Ken Holtzman was also a key member of the Oakland A's World Series Championship run from 1972 to 1974.

To learn more about Ken Holtzman and his career, go to his biography at wikipedia.org.

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1967 Topps Phil Linz Philadelphia Phillies

Today's entry about my collection of 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball cards is a player probably more known for an off the field incident than his playing days. It is Phil Linz, infielder for the Philadelphia Phillies. Card number 14 in the 1967 Topps Baseball card set of 609 subjects.

This autograph was obtained with a through the mail request to Phil Linz's home in Connecticut on January 6, 2009. Mr. Linz returned the card 9 days later with a nice black sharpie autograph and a musical note at the end of his name. This was in reference to famous "harmonica incident" that occurred in 1964 while a member of the New York Yankees.

Here is Jim Bouton's, author of "Ball Four", version of the harmonica incident. "On the team bus, after a Yankee loss to the Chicago White Sox, Linz was in the back playing a plaintive version of "Mary Had a Little Lamb" on his harmonica. Yankee manager Yogi Berra thought the sad cowboy style mixed with a children's nursery rhyme was mocking the team. He told Linz to pipe down. Linz didn't hear and kept playing. Berra became infuriated and called back from the front of the bus, "If you don't knock that off, I'm going to come back there and kick your ass." Linz couldn't hear the words over the music, so he asked Mickey Mantle, "What he say?" Mantle responded, "He said to play it louder." This led the famous confrontation when Berra stormed to the back of the bus, slapped the harmonica out of Linz' hands, and the instrument hit Joe Pepitone's knee."

Phil Linz played 7 seasons in the major leagues from 1962 to 1968. His career started in 1962 with the New York Yankees, then went to the Phillies in 1966 and finally with the New York Mets in 1967 and 1968. As a backup infielder for his career, Phil Linz hit .235 in 519 games with 322 hits including 11 home runs and 96 runs batted in. He played in two World Series with the Yankees, both losses, in 1963 and 1964. During the 1964 World Series, Phil hit 2 home runs and started all seven games at shortstop, due to an injury to Tony Kubek. 

To learn more Phil Linz, go to his biography at wikipedia.org.

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1967 Topps Elroy Face Pittsburgh Pirates

The entry for my 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball card collection today is a pitcher who still holds 3 major league records. It is Elroy "the Baron" Face, relief pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Card number 49 in the 1967 Topps Baseball card set of 609 cards.

This autograph was obtained with a through the mail request to Elroy Face's house in Pennsylvania on December 11, 2008. Mr. Face returned the card seven days later with a nice blue autograph. Thank you Elroy!

Elroy Face pitched 17 seasons in the major leagues from 1953 to 1969. His first 16 seasons were with the Pittsburgh Pirates and then he was traded to the Detroit Tigers and then onto the Montreal Expos, where he retired in 1969.  Elroy Face's career statistics include 104 wins, 193 saves, a 3.48 earned run average and 877 strikeouts in 848 games. Elroy was selected to the National League All-Star team each year from 1959 to 1961 and was a member of the 1960 World Series Championship team with the Pirates.

Elroy Face still holds major league records with 96 career wins by a relief pitcher, 17 victories to start a season(1959) and highest winning percentage for a season (.947) also in 1959. He held other records for relief pitchers that have been broken after his retirement as the role of the reliever has been stressed much more in today's baseball. Still, Elroy Face was a pioneer in baseball as one of the original closers along with Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm.   

To learn more about Elroy Face, go to his biography at wikipedia.org.

Looking for great Sports memorabilia, apparel and collectibles, check out Dugoutdug Sports Collectibles for your favorite players and teams.