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 Cookie Rojas Philadelphia Phillies

Today's entry about my collection of 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball cards is a player who appeared in 5 All-Star Games, including 4 straight in the early 1970's. It is Octavio Victor Rojas Rivas, better known as Cookie Rojas, infielder/outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies. Card number 595 in the 1967 Topps Baseball card set of 609 subjects.

This autograph was obtained with a through the mail request to Cookie Rojas via the Florida Marlins, where he is the Spanish Television Announcer for the Fins, on June 10, 2010. Mr. Rojas graciously returned the card 23 days later with a nice blue sharpie autograph. Thank you, Cookie! This is the 508th autograph in my 1967 Topps collection and the last 100 or so to go are becoming harder and harder to obtain.

 Cookie Rojas played 16 seasons in the major leagues from 1962 to 1977. His career started in 1962 with the Cincinnati Reds, then went to the Phillies from 1963 until 1969. After Philadelphia, Rojas played in 1970 for the St. Louis Cardinals and played his final 8 seasons with the Kansas City Royals. A symbol of versatily, Cookie Rojas has played all 9 positions during his career including catching and pitching. Primarily during his career, Cookie played second base, while compiling a career .263 Batting Average, 1660 hits, 593 runs batted in, 54 home runs and stealing 76 bases. He played in two playoff series for the Kansas City Royals in 1976 and 1977 versus the New York Yankees.




Cookie Rojas appeared in five All-Star games during his career, 1965 and 1971 to 1974. In the 1972 Game in Atlanta, he hit a pinch-hit, two-run homer in the eighth inning, which was the first time that a non-American-born player ever homered for the American League in the mid-summer classic.

After his playing days were over, Cookie Rojas coached and scouted until he was named manager of the California Angels in 1988. He also managed a game for the Florida Marlins in 1996. To learn more about Cookie Rojas, check out his biography at wikipedia.org.

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1967 Topps Chris Zachary Houston Astros

Today marks the second day that the mailbox did not contain any new additions to my 1967 Topps Autograph Baseball card set. Nevertheless, I went into my collection and pulled out a card of a player with roots to Knoxville, Tennessee, my current hometown. It is of Chris Zachary, pitcher for the Houston Astros. Card number 212 in the 1967 Topps Baseball card set of 609 cards.

This autograph was purchased at the sports card show in Detroit, Michigan by my good friend, Jim Zylstra. It has a nice signature with a black sharpie. Chris Zachary passed away in 2003 at age 59 in Knoxville, his hometown.

Chris "Zach" Zachary's career lasted 9 seasons and he played for the Houston Colt 45's/Astros, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals, Detroit Tigers and finally, the Pittsburgh Pirates. His career statistics include 10 wins, 4.57 earned run average and 184 strikeouts. He appeared in 108 games during his career, mostly in relief. Chris Zachary once described himself as being "a pretty decent 10th-man on a 10-man staff." He is a member of the Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame. To learn about Chris Zachary, go to his biography at wikipedia.org.

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1967 Topps Ron Hansen Chicago White Sox

The mailbox today yielded no new additions to my set of 1967 Topps Autographed baseball cards. Therefore, I went back into my collection to share this card. It is Ron Hansen, shortstop, of the Chicago White Sox. Card number 9 in the 1967 Topps Baseball Card set of 609 cards.

This autograph was obtained through the mail. I sent the card to Ron Hansen at the home in Maryland on December 11, 2008 and I received it back signed on December 18, 2008. A very quick turnaround and a beautiful blue sharpie autograph.

Ron Hansen's career lasted 15 seasons with stints with the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, Washington Senators, New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals. Ron battled back injuries most of his career and missed part of several seasons. He also served 6 months as a Marine in 1962 as part of the Cuban Missile Crisis. His career statistics include a .234 batting average, 106 home runs and 501 runs batted in. His best season was 1960 as he made the All-Star team and was named American League Rookie of the Year as a Baltimore Oriole.

Ron was part of two notable trades. In 1963, he was traded with future Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm from the Orioles to the Chicago White Sox for future Hall of Famer Luis Aparicio. His other notable trade was a curious move, in 1968, Hansen was sent to the Senators at pre-season in a deal for infielder Tim Cullen. Then on August 2, he was shipped back to the White Sox for Tim Cullen, making them the only two players in MLB history to be traded for one another twice in the same season. To read more about Ron Hansen, go to wikipedia.org.

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