#289 Willie Jones

 

Willie Jones   Cincinnati Reds

Career: After serving in the US Navy during WWII, Willie Jones signed on with the Phillies in 1947. By '49 he was their starting third baseman. He had a hand in the Phils Whiz Kids era run in the early 50s and made a few NL All-Star squads. He was known for his fielding skills but he held his own at the plate for the most part. 

In the 1950 World Series against the Yanks Jones went 4 for 14 (.286) including a double. After his decade+ in Philly, Jones went on to play for the Indians and Reds. He retired after playing a few games during the '61 season and died at 58 from cancer.

From Wikipedia...Jones was the top fielding third baseman in the National League during the 1950s. He led the league in fielding percentage five times, in putouts for seven years (also tying a record), and twice in assists and double plays.

According to his SABR bio...Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts rated his Phillies teammate as the second-best third basement he ever saw, behind Brooks Robinson.

In 1960:  Jones his .268 in part-time duty as a pinch-hitter and occasional starter for the Reds. 

Off The Charts: From a blog entitled "Stuff Nobody Cares About" we get this...."So just how did “Puddin’ Head” get his unique nickname? He received it as a child after a song that was popular in the 1930s called Wooden Head, Puddin’ Head Jones."

The Card: Red seats and red pinstripes means this is Connie Mack Stadium. 

#285 Harry Anderson

Harry Anderson  Philadelphia Phillies

Career: Harry 'The Horse' Anderson was a 6'3" outfielder/firstbaseman out of Maryland who signed with the Phils in 1953. A couple of minor league seasons and a military stretch later he was in the outfield at Connie Mack Stadium for 1957. He hit .286 that first season and .301 (with 23 homers and 97 RBI) the next and got scattered MVP vote each year. 

At that point it appeared the Phils had a star blooming but Anderson fell off the hitting cliff in 1959 and he soon found himself with the Reds where he banged around between the majors and minors before retiring after the '62 season.

In 1960: He was off to a slow start (although it wasn't much worse that the previous year) and on June 15 he was shipped to the Queen City where he served mostly as a pinch-hitter. For the year he hit .214 in about 180 at-bats over eighty games.

Off The Charts: The trade that sent Anderson to Cincinnati brought Tony Gonzalez to the Phils where he played for almost a decade and hit close to .300 for that period.

The Harry Anderson I remember was this guy....

Actor/Magician Harry Anderson played Judge Harry Stone on the NBC sitcom Night Court in the 80s and early 90s. I've never been a sitcom guy (I never once watch Seinfeld) but I enjoyed Night Court. Anderson had a fun, sarcastic personality and the side characters were well written.

#264 Robin Roberts

Robin Roberts   Philadelphia Phillies

Career: Hall of Famer Robin Roberts was an Illinois native (and Michigan State alum) who won 286 games while pitching for mostly mediocre ballclubs. He had a brief but highly successful taste of the minors in 1948 and then was called up to the Phils. He quickly became one of the best right-handers in the game. He pitched a ridiculous 305 complete games. Between 1950 and 1956 he averaged 22 wins and 26 complete games a season. LOL


Each year from 1952 through 1955 Roberts led the NL in wins. Over that span, he was 97-52 (.651) while the Phils were 322-294 (.523) as a team. 

After his time in Philadelphia, just as it began to look like all the innings had degraded his arm, he found his way to Baltimore in 1962 where he had a resurgence and he pitched very well as a mid-rotation starter for the better part of three years. He finished up with some time with the Astros and Cubs. He was inducted into the Hall in 1976 after four election cycles.

Notable Achievements

• 7-time NL All-Star (1950-1956)
• 4-time NL Wins Leader (1952-1955)
• 5-time NL Innings Pitched Leader (1951-1955)
• 2-time NL Strikeouts Leader (1953 & 1954)
• 5-time NL Complete Games Leader (1952-1956)
• NL Shutouts Leader (1950)
• 15 Wins Seasons: 10 (1949-1956, 1958 & 1959)
• 20 Wins Seasons: 6 (1950-1955)
• 25 Wins Seasons: 1 (1952)
• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 14 (1949-1960, 1963 & 1964)
• 300 Innings Pitched Seasons: 6 (1950-1955)
• Baseball Hall of Fame: Class of 1976

In 1960: This was Roberts' last relatively effective year in Philadelphia. His ERA was just over 4 and he went 12-16. He allowed the most homers among NL pitchers (although that wasn't unusual for Roberts).

Off The Charts:  Roberts made one start in the 1950 World Series against the Yankees. He pitched a complete game in Game Two and took the 2-1 loss against Allie Reynolds.

Roberts worked a season in the Phils' radio booth after he retired and then became the head baseball coach at the University of South Florida. He had diverse interests both during and after his career. He was involved in the Players Association for many years. Roberts owned a seafood company and played basketball during his offseasons with a team of other ballplayers.

The Card: Roberts had 221 wins, was a seven-time All-Star, had led the league in wins and strikeouts several times when 1959 had ended. Yet, he didn't rate a 'star' number on the checklist? I don't get it.

3251 Bobby Malkmus

Bobby Malkmus  Philadelphia Phillies

Career: Bobby Malkmus was a good glove, bad bat infielder for three big-league clubs over bits and pieces of six seasons. He broke in with the '57 Braves and went on to play for the Senators and Phils. His busiest time came in 1960 and '61 when he played in a total of  200 games for Philadelphia over both years.

When he got nearly 400 plate appearances in '61 he responded with his best hitting. He had a .231 average that year while also launching seven of his eight career homers. 

His time with the Braves in their title season of 1957 came in June so he wasn't around to watch the Series from the bench.

Malkmus was, as they say, a baseball 'lifer'. His last seasons as a pro were spent as a player/coach in the Phils organization. He went on to manage in the minors for them, the Expos, and the Orioles.  He was involved in scouting for the Giants as late as 2013 and has been active in baseball schools and camps.

In 1960: Malkmus played in 79 games, 32 as a starter. He was the clubs utility guy and divided his time between second, third, and short. He hit just .211 but had his first home run, a grand slam against the Giants. Details below.

This nugget from his SABR bio is a 1960 story: On September 15 at Connie Mack Stadium, Malkmus clubbed his first big-league home run, a grand slam off the San Francisco Giants’ Sam Jones to tie the score in the sixth inning of an eventual extra-inning loss. Starting at second base the following evening in Milwaukee, he was involved in a memorable game. With two outs in the ninth inning facing Warren Spahn, Malkmus hit a screeching liner back to the mound. Spahn reached for the ball reflexively, but it ricocheted off his glove, only to be scooped up by shortstop Logan, who threw to Adcock at first to record the final out in Spahn’s first career no-hitter.

Off The Charts: Recycled from my post of his 1958 card... On September 16, 1960, 39-year-old former teammate Warren Spahn threw the first no-hitter of his illustrious career against the Phils, striking out 15. He struck out every player in the starting lineup except Malkmus.

Malkmus was a product of Newark N.J.'s South Side High School and played football and baseball there. I'm from nearby Nutley and NSS was one of my home town's football rivals. He was before my time though.

The Card: This photo was taken in the same session as the one used on his '59 card. That 'P' they drew on his cap for the 'action' shot would have been visible from Delaware.

#185 Jim Owens

Jim Owens   Philadelphia Phillies

Career: Jim Owens began his pro career as a 17-year-old deep in the Phils' organization and had a rough first year but quickly became a big winner as he climbed the ladder to the majors. He was 0-6 over a couple of short looks in Philly. But when he returned from a two-year Army obligation in 1959 he had his best overall season. He was 12-12 with an ERA of 3.21 in over 30 starts. He never again had that many wins. Or starts, for that matter.

His career played out in bars and nightclubs in NL cities, and he ended up evolving into a reliever for the Phils. Then it was on to the Reds for a year and to Houston where he pitched out of the 'pen through the middle of the 1967 season. He finished with a 42-69 record and a lot of stories.

Owens pitched his last big league game on June 20, 1967, for the Astros against the Mets in New York. Half a country away my family was that very day, moving into our first house in Houston.

In 1960: He tanked and his numbers reflect that. From 12-12 he slipped to 4-14 with an ERA of 5.04 and a terrible WHIP. He lost his rotation spot for a month beginning in July but got it back with a few decent middle relief efforts. He closed out the year as a starter but his days in the Phils rotation were numbered.

Off The Charts: Owens was a member of what was known as The Dalton Gang, a group of Phils pitchers that had a thing for nightlife and the 'fun' that goes with it. This great Sports Illustrated story from their June 13, 1960 issue contains this paragraph:

The Dalton Gang has taken a lot of liberties since its formation. [...] Owens' aftergame behavior was bad enough to warrant a special lecture on the subject by General Manager Quinn when the two discussed Owens' 1960 contract. Owens was promised a $500 bonus if his conduct this year met the club's approval. The Bear didn't even make it through spring training. He got involved in a barroom brawl in Florida, lost the bonus and was fined an extra hundred to boot. For one day he quit baseball, during which time he explained to reporters that he was that rare kind of pitcher who could stay up all night drinking and then go out and throw a shutout.

And this:

Owens comes from a broken home. "His father used to come down to breakfast and put a bottle on the table," says a man who knows him. "Jim started drinking early."

It's not a long story so it's well worth a look. For more on The Dalton Gang, check out this entry on Seamheads.

And Houston sportswriter Mickey Herskowitz, writing about his memories of the Astrodome, related this gem:

My lasting memory of the official opening night was not of the packed crowd, which included a president and a governor and the seven Mercury astronauts. It was of a scene in the Astros’ bullpen, where amid all the fanfare a pitcher named Jim Owens was stretched out on a bench, sleeping off a hangover. The uninhibited Turk Farrell gave him a shove and bellowed, “Hey, Owens, wake up. Where do you think you are, in a canoe?”

#130 Frank Herrera Sport Rookie Star

Frank Herrera  Philadelphia Phillies

Career: Frank Herrera (aka Pancho) began playing pro baseball in Cuba in 1950 as a teenager. He came stateside and began in the Phils organization in 1955 and slugged his way to cameos in 1958. He stuck for good in 1960 and earned enough Rookie of the Year votes to finish second to Frank Howard of the Dodgers. Truth be told his numbers were better than Hondo's. His hitting fell off in 1961 (but his strikeouts didn't) and he found himself back in the minors where he played through 1969. He continued playing in the Mexican Leagues, played winter ball, and managed in Mexico as well. He even made an occasional pitching appearance and got some at-bats as a player-manager as late as 1974. He never lost his ability to hit the long ball or miss a lot of pitches.

In 1960: Coming off the 'triple crown' year in AAA Herrera grabbed the Phils' first base job and held it all year. He slashed 17/71/.286/.348 but led the league in strikeouts.

Off The Charts: From my 1959 Topps blog post that featured his prior rookie special card...

Herrera is one very interesting guy. When he debuted for the Phils at the age of 23 he had already been in organized ball for about 8 years. He began at 15 or so around Havana as a member of a group of youngsters called gitanillos, or little gypsies. These players worked with Cuban pro teams during practices but sat in the stands with the other fans during games. Occasionally they were called on to actually fill-in for a regular.

He was also boxing (until him mother saw him KO'd and made him quit) and an agricultural student around that time. But baseball called and he signed to play pro ball in Cuba in 1950. He was obtained by the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro American League in 1952. His contract was purchased by the Phillies and he began in their organization in 1955.

Herrera's SABR bio is an entertaining one. Well worth the read.

The Card: More interesting than the card up top is the fact that Herrera was one of those players who had received a 'regular' Topps card before being featured on a 'rookie' one. In fact, his 1958 Topps card is one of the more valuable 'error' cards of the late '50s. A printing defect caused the final letter of his name to be mostly obscured on some that were issued in packs.

He. like a couple others in the Sport Magazine subset, had another rookie card in 1959.

And his 1960 Leaf card is kind of fun. He looks pretty happy to be in the bigs!

#103 Dick Farrell

Dick Farrell  Philadelphia Phillies

Career: Turk Farrell was a four-time NL All-Star who pitched for 13 seasons, mostly in Philadelphia and Houston. He spent part of the 1961 season with the Dodgers. Of his nearly 600 appearances 134 were starts, mostly coming with the Colt 45s/Astros. He had a reputaion as a 'hard living' guy. He moved to England after he retired to work on an offshore rig. At 43 he was killed when his motorcycle was hit by a drunk driver.

In 1960: He won 10 games and had 11 saves for the Phils and racked up a very fine 2.70 ERA.

Off The Charts: In 1962 Farrell became one of eight pitchers selected to the All-Star squad while going on to 20 losses in the same season

The Card: Red seats, pinstripes...it's Connie Mack Stadium. That appears to be #28 behind Farrell which would be Curt Simmons.  I wondered why a vet wouldn't get a 'Season's Highlights' list but checking his stats shows that 1959 was an off-year for him after pitching pretty well in 1957-58. He did get what appears to be a Jack Davis cartoon though.

#97 Ted Lepcio

Ted Lepcio  Philadelphia Phillies

Career: The bulk of Lepcio's 10-year career came with the Red Sox (1952-1958 + a week or two of '59) and the bulk of THAT time saw him competing for the second base job with Billy Goodman. Once he moved on to the Tigers in '59 kept his bags packed. He spent a year with them, a few games with the White Sox, and nearly a year each with the Phils and the Twins. In 1962 he joined the Mets during their initial Spring Training camp but was released before the season. He finished with 69 homers and a .245 career average and a few 1st place spots in some of the esoteric fielding stat categories that I don't understand (total zone runs?)

In 1960: This was his next-to-last season and he spent it as the Phils' utility infielder getting into almost 70 games and hitting .227 with a pair of homers.

Off The Charts:  Lepcio had been a college star at Seton Hall. Just a year later, as a rookie in 1952, he was Jimmy Piersall's roommate and got a close up look at Piersall's struggles on and off the field.

The Card: After Lepcio's early December '59 trade to the Phils Topps was able to make the card update but used his photo as a Tiger. It's a nice one though, and one of the rare Tiger (Briggs) Stadium shots you'll see from this era of Topps cards. Pink/blue/yellow/white works better than it seems it should! The back hits all the right notes as well.

#82 Ruben Gomez

Ruben Gomez  Philadelphia Phillies

Career: Not enough room to list Gomez' comings and goings through all the many levels and leagues that he was a part of. He was the second Puerto Rican-born pitcher to reach the majors (with the Giants in 1953) and he was the first to pitch in (and win) a World Series game (1954, Game Three). He was also the first major league pitcher to win a game on the West Coast as he led the Giants to an 8-0 win over the Dodgers to open the '58 season. He threw for four major league clubs over ten seasons. He pitched a remarkable 28 seasons in the Puerto Rican Winter League between 1947 and 1977. His NY Times obit is a good place to read about him. It's fuller than his Wikipedia page and shorter than his SABR bio. But whatever you do, check out his career. He was an interesting guy.

In 1960: He opened the season in the Phils' bullpen and was largely ineffective. He was sent to the minors in June and didn't return to the majors until he resurfaced with the Indians and Twins in the second half of the 1962 season. 

Off The Charts: This story is found on Gomez' Wikipedia page, and in his SABR bio. Take it for what it's worth:

One day [while Gomez was pitching in the Mexican League in the late 60s] a young boy begged Gómez to buy a lottery ticket that he was selling to make some badly needed money. The boy insisted that Gómez buy the ticket because his uniform number matched that of the ticket, and Gómez, who did not normally buy such tickets, agreed. To his great surprise, the ticket was a winner of a $35,000 prize. Gómez attempted to share the money with the boy's family and when they refused, he went to a local bank and set up a trust fund for the lad, to be given to him at age 18.
...
In 2001, Gómez was hospitalized after a lengthy fight against cancer and was about to receive surgery. A doctor from Mexico requested permission to attend the operation. When Gómez asked the doctor why he had come, he replied, "I was that little boy, the money that you left in trust was enough to pay for my medical school."

The Card: I'm beginning to think three-color cards should have been standard with this set. The green/yellow/white combo plays well with the red of Gomez' uni and the Connie Mack Stadium backdrop. A nice card for sure.

#64 Jack Meyer

Jack Meyer  Philadelphia Phillies

Career: Meyer was a Philadelphia-area native and had a very successful rise through the Phils' organization as a starter before making the club in 1955. He was used chiefly as a reliever that season (as he was the rest of his career) and he led the NL with 16 saves.  He finished second to Bill Virdon in the RoY voting.  He never matched that rookie season and his career, beset by injuries and other issues, ended with a few innings for the Phils in 1961. He died of heart problems in 1965 at the age of 35. 

In 1960: He was coming off a busy '59 season but was able to make only a few appearances through May before he was sidelined.

Off The Charts: If Wikipedia is to be believed...[Meyer's] career was negatively affected by his growing reputation as a drinker and late-night carouser. He was a member—with fellow pitchers Turk Farrell and Jim Owens—of the so-called "Dalton Gang", who received notoriety around baseball for multiple, and well-publicized, off-field incidents. 

His nephew, Brian Meyer pitched in 34 games as a reliever for the Astros from 1988 to 1990.

The Card: Looks like a nice crowd at Connie Mack was in attendance the day this picture was taken. It's unusual that a card shows so many folks in the stands since the pics seemingly were taken long before game time. My original copy of this card had a serious crease and this upgrade came my way just a few weeks ago at a card show. 

#52 Dave Philley

Dave Philley  Philadelphia Phillies

Career: Eight teams, 18 seasons over the course of 21 years, a three year WWII military stint. Dave Philley had a lot of stories to tell at Old Timers games I'd bet. He began in 1941 with the White Sox, took some time for serving his country and then played almost 1900 more games before he retired in 1963 at the age of 43. That year, after a long big league career, he got in a few swings with the Colt 45s' minor league team in Modesto while serving primarily as a coach/instructor.

His SABR bio is good reading.

In 1960: He was dealt twice during the season, first from the Phils to the Giants, then from the Giants to the Orioles. He had a career-low .218 average as he neared the end of the playing trail.

Off The Charts: He earned Orioles' MVP honors in 1955 by hitting .299 in a role as a platoon outfielder and primary pinch hitter.

The Card: Connie Mack Stadium photo cards are easy to spot with those red seats. Of course, the Phils' red pinstripes is a giveaway as well. The first bullet highlight relates to the cartoon as Philley had a nice string of pinch-hit appearances dating back to the 1958 season.

#34 George 'Sparky' Anderson

George Anderson  Philadelphia Phillies

Career:  Sparky Anderson signed with the Dodgers in 1953 and after six years climbing the extremely crowded ladder that was their farm system was dealt to the Phils. He had an interesting one year career. Interesting in that not many players are full-time starters as rookies and then never appear in the majors again. Of course, Sparky was destined to manage with the Reds and Tigers and land in the Hall of Fame for that body of work. He was a pretty decent minor league hitter before and after his one big league season.


In 1960: Coming off his .218 average as the full-time second-baseman for the Phils he was set adrift and landed in Toronto with the AAA Maple Leafs. He hit .227 for what was that year an Indians affiliate club.

Off The Charts: Anderson is the last American League manager to date to win a game by forfeit. This came a month after being hired in Detroit when, as a result of Disco Demolition Night in Chicago, the second half of a doubleheader with the Chicago White Sox had to be called off after an anti-disco demonstration went awry and severely damaged the playing surface at Comiskey Park. Even after White Sox groundskeepers removed debris from the field, Anderson refused to let the Tigers take the field. -Wikipedia

The Card: Sparky was a guy who always looked to be in his 70s. But this photo, taken in Connie Mack Stadium, actually seems to do him some favors. The red in the uni, cap, and seats is a nice compliment to the yellow.green/white card color combo.

#13 Wally Post

Wally Post  Philadelphia Phillies

Career: The bulk of Wally Post's 15-year career came as an outfielder with Cincinnati. He was originally signed in 1946 as a pitcher but had transitioned to the outfield by the time he made the bigs in 1949. He hit over 200 homers but in the talent-laden NL of the 50s never made an All-Star squad.  The closest he came was in 1957 when he was on the happy end of the ballot-stuffing done by Vladimir Putin the Cincy fans.

He and some other Reds teammates were dropped from the ASG starting lineup by decree of the commish at the time, Ford Frick. He was hurt at the time and was unable to play in the game in any case. His best year was 1955 in Cincy when he slashed 40/109/.309/.372 and got some MVP votes.

In 1960: He began the season with the Phils as depicted on his card but was traded to the Reds in June for his second term in Ohio. The move sent him from a last-place club to one in fifth and soon to be on the rise. He had hit only two homers at the time of the trade but hit 17 for the Reds the rest of the way. He went on to help the Reds win the NL pennant in 1961.

WikiFacts: Post is the grandfather of former Ohio State and NFL quarterback Bobby Hoying.

The Card: Post had been with the Phils for two full seasons prior to this card being issued so I'm not sure why a capless photo needed to be used. I suppose it could be an old pic from his first go-round with the Reds with pinstripes added to his shirt. But the Reds hadn't worn sleeves since 1955 so that would make it a really old shot, even for Topps. that's Connie Mack Stadium in the background.

BTW...The 'perfect day' on August 28 cited by the Topps editor turns out to be three singles in three at-bats in a 9-0 wipe out the Phils suffered in Forbes Field. 

Added Attraction for the craft beer crowd (which includes me):

Microbrewer Moeller Brewing of Ohio put out this beer named for Wally Post in 2017. More info on the brew and Wally here.

#305 Richie Ashburn

Richie Ashburn  Chicago Cubs

Career: Richie Ashburn was a five time All Star outfielder who won batting titles with the Phils in 1955 and 1958. In his 15 year career he led the NL in OBP four times, hits three times, walks four times, triples twice and putouts by an outfielder nine times. He was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veteran's Committee in 1995. He had 29 career homers, seven of those coming with the '62 expansion Mets in his final season.

12 of his seasons were with the Phils and he returned to Philadelphia as a broadcaster after his retirement as an active player.

In 1960: This was Ashburn's first season in Chicago after 12 with the Phils. He was acquired in a trade for John Buzhardt, Al Dark and Jim Woods. He led the NL in OBP and walks. His .291 average was a bounce-back after having dipped into the .230s in 1959.

WikiFacts: From Wikipedia...

After his playing career, Ashburn was hired by the Philadelphia Phillies as an analyst in 1963. Originally, Ashburn worked with Bill Campbell and Ford Frick Award winner Byrum Saam. When Campbell left the Phillies in 1970, he was replaced by Harry Kalas. Kalas and Ashburn would work together on Phillies broadcasts for twenty-seven years.

Ashburn, who was a boyhood friend of comedian Johnny Carson, became known for his homespun stories of his boyhood in Nebraska. He would lament the mistakes of the Phillies with an "Oh brother." Photographs of an aging Ashburn showed him with a jeff cap and a pipe. His rapport with Kalas was both legendary and genuine, Kalas referred to him as "His Whiteness."

The Card: Connie Mack Stadium is the backdrop for the picture in this one. Ashburn wears Phils gear without a cap. Topps painted the Cubs' "C" onto his cap in the secondary picture. card has a nice color combo but loses points for a capless player. Poor Richie.

#194 Bobby Gene Smith

Bobby Gene Smith  Philadelphia Phillies

Career: Seven seasons in the majors with five different clubs. He had two stints with the Cardinals and was mainly a back-up and pinch hitter throughout his career. He's one of the Original '62 Mets having been chosen by them off the Phils roster in the expansion draft after the 1961 season. He was with them for less than a month though as he was traded to the Cubs at the end of April that year. He was traded to the Cards (a return to St. Louis, his original team) after six weeks with the Cubs.

In 1960: He had his busiest and best year. He appeared in 96 games for the Phils and got 217 at bats. He had career highs in nearly every batting stat category. He hit .286 with 27 RBI.

WikiFacts: The Mets-centric Centerfieldmaz blog featured Smith earlier this year: "He would hit .300 twice in the minors making the Cardinals as a reserve outfielder for three seasons (1957-1959). He hit a HR in first career game but didn’t hit too many more as the season went on. 

He was labeled the ultimate six o’clock hitter by teammate Bill White, meaning he would hit HRs in batting practice but rarely in the real game."

The Card: Looks like Topps used the same pic for the main photo and the 'action' shot. It was the same one used on his '59 card while pictured with St. Louis. I'm guessing it's the Polo Grounds. Here is his '59 card:

Keith Olbermann, on again off again sports/political commentator and noted collector has a few interesting facts about this card. He notes in this blog post that the card was 'mocked up' as #66 in the set but was issued as #194.

#366 Dallas Green

Dallas Green  Philadelphia Phillies

Career: Best known as a manager and front office guy but Green went 20-22 in 185 games as a pitcher. He pitched most of them with the Phils as a spot starter and reliever between 1960 and 1964. He spent the final three seasons of his active career shuttling back and forth between the Phils, their minor league system, the Nats, the Mets and back to the Phils. He won a World Series ring as manager of the Phils in 1980.

In 1960: He began the year in the minors but was recalled in June (see cardback below). He went 3-6 with a 4.06 ERA but his 1.32 WHIP was the best of any on his seasons with the Phils. This was the only year of his career that he had fewer hits allowed than innings pitched.

WikiFacts:
From Green's BR Bullpen page: "...Green became the assistant farm director for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1970 to 1972. He was the director of player development from 1973 to 1974 and Scouting Director from 1975 to 1979.

Green went on to later manage the Phillies to the World Series championship in 1980. He became General Manager of the Chicago Cubs from October 1981 to 1987. Green also managed the New York Yankees and New York Mets. Green spent the 2000s as a senior advisor to the GM of the Phillies.

From his Wikipedia entry: As a manager, Green was known for his gruff manner. "I'm a screamer, a yeller and a cusser. I never hold back", he said. He was notorious for his use of profanity.

An example of the way that Green had of speaking to the press about ballplayers was his comment about Scott Rolen in 2001: "Scotty's satisfied with being a so-so player. I think he can be greater, but his personality won't let him." Rolen would be elected to the All-Star team seven times and win eight Gold Glove Awards.

From an interview posted on MLB.com following the publication of Green's book in 2013: There isn't much the 78-year-old, now a senior advisor for the Phillies, hasn't done in the game. He's been a player and a coach. He's been a scout, farm director, general manager and team president. He managed the Phillies, Mets and Yankees, bringing the first World Series championship to Philadelphia in 1980. He did it all while routinely telling the truth as he saw it, even if others didn't always appreciate his blunt approach.

But what sets his book, written with Alan Maimon, apart are the few pages at the end when Green recounts how a national tragedy struck him in a profoundly personal way. When a gunman in Tucson, Ariz., set out to assassinate Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in January 2011, six others were killed. One of them was a 9-year-old girl named Christina-Taylor Green, Dallas' granddaughter.

While admitting that he'll never fully get over the loss, Green talks about this wrenching experience with the same unflinching honesty with which he discusses other chapters of his life. He doesn't hide the fact that hunting is one of his favorite pastimes, but he believes there should be a limit on the sorts of weapons individuals can own. He openly admits that he's angry that the shooter was ruled mentally incompetent, thus escaping the death penalty. He speaks movingly about trying to get past his understandable trauma to celebrate Christina-Taylor's life.

"I'm supposed to be a tough sucker, but I'm not very tough when it comes to this," he said.


The Card: This card is a little different than most of the others in the '60 set. It has the look of a retouched photo. And sure enough I found the original picture. Looks like Topps colorized it and perhaps enhanced or added the clouds in the background.

And it looks like Topps added a last minute notation to the back following Green's demotion to the minors. It's very hard to read on the card and even harder in the scan.

#167 Valmy Thomas

Valmy Thomas  Philadelphia Phillies

Career: Culled from my post on his '59 card: Thomas played in Canada and across the Caribbean between the late 40's and 1951 when he played for the Pirates minor league club north of the border. A pay cut prompted him to 'retire' and he starred in the Dominican Republic for several seasons. SABR has a cool story of his years there online.

He emerged as a Giants farmhand in 1956 after a year back in Canada for the Pirate chain. He debuted in 1957 for the Giants in New York. He travel to the West Coast when the Giants moved and played for the Phillies, Orioles and Indians in the three subsequent years. By doing do he became one of two players to play in five cities in five seasons. Dave Rader being the other*.

In 1960: Valmy played for the Orioles in 1960 after being purchased from the Phils' organization in May. He got into seven games before being sent to the minors and was back up for a September look. In all he had a hit in 16 at bats.

WikiFacts: Again, from my post on his 1959 card:

After his playing days he was a successful businessman and public servant in his native Virgin Islands. He passed away in 2010 and was honored by the Congressional Delegate from his homeland. Here is another article which highlights his life and career.

One odd note.... Thomas was shot and nearly killed by another ballplayer in a dispute over a woman in 1962. The link goes to a Sarasota Herald story that's a real eye opener, in several ways.

The Card: I wish I had been able to see a game at Connie Mack Stadium. It looks so colorful. I never talk much about 'poses' but Thomas is in that fake 'swing follow through' pose that you see on a bunch of vintage cards. Who looks like that at the plate? It just looks awkward. But besides all that it's worth noting that he got a cool cartoon while not having enough good things happening in 1959 to merit a 'season's highlights' back.

If you count the abundance of red on this card Valmy has a six color scheme going...blue, green, yellow, white, black and red.

 *=Tip of the cap to reader Paul for pointing that out to me on the '59 blog.

#451 Curt Simmons

Curt Simmons  Philadelphia Phillies

Career: A highly prized prospect when he signed with the Phils in 1947, Simmons spent 13 years toiling for mostly bad Phils clubs until 1960. He won 115 games in Philly and helped them get to the 1950 World Series but didn't pitch in it as his National Guard unit had been called to active duty. He resurrected his career in St. Louis and won a ring in 1964. He finished with 193 major league wins.

In 1960: After  a long tenure on the Phils' staff that culminated nearly a full 1959 season in the minors and a terrible start in '60 Simmons was released in May and signed by the Cardinals. He finished the year with a 7-4 record and some of the better pitching metrics of his career.

WikiFacts: "In the spring of 1947, a seventeen-year-old south-paw named Curt Simmons was the hottest amateur prospect in the country. Fifteen of the sixteen major league teams were chomping at the bit to sign Simmons as soon as he graduated from high school in June. Phillies general manager Herb Pennock dubbed him “a second Rube Waddell” and sportswriters were touting his curveball as the best since Bob Feller’s." -from this awesome article on Simmons' career at SABR

The Card: Topps had no problem getting photographers to Connie Mack Stadium back in the day. The red seats provide a nice change of pace from most of the cards already seen here. And any card with a pink element is A-OK in my book.

This one was put together late enough in the year for Topps to note Simmons' May release by the Phils. The 'crease' is more of a printing flaw than anything else. It doesn't appear nearly that noticeable in hand. The red ink bleeding off the right side of the card is another odd printing flaw. Topps had some issues here for sure.

#211 Taylor Phillips

Taylor Phillips  Philadelphia Phillies

Career: Phillips is one of 178 players who have appeared for both Chicago franchises (89 of those pitched for both). He was 16-22 with the Braves, Cubs and Phillies from 1956 through 1960. He made 138 appearances, about a third of them as a starter. Then after three seasons in the minors he returned to the bigs in 1963 making a handful of rather ineffective appearances with the White Sox. One more year of minor league ball and then Phillips retired.

In 1960: He was with the Phils for about a month or so in 1960. After a loss in his first game, a June 2 start in which he lasted two innings, he was sent to the bullpen when he ran hot and cold before being shipped back to the minors.

WikiFacts: As a rookie for the first place Braves in 1956 Phillips made his first career start on August 9 in the first game of a doubleheader against the Cardinals. He pitched a three hitter for a 4-1 win. He gave up only singles, to Don Blasingame, Wally Moon and Stan Musial.

The Card: Pretty standard stuff. That's Wrigley Field I believe. Phillips didn't have enough '59 highlights for the bullet-ed list so he gets a paragraph. The cartoon is pretty generic but I like it.

#17 Johnny Callison

Johnny Callison, Philadelphia Phillies

Career: Callison was a solid major leaguer who spent the best part of his career in the decade he played in Philadelphia. He made three All Star squads and was the runner-up in MVP voting in 1964. He came up with the White Sox and after his days in Philly he returned to Chicago as a member of the Cubs for a couple of seasons. He then finished up with the Yankees. He never played in the post-season coming close twice. He was with the '59 pennant winning White Sox but wasn't on the World series roster. The '64 Phils had that epic collapse in '64 which wiped out his best shot at a Series.

Notable Achievements:

• 3-time NL All-Star (1962, 1964 & 1965)
• 1964 All-Star Game MVP
• NL Doubles Leader (1966)
• 2-time NL Triples Leader (1962 & 1965)
• 20-Home Run Seasons: 4 (1962-1965)
• 30-Home Run Seasons: 2 (1964 & 1965)
• 100 RBI Seasons: 2 (1964 & 1965)
• 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 2 (1962 & 1964)

In 1960: This was his first year in Philly having been traded from the White Sox for Gene Freese the previous winter. He took over an outfield slot for the Phils and hit .266 with nine homes in 138 games. He was still a couple of seasons away from becoming an All Star for the Phils.

WikiFacts: In 1964, at Shea Stadium in New York, he hit a game-winning home run in the All Star Game off Dick Radatz.

The Card, etc: The photo showing Callison in his Sox uni is fine with me. I'd rather that than a crappy airbrush job. The Yankee Stadium scoreboard and stands with the apartment buildings beyond make this a memory inducing card. The red/yellow/white combo is a good one. The cards with four colors (see Rocky Bridges from my last post) are more 'over the top' I think. Ray Boone wore #8 for the Sox in 1959 so that must be him in the background. It's not likely to be a shot from 1958 since the Sox didn't play at Yankee Stadium after Callison was called up.

Johnny Callison was one of my favorite players growing up, definitely one of my favorite National Leaguers. My Callison PC isn't complete but it's close. I'm still looking for oddball and regional items.