Today in Baseball History: the first black manager

most of you are thinking that Frank Robinson was the first black manager in major league baseball but technically speaking it is actually Ernie Banks.

Coach Banks had to act as manager for one day, today May 8, 1973, when then manager Whitey Lockman was ejected in the 11th inning against the San Diego Padres.



No other coach was available on the bench so "Mr Cub" Ernie Banks stepped in for the final two innings as the Cubs outlasted the Padres 3 -2 in 12 innings. Banks never again "played" manager and left coaching a few years later with a 1 - 0 won/loss record.

It would be two years later that Robinson would become the first full-time manager in 1975 for Cleveland. The Sporting News Official Baseball Guide for 1974 states that on May 8, 1973 "Ernie Banks became the major leagues first black manager, yet only for a day".

Something is just not "right"

While I am not disappointed at all that Team USA lost in the semi-finals to Japan last night in the WBC, it just seems not "right" that this most North-American of games is now being "perfected" by countries that "we" taught. {It is like the French with their wines, the Irish with their Beer, Scotland with golf, Belgium chocolate, Russian Vodka, English soccer, China Gymnasts and Canadian Hockey.} It is just not "right" that the country who created and taught the world can now be considered second fiddle. Not being "right" does not make it "bad" . . .

I was happy that Team USA lost. Now lets get all those MLB players back in their regular team uniform, training with their "real" team and getting ready for the long 162 game season that will capture our attention for the next six months.

Speaking of cards that are just not "right" . . . I found this 1973 Frank Robinson.

No offense to my blogger friends who like the Dodgers, but Robinson does not look "right" in Dodger Blue - he looked much more "perfect" in Cincinnati Red or Oriole Orange. And another thing, his uniform # ! The only year in Robinson's HOF career he wore a number other than 20 - in LA with this # 36 (I know Don Sutton had uniform # 20 in 1972, but still - Frank Robinson had hit 500 HR's by this time in his career, 11 times an all-star, twice the MVP, ROY and Triple Crown winner in addition to being on his way to having # 20 retired by both the Reds and Orioles).

Another thing not "right" on this card, has the team of the California Angels listed below his name while he is wearing Dodger blue.

The world may not be "right" or perfect all of the time but that does not make it "bad".

What was Topps thinking ?

In the past six weeks, since starting this blog, I have read hundreds of posts and have learned so much about card collecting that my personal collection has taken on a new life of its own. I am now looking at my cards differently (with a more tuned mind and closer eye) yet with the same interest and passion I have aways had for the game of baseball and the cards of yesterday.

Many of you have taught me to look at cards with this question: what were they thinking ?

So in my thumbing through my 1973 cards I noticed two that stand out.

What was Topps thinking . . .

This is a Steve Garvey card yet his face is completely in the shadows and Wes Parker stands taller and closer. Yes Garvey probably just hit a homerun (he only hit nine in 1972) and as he approaches home plate is being congratulated but Steve Garvey deserves better. Ok, he did not really come into his own until 1974, winning the NL MVP and 8 straight gold gloves at first base from 1974-1981 but still . . . couldn't Topps come up with a better picture ?

and then there is Jim Kaat

. . . a twenty-five year major league career as a left handed pitcher, winning 283 games and earning 16 (yes sixteen) consecutive gold glove awards from 1962 - 1977. Here is Jim Kaat . . . hitting ? Probably watching one of his 2 HR's he hit in 1972. Kaat was a "great" hitting pitcher and did hit 16 career round-trippers so I guess in 1973 Topps decided it was time to showcase his "power" not his pitching or fielding.

Just my question of the day: What was Topps thinking ?

Bobby Bonds - "Dancing" in 1973

Much has been written about Bobby Bonds over the years, most notable being the Father of Barry, yet so many forget how great a baseball player he really was. The combination of power and speed had not been seen since Willie Mays; Bobby Bonds was actually the second player to hit 300 homeruns and steal 300 bases (Mays being the first).

Bonds played fourteen seasons, seven of which were in San Francisco to begin his career (1968-1974) and interestingly enough he ended his career with the Chicago Cubs in 1981, hitting six home runs in 45 games. Bonds ended his career with 332 career homeruns, 461 stolen bases and had a grand slam as his first major league hit.

The card I am highlighting is his 1973, Topps # 145. I like this “action” shot of Bonds trying to return to first base avoiding the pick off (it looks like a “young” HOF Willie Stargell or is it Bob Robertson ?). In either case Bonds looks like he will be safe as usual.

The back of the card is even more interesting, noting that “Bobby’s Hobby is Dancing”. I think he might be able to win “Dancing with the Stars” if he was able to compete today.

And another one of Topps genius’ messed up on his statistics for 1968 and 1969, his first two years in the majors. Yes they are inaccurate.

From all reliable sources I can find, including his 1969 RC and 1970 second year card, as well the Baseball Almanac, he hit .254 with 9 Hr and 35 RBI in 1968 and batted .259 with 32 HR and 90 RBI in 1969. His 1973 card is all messed up yet his major league totals are indeed correct.

I do not have any later year cards of Bobby Bonds to see if and when his stats were corrected. Can anyone help me on this one ?

Bobby Bonds “danced” . . . on the bases and with his bat.

Jim Palmer - 1973 and 100 Wins !

In another one of my entries that I term a “Clemente-ism” I present Jim Palmer and his Topps 1973 card # 160.

Before I continue, let me explain what I mean. The term “Clemente-ism” is my way of describing a statistical rarity on ones baseball card (honoring Clementes’ 1973 card # 50, his last card and eerily career ending with exactly 3000 hits) I have had two previous “Clemente-ism” posts; one Clemente and the the 1970 Willie Mays 600HR on card # 600 in Dec 2008). I like the backs of cards as much as the fronts, maybe that is because the “vintage” cards had weak photography on the front (most of the time) in comparison to today’s action shots. So, I have extended this “Clemente-ism” to any card that has a milestone (or coincidence) that culminated at year’s end.

Jim Palmer, one of the premier pitchers of all time won 3 time Cy Young awards, voted a 6 time all-star and enshrined in the Hall of Fame, spent his entire 19 years as a professional with the Baltimore Orioles (1965 – 1984) and his uniform # 22 is naturally never to be worn again in Baltimore. From the years between 1970 and 1978, Palmer won 176 games, reaching the 20 victory plateau in 8 of those nine years (almost besting Ferguson Jenkins in the 20 win streak category).

One unique factoid; in 575 games played (including 17 postseason games) Palmer never allowed a grand slam.

An in regards to why this card is a “Clemente-ism”; at the end of the 1972 campaign as indicated on this card, Palmer had 100 wins !

Ok, just one of my quirky things I notice about the stats on the back of some cards. Let me know if you have noticed any of these statistical coincidences . . . stay tuned for more of my “Clemente-ism’s” . . .

Santo - Stone Trade in 1973

During every offseason, including this year, there are trades made by teams that many of us start to question. Some we like and some we dont. As I look back at some trades from years gone by, I still get angry and confused as to what some general managers or owners were really thinking.

For me, in one of the saddest (not worst) trades of Chicago Cub history Ron Santo was traded to the Chicago White Sox on December 11, 1973.

Santo was sent to the southsiders (ie Chicago White Sox) in exchange for four players; Steve Swisher (catcher), and three young pitchers including Steve Stone.

Previously, in 1972, Santo actually became the first player to invoke the ten-five rule and block a trade to the California Angels (the ten-five rule allowed players with ten years of service and the last five with the same club to veto any trade). Santo wanted to stay in Chicago, and complete his career with the Cubbies, but the Cubs top brass had other ideas and finally arranged this deal to the White Sox.

Santo was miserable, the worst year of his professional baseball playing life. Sox manager Chuck Tanner had high hopes of good production from Santo in the designated hitter role. Santo hated not being in the field. Tanner gave in, kind of, and put Santo at second base where he was less comfortable and ultimately embarrassed himself. To be fair to Tanner, the Sox had Bill Melton at third base a regular 30 HR man and good defensively.

Fortunately for Santo, the time in the White Sox uniform was short, only one year. Santo retired after that one year, hitting only .221 with five homeruns.

Stone’s best year was several years later; winning a Cy Young award and The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year award with the Baltimore Orioles in 1980 posting a 25 – 7 record. He would later be joined with Santo in the Cubs broadcast booth.

I remember buying these cards together, when I re-entered the hobby in 1984 for $ .10 cents each – probably still a bargain today. The best thing about these cards is that Santo is NOT in a Sox uniform or cap (note the airbrushing and no logo). Stone however is in his new cubbie blue cap.

Sometimes trades benefit teams, sometimes one player shines in his new uniform, and sometimes trades go unnoticed for years. This trade however left a scar in the Chicago Cubs history and was incredibly sad to see a great ball player like Santo reduced to this low level of performance. Sometimes trades are just sad . . .

Roberto Clemente - 3000 Hits

Happy New Years Eve to everyone ! I hope that 2009 starts off with a bang and brings everyone good health and more baseball cards to enjoy and share. 2009 may just be the year the Cubs win teh World Series too - ok I will continue to believe and dream.

Anyhow, the card I am highlighting today is in honor of one of the greatest basbeall players ever and his last card.

Lets go back in time for a moment: the year is 1973, and the baseball season begins like any other except baseball lost one of the greatest stars of all time before the first pitch ever crosses home plate.


Roberto Clemente died in an aviation accident on December 31, 1972 en route to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Clemente had been involved in this work for several years, helping those in need in his home country of Puerto Rico and other Latin American countries and the off season of 1972 was no exception. Personally speaking, I admire those that “give back” and I myself am active in Rotary International (I will write more about that in future posts).

So much has been written about Roberto Clemente; schools have been named after him, documentaries, books and even a movie has been produced.

Roberto Clemente was inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame in 1973, the only player for whom the mandatory five year waiting period was waived. A twelve time all-star, twelve time gold glove award winner , the 1966 NL MVP, 1971 World Series MVP and his uniform #21 is retired (just to name a few of his career highlights). This is not a history of Clemente since I could not do that any justice and will not try.

Roberto Clemente’s last card is the 1973 Topps # 50. I find it most interesting to collect the last cards of hall of famers, to have a glimpse of their career stats and Clemente’s ’73 card tops my list for that reason. The back of the card (yes once again the back tells more of a story than the front) depicts a drawing with 3000 in big print on his bat. Yes Clemente got his 3000th hit in 1972. The major league totals on this card bears that fact as well. An accomplishment held by very few and to have his career end with exactly 3000 hits is what I like to term as a “Clemente-ism”. I like this card for that reason.

As far as a Cubs connection goes – July 25, 1956, Clemente hit a walk-off inside the park grand slam at Forbes Field as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 9 – 8.