Happy Birthday Cal Ripken Jr

Born in 1960 on August 24th, Cal Ripken Jr turns 50 today. The second "Iron Man" of major league baseball, Ripken deserves to have a special birthday.

Ripken's baseball feats are almost endless. Not withstanding the record that never will be broken of playing in 2632 consecutive games. The 1982 Rookie of the year who actually began his career as a third baseman was shifted to shortstop, played in 19, yes nineteen, consecutive all-star games, has one world series ring (1983), a member of the 3000 hit club and played his entire career in Baltimore, naturally having his # 8 uniform retired and inducted into Baseballs Hall of Fame as a first ballot inductee in 2007.

This 1982 Topps Future Stars Card #21 was one of my very first "big" purchases in 1984 when I bought five of these. If my memory serves me correctly they were less than $ 5.00 each at the time. I have since donated (gave away) two of them over the years, holding onto three of them for no apparent reason. If anyone out there is interested in a trade for one of them - let me know. I am still more of a Cubs fan !

Originally listed as a third baseman and sharing future star status with Bob Bonner and Jeff Schneider (each of whom had incredibly short stints in the major leagues), Ripken certainly made up for it.

Happy 50th Birthday wishes go out to Ripken. Being a fellow 1960 baby, I feel slightly embarrassed in even having one thing in common with the "Iron Man".

welcome to the big leagues

Today in baseball history (1955 that is) Brooks Robinson made his major league debut. Getting two hits on his opening day was a teaser of what was to come. Those actually would be his only two hits in 1955 after appearing in only 6 games and 22 at bats, but his first two of 2848 career hits.

His full time role would not officially start until 1958 playing in 145 games, and from 1960 until 1974 would appear in 15 consecutive all-star games and receive 16 consecutive gold glove awards.

Topps 1960 # 28; my birth year and a real "cool" card

Brooks Robinson began his storied Oriole career today, September 17, 1955; played his entire 23 year career in Baltimore and ended his career in 1977.

A career .267 batting average, 2848 hits, 1357 rbi's and 268 home runs is just the icing on the cake for this "vacuum" at 3rd base. Lee May nicknamed him "Mr Hoover" and it is well known that "while Brooks never had a candy bar named after him, in Baltimore, people named their children after him".

Topps 1969 # 550; a "happy" smiling card

The 1964 AL MVP, two time World Series Champion (1966, 1970), 1970 World Series MVP and Babe Ruth awardee, Robinson was inducted into MLB Hall of Fame in 1983 with 92%.

I remember watching the Orioles back in the late 60's and early 70's, secretly cheering for them (not so secretly, as they were my favorite AL team back in the day). Being a Cubs fan meant being an anti-White Sox fan and the Orioles were going to beat the Mets in 1969, emphasis on were. They sure did have some great pitching and fielding back then.

Brooks Robinson, a childhood "hero" of mine, started his career . . .today !

When 500 HR meant something

Today in baseball history two HOF'ers hit their 500th home run. Two of the greatest players of any era; Willie Mays and Frank Robinson.

Mays hit his 500th in 1965 while Robinson hit his in 1971. Back in the day when hitting 500 home runs was a commodity for a select few both Mays and Robinson were tops in their class.
September 13th certainly does mark a special day in baseball lore.

Willie Mays Topps 1970, # 600: the eyes awaiting a home run pitch
(I know it is a photo from spring training but I still love those intense "eyes")

Frank Robinson Topps 1967 #100: another shot of the "home run" eyes

Ranking 4th (Mays with 660) and 7th (Robinson with 586) in career round trippers, I salute Mays and Robinson for reaching that 500 HR club on the same day, albeit six years apart.

Just One Shy

Today (Sept 2) marks the 37th anniversary of Chicago Cub Milt Pappas' razor thin close call with perfection (in 1972 for those math challenged). After retiring the first 26 batters in a row and reaching a 3-2 count on the 27th batter (Larry Stahl of the San Diego Padres) Pappas was one pitch shy of perfection. Unfortunately the call was a ball (lets not over react to a correct call made by then plate umpire Bruce Froemming) and perfection was "ruined". Pappas did however retire the next batter to secure the no-hitter and an 8 - 0 victory at Wrigley Field. Still today, Pappas has the unique honor of being the only pitcher to have a perfect game "ruined" by a base on ball to the 27th batter.

{1973 #70 love those "earmuffs"}

Pappas's career began in1957 with the Baltimore Orioles appearing in only 4 games, yet 1958 began a string of eleven years in a row of double digit victories. Prior to that infamous day in 1972, Pappas was probably best known for being traded to the Cincinnati Reds during the off season of 1965 for the "old" superstar Frank Robinson.

{1958 # 457 "oh so young"}

Two and half years in Cincinnati and a couple of stints with the Atlanta Braves, Pappas was traded to the Chicago Cubs in June of 1970. Arguably, his finest year was in 1972 as Pappas compiled a 17-7 win-loss record and a top ten in the Cy Young award voting.

Pappas finished his career in 1973 with a 209 - 164 record, 3186 innings pitched and a better than 2 to 1 strikeout to walk ratio (1728 to 858). With 110 wins as an Oriole, Pappas came within one win shy of achieving 100 wins in the NL as well. Pappas would have been just the eighth pitcher to achieve 100 wins in both leagues joining; Cy Young, Al Orth, Jim Bunning, Gaylord Perry, Nolan Ryan, Ferguson Jenkins and Dennis Martinez.

Once again, Pappas was just one shy of being part of an exclusive club. So today I honor Milt Pappas and being just one shy . . .

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".

They really know how to make me cry

. . . well, I did not actually cry but the MLB Network had a long (way too long in my opinion) segment on the 1969 Mets. The "Miracle Mets" as they have been called.

First they played almost flawless baseball and overtook the Chicago Cubs down the stretch in September, then go on to beat the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS. And then to make their year complete, they faced the highly favored Baltimore Orioles and rose once again and beat them 4 games to 1 for their first World Championship.

The pitching staff that included Seaver, Koosman, and Ryan shut down all opponents when they needed to. Jones and Agee provided the defensive highlights and clutch hitting by Weis and Kranepool was all they needed.

These are three of my least favorite cards in my collection. No, I wont ever burn them or destroy them . . . they just make me think of the day when the Cubs will "celebrate" and become World Champions. I just dont like being reminded of the "collapse" and heartbreak from 1969.

I guess after forty years one should "get over it" and be able to watch highlights but . . . my boyhood memories are as strong as ever. Thanks MLB Network for reminding me . . . and almost making a grown man cry, almost.

The best day of any week

The best part of yesterday's "big" game being done and over is that today is Monday and mail delivery continues. Today could mark the best day of any week, I received a package from Johngy, yes the one and only John who sends cards to us collectors "just because" he is a wonderful human being. John noticed my want list and sent me over 30 cards, all Topps 1970 and all that I needed to help get me closer to completing my set. I now have 649 / 720 (90%) and getting closer is always nice.

Here are a few of my favorites from what John sent me:

Don Buford: former White Sox and Oriole (5 years with each team), as a switch hitter he batted first most of his career and boasts the lowest GIDP ratio (grounded into double play) of 1 to 138 at bats hitting into only 34 career DP's. Buford was also the first Baltimore Oriole to hit a homerun from both sides of the plate in the same game, April 9, 1970. Buford also hit a leadoff homerun in the first game of the 1969 world series.

How can you not like any Seattle Pilot card (talk about one year wonders). After the inaugural season of 1969 the Pilots moved to Milwaukee and are forever known as the Brewers. So these two cards are always treasured though I am still searching for that elusive team card # 713. On the left is Greg Goosen (#271) who had his career year in 1969 with the Pilots, hitting 10 HR's and a .309 BA. Goosen had a short career of six years playing in only 193 games having 460 at bats and striking out 112 times. And John Gelnar (#393) showing off the full front view of the Pilot uniform also had a brief career of 5 years, appearing in only 111 games and 230 innings with a career record of 7 and 14. But they are part of history as players from the "one year only" 1969 Seattle Pilots.

One of the most unlikely MVP winners (1965) is Zoilo ("Zorro") Versalles. A solid leadoff man, with excellent base running skills and a solid glove, Versalles played for the Minnesota Twins for seven years (1961 to 1967) until being traded five times in the next five years. Versalles started the 1969 campaign with Cleveland and ended up in Washington with very non-MVP numbers. He was considered the "sparkplug" that led the Twins to the first World Series in 1965 and he led the AL in runs scored, double, triples and at bats. Two All Star games, two gold gloves and an MVP yet he is probably best known in the card collecting world with his "famous" 1961 uncorrected error card spelling his first name as "Zorro".

Another real nice card John sent is the "Birds Wrap it Up" (#201) as the Orioles sweep the Twins in the very first ALCS. That is the powerful Boog Powell catching the final out with Ellie Hendricks screaming with joy. Unfortunately the 109 wins the Orioles had in 1969 were not enough to beat the "miracle" Mets in the World Series that year but . . . . I will not end this post on a downer since John was so generous, so thank you John for making the Monday after the "super" sunday so terrific. You made today the best day of any week.

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” . . .