Nitty Gritty Card of the Day

Today's Nitty Gritty Card of the Day once again comes from my favorite Topps set of all time, 1965 Topps Baseball. It is card #260 of Hall of Fame hurler Don Drysdale. My want list for this set stops at 252, so I didn't get to scratch this card off, but considering I how 83 cards from #1 up to 100, I think I might add another 36 cards (4 pages) to my list.

Most of my '65s have come from my local card shop - he has a knack for finding big lots in decent condition at good prices and ALWAYS calls me when these blue backed beauties walk in. This particular card was a gift to myself courtesy of an auction site. I had a gift card with $2.77 left on it so I started searching the 'Bay and I set the parameters to look for cards with free shipping ranging in cost from .01 up to $2.77. I searched key word 1965 Topps and within the first page I found this card. I really couldn't believe it. This 45 year old piece of cardboard was mailed to me for LESS than the cost of a single pack of 2010 Topps baseball. That blew me away.

The value makes the card better, but what makes it great is that it is in fact a card of Don Drysdale. Truly one of the best ever. 1965 was one of his best seasons, too. The back of the card mentions that DD hit 7 homers in 1958. The cartoon proclaims the hurler as Ruthian. Well, in 1965 he equaled that total and did it with an amazing stat line, batting .300 with 7 homers, 19 RBI, 18 runs scored and a .508 slugging percentage.

On the mound in '65 he was 23-12 with a 2.77 ERA in 42 starts. He threw 20 complete games, 7 shutouts and struck on 210 batters in over 300 innings pitched. His Dodgers finished 1st in the National League - a fact that is documented in pencil in the top corner of the card. That is probably the reason I was able to snag this card for under 2 bucks. DD and the Dodgers followed their hot season into the World Series and beat the Twins to win Drysdale his 3rd ring with the Dodgers. He was Los Angeles' game 1 starter, but got knocked out quickly. He returned to start Game 4 and pitched a complete game 5 hitter, striking out 11 Twins as the Dodgers won 7-2. Don Drysdale would retire a couple of years after this card came out.

He spent his entire 14 year career with the Dodgers in Brooklyn and LA. Over that time he was a 9 time All Star and started the game 5 times. He won 12 or more games 12 years in a row and struck out more than 200 batters 6 times, leading the league in that category 3 times. He retired in 1969 at the young age of 32, a time when many pitchers are just finding their stride. He left behind a career tally of 209-166 with a career ERA of just 2.95.

Despite his early exit from the game, he ranks in the top 30 of All Time in several categories. His 2486 strikeouts are 30th best, while his 49 shutouts is 21st best. His scariest stat is the unfortunate 154 who were hit by Drysdale. He led the league in hit batsmen 5 times and ranks 18th All Time in that category and I bet each of the 154 victims will never forget that experience.

Don Drysdale was finally voted in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984, his 10th year on the ballot. I have only seen him pitch in videos of classic games, and it isn't possible to capture his brilliance on the field in a short blog post, but he epitomizes Nitty Gritty.

I love this game, I love this hobby! 45 years LATER.

A Nitty Gritty Contest...

I had a promised a little contest over here if this page reached 25 followers. It is currently at 26 so I figure I owe you guys. I am giving away some serious cards on my other page. I am gonna start slow here with one card. The last 4 cards I have posted here have been of Hall of Famers, I am one person who believes that this player belongs in the Hall of Fame, too. He holds the NL record for playing in 1207 consecutive games, he was a 10-time All Star who started the game 9 times, once as a write-in. He owns a .338 career postseason batting average with 8 doubles, 3 triples and 11 homers in October. He also had 31 RBIS and a couple of steals. He was part of 5 NL Pennant winning teams over his career and was a World Champion with the Dodgers in 1981. He won 4 Gold Gloves, topped the 200 hit plateau 6-times and paced the NL in hits twice. He won the NL MVP Award in 1974, was the All Star MVP and the NLCS MVP in 1978 and won a second NLCS MVP in 1984. He took the Roberto Clemente Award in 1981 and the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award in 1984. He was one of the most consistent hitters and fielders in the National League throughout his 19 year career. His 2,599 hits ranks him 75th of all time. He topped the 300 mark 16 times over his career and owns a lifetime .294 average. He appeared on the HOF ballot for the maximum of 15 times, achieving his highest support of 42%, his first year on the ballot in 1993. He is currently in Hall of Fame limbo. I should have mentioned that I was speaking of first baseman Steve Garvey, but I figured that you guys are smart and could figure that out. The card of him that will serve as prize is a 2002 Upper Deck Sweet Spot Classic game used bat card. This is from the days when the back of the card actually said “On the front of the card is an authentic piece of a bat used by Steve Garvey in an official Major League Baseball game.” I will try and throw in a few extras with this for whomever the randomizer chooses. Thanks to everyone for reading. To enter, just comment with your name. Be sure that you are following this blog and that it is on your blogrolls. To enter you must comment on this post. There will be 2 days to enter. I put up a poll to go along with it, when the poll closes, so does the contest. The poll question is "Does Steve Garvey belong in Cooperstown?". Thanks! If you keep reading, I will keep on posting. A different vintage card EVERY day. Good luck! Later.

The Nitty Gritty Card of the Day-1965 Topps Bill Mazeroski

Today’s card of the day is number 95 from the 1965 Topps set of Pirates second baseman Bill Mazeroski. According to the poll on my other blog, the Collective Troll, Maz is in a heated race with his former teammate Roy Face and fellow Hall of Famer Larry Doby to be the next player that I collect. I am not going to go over any of Maz’s career numbers, but you can find all of his career stats right HERE. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2001 based on the amazing glove work he provided over his 17 year career with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was a decent hitter who hit one of the most famous homeruns in MLB history. A walk-off winner against the Yankees in the 1960 World Series. Topps mentions that one on the back of the card along with his complete major and minor stats. 1965 is one of my favorite sets of all time, I love the design and the photography, but the cartoons on the blue card backs seal it for me. Maz was a ten-time All Star and won 8 Gold Gloves. He led the NL in fielding percentage 3 times and owns a career mark of .983. More impressively, he led the NL in assists 9 times and double plays 8. In 1961 Maz turned 144 double plays and over his career he turned two 1706 times, which is a major league record for second baseman. Thanks in part to his famous homerun and leading the Pirates to a World Championship in 1960, the Sporting News named Maz the Major League Player of the Year in 1960. He retired after the 1972 season, one year after winning a second World Series with the Bucs. Don’t forget, there is just one more day to vote for my new player collection. That also means just one more day till the big CT Contest Giveaway! Thanks for reading! 45 years LATER!

1978 Topps Card #15, Hall of Famer Tony Perez!

Today’s card of the day is card #15 of Tony Perez, shown here with the Montreal Expos. Tony looks like he is on the verge of tears in this picture. Perhaps this is because after 16 years, 7 All Star Appearances and 4 National League Pennants with the Cincinnati Reds, the Reds traded him to the Montreal Expos. The Reds picked up an iffy starter (Woodie Fryman) and a decent middle reliever (Dale Murray), but they ended an era of greatness by shipping Perez away, especially to the Montreal Expos. The Spos fielded a decent team in ’77, Tony Perez played first and hit 19 homers and another HOFer, Gary Carter was the catcher and team leader in homers with 31. They also had Ellis Valentine (25 HR), Andre Dawson (19 HR), Larry Parrish (11 HR) and Del Unser (12 HR). It wasn’t a bad team, they finished below .500 and in 5th place in the NL, but it wasn’t because of a lack of offense. In 1977, his first year in Montreal, he batted .283, hit 19 homers and also drove in 91 runs. It was the 11th straight season that Perez drove in 90 or more runs, his best year coming in 1970 when he brought 129 runners home. This is a pretty awful picture for such a great player… I don’t like seeing anyone without a hat on a baseball card, but seeing Perez at 35 years of age, wearing a uniform other than the Reds makes me want to cry to. Fortunately for Tony his sentence in Montreal wasn’t too long. In 1980 he would be a free agent and sign on with the Boston Red Sox and have career resurgence at age 38 playing on a team with 4 future Hall of Fame sluggers and leading that team in homeruns, RBI and hits. Perez would continue on and play for the Phillies, and lead them to an NL pennant in '83, and then returned to the Reds again before retiring after the 1986 season at age 44 on the team that he began his career with. His career lasted a remarkable 23 seasons and over that career he belted 379 homeruns (60th All Time) and drove in 1,652 runs (27th All Time). He never led the league in any one offensive category, he was never an MVP award winner (except for the ’67 ALL STAR game), but he was a fantastic fielding first baseman, a team leader, a winner and one of the classiest people to play the game. He was also one of the most feared hitters of the 70s. He averaged 23 homeruns and 90 runs batted in for the decade. He was also intentionally walked 150 times (including twice his final season), which is good for 42nd in baseball history. This is particularly impressive because Perez always played on strong offensive ball clubs with a lot of depth in the lineup. The “Big Doggy” hit a grand slam in 1985 (at age 43) becoming the oldest player to accomplish that feat, the 1986 Topps card #205 documented that. His 3 years in Montreal were just a part of his storied career. It’s over now Tony, you’re in the Hall of Fame (Class of 2000) and you don’t have to play for the Expos again, wipe away your tears… Now, it is time for the…
The Nitty Gritty
Name/Number: Tony Perez, number 24.
Position: First base
Age-Now and Then: 67, he was 35.
Team’s 1977 Record: 75-87, 5th in NL West
Topps Rookie Card: 1965 Topps, card #581, with Kevin Collins and Dave Ricketts.
Number of Topps Base Cards: 23, last card was 1986 Topps #85 (with Eric Davis) - I always considered this a changing of the guard card.
Playball! Foul out.
1977 Stats Line: .283/19/91
Awards in 1977: Neither the Expos nor the Reds made the Playoffs in ’77.
Distinguishing Feature: Sad face.
Similar Modern Player: Carlos Pena.
What I said about this card then: Why so sad Tony?
What I think about this card now: Seriously, you are one of the best players in baseball history, quit your crying and put on a hat!
Back of the card memorable moment: There’s no room with his stats… He had 296 career homers at the start of the ’78 season.
Back of the card “fun fact”: Again, no room. He was born on 5-14-42 in Camaguey, Cuba.
The condition: Near mint.
Grooviness factor: It’s difficult to simultaneously cry and be groovy, but the baby-blue uniform with the red, white and blue M is pretty groovy…
Wow! Factor: Sparky Anderson called Perez the “heart and soul of the Big Red Machine”; I can’t believe that they would trade him. Is nothing sacred?
What’s weird about this card: Well first off there is no crying in baseball; second, seeing Perez in an Expos uniform is pure weird.
Career Accolades: Won two World Series with the Reds. 7-time All Star. Hall of Fame in 2000.
Best Season: In 1970 Perez batted .317 with 40 homers and 129 RBI, scoring 107 runs, posting a .589 slugging % and winning the NL Pennant.
Nitty Gritty Fun Facts: Tony Perez won the Pacific Coast League MVP in 1964 while playing for the San Diego Padres. He batted .309 with 34 homers and 107 RBIs and earned a promotion to the Reds.
Where are they now?: Perez is currently a special assistant to the general manager of the Florida Marlins.
Well, after a long hiatus, the Nitty Gritty Train is moving right along again. Tony Perez is one of my all time favorite players, but this is one ugly card. On deck is card #16 of Yankees outfielder Roy White. 31 years LATER!