#129 Charlie Fox

A true company man....long time Giant farm system skipper elevated to the big club....ironically grew up near the Polo Grounds and was part of NY devoted population....spent much of his early career in the late 40’s and 50’s being player/manager  for the St. Cloud Rox of the Northern League...future stars Willie Kirkland, Leon Wagner, and Orlando Cepeda passed along the way....In the 60’s moved to the Giant’s scouting corps, managing Arizona Winter League in the Phoenix area and third base coaching with Giants....managed at AAA level in Tacoma 1964 and Phoenix 1969....brought in to an underachieving and  floundering SF Giant team in 1970....at the time was four games under .500....produced a squad finishing 10 games above .500....follows up in 1971 with a hard fought West Division pennant and a first time birth in the NLCS....took home Sporting News Manager of the year award....it came crashing down however as 1972 uncovered an aging, often injured roster....subsequent years brought on see-saw results....dismissed mid season 1974....was able to resurface twice in MLB as an interim managers..... also rans Montreal (1976) and Chicago Cubs (1983).....hence served in various baseball capacities from scout to all the way up to Expos GM....As a player at the very start of career was able to make the NY Giants for 3 games in 1942....further time in a MLB uniform was blocked by catcher Wes Westrum who would be eventually be a Giant coach under Fox....known as an easygoing manager by players....recalled as having a talent for storytelling aided by a light Irish wit....passed away 2004 at age 82.

#147 Dave Kingman

King Kong....stood 6’ 6”....few have ever swung a Louisville Slugger so hard....442 direct connections over a MLB fence....but a lot of misses too as evidenced by 1,816 strikeouts....twice a home run champion and three time strikeout leader (for a batter)....sometimes in the same season....never hit for a high average....when on his game expect ..270 to .290 BA....his story begins by signing the Giants after being on NCAA 1970 Champs USC....hit for power and average in minors....MLB debut July 30 1971 after driving in 99 runs in 104 games for PCL Phoenix....In his partial season hit .270 with 7 homers in 115 at bats...but his 35 strikeouts were a harbinger of things to come..... first full season made a name for himself with 29 homers and 140 strikeout....BA dropped to .225 which turned out to be the norm for his Giants days....Kingman hits 42 over the fence in next two seasons but has limited playing –being something of a liability in field and being unable to secure a steady position....change came via being sold to Mets in 1975....more playing results in 73 homers in next two years....1977 with a looming free agency Kingman is given the distinction of playing for 4 teams (the two NY, San Diego, and Angels; a team from each division, only person ever to do so)....hit at least one home run for every squad; the only person to do so....Signs with Cubs in what would turn out to be a three year stint....far and away his best batting average for any team; a healthy .278.....Cubbies days includes his best season circa 1979....lead NL with 48 home runs, slugging average....and strikeouts but 131 whiffs was decidedly low for him....took a return ticket to NY Mets with another three year run starting 1981....once again led NL in home run/strikeouts but hitting average was under his weight for his stay....after hitting .198 released in 1983....picked up by the Oakland A’s.....an excellent comeback in 1984 nearing his 1979 output....35 home runs, 115 RBIs, .268 BA....held on as an A for two more years....racking up 100 home runs in his final 3 years....a feat few can claim....a couple more seasons given his finishing stride, Kingman could have reached 500 home run....his one dimension play most likely would have kept him from HOF.....also hampered by the fact he was on losing teams most of his career, with only one post season coming in rookie year of 1971.  

  

#185-6 Ron Bryant Ron Bryant In Action

A nova that shone briefly then dropped off....an enigma, not much is known about him....came up to the bigs in the usual way for the time....Drafted at 22^nd round by Giants in 1965 draft....worked his way up the farm system and eventually the big club....first as a swingman eventually morphing into a starter....22 starts and lowered ERA  in 1971 upgraded his status as the rearguard starter to Gaylord Perry and Juan Marichial....becomes the club leader in wins a lone bright spot in the wake of the disastrous Perry trade and Marichial’s age....in reality it was his best effort with a sub 3.00 ERA and 4 shutouts....won 10 more games in 1973 to go 24-12....far and away the most wins in NL....was third in NL Cy Young voting but ERA went up and no shut outs....exceptional record seem to more about luck than improving his game....information is spotty, but the consensus is Bryant hurt his back in a diving pool accident during 1974 Spring training...carried on but suffered a nightmarish 3-15 record and surrendered two more runs per game....damaged goods....traded to Cards who tossed him in few games with extremely poor results...let go mid-season 1975....note baseball reference indicates Ron appearing in 21 AAA games in 1976 but no pitching record other than 2-7 win loss is given....fittingly strange end.

#327 Steve Stone

An interesting man on three levels....Somewhat of a renaissance man, well educated and articulate, a poet.....Post baseball career a longer White Sox colorman....As a baseball player on its own one milestone standout....A long career in broadcasting and ne season in a otherwise up and down career with wider range between the points than most of his like peers....so good in 1980 racking up 25 wins and the AL Cy Young.....lows: was the immediate career ending injury and loss of effectiveness....rookie debut 1971 San Francisco Giants....not fully ingrained with the rotation....traded to White Sox for 1973 with lesser results....took cross town flight to Cubs 1973-6 with mixed results... a two time free agent first was the reacquisition by the pale sox brought his first 15 game win season in 1977...lower ERA in 1978 but won 3 less games victim of the Sox being bled white offensively....Second free agency landed Stone in Baltimore....OK at 11-7 as a fourth starter in 1979 but blossomed into a force 1980....25-7 record, best in AL with a Cy Young award on top...in a Faustian twist, an encore never materialized....developed arm trouble and never got untracked....retired from playing after 1981....A winning career line at 107-93 W-L, minus 1980 it would have been 82-86.  

#403 John Cumberland

Glory was gone after this card was printed....one of several candidates struggling for multiple vacant spots after Gaylord Perry and Juan Marichal in the Giants’ starting rotation….was able to begin 21 games, 17 in middle relief, and finished 7....his 1971 9-6  record was a career pinnacle....second on team in ERA....bottom dropped out 1972 with 1-5 record starting with the Giants then the Cardinals...had beginnings  in Yankees organization... never did break through to regular work....most significant output in pinstripes was 3-4 record over 15 games covering 64 innings....had a brief resurface with Angels in 1974.

#427-428 Tito Fuentes

Very solid body of work....a fixture at San Francisco’s 2^nd base for 6 out of 9 seasons  starting in 1966....a poor 1967 resulted spending all of 1968 in minors then a split time between levels in 1969....became the established  2^nd baseman in 1970 to 1974....line drive hitter and consistent for 9 seasons....Traded to Padres prior to 1975.....played for two seasons and his numbers met expectations....but most interestingly had his best season in 1977 while playing for the Tigers.... hit .309 and was 2nd in AL in singles....next season was sold to Expos in order for Tigers to make room for a young Lou Whitaker...Never played in Montreal....released before season started..... mid season ended career with a few at bats and awkward .140 average in veteran hungry Oakland....Career totals were 45 home runs, 438 RBIs, and .268 batting average.

#509 Don McMahon

The Giant’s  journeyman reliever who sometimes got better with age.... career high win total of 10 in 1971 working on  a trade spanning from 1957 to 1974...Man in the Lindy McDaniel mode....off setting his 1971 win total was his career second worst 4.03 ERA....Extremely well travel...Resume include his origin as a Milwaukee Brave....debuted  in 1957 with a strong 1.57 ERA....named to all star team in sophomore season but finished up with a rather pedestrian 3.68 ERA, a figure well above his career average....better season in 1959 when he lead NL in appearances and lowered ERA by a run per 9 inning game.....career had ups and downs eventually became a Colt .45, Cleveland Indian, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, and Detroit Tiger before finishing up with SF....Don gave fair effort to all clubs with no ERA over 3.35 for any team....Post season includes WS appearances in 1957, 1958, and 1968 and a NLCS 1971.....Released by resigned by Giants twice after 1972.....Oldest player in baseball 1973-74.....Released for good in 1974.....Died young at age 57.

#567 Juan Marichal #568 In Action - Juan Marichal

A premiere pitcher of the 60’s…. Dominant Dominican Republic Right hander….HOF ….Unique high kick pitching style…signed during the New York Giant era, tore up minors and made smooth transition to San Francisco, going 6-2 in eleven games….next two season he would improve his standing on the staff winning 13 and 18….Breakout was in 1963 which brought 25 wins and a no hitter… Won a 16 inning complete game against Warren Spahn which some considered the greatest pitching duel ever… started an impressive resume won over 20 games in a 6 out of 7 year stretch…exemplary seasons are 1969: 21 wins and NL ERA crown:  1968 career and NL season best of 26 wins most complete games… All star game appearance in 8 out of 9 years… ….despite high sucess no Cy Young…overshadowed by Koufax in the first half of the decade and Bob Gibson in the later half….also contributing to lack of recognition was the Giants inability to make the postseason and the ugly John Roseboro incident…did not garner the high win total that was typical fashion in 1970…  in a small comeback 1971 was his last productive year …declined afterwards…14  seasons by the bay ended in 1974 with trade to Boston and his playing days over soon after….Elected to the hall of fame in 1983 a couple of years behind Bob Gibson.....“If you placed all the pitchers in the history of the game behind a transparent curtain, where only a silhouette was visible, Juan’s motion would be the easiest to identify. He brought to the mound beauty, individuality and class." — Bob Stevens in "Baseball’s Greatest Quotes" (1982)….Juan’s career is the subject of 3 books in recent years:   Juan Marichal : my journey from the Dominican Republic to Cooperstown,  The greatest game ever pitched : Juan Marichal, Warren Spahn, and the pitching duel of the century,  The fight of their lives : how Juan Marichal and John Roseboro turned baseball's ugliest brawl into a story of forgiveness and redemption.

#643 Russ Gibson

Boston local (Fall River, MA), minor league veteran makes Red Sox…debuted at age 27…was back up or platoon catcher for majority of career…rookie season was 1967 just in time for the Red Sox’s ascendency to the WS…had the dubious distinction of being the best hitting catcher on the squad with a .203 average…Red Sox won anyway despite the offensive abyss that was the catcher position…stuck around Boston for next two seasons…high water mark was 1969 when he hit .251 in 287 Abs…sent to Giants for cash…Achieved 2^nd catcher status but was buried behind Dick Dietz career year…1971 lost more playing to Dietz and rookie Fran Healy…had minimal work in 1972 splitting time between AAA Phoenix and Giants…Passed away in 2008

#682 Mike McCormick

One last shot in his third return to the bay area….Not to be, never played again in big league ball*….A holdover the Giants days in New York…was a 50K bonus baby….went from high school to Polo grounds in a week…a start of a career of  two ascendancies…Gradually gained effectiveness peaking in 1960 by winning 15 games and ERA crown…After another season of 200+ innings arm troubles developed…Eventually a trade to Baltimore was made and Mike’s fortunes continued to wane even further resulting in a demotion to AAA Rochester…Traded to Washington for a low minor leaguer and cash…In two years with the Nats, Mike reestablishes himself as a starter albeit on bad teams…His return to the bay, Mike wins the Cy Young award in the sans Koufax year of 1967….His record of 22-8 outpitches future Hall of Famers Gaylord Perry and Juan Marichall…. In 1968 and 1969 McCormick returns to a more natural order in rotation as 3^rd or 4^th starter winning 23 games and losing 24…In 1970 Mike starts to show signs of age and his ERA balloons…mid season trade to NY did not change matters around…released by NY, he picked up by KC….Makes a few appearances in May then released in June…Signed for 1972 by Giants…*spent the year splitting time at AAA Phoenix (Giants) and Hawaii (Padres)….both franchises are baseball’s “I still want to play” retirement homes…went 14-9 combined…played one more year in PCL going 8-14...Career figures, 134 wins, 128 loses, 3.73 ERA with no post season play. 

#693-694 In Action Al Gallagher

Dirty Al…possibly more for his uniform after a game than any particular behavior…Reportedly an easy going guy who likes to laugh and poke fun at himself (according to the 1971 edition of the Complete Handbook of Baseball)...A short career but holds an MLB record…Al Gallagher’s MLB record was set the day he was born….He is tied with one other MLB player with the most names…Has five middle names; Mitchell Edward George Patrick Henry….Like Rick Monday and Eddie Leon was drafted in the first round of the 1965 draft by San Francisco, his hometown…Took over at 3rd base in 1970 edging out several incumbents and Jim Davenport as Jim took over to the coaching ranks...Solid rookie season holding his own with .266 average....Strong follow up in 1971 increasing playing and all offensive figures...Line drive hitter with limited power but a good judge of the strike zone...had erratic yet powerful throwing arm...Put in poor numbers in 1972 signally the demise of his career...Traded to Angles just after the start of 1973 and hit .273...despite a fair average was not able to stick with big club for 1974....bounced around minor leagues eventually becoming a manager...was player manager in Lone Star League...tore up the league in its' only year of existence being the only player who had any MLB experience...Eventually spent last 20 years managing in independent minor leagues circuits.

In Action:  Taking a high throw at third, a Phillie slides in safe in front of many empty seats at Candlestick Park.  

#711-712 In Action Bobby Bonds

Combines Speed and Power unlike no one else did in 1971….HOF material if he could have hit for a higher average and skills not tailed off in his last 2 playing years…may have also suffered from playing at Candlestick swirling winds and poor conditions….tore up AAA Phoenix in 1968…Mid season call up and promptly hit a grand slam in first game and jelled well into the lineup… First full season, 1969 he socked 32 homers and led the NL in runs scored, making the bay area fans forget the decline of Jim Hart, the advancing age of Mays, and departure of Orlando Cepeda…mostly played leadoff which affected RBI total…Set records for leadoff home runs in a season and a career….Never achieved the first 40 hrs 40 SB mark but came as close as one can get with by hitting 39 HRs and swiping 43 bases in 1973…3 times all star and gold glove award winner…and 3 time most strikeouts…After seven years in Giant orange was traded to the Yankees….with this started a highly transitory career where Bonds averages a different club per season in his remaining seven years…best year in that time was 1977 for California Angels when he logged in 115 RBI’s..decline came quickly after trade to St Louis…finished off career in 1981 appearing 45 games for the hapless Chicago Cubs…worked as coach from 1984-1987….He and Barry hold virtually all offensive records by father-son duo in post steroid world….Died in 2003 not living to see Barry’s record....Career numbers, 7043 ABs, 332 HRS, 1024 RBIs, .268 AVG.

In Action Photo:  not much can be determined other than cream color uniform of the opposition is the San Diego Padres. Artificial turf is indicative of Candlestick Park... It looks like Bobby is laughing at himself for fouling off a pitch off that he could have driven into the construction zone of Candlestick Park.

#720 Sam McDowell

Suddenly, a man on a decline…. imposing, intimidating, overpowering, wild, and formidable star in Cleveland topping 300 K’s twice…was coming off one of his best campaigns in 1970 where he reached 20 wins…got the honor of playing infield twice during the year because of the creative mind of manager Alvin Dark….It goes like this according to SABRA bioproject.

July 6, 1970…. As the game moved to the eighth inning, Cleveland was holding on to a 6-4 lead. Washington center fielder Eddie Stroud led off with a single to right field and, one out later, shortstop Eddie Brinkman also singled. McDowell struck out Tom Grieve, but uncorked a wild pitch in the process, and Stroud and Brinkman moved up a base. Up stepped first baseman Frank Howard, a nemesis of McDowell’s, who already was 2-for-2 with two walks (one intentional) and a run scored. 

Indians manager Alvin Dark made his way to the mound. He made his plans clear. He told McDowell: “I think I’m going to put you on second base, move Eddie Leon to third and bring in (Dean) Chance to pitch to Howard.” Big Sam gulped, blinked his eyes, and agreed to the move. Later, he recalled, “When I could talk, I said, ‘That’s fine. . . . I can handle it.’” The 11,950 spectators buzzed as McDowell moved over to second, keystone sacker Leon replaced Graig Nettles at third base, and Dean Chance came in to face Howard.   Chance walked Howard intentionally to load the bases, the strategy being that perhaps Washington skipper Ted Williams would send a left-hander up to pinch-hit for the right-handed hitting Rick Reichardt and southpaw McDowell could return to the mound. But Williams let Reichardt hit, so everyone stayed at their positions.   Chance got Reichardt to hit to third, where Leon threw low to a kneeling McDowell at second base.   “I lost the ball momentarily in the crowd when Eddie threw but I knew it was coming in low,” McDowell recalled. “That’s why I went down on my knees for it.   Jack (Shortstop Jack Heidemann) kept telling me to make sure I covered second base on a ball hit on the ground.”   McDowell returned to the mound in the ninth and earned his 12th victory of the season by striking out the side, giving him 15 K’s for the game.   It was the eighth time he had achieved ten or more strikeouts in a game thus far that season.   

…Sam's started decline in 1971….a losing record and strikeout tally dropping to the lowest level since 1964, while most retaining the dubious title of most walks surrendered…The trade to the Giants is considered a failure especially since Gaylord Perry had a Cy Young year for the tribe…went 10-8 with a paltry 122 SO….one more win in SF and was eventually shipped Yankees in early 1973....then exiled to limited starter status and near complete disappearance....finished with Pirates circa 1975…. 6 time all star…5 time strikeout leader… and same number of walks too… Career strikeouts total of 2451 would have been larger if his career was not cut short by injuries and alcoholism…eventually entered rehabilitation and became an AODA counselor employed by various sport teams.

Jim in Downingtown covers his early career nicely in a recent post.

#733 Jim Ray Hart

Something of a Mystery…a player seeming destined to be on a par with teammates McCovey and Cepada ….rumored to have problems with alcohol…Jim came up 1963 but was injured after nearly successive beanings by Bob Gibson and Curt Simmons…exceptional power in the four years of career starting 1964…Finished 4^th, 6^th, and 5^th in NL home runs during 1964, 1966, and 1967 respectively…either an MVP candidate or all star during that span…experienced a slight decline in production in 1968…then it all unraveled… production, power, and playing time plunged in 1969, contrary to the expectation that expansion would dilute pitching resulting in increased scoring…3 hr, 26 RBI, .254 were the numbers in 1969…Started 1970 in Phoenix…Returned to the Giants July 7^th…On July 8^th had one his of greatest single games ever…hit for the cycle and drove in 7 runs…6 in one inning…According to 1974’s Who’s Who in Baseball Hart did not any time on the disabled list other than a month in 1971, a year which had very little playing time in either minor or major league level…1972 was spent mostly at Phoenix...all this time hitting never seemed to be issue, just didn’t play a lot….Sold to Yankees in first weeks of 1973, and made a modest comeback as a DH,  getting the most playing time in five seasons…released after a poor start in 1974…whereabouts today are unknown.

#739 Don Mason

I can’t say much about Don Mason…he was weak hitter on weak hitting San Diego squad (although not the all time franchise worst)… inexplicably got considerable of playing time at 2^nd base with Padres in 1971 a team that decided hitting or wasn’t needed in the game… The stats explain how that turned out teamed with Enzo Hernandez they had 893 AB resulting in a combined .217 avg. and 23 RBIs…. how's that for middle infield punch? … fielding  wasn’t required either for Don was third in NL 2^nd baseman errors despite only 90 games …Was signed by the Washington Senators and picked by the Giants for the 1966 season by the Giants…Rule 5 draftees are required to stay on the big league club for the year following the draft…Don rarely played and hit .120….Highlight of the season was hitting a home run for the solo run in 12-1 slaughter of the Giants by the Reds…Given Don was hitting .070 at the time, maybe some sympathy by opposing team was in play… after 1971 made super rare cameos in a Padres uniform the next two season garnering 20 AB….In my research, however I have come to the conclusion that Mason has been the least productive last name in baseball history…Don and his 3 hr, 27 RBI, .203 avg, Ranger/Yankee Jim Mason 1584 AB .203 avg. are the pillars to support my case …please write and post if I am wrong

*Don photo is interesting for it is the first one review showing the ongoing modification of Candlestick Park

#761 1972 A.L.-N.L. Rookie Card

A rare trans-league Rookie Card with two future star...(Sorry Ben I'm a little light on your bio)

 Ron Cey:  One of the mainstays of the Dodgers for next decade, then the Cubs…ROY…A consecutive six time all star …In 1972 Ron came off an incredible AAA season in Spokane(32Hr,123-RBIs, .328 Avg).  For whatever reason the Dodgers kept him down another where Ron basically repeated his performance in Albuquerque (23Hr,102-RBIs, .329 Avg).  This is odd given the Dodgers problems at third base at the time…Playing for Spokane was a natural for the native of Washington and attend school at nearby Washington State…his stint in Albuquerque was a return to where he played in the Texas league…A model of consistency in both bat and field...Next year Cey’s card is paired with Mike Schmidt, a card highly valued by collectors...Spent 4 years with the Cubs as vital cog in the club resurgence in 1984.

Ben Oglivie:  Unlike Cey Ben stay with the big club in 1972…but was only a bit player for both the Red Sox and then Detroit…stardom came with a trade to the Brewers although he never obtained the Cey’s notoriety and press billing.... but did hit more home runs in a season than the Penguin…had a career year in 1980 leading the AL in Home Runs plus an all star appearance and Sliver Slugger Award.

Bernie Williams: Bernie wasn’t even close to put the numbers of his card mates…See more information on the 1973 card blog site:  http://1973toppsphotography.blogspot.com/2011/12/other-bernie-williams.html  Williams career with the Giants was a case of bad timing for Gary Matthews and Garry Maddock were in the wings

#766 Steve Hamilton

The Floater man  I think Steve Hamilton had fun a baseball player...At least twice he threw a slow motion high arching ball high called the Folly Floater that got Cleveland’s Tony Horton out on foul catch by Thurman Munson 7/24/70…captured by the miracle of Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFvp7kMraAw … The Yankee Stadium crowd roared with delight…Horton is left crawling into the dugout…Maybe it’s the reason why Horton quit baseball next year (DK)…Also should be happy given he is in Giant’s uniform(airbrushed with a Cubs cap) having escaped early from the 1970 White Sox, a 106 game loser…Hamilton was the mainstay Yankee relief pitcher in the mid to late sixties…in 140 pinstripe appearances had a 34-20 record with 2.78 ERA, 36 saves…Like Ron Reed was also a NBA player Steve was a Minneapolis Lakers 1958-60…Prematurely grey which only added to a colorful career….Finished career with Cubs in 1972, 1-0 W-L, 4.76 ERA …Passed away in  1997 at age 63.

#771 San Francisco Giants

*  author's note this one is going to be tricky the first team card...  Depicted are the 1971 San Francisco Giants who made the divisional playoffs with a 90-72 record beating the Dodgers by one game. They were the first losing team to win a game since the start of divisional series taking the first game 5-4 over the eventual champs Pittsburg Pirates.  The nucleus of the team was a holdover from the teams of 1960’s that was often in a playoff hunt only to fall short (finishing 2nd five times from ’65 to ‘69).  This aging team was in its last hurrah, for in 1972 the Giant would revert to a 69-86 record, 26.5 games behind the Cincinnati Reds (the season was 7 games shorter because of a labor dispute).  Attendance almost dropped in half from 71 to 72.  This is was team that needed an overhaul. About the team card:  This is my first team card, so I have a lot to say.  Here goes…I don’t hate team cards but they are…wasteful.  The picture is too small to discriminate players (although the size of McCovey and distinctive look of Willie Mays can be made out here).  That stats on back have no bearing on the 1971 season (even making the divisional playoffs is not indicated) and this is the case for most of the team cards.  Then and now… Hitting: Eclipsed batting records are Double (4x’s), total bases, home runs (Barry Bonds 2001)   Here's a look at 1972 team records compared to Baseball reference.  A key difference is that baseball reference includes records from 1883 on, whereas Topps excludes all records from the 19th century or have a different minimum.
Batting Record in 1972		2013 status on Baseball Reference
At-bats		Unchanged
Runs		Now M Tierman with 147 (1889)
Hits		Unchanged
Singles		Unchanged
Doubles		Eclipsed 4 times Jeff Kent is now the leader.
Triples		1893 George Davis with 27.
Home Runs		Barry Bonds..insert comment here. Mays 52 hrs is now second.
Total Bases		Now Barry Bonds with 411
Run Batted In		Unchanged
Batting Average		Unchanged
Pitching		2013 Status
Games		The record is elipsed many times over Wilhelm’s mark.
Complete Games		Unchanged
Innings		Unchanged
Wins		Unchanged
Loses		Unchanged
Pct.		Whihelm’s .833 is now beat by Felix Rodriquez based on 9-1 record in 2001.

Pitching:  This is a difficult analysis; The Giants have 120 plus years of seasonal records, the nature of pitching has changed massively.  Some statistics have gone a massive change out (games appearances  some not at all (wins, losses, ERA), some records have changed by what Topps or MLB considered criteria at the time.