#401 Jim Nash

Rookie one half season wonder....oh so good in 1966 with a 12-1 record in 18 starts....2.06 ERA too...part of the early stages of a youth movement that ushered the A’s franchise out of perennial loser column....never achieved those heights again but was able eke out a regular rotation spot for A’s and Atlanta...mixed results took on 17 losses along with teammates Lew Krause and Catfish Hunter in 1967...had an excellent 2.28 ERA in 1968....regressed to 8-8 in 1969....subsequently went 22-16 over two season in Atlanta but a rising ERA highlighted a loss of effectiveness....With a ballooning ERA was traded by the Atlanta Braves with Gary Neibauer to the Philadelphia Phillies for Joe Hoerner and young Andre Thornton...negating trade, Nash lost all eight games he started...while Hoerner who was having a decent season also floundered in his new digs.

#402 Bob Heise

Reserve infielder never holding one position...well traveled with 7 teams over 11 seasons...light hitter in the Duane Kupier mode; one home run in a 1000+ at bats....last name pronounced Hi-see like the kid’s drink......Started with Mets, most of his work came in travels to San Francisco and Milwaukee, ….Did short stints with Cards, Red Sox, Angels and Royals…. at his best was 1972 when he hit in .266 in over 271 at bats…..nearly twenty points better than his career .247 mark....played 2^nd, 3^rd, and shortstop....able to keep a roster spot up to the 1977 season with KC…. after baseball worked in law enforcement…has battled Cancer and Parkinson’s disease.

#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.

#404 Jeff Torborg

Sold to cross town to Angels for 1971...known mostly for catching no hitters by Dodger pitchers Sandy Koufax, Bill Singer, and the Angel's Nolan Ryan ... Took the express route to the Dodgers based on his college days at Rutgers.... Always a backup, behind Roseboro, Haller,  never could hit well enough to justify more work...His time with the Angels was closer to a regular gig having to compete with the likes of fellow cast offs John Stephenson, Art Kusnyer, Jerry Moses to name a few....suffice to say at this time offensive output at catching was not an Angel strong suit...closest he came to regular status was 1973...220 At bats, 18 RBIs, .220 BA, 56 hits all career highs....oddly enough last season as a player...Broke on the managerial scene 1977 and became the skipper for Indians, White Sox, Mets, Expos, and Marlins....high point being two second place finishes in 1990 and 1991 in Chicago.

#405 Ron Fairly

Be fair in an overview; a Canadian fixture and a veteran influence on both their fledgling teams...a talented hitter with good consistency....Started as Dodger fixture 1960’s...his offensive status enhanced by the team philosophy of pitch definitely, hit maybe....drove in six of L.A.’s 21 runs in the pitching heavy 1965 World Series....with the departure of Sandy K went into offensive funk for t he rest of his L.A. days....One theory, the Dodger infield grass was longer to slow up ground ball, problem was the home team lived or died via the line drive... Trade to Montreal allowed a new start and rejuvenation...Hit well despite cold northern air....Veteran presence and consistent home run and RBI numbers....was tops in many offensive categories along with Rusty Staub or Bob Bailey....With Staub’s departure takes over team hitting honors 1972...Road eventually led to St. Louis and late season acquisition to Oakland 1976... Trade to Toronto starts his second go round with a Canada expansion team...put up numbers that rival his best Dodger or Expo days....first Blue Jay all star rep....his last season 1978 finishes back in So Cal with the Angels....21 seasons in all

#406 George Hendrick

Teemed with talent but was branded lackadaisical and socially evasive by some....minor infractions but still clouds the fact he had above average stats as a whole over 18 seasons…first pick in 1968 amateur draft by Oakland A’s following the train of thought of drafting hard hitting outfielders to rebuild the franchise...climbed quickly up the ranks...played parts of 1971 and 72....highlight of that his time on the West Coast was replacing an injured Reggie Jackson in 1972....a trade to Cleveland allowed him to get playing time...George responded in kind by averaging over 20 home runs over 4 seasons....hit over .300 for the first time in one full season in San Diego, 1977....with a slower start in 1978 was traded to St Louis where he did his best body of work...122 of his 267 career home runs were hit in a Cardinal uniform....Finishes up career in Pittsburgh and California 1985-1988 with part time work.

#407 Chuck Taylor

The man not the shoes…An eight year MLB career essentially in two three year acts with a two years of obscurity sandwiched in the middle.....Act 1: Secured a spot on Cardinal staff 1969 after an eight year farm club odyssey....performed in a  mixed bullpen/spot starter role...worked his way reliever for 1970-71….His trade was decidedly unsuccessful in the Big Apple...picked up on waviers by Brewers for the end of the season where he redeemed a bit of his season...Also released by Milwaukee just be but picked by the Expos....Act 2:   Played AAA most of 1973 but was able to share the #1 Expo fireman role with Dale Murray after Mike Marshall’s exit the following season…played two more seasons in Quebec, gradually losing effectiveness similar to his days in St Louis....left game in 1976 

#408 Jim Northrup

High concept plotline:  home state Michigan boy hits Grand slam in the big game…In 1968 hits four grand slams in the regular season and a game breaking one in the World Series....his blast off of Cardinal Larry Jaster offering seemingly turned the tide of the series....all in all had 8 grand slams in his career...hit 153 home runs in career....strung along several consistent seasons but 1968 stands out because of his good numbers in a pitcher dominated year...his prime time continued through 1971....started to take a back seat thereafter but still a valued reserve...last season in Detroit was 1974....played most of season but was passed off to Montreal then Baltimore in the last two months of the campaign....Oriole made the playoff but Jim did not play....stuck around with the birds one more season as a reserve hit .273 which was 6 points above his career BA ....like so many of 1972 Tiger teammates, began with the team in the sixties and worked his way up....distinct feature; a prematurely gray head of hair....passed away in 2011.

#409 Frank Baker

Groomed as heir apparent to Yankee Gene Michael’s shortstop spot…never materialized….fielding appeared to be there but not the bat ….couldn’t even match Gene’s banjo numbers….A career closely aligned with that of Tom Shopay ....Both started in the Yankees chain then becoming fixtures in Baltimore farm system.....a couple of September call ups for the Orioles to finish out his career.... played at the same time as another Frank Baker who was an Cleveland Indian outfielder in 1969 and 1971....played against each other in 2 games....neither player should be confused with Frank “home run”  Baker the dead ball slugger who had a whopping 96 career homers and a place in the Hall of Fame....Cleveland Frank had 4 home runs and this Frank 3.

#410 Ferguson Jenkins

Overpowering, workhorse Canadian….6 straight seasons of 20 game wins on the North side…easy ticket to the Hall of Fame….trade from Phillies may have the Cub’s best trade ever at a time when Chicago was famous for getting taken in the Lou Brock deal….has a 6’5” frame.... could also hit for power…13 home runs and twice was summoned to the plate in the DH era….NL Cy Young winner 1971 although award was somewhat overshadowed by the Vida Blue/Mickey Lolich duel for AL honors….many years Fergie surrendered league highs in home runs, but his  few walks minimizes the damage….if teamed with Sam McDowell could have been the intimidating stare down staff ever….20  game win streak busted by a subpar 1973, prompting a trade to Texas….new digs paid huge dividends…career high 25 wins…instrumental in the Ranger’s ascension from baseball worst team to 2^nd in the AL west in one years….one more year in the Lone Star State and then moved on to Boston….Stationed on the east coast his two stint could best be described as pedestrian… 1978:  strong in a second return to Texas by going 18-8….continued winning for another year and .500 record in the next…took a second return to Cubs where he had so much previous success for last three years ending in 1983….favorite story:  picked up a hitchhiker in route to Texas Spring Training so he wouldn’t drive alone….unfortunately there is no post season story whatsoever in Fergie’s storied career….awesome combo control and power resulting in an outstanding walk to strikeout ratio.