#639 Barry Moore - Washington Senators

Robert Barry Moore

Washington Senators
Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  190
Born:  April 3, 1943, Statesville, NC
Signed:  Signed by the Washington Senators as an amateur free agent before 1962 season
Major League Teams:  Washington Senators 1965-69; Cleveland Indians 1970; Chicago White Sox 1970

World Series Appearances:  XX

An alum of Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer, North Carolina, along with other notables such as Monty Montgomery, Billy Wynne and Jim Passaro, Sr., Barry Moore pitched in parts of six big league seasons, primarily with the Senators.  Moore was originally a starter, but gradually shifted to the bullpen over his career.  He pitched in one game in May 1965, not returning to the Senators until July 1966.  He'd join their starting pitching rotation in 1967, with only Phil Ortega (#406) and Camilo Pascual (#513) making more starts for Gil Hodges' (#564) squad.  In 27 games that season, Moore was 7-11 with a 3.76 ERA, including three complete games and one shutout.  His best season was likely 1968, when he was 4-6 with a 3.37 ERA in 32 games, including 18 starts.  

Moore struggled with wildness throughout his career, walking 300 and striking out 278 in 599 2/3 innings pitched.  He last appeared in the majors in 1970, but attempted a comeback over three seasons between 1971 and 1973 in the Pirates' system.  In 140 big league games, Moore was 26-37 with a 4.16 ERA.

Building the Set / Card #528
December 15, 2024 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)
On Sunday, December 15th, Doug and I attended the latest Philly Show, spaciously spread out inside Hall A of the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania.  I wrote a full show report over at The Phillies Room, including some thoughts on attending the show with our oldest son, who first graced the Philly Show floors back in 2012.

Having had success the prior two shows at Uncle Dick's Cards with his well-organized, neon common binders, I opted to pull up a chair once again at the friendly dealer's array of tables.  The aim was simple:  Clear out Uncle Dick's 1969 Topps commons, starting off where I had left off the year before with card #501 and going through the end of the set, card #664.  In less than 25 minutes, I completed my quest, and this is the 84th of 98 commons pulled from the binder.  After a generous dealer discount due to my bulk purchase, this card cost me less than $1.50.

The Card / Senators Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

The Senators updated their uniforms for the 1968 season, switching to a primarily red color scheme.  This photo was likely taken during spring training in 1969, given the lock-out against Topps the prior spring.  The cartoon on the back of the card celebrates Moore's 12 no-hitters as an amateur, and these would have come while pitching for his youth league/Legion teams or while at Pfeiffer.

Accuracy Index:  Moore's card earns a +5 for the accurate uniform.

1969 Season
With Ted Williams (#650) now managing the Senators, Moore slotted in as the team's fourth starter in 1969, behind Joe Coleman (#246), Dick Bosman (#607) and Jim Hannan (#106).  Moore was 9-8 with a 4.30 ERA in 31 games (25 starts), with four complete games and 134 innings pitched.  He had 67 walks to 51 strikeouts throughout the season.

1967 Topps #11

1968 Topps #462

1970 Topps #366

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1967 Topps #11
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (4):  1967-70
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1981 TCMA The 1960s II #360
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  12 in the Beckett online database as of 6/16/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

Blog Update

We'll be taking a little break as the summer kicks into high gear.  I'm looking forward to wrapping up the remaining small stack of cards yet to be featured from our December 2024 haul, and then getting back out to some local shows to find the remaining 105 cards needed for our set.

#638 Ed Sprague - Oakland Athletics / #640 Fergie Jenkins - Chicago Cubs

#638 Ed Sprague - Oakland Athletics

Edward Nelson Sprague
Oakland Athletics
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'4"  Weight:  195
Born:  September 16, 1945, Boston, MA
Signed:  Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent before 1966 season
Major League Teams:  Oakland Athletics 1968-69; Cincinnati Reds 1971-73; St. Louis Cardinals 1973; Milwaukee Brewers 1973-76

Died:  January 10, 2020, Lodi, CA (age 74)

Pitcher Ed Sprague played in parts of eight big league seasons, finding the most success late in his career as a converted starter for the Brewers.  Sprague came up with the Athletics in 1968, appearing in 47 games, and earning four saves.  He was one of the young team's most frequently used relievers, along with Jack Aker (#612), Diego Segui (#511) and Paul Lindblad (#449).  Sprague spent part of 1969 and all of 1970 back in the minor leagues, attempting his first conversion to a starting pitcher.  Traded to the Reds in October 1970, Sprague would appear in 33 games for the club in 1972 and 28 games in 1973, before another trade sent him briefly to the Cardinals.  The Brewers purchased his contract in September 1973, and Sprague's best stretch in the majors came during the 1974 season.  He was 7-2 with a 2.39 ERA in 20 games, including 10 starts, throwing three complete games.  Injuries must have cost him playing time, as he'd pitch sparingly for the Brewers over the next two seasons before retiring.  Sprague was 17-23 lifetime with a 3.84 ERA in 408 innings pitched.  He had nine career saves.

His son, Ed Sprague Jr., was an All-Star in 1999 for the Pirates, and a member of the 1992 and 1993 World Champion Blue Jays.  The younger Sprague played for 11 seasons, mostly with the Blue Jays, and collected 152 career home runs.

Building the Set / Card #527
December 15, 2024 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)
On Sunday, December 15th, Doug and I attended the latest Philly Show, spaciously spread out inside Hall A of the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania.  I wrote a full show report over at The Phillies Room, including some thoughts on attending the show with our oldest son, who first graced the Philly Show floors back in 2012.

Having had success the prior two shows at Uncle Dick's Cards with his well-organized, neon common binders, I opted to pull up a chair once again at the friendly dealer's array of tables.  The aim was simple:  Clear out Uncle Dick's 1969 Topps commons, starting off where I had left off the year before with card #501 and going through the end of the set, card #664.  In less than 25 minutes, I completed my quest, and this is the 83rd of 98 commons pulled from the binder.  After a generous dealer discount due to my bulk purchase, this card cost me less than $1.50.

The Card / Athletics Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

This is Sprague's rookie card, and despite his longevity in the majors and 198 games pitched, he only appeared on three total Topps flagship cards.  I guess the Topps cartoonist was tasked with drawing a California Girl for the cartoon on the back of the card.

Accuracy Index:  Sprague's card earns a +5 for the accurate uniform (and hat) depiction.

1969 Season
In 27 games for the Athletics, Sprague was 1-1 with a 4.47 ERA, all in relief.  He spent the summer months in the minor leagues with the Triple-A Iowa Oaks, where he was 7-5 with a 3.57 ERA in 15 starts.

1972 Topps #121

1975 Topps #76

1976 SSPC #230

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1969 Topps #638
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (3):  1969, 1972, 1975
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1976 SSPC #230
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  13 in the Beckett online database as of 6/14/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

#637 Padres Rookie Stars / #639 Barry Moore - Washington Senators

#637 Padres Rookie Stars - Jerry DaVanon / Frank Reberger / Clay Kirby

Frank Gerald DaVanon
San Diego Padres
Shortstop

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  175
Born:  August 21, 1945, Oceanside, CA
Drafted:  Drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1st round (17th pick) of the 1966 amateur draft, June 7, 1966
Major League Teams:  San Diego Padres 1969; St. Louis Cardinals 1969-70; Baltimore Orioles 1971; California Angels 1973; St. Louis Cardinals 1974; Houston Astros 1975-76; St. Louis Cardinals 1977

Frank Beall Reberger
San Diego Padres
Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'5"  Weight:  200
Born:  June 7, 1944, Caldwell, ID
Signed:  Signed by the Chicago Cubs as an amateur free agent, June 21, 1966
Major League Teams:  Chicago Cubs 1968; San Diego Padres 1969; San Francisco Giants 1970-72

Clayton Laws Kirby
San Diego Padres
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'3"  Weight:  175
Born:  June 25, 1948, Washington, DC
Drafted:  Drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 3rd round of the 1966 amateur draft, June 7, 1966
Major League Teams:  San Diego Padres 1969-73; Cincinnati Reds 1974-75; Montreal Expos 1976

Died:  October 11, 1991, Arlington, VA (age 43)

Originally drafted by the Cardinals, Jerry DaVanon would be left unprotected by his original team in the 1968 expansion draft, but he'd be acquired by the Cardinals via trade an unprecedented three times between 1969 and 1976.  DaVanon made the Padres' opening day roster and was briefly their starting shortstop before a slump and subsequent trade to the Cardinals (for the first time).  Never quite a regular in the majors, DaVanon bounced around between the minor and major leagues throughout his 12-year playing career.  He'd see the most action with the Astros in 1976, appearing in 61 games and batting a carer-best .290 with 20 RBIs.  DaVanon made 25 starts that season at second base, shortstop and third base.  His final action in the majors came during his fourth and final stint within the Cardinals organization, when he appeared in nine games for the club early in the 1977 season.  In 262 big league games, DaVanon batted .234 with three home runs and 50 RBIs.

Frank Reberger enjoyed a cup of coffee with the Cubs in 1968 before being selected by the Padres in the expansion draft, and becoming the new team's most frequently used reliever in their first season.  Reberger pitched in 67 games for the Padres, tops on the club in terms of appearances, with Billy McCool (#129) having the second most relief appearances with 54.  Reberger had six saves that year, second only to McCool's seven.  Dealt to the Giants following his only season in San Diego, Reberger pitched in parts of three seasons in San Francisco, but never repeated the success he had in 1969.  He'd spend the 1973 and 1974 seasons with the Giants' Triple-A team in Phoenix before retiring and beginning a coaching career.  Reberger was 14-15 with a 4.52 ERA in 148 big league games, earning eight saves.  He was on the major league coaching staffs of the Angels (1991) and Marlins (1993-94), and coached in the minor and independent leagues until the early 2000s.

Taken by the Cardinals two rounds after the team had selected DaVanon in the 1966 draft, Clay Kirby, like DaVanon, was left unprotected by the Cardinals and selected by the Padres in the 1968 expansion draft.  He'd lose a league-leading 20 games in 1969, but solidifying himself as a workhorse in the Padres' pitching rotation over their first four years.  Kirby pitched at least 214 innings every year between 1969 and 1972, winning at least 10 games in the latter three seasons.  His 15 wins in 1971 led the team, who went 61-100 overall.  Kirby's best season came in 1972 when he was 12-14 with a 3.13 ERA in 34 starts, throwing nine complete games and a pair of shutouts.  Dealt to the Reds following the 1973 season, Kirby would join the Big Red Machine's pitching rotation, helping the club to a World Championship in 1975.  He'd last appear in the majors with the Expos in 1976.  Lifetime, Kirby was 75-104 with a 3.84 ERA and 1,061 strikeouts in 1,548 innings pitched.

Building the Set / Card #526
December 15, 2024 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)
On Sunday, December 15th, Doug and I attended the latest Philly Show, spaciously spread out inside Hall A of the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania.  I wrote a full show report over at The Phillies Room, including some thoughts on attending the show with our oldest son, who first graced the Philly Show floors back in 2012.

Having had success the prior two shows at Uncle Dick's Cards with his well-organized, neon common binders, I opted to pull up a chair once again at the friendly dealer's array of tables.  The aim was simple:  Clear out Uncle Dick's 1969 Topps commons, starting off where I had left off the year before with card #501 and going through the end of the set, card #664.  In less than 25 minutes, I completed my quest, and this is the 82nd of 98 commons pulled from the binder.  After a generous dealer discount due to my bulk purchase, this card cost me less than $3.

The Card / 

Padres Team Set

DaVanon Accuracy Index +10 / Reberger Accuracy Index +10 / Kirby Accuracy Index +10
This is the rookie card of all three players, and Topps did a nice job making sure these three appeared late in the set, given their inclusion on the Padres' opening day roster.   There's nothing on the back of the card other than a line for each player's minor league statistics.

Accuracy Index:  I'll give DaVanon the benefit of the doubt, and assume he's wearing a Padres hat here, and not some other team's brown hat.  All three players score a high score of +10 for their expansion uniforms.

1969 Season - DaVanon
DaVanon was the 24th pick in the 1968 expansion draft, and he made his big league debut on April 11th as a pinch-hitter in the Padres' fourth ever game.  (This was also Kirby's first start and big league debut.)  In 24 games with the Padres, DaVanon batted .136 with a double, and on May 22nd, he was traded back to the Cardinals with Bill Davis (#304) for Sonny Ruberto and John Sipin.  With the Cardinals, DaVanon appeared in 16 games as a September call-up, batting .300 (12 for 40) with three doubles and a home run.  Most of his season was spent as member of the Triple-A Tulsa Oilers, where he batted .281 in 79 games.

1971 Topps #32

1976 Topps #551

1977 Topps #283

Other Notable Baseball Cards - DaVanon
First Mainstream Card:  1969 Topps #637
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (4):  1969, 1971, 1976-77
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1977 Topps #283
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  13 in the Beckett online database as of 6/13/25.

Sources - DaVanon:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

1969 Season - Reberger
Reberger was a workhorse for Preston Gomez's (#74) Padres team, relieving in 67 games and pitching 87 2/3 innings.  He was 1-2 with a 3.59 ERA and the aforementioned six saves.  On December 5th, Reberger was traded to the Giants for Bob Barton (#41), Bobby Etheridge (#604) and Ron Herbel (#251).

1969 Season - Kirby
When the season started, Kirby slotted in fourth in the Padres' starting pitching rotation, behind Dick Selma (#197), Johnny Podres (#659) and Dick Kelley (#359).  Kirby made 35 starts for the team, more than any other pitcher in their inaugural season, and went 7-20 with a 3.80 ERA.  Kirby threw 215 2/3 innings, and had two complete games.  He led the Padres in innings pitched and strikeouts with 113.

1970 Topps #103

1971 Topps #251

1972 Topps #548

Other Notable Baseball Cards - Reberger
First Mainstream Card:  1969 Topps #637
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (4):  1969-72
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1972 Topps #548
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  26 in the Beckett online database as of 6/13/25.

Sources - Reberger:  
Baseball Reference / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

Other Notable Baseball Cards - Kirby
First Mainstream Card:  1969 Topps #637
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (8):  1969-76
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1976 Topps Traded #579T
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  38 in the Beckett online database as of 6/13/25.

Sources - Kirby:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

1970 Topps #79

1971 Topps #333

1972 Topps #174

1975 Topps #423

1976 Topps Traded #579T

#636 Woodie Held - Chicago White Sox / #638 Ed Sprague - Oakland Athletics

#636 Woodie Held - Chicago White Sox

Woodson George Held
Chicago White Sox
Infield-Outfield

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  167
Born:  March 25, 1932, Sacramento, CA
Signed:  Signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent before 1951 season
Major League Teams:  New York Yankees 1954, 1957; Kansas City Athletics 1957-58; Cleveland Indians 1958-64; Washington Senators 1965; Baltimore Orioles 1966-67; California Angels 1967-68; Chicago White Sox 1968-69

Died:  June 11, 2009, DuBois, WY (age 77)

Woodie Held, or Woody as he was known by Topps on most of his baseball cards, was a super utility player who appeared in 14 big league seasons, spending most of his career with the Indians.  Held spent 6 1/2 seasons in the Yankees' minor league system before a blockbuster trade in June 1957 (including Billy Martin, #547) sent him to the Athletics and made him that team's everyday centerfield.  Held was on the move again in 1958, dealt to the Indians with Vic Power with Roger Maris (#164) heading to Kansas City.  Held settled into the role of the Indians' regular shortstop, enjoying his best seasons between 1959 and 1961.  He became the first Indians' shortstop to hit at least 20 home runs in a season, hitting a career-high 29 in 1959.  His 85 home runs as a shortstop for the club was a record until broken by Jhonny Peralta in 2009.

After a brief stint with the Senators, Held moved on to the Orioles where he was a valuable utility player and pinch-hitter.  He was on the team's World Series roster in 1966, earning a ring when the Orioles swept the Dodgers, but he didn't see any action in the four games.  Held would play three more years in the majors with the Angels and White Sox before retiring.  Over 1,390 games, Held collected 963 hits, batted .240 and had 179 home runs with 559 RBIs.

Some text for this post originally appeared on my 1965 Topps blog.

Building the Set / Card #525
December 15, 2024 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)
On Sunday, December 15th, Doug and I attended the latest Philly Show, spaciously spread out inside Hall A of the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania.  I wrote a full show report over at The Phillies Room, including some thoughts on attending the show with our oldest son, who first graced the Philly Show floors back in 2012.

Having had success the prior two shows at Uncle Dick's Cards with his well-organized, neon common binders, I opted to pull up a chair once again at the friendly dealer's array of tables.  The aim was simple:  Clear out Uncle Dick's 1969 Topps commons, starting off where I had left off the year before with card #501 and going through the end of the set, card #664.  In less than 25 minutes, I completed my quest, and this is the 81st of 98 commons pulled from the binder.  After a generous dealer discount due to my bulk purchase, this card cost me a little less than $1.50.

The Card / White Sox Team Set / Accuracy Index -8

Held is wearing an Angels uniform here, his team for parts of the 1967 and 1968 seasons.  Both the cartoon and write-up on the back harken back to his minor league days, with the 35 home runs and 125 RBIs referenced hit during his 1956 season with the Triple-A Denver Bears.

Accuracy Index:  Held receives a rare, late series -8 for the former team's uniform (-5) and lack of a hat (-3).

1969 Season
In his 14th and final season in the majors, Held appeared in 56 games for the White Sox, batting .143 with a pair of doubles, three home runs and six RBIs.  Most of his appearances came as a pinch-hitter, and he batted .100 (2 for 20) in that role with a home run.  True to his super utility status, Held saw time in the field at all three outfield spots, second base, third base and shortstop.  Two of his final four appearances in the big leagues came as a pinch-runner.

1958 Topps #202

1961 Topps #60

1962 Topps #215

1967 Topps #251

1968 Topps #289

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1958 Topps #202
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (12):  1958-69
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1979 TCMA The 1950s #174
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  75 in the Beckett online database as of 6/13/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
1965 Topps Blog

#635 George Culver - Cincinnati Reds / #637 Padres Rookie Stars

#635 George Culver - Cincinnati Reds

George Raymond Culver
Cincinnati Reds
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  185
Born:  July 8, 1943, Salinas, CA
Signed:  Signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent, May 9, 1963
Major League Teams:  Cleveland Indians 1966-67; Cincinnati Reds 1968-69; St. Louis Cardinals 1970; Houston Astros 1970-72; Los Angeles Dodgers 1973; Philadelphia Phillies 1973-74

George Culver spent nine seasons in the big leagues and pitched a no-hitter against the Phillies on July 29, 1968 while a member of the Reds.  That was his best season in the majors, as he went 11-16 with a 3.23 ERA over 42 apperances.  Serving mainly as a reliever throughout his career, Culver was popular among his teammates and known as a team comic.  After being released by the Phillies in 1974, Culver spent part of the 1975 season in Japan playing for the Nippon Ham Fighters.  In 335 career games, he was 48-49 with a 3.62 ERA and 23 saves.  After retiring as a player, Culver began his second career as a minor league manager and coach.  For 30 years, Culver served in various roles throughout the Phillies and Dodgers organizations. 

Some text for this post originally appeared on my 1965 Topps blog.

From the 1974 Phillies Yearbook

Building the Set / Card #524
December 15, 2024 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)
On Sunday, December 15th, Doug and I attended the latest Philly Show, spaciously spread out inside Hall A of the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania.  I wrote a full show report over at The Phillies Room, including some thoughts on attending the show with our oldest son, who first graced the Philly Show floors back in 2012.

Having had success the prior two shows at Uncle Dick's Cards with his well-organized, neon common binders, I opted to pull up a chair once again at the friendly dealer's array of tables.  The aim was simple:  Clear out Uncle Dick's 1969 Topps commons, starting off where I had left off the year before with card #501 and going through the end of the set, card #664.  In less than 25 minutes, I completed my quest, and this is the 80th of 98 commons pulled from the binder.  After a generous dealer discount due to my bulk purchase, this card cost me a little less than $1.50.

The Card / Reds Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

I'm assuming this photo was taken during spring training in 1969, as Topps likely didn't have any pictures available of Culver with the Reds.  The write-up on the back of the card highlights his no-hitter in 1968, and an 18-strikeout game in 1963.

Accuracy Index:  Culver's card scores a solid +5.

1969 Season
Culver slumped after his successful 1968 campaign, going 5-7 with a 4.26 ERA in 32 games, including 13 starts.  He served as the Reds' closer occasionally, earning four saves.  On November 5th, Culver was traded to the Cardinals for Ray Washburn (#415).

Phillies Career
Culver was claimed off waivers from the Dodgers by the Phillies on August 10, 1973, and Dodgers pitcher Tommy John (#465) credited Culver's departure as the reason his team didn't reach the playoffs that season.  John maintained Culver's departure upset the chemistry of the Dodgers.  With the Phillies, Culver was used sparingly and appeared in 14 games in 1973, going 3-1 with a 4.82 ERA.  He made the team's opening day roster in 1974 and again was used infrequently, getting into only 14 games in April, May and June.  He had a 6.65 ERA over 21 2/3 innings pitched when the Phillies released him on June 28th.

Culver returned to the Phillies in 1981 as a roving minor league instructor and for the next decade-plus he spent time as a coach or manager for the team's Double-A team in Reading or their Triple-A teams in Portland, Maine and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

1965 Topps #166

1968 Topps #319

1971 Topps #291

1973 Topps #242

1974 Topps #632

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1965 Topps #166
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (9):  1965, 1967-74
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1993 Fleer ProCards #2558
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  51 in the Beckett online database as of 6/13/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
1965 Topps Blog / The Phillies Room

#634 Andy Etchebarren - Baltimore Orioles / #636 Woodie Held - Chicago White Sox