#163 1968 World Series Game 2 - Tiger Homers Deck the Cards

The 1968 World series marked the last time two teams faced off in the Fall Classic without having to first advance via a playoff series.  With Major League Baseball expanding to 24 teams in 1969, the two leagues were split into four divisions and a League Championship Series would determine the World Series opponents between 1969 and 1993.

The Cardinals and Tigers were powerhouses in their respective leagues, easily advancing to the World Series.  This was a rematch of the 1934 World Series, when the Gashouse Gang of the Cardinals had bested the Tigers in seven games.  The Tigers would prevail this time, winning their first title since 1945, and their third World Series title overall as the Cardinals couldn't repeat after winning in 1967 against the Red Sox.

World Series cards were a key subset in Topps flagship sets throughout the 1960s and 1970s, with a card highlighting each game along with a series capping "Celebration" card.  Topps designed its World Series cards in its 1969 set to have the appearance of the front page of a newspaper, with The Sporting News getting some free publicity as the paper's banner.

Building the Set / Card #601
September 21, 2025 from The Philly Show (Vintage Sports)

On Sunday morning, September 21st, I made the hour-long drive to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania for the latest installment of the Philadelphia Sports Card & Memorabilia Show, known to its friends as The Philly Show.  The show has a legitimate official sponsor (eBay) and the advertisement for the event notes the show is in its 50th year.  I hadn't attended a baseball card show since the last Philly Show in December, and I was flying solo to this one as our oldest son is in his first month of college at Villanova.  I posted a full summary of the show over at The Phillies Room.

I made stops at six tables at the show, all yielding needed cards for our 1969 Topps set, and I left the show with just 16 more cards to go for my version of a complete set.  My second stop was the aptly named Vintage Sports table.  I always appreciate a dealer with clear signage explaining their pricing method, and Vintage Sports had a marker in their selection of 1969 Topps cards laying out that cards without a sleeve were $1 and cards with a sleeve were $2.  I had one "high number" in a sleeve, and that was a whopping $4. 

I found 28 commons needed before moving on to my third stop.  This was the 6th of 28 total cards bought from Vintage Sports, and the 42nd of 91 cards for the set added overall on the day.  Sleeved, this card cost less than $2 after a dealer discount.

The Card / Tigers Team Set / Cardinals Team Set

After getting shutout by Bob Gibson in Game 1, the Tigers' bats awakened against Cardinals' starting pitcher Nelson Briles in Game 2, played on October 3, 1968.  Briles worked a 1-2-3 inning in the first with Willie Horton connecting for a home run with one out in the top of the second.  Briles' counterpart, Mickey Lolich, hit a solo home run in the third, and Norm Cash homered to lead off the sixth, chasing Briles from the game.  Steve Carlton entered in relief and would allow a two-run single to Dick McAuliffe to give the Tigers a commanding 5-0 lead.

The Cardinals scored their lone run in the bottom of the sixth, when Orlando Cepeda singled home Lou Brock.  With the score 6-1 heading to the ninth, Cardinals' reliever Joe Hoerner gave up two final runs on bases loaded walks to Don Wert and Lolich.

The card shows Horton hitting his home run with Tim McCarver behind the plate for the Cardinals, and home plate umpire Jim Honochick looking on.  Lolich would never hit a regular season home run, and was a lifetime .110 batter with five doubles and a pair of triples.  The home run and then later a bases loaded walk, makes this easily his top offensive game in his 13-year big league career.

Sources:

Baseball Reference / Wikipedia

#162 1968 World Series Game 1 / #164 1968 World Series Game 3

#157 Bob Rodgers - California Angels

Robert Leroy Rodgers
California Angels
Pitcher

Bats:  Both  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  190
Born:  August 16, 1938, Delaware, OH
Signed:  Signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent before 1956 season
Major League Teams:  Los Angeles Angels 1961-65; California Angels 1966-69

As a Manager:  Milwaukee Brewers 1980-82; Montreal Expos 1985-91; California Angels 1991-94

After being selected from the Tigers in the 1960 expansion draft, Buck Rodgers assumed regular catching duties for the Angels in the early 1960s, finishing as runner-up for American League Rookie of the Year honors in 1962 behind the Yankees' Tom Tresh (#212).  He was a light-hitting switch-hitter, known for his defense, and he led the league in runners caught stealing three times (1962, 1964 and 1967).  Rodgers caught Bo Belinsky's (#366) no-hitter on May 5, 1962.  He spent his entire big league playing career with the Angels, batting .232 over 932 games with 31 home runs and 288 RBIs.

Rodgers served as a coach with the Twins (1970-74), Giants (1976) and Brewers (1978-80) before getting his shot managing.  He took over on an interim basis for George Bamberger in 1980 when Bamberger suffered a heart attack.  Bamberger briefly returned, but resigned on September 9th.  Rodgers guided the Brewers to the best American League record during the first half of the strike-shortened 1981 season, but the team lost to the Yankees in the divisional playoffs.  He managed the Expos next for 6 1/2 seasons, winning 1987 National League Manager of the Year honors when his team improved to 91-71.  Rodgers' final managerial job saw him return to the Angels, but he was injured in a highway bus accident in 1992 missing the bulk of the season.  Rodgers was fired 40 games into the 1994 season, and his lifetime managerial record was 784-774 over 13 seasons.

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

Building the Set / Card #600
September 21, 2025 from The Philly Show (Vintage Sports)

Milestone card #600!  On Sunday morning, September 21st, I made the hour-long drive to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania for the latest installment of the Philadelphia Sports Card & Memorabilia Show, known to its friends as The Philly Show.  The show has a legitimate official sponsor (eBay) and the advertisement for the event notes the show is in its 50th year.  I hadn't attended a baseball card show since the last Philly Show in December, and I was flying solo to this one as our oldest son is in his first month of college at Villanova.  I posted a full summary of the show over at The Phillies Room.

I made stops at six tables at the show, all yielding needed cards for our 1969 Topps set, and I left the show with just 16 more cards to go for my version of a complete set.  My second stop was the aptly named Vintage Sports table.  I always appreciate a dealer with clear signage explaining their pricing method, and Vintage Sports had a marker in their selection of 1969 Topps cards laying out that cards without a sleeve were $1 and cards with a sleeve were $2.  I had one "high number" in a sleeve, and that was a whopping $4. 

I found 28 commons needed before moving on to my third stop.  This was the 5th of 28 total cards bought from Vintage Sports, and the 41st of 91 cards for the set added overall on the day.  Sleeved, this card cost less than $2 after a dealer discount.

The Card / Angels Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

This is Rodgers' final Topps card as an active player, and the career stats are complete except for his final 18 games in 1969 - see below.  The photo dates to at least 1966, as a photo from the same session is used for his 1967 Topps card.  The back of the card digs deep into Rodgers' past, covering highlights from 1956, 1958, 1961 and 1962.  Rodgers signed reprints of this card for the 2018 Topps Heritage release.

Accuracy Index:  Rodgers card scores a +5.

1969 Season
In his final season as a player, Rodgers appeared in only 18 games for the Angels in June, August and September, and he received his final start in the majors on the last day of the season.  The bulk of his playing time came with the Triple-A Hawaii Islanders, where he appeared in 44 games, batting .255.  I'm guessing Rodgers would have had to approve a demotion, given his veteran status, and knowing his future path, his time with the Islanders was likely also in a coaching capacity.

1962 Topps #431

1967 Topps #281

1974 Topps #447

1987 Topps #293

1992 Topps #21

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1962 Topps #431
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (20):  1962-69, 1973-74, 1981, 1985-93
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2018 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-BRO
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  86 in the Beckett online database as of 12/31/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
1965 Topps Blog

#156 Astros Rookies Stars / #158 Joe Gibbon - San Francisco Giants

#141 Bill Dillman - Baltimore Orioles

Willliam Howard Dillman
Baltimore Orioles
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  180
Born:  May 25, 1945, Trenton, NJ
Drafted:  Drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 6th round of the 1965 amateur draft, June 8, 1965
Major League Teams:  Baltimore Orioles 1967; Montreal Expos 1970

A former Wake Forest Demon Deacon baseball player, Bill Dillman was drafted by the Orioles in 1965 and made his big league debut in 1967.  In 32 games with the Orioles that season, he was 5-9 with a 4.35 ERA, making 15 starts.  Dillman threw two complete games, including a shortened 6 2/3 inning shutout against the Indians on July 2nd.  He also saved three games that season.  Dillman spent the entire 1968 and 1969 seasons in the minors, and after a brief stay in the Cardinals' organization to start the 1970 season, he was traded to the Expos on May 5, 1970 for Carroll Sembera (#351).  Dillman's final 18 big league appearances, all in relief, came with the Expos that year.  He'd pitch in two more minor league seasons before retiring in 1972.  In 50 major league games, Dillman was 7-12 with a 4.54 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 154 2/3 innings pitched.

Building the Set / Card #599
September 21, 2025 from The Philly Show (Vintage Sports)

On Sunday morning, September 21st, I made the hour-long drive to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania for the latest installment of the Philadelphia Sports Card & Memorabilia Show, known to its friends as The Philly Show.  The show has a legitimate official sponsor (eBay) and the advertisement for the event notes the show is in its 50th year.  I hadn't attended a baseball card show since the last Philly Show in December, and I was flying solo to this one as our oldest son is in his first month of college at Villanova.  I posted a full summary of the show over at The Phillies Room.

I made stops at six tables at the show, all yielding needed cards for our 1969 Topps set, and I left the show with just 16 more cards to go for my version of a complete set.  My second stop was the aptly named Vintage Sports table.  I always appreciate a dealer with clear signage explaining their pricing method, and Vintage Sports had a marker in their selection of 1969 Topps cards laying out that cards without a sleeve were $1 and cards with a sleeve were $2.  I had one "high number" in a sleeve, and that was a whopping $4. 

I found 28 commons needed before moving on to my third stop.  This was the 4th of 28 total cards bought from Vintage Sports, and the 40th of 91 cards for the set added overall on the day. Unsleeved, this card cost less than $1 after a dealer discount.

The Card / Orioles Team Set / Accuracy Index +3

Topps must have felt good about Dillman's chances of making the Orioles out of spring training in 1969, even though he had spent all of 1968 in the minor leagues.  The back of the card references how his demotion the prior year was for Dillman to learn a new pitch to go along with his fastball and curve.

Accuracy Index:  Dillman earns a +5 for the accurate Orioles uniform, but loses two points as he didn't pitch with the club during the season.

1969 Season
With the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings, Dillman was 5-6 with a 4.95 ERA in 41 appearances, including six starts.  He had eight saves on the season.  On December 5th, his contract was sold to the Cardinals.

1967 Topps #558

1968 Topps #466

1970 Topps #386

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1967 Topps #558
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (4):  1967-70
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2019 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-BD
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  14 in the Beckett online database as of 11/17/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

#140 Jim Lefebvre - Los Angeles Dodgers / #142 Woody Woodward - Cincinnati Reds

Blog Update:  As we hurtle excitedly toward the holiday season, I'll be pivoting from my Blog Workshop to Santa's Workshop.  Posts will likely be sporadic (or non-existent) for the remainder of the calendar year, with a goal of wrapping up the overall set build and this blog in 2026.  Thanks for following along, and I wish you, your family and your friends continued health and happiness this holiday season and for the new year!

#127 Kevin Collins - New York Mets

Kevin Michael Collins
New York Mets
Third Base-Second Base

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  180
Born:  August 4, 1946, Springfield, MA
Signed:  Signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent before 1964 season
Major League Teams:  New York Mets 1965, 1967-69; Montreal Expos 1969; Detroit Tigers 1970-71

Died:  February 20, 2016, Naples, FL (age 69)

Kevin Collins played in parts of six big league seasons, primarily with the Mets between 1965 and 1969.  An infielder, he was frequently shuttled between the minor and major leagues while with New York, appearing in 58 games for the team in 1968 while batting .201.  In June 1969, he was one of five players sent to Montreal for Donn Clendenon (#208), who would go on to win World Series MVP honors for the Mets.  Collins appeared in a career-high 68 games in 1969 between the Mets and Expos, getting occasional starts at second or third base.  His best season in the majors was also his last, as he batted .268 with the Tigers in 1971.  Collins collected 81 hits while batting .209 with six home runs and 34 RBIs in his 201 games in the big leagues.

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

Building the Set / Card #598
September 21, 2025 from The Philly Show (Vintage Sports)

On Sunday morning, September 21st, I made the hour-long drive to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania for the latest installment of the Philadelphia Sports Card & Memorabilia Show, known to its friends as The Philly Show.  The show has a legitimate official sponsor (eBay) and the advertisement for the event notes the show is in its 50th year.  I hadn't attended a baseball card show since the last Philly Show in December, and I was flying solo to this one as our oldest son is in his first month of college at Villanova.  I posted a full summary of the show over at The Phillies Room.

I made stops at six tables at the show, all yielding needed cards for our 1969 Topps set, and I left the show with just 16 more cards to go for my version of a complete set.  My second stop was the aptly named Vintage Sports table.  I always appreciate a dealer with clear signage explaining their pricing method, and Vintage Sports had a marker in their selection of 1969 Topps cards laying out that cards without a sleeve were $1 and cards with a sleeve were $2.  I had one "high number" in a sleeve, and that was a whopping $4. 

I found 28 commons needed before moving on to my third stop.  This was the 3rd of 28 total cards bought from Vintage Sports, and the 39th of 91 cards for the set added overall on the day. Unsleeved, this card cost less than $1 after a dealer discount.

The Card / Mets Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

Collins' rookie card appeared way back in the 1965 Topps set, and the photo used here is from 1964, given the World's Fair patch on his shoulder.  The back of the card notes Collins would be battling for the Mets' third base job in 1969, and he was the third third baseman used by manager Gil Hodges (#564) before the season was two weeks old.  Ed Charles (#245) and Amos Otis (#31) had both received try-outs before Collins made 11 starts at the position, struggling mightily at the plate.  Wayne Garrett would emerge as the player earning the most starts at third for the Mets in 1969, with 63.

Accuracy Index:  Collins scores a +5 for the accurate uniform depiction.

1969 Season
Collins made the Mets opening day roster for the first time since 1965, but early offensive struggles led to his demotion to the minor leagues in early May.  In 16 games with the Mets, he batted .150 (6 for 16) with three doubles.  On June 15th, while playing for Triple-A Tacoma, Collins, three minor leaguers and Steve Renko were dealt to the Expos for Clendenon.  Back in the majors, Collins appeared in 52 games for the Expos, batting .240.  He holds the distinction of having the first pinch-hit home run in Expos' franchise history, a three-run home run off the Pirates' Jim Bunning (#175) on July 17th.

1965 Topps #581

1970 Topps #707

1971 Topps #553

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1965 Topps #581
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (4):  1965, 1969-71
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1971 Topps #553
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  16 in the Beckett online database as of 11/15/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
1965 Topps Blog

#126 Dick Tracewski - Detroit Tigers / #128 Tommie Aaron - Atlanta Braves

#80 Norm Cash - Detroit Tigers

Norman Dalton Cash
Detroit Tigers
First Base

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  185
Born:  November 10, 1933, Justiceburg, TX
Signed:  Signed by the Chicago White Sox as an amateur free agent, May 21, 1955
Major League Teams:  Chicago White Sox 1958-59; Detroit Tigers 1960-74

World Series Appearances:  Chicago White Sox 1959; Detroit Tigers 1968
Died:  October 11, 1986, Beaver Island, MI (age 52)

Slugger Norm Cash was a steady presence in the Tigers line-up as their regular first baseman for 15 seasons between 1960 and the early 1970s.  Traded from the White Sox in December 1959 with Bubba Phillips and John Romano for Minnie Minoso and three other players, Cash paid long-term dividends as a four-time All-Star.  His .361 average in 1961 led the league and he belted at least 20 home runs in 11 different seasons.  That 1961 season was probably his best as he hit 41 home runs and had 132 RBIs, both career highs, to go along with his league-leading average.  Cash was also a fine defensive first baseman, leading the American League in assists three times and fielding percentage twice.  He helped guide the Tigers to a World Series title in 1968, hitting .385 with a home run in the seven-game series against the Cardinals.

A fan favorite, Cash played in 2,089 games and had 1,820 career hits, 377 home runs and 1,104 RBIs to go along with his .271 batting average.  Upon his retirement in 1974, his 377 home runs were the fourth most by an American League left-handed hitter behind Babe Ruth, Ted Williams (#650) and Lou Gehrig.  His 373 home runs are currently second on the all-time Tigers list, behind Al Kaline's (#410) 399.  Kaline, Cash's teammate throughout their Tigers careers, said of Cash, "When you mention Norm Cash, I just smile.  He was just a fun guy to be around and a great teammate.  He always came ready to play."  Tragically, Cash drowned at the young age of 52 after slipping and falling off a dock after a night out.

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

Building the Set / Card #597
September 21, 2025 from The Philly Show (Vintage Sports)

On Sunday morning, September 21st, I made the hour-long drive to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania for the latest installment of the Philadelphia Sports Card & Memorabilia Show, known to its friends as The Philly Show.  The show has a legitimate official sponsor (eBay) and the advertisement for the event notes the show is in its 50th year.  I hadn't attended a baseball card show since the last Philly Show in December, and I was flying solo to this one as our oldest son is in his first month of college at Villanova.  I posted a full summary of the show over at The Phillies Room.

I made stops at six tables at the show, all yielding needed cards for our 1969 Topps set, and I left the show with just 16 more cards to go for my version of a complete set.  My second stop was the aptly named Vintage Sports table.  I always appreciate a dealer with clear signage explaining their pricing method, and Vintage Sports had a marker in their selection of 1969 Topps cards laying out that cards without a sleeve were $1 and cards with a sleeve were $2.  I had one "high number" in a sleeve, and that was a whopping $4. 

I found 28 commons needed before moving on to my third stop.  This was the 2nd of 28 total cards bought from Vintage Sports, and the 38th of 91 cards for the set added overall on the day. Sleeved, this card cost less than $2 after a dealer discount.

The Card / Tigers Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

To me, Cash looks younger here than he does on some of his Topps cards released prior to 1969, so it's anyone's guess how old this photo actually is.  His heroics from the 1968 World Series are summarized in the write-up on the back of the card.

Accuracy Index:  Cash's card earns a solid +5.

1969 Season
Cash enjoyed another in a long line of high production seasons, appearing in 142 games and batting .280 with 22 home runs and 74 RBIs.  His Tigers fell to second place in the American League after winning the World Championship in the prior year.

1959 Topps #509

1961 Topps #95

1968 Topps #256

1972 Topps #150

1974 Topps #367

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1959 Topps #509
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (16):  1959-74
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2013 Panini Golden Age #77
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  170 in the Beckett online database as of 11/13/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
1965 Topps Blog

#79 Milt Pappas - Atlanta Braves / #81 Mel Queen - Cincinnati Reds

#25 Roy White - New York Yankees

Roy Hilton White
New York Yankees
Outfield

Bats:  Both  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  160
Born:  December 27, 1943, Los Angeles, CA
Signed:  Signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent, July 1, 1961
Major League Teams:  New York Yankees 1965-79

World Series Appearances:  New York Yankees 1976-78

A switch-hitting, lifetime Yankee, Roy White bridged the gap between the waning years of the Yankees dynasty of the early 1960s to the resurgent dynasty of the Yankees teams of the late 1970s.  The club's starting left fielder for ten seasons between 1968 and 1977, White was an All-Star in 1969 and 1970.  Playing in all 162 games in 1970, White attained career highs in the triple crown categories, batting .296 with 22 home runs and 94 RBIs.  He was a solid presence in the Yankee line-up during their lean years in the early 1970s, and later, a key member of the team that won American League pennants three years in a row between 1976 and 1978.  White's last great year came in 1976 when he batted .286 with a career-best 31 stolen bases, while leading the league with 104 runs scored.  He won World Series rings with the Yankees in 1977 and 1978.  He left the Yankees following the 1979 season, playing three more seasons in Japan with the Yomiuri Giants, and retiring in 1982.

In 1,881 big league games, all with the Yankees, White batted .271 with 1,803 hits, 160 home runs, 758 RBIs and 233 stolen bases.  He later served as a coach with the Yankees in two stints (1983-86, 2004-05) and was a minor league hitting coach in the Athletics' organization.

Building the Set / Card #596
September 21, 2025 from The Philly Show (Vintage Sports)

On Sunday morning, September 21st, I made the hour-long drive to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania for the latest installment of the Philadelphia Sports Card & Memorabilia Show, known to its friends as The Philly Show.  The show has a legitimate official sponsor (eBay) and the advertisement for the event notes the show is in its 50th year.  I hadn't attended a baseball card show since the last Philly Show in December, and I was flying solo to this one as our oldest son is in his first month of college at Villanova.  I posted a full summary of the show over at The Phillies Room.

I made stops at six tables at the show, all yielding needed cards for our 1969 Topps set, and I left the show with just 16 more cards to go for my version of a complete set.  My second stop was the aptly named Vintage Sports table.  I always appreciate a dealer with clear signage explaining their pricing method, and Vintage Sports had a marker in their selection of 1969 Topps cards laying out that cards without a sleeve were $1 and cards with a sleeve were $2.  I had one "high number" in a sleeve, and that was a whopping $4. 

I found 28 commons needed before moving on to my third stop.  This was the 1st of 28 total cards bought from Vintage Sports, and the 37th of 91 cards for the set added overall on the day.  Even with the clear signage, I still received a dealer discount, and this card cost less than a dollar, a bargain for a Yankees card.

The Card / Yankees Team Set / Accuracy Index +1

This is the exact same photo used for White's 1968 Topps card.  The write-up on the back of the card highlights his strong 1968 season, noting he led the Yankees in runs (89), hits (154), doubles (20) and RBIs (62).  His 20 stolen bases tied him with second baseman Horace Clarke (#87) for the team lead.  White's bWAR of 4.4 was the highest among all Yankee position players, topping Mickey Mantle's (#500) 2.7 mark.

Accuracy Index:  It's a great posed shot at Yankee Stadium, but the card scores only a +1 due to the repeat photo usage.

1969 Season
White made 125 starts in left field for the Yankees, and was named to his first of two All-Star Games.  In 130 games overall, he batted .290 with seven home runs and 74 RBIs.  He connected for 30 doubles and had a solid .392 on-base percentage, the best mark of his career.

1966 Topps #234

1968 Topps #546

1975 Topps #375

1978 Topps #16

1980 Topps #648

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1966 Topps #234
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (14):  1966, 1968-80
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2009 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions #152
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  253 in the Beckett online database as of 11/11/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

#24 Walt Alston MG - Los Angeles Dodgers / #26 Clay Carroll - Cincinnati Reds

#601 Tug McGraw - New York Mets

Frank Edwin McGraw
New York Mets
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  170
Born:  August 30, 1944, Martinez, CA
Signed:  Signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent, June 12, 1956
Major League Teams:  New York Mets 1965-67, 1969-74; Philadelphia Phillies 1975-84

World Series Appearances:  New York Mets 1973; Philadelphia Phillies 1980
Died:  January 5, 2004, Brentwood, TN (age 59)

One of the most popular players of his era, Tug McGraw was a key component of the 1969 Miracle Mets and he also recorded the final out in the 1980 World Series to give the Phillies their first championship in franchise history.  McGraw was an All-Star in 1972 and 1975 and he finished in the top ten in saves in seven different seasons.  Over 19 seasons, McGraw appeared in 824 games, compiling a 96-92 record with 180 saves and 3.14 ERA.

1992 Philadelphia Phillies
ALS Autograph Party Photocards

McGraw is the rare player who was able to be equally beloved by both Mets and Phillies fans, and writing this now I'm struggling to think of any other player who has been able to straddle that divide.

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

Building the Set / Card #595
September 21, 2025 from The Philly Show (America's Pastime)

On Sunday morning, September 21st, I made the hour-long drive to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania for the latest installment of the Philadelphia Sports Card & Memorabilia Show, known to its friends as The Philly Show.  The show has a legitimate official sponsor (eBay) and the advertisement for the event notes the show is in its 50th year.  I hadn't attended a baseball card show since the last Philly Show in December, and I was flying solo to this one as our oldest son is in his first month of college at Villanova.  I posted a full summary of the show over at The Phillies Room.

I made stops at six tables at the show, all yielding needed cards for our 1969 Topps set, and I left the show with just 16 more cards to go for my version of a complete set.  The first place I stopped was a table with well-organized and well-marked binders of commons and semi-stars with 20% Off notes across the front of each binder.  

I took my time and found 32 commons and semi-stars needed before asking to see the dealer's star cards from the set.  It turned out this first purchase was also my biggest, as I spent over half my allotted budget here, America's Pastime from Fair Lawn, New Jersey, before moving on to my second stop.  This was the 36th of 36 total cards bought from America's Pastime, and the 36th of 91 cards for set added overall on the day.  McGraw was the fourth of four star cards I'd add from America's Pastime, and I likely paid a premium given the popularity of McGraw in the Philly area.

The Card / Mets Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

Topps had to scoot McGraw's photo over to the left to make room for the purple name and position circle on the front of the card.  His minor league successes are highlighted on the back.  We also get a rare in-season highlight, noting McGraw was the winning pitcher for the Mets on April 9th.  Mets' starter Jim McAndrew (#321) departed the second game of the season after one inning, with McGraw allowing a run on five hits over 6 1/3 innings of relief.  He struck out seven batters, and Nolan Ryan (#533) relieved him to record the final five outs and earn a save.

Accuracy Index:  McGraw's card scores a +5.

1969 Season
McGraw emerged as an elite reliever during the 1969 season, appearing in 42 games for the eventual World Champions, and going 9-3 with a 2.24 ERA in 100 1/3 innings pitched.  He made four starts and threw a complete game victory over the Cubs on May 4th.  McGraw's 12 saves were one fewer than his right-handed complement out of the bullpen, Ron Taylor (#72).  He was crucial down the stretch for the Mets, and in August, September and October, McGraw was 4-1 with seven saves and a 0.50 ERA in 18 relief appearances, spanning 36 innings.  His services were needed only once in the postseason, as he pitched a scoreless three innings in NLCS Game 2, earning a save.

Phillies Career
McGraw was traded to the Phillies with Don Hahn on December 3, 1974 for Mac Scarce, John Stearns and Del Unser (#338).  Between 1975 and 1984, he was one of the most reliable relievers for the Phillies, appearing in 463 games and recording 94 saves.  Upon retirement, he was the Phillies all-time saves leader, but he's since been passed by five other relievers.  McGraw struck out Willie Wilson in Game 6 of the 1980 World Series, leaping off the mound in one of the most iconic moments in Philadelphia sports history.  He was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame in 1999.

1965 Topps #533

1966 Topps #124

1975 Topps #67

1981 Topps #404

1985 Topps #157

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1965 Topps #533
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (21):  1965-85
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2017 Topps Update Postseason Celebrations #PC-3
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  181 in the Beckett online database as of 11/8/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

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

#600 Tony Oliva - Minnesota Twins / #602 Cubs Rookie Stars