#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

#634 Andy Etchebarren - Baltimore Orioles

Andrew Auguste Etchebarren
Baltimore Orioles
Catcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  190
Born:  June 20, 1943, Whittier, CA
Signed:  Signed by the Baltimore Orioles as an amateur free agent before 1961 season
Major League Teams:  Baltimore Orioles 1962, 1965-75; California Angels 1975-77; Milwaukee Brewers 1978

World Series Appearances:  Baltimore Orioles 1966, 1969, 1970-71
Died:  October 5, 2019, Santee, CA (age 76)

A veteran of 15 big league seasons, Andy Etchebarren is best known as a catcher for the Orioles dynasty that went to four World Series between 1966 and 1971, winning titles in 1966 and 1970.  A regular in his early years, in which he was named an All-Star in 1966 and 1967, Etchebarren would shift into a platoon role with the Orioles in the late 1960s and through the early 1970s.  He played in a career-high 121 games in 1966 while also hitting career bests in home runs (11) and RBIs (50).  His next best season came in 1968 when he batted .233 with five home runs and 20 RBIs while serving in a catching platoon with Elrod Hendricks (#277).  Manager Earl Weaver (#516) opted for the Etchebarren-Hendricks platoon for four seasons, with Etchebarren going on to share catching duties with Johnny Oates in 1972, and then moving into a back-up role for Earl Williams in 1973 and 1974.  He'd leave Baltimore in June 1975 for Anaheim, and Etchebarren would play in his final four seasons with the Angels and (very briefly) the Brewers.  In 948 games, he batted .235 with 49 home runs and 309 RBIs.

Following his playing days, Etchebarren went on to be a long-time major league coach and minor league manager.  He coached in the majors with the Angels (1977), Brewers (1985-91) and Orioles (1996-97).  He managed in the minor leagues between 2000 and 2012, leading the York Revolution of the Atlantic League to league championships in 2011 and 2012.

Building the Set / Card #523
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 79th 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 / Orioles Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

Catchers tend to get the cooler baseball cards, and Etchebarren's card here is no exception.  I feel as if this card is used a lot when an example of a 1969 Topps card is needed.  The write-up on the back of the card explains why his season was cut short in 1968, and also comments on his above average defense.  Baseball Reference confirms Etchebarren's .423 average against the Yankees in 1968.

Accuracy Index:  Etchebarren's card earns a +5.

1969 Season
Etchebarren appeared in 73 games overall, batting .249 with three home runs and 26 RBIs.  He was Weaver's opening day catcher, and he'd make 59 starts behind the plate to Henricks' 80 starts and Clay Dalrymple's (#151) 23 starts.  Etchebarren started Games 2 and 5 of the 1969 World Series against the Mets, but went 0 for 6, as the Mets won in five games.

1966 Topps #27

1970 Topps #213

1972 Topps #26

1975 Topps #583

1978 Topps #313

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1966 Topps #27
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (13):  1966-78
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2020 Topps Decades' Best (Series One) #DB-27
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  97 in the Beckett online database as of 6/7/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

#633 Harry Walker MG - Houston Astros / #635 George Culver - Cincinnati Reds

#632 Jon Warden - Kansas City Royals

Jonathan Edgar Warden
Kansas City Royals
Pitcher

Bats:  Both  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  205
Born:  October 1, 1946, Columbus, OH
Drafted:  Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 4th round of the 1966 amateur draft, January 29, 1966
Major League Teams:  Detroit Tigers 1968

Jon Warden relieved in 28 games for the eventual 1968 World Champion Tigers, his only taste of the major leagues in his six professional seasons in baseball.  Warden was an early draft pick by the Tigers in 1966, and he'd quickly rise through the minor league ranks, earning a spot on the Tigers' opening day roster in 1968.  He'd end April with a 3-0 record and a 0.00 ERA in 3 2/3 innings of work.  Warden missed time during the season while serving in the Army Reserve, but he'd end the season as one of the top arms out of the Tigers' bullpen, with a 4-1 record and a 3.62 ERA in 37 1/3 innings pitched.  Warden was one of an impressive nine pitchers on the Tigers' pitching staff with a save, with his save tally at three for the year.  Included on the Tigers' World Series roster, he was the only player from both teams not to make it into the series.  The Tigers would defeat the Cardinals in seven games.

Left unprotected in the expansion draft, Warden was taken as the 12th pick by the Royals, but a rotator cuff injury cost him a job with the expansion club.  He spent the season in the minors, earning a September call-up, but never pitching in a game with the Royals.  He'd pitch for two more seasons in the minors before retiring in 1971.

Building the Set / Card #522
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 78th 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 / Royals Team Set / Accuracy Index +2

This is Warden's first and last appearance in a Topps set, and one of his very few cardboard appearances.  it's a shame he got hurt, as this is one of the nicer Royals cards in the set.  The cartoon on the back of the card is fantastic, and rather than summarize from his SABR biography, he's a full passage from it to properly pay homage to Warden's musical talents. 

Warden served in the Army Reserve during the 1968 season, fulfilling his duties on the weekends. He played the clarinet in his unit's band. On one Sunday in May, Warden took a plane to Ohio to play with the band but rain canceled the performance. He hopped back on a plane and was back in Detroit in time for the game that day. In July, Warden was replaced on the roster when he had to serve in the reserve for a two-week stint of clarinet playing.

Accuracy Index:  Warden's card scores a rare +2, earning 10 points for the expansion uniform, but losing points since he didn't play for the Royals in 1969 (-2) or ever (-6).

1969 Season
As  mentioned above, Warden never actually pitched with the Royals and his SABR biography does a great job summarizing the ups and downs of his 1969 season.  With two teams in the Royals' minor league system, Warden was 8-7 with a 4.94 ERA in 25 games, including 20 starts.  He threw seven complete games with a likely torn rotator cuff.

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1969 Topps #632
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (1):  1969
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1969 Topps #632
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  8 in the Beckett online database as of 6/6/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

#631 John Kennedy - Seattle Pilots / #633 Harry Walker MG - Houston Astros

#631 John Kennedy - Seattle Pilots

John Edward Kennedy
Seattle Pilots
Shortstop

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  185
Born:  May 29, 1941, Chicago, IL
Signed:  Signed by the Washington Senators as an amateur free agent before 1961 season
Major League Teams:  Washington Senators 1962-64; Los Angeles Dodgers 1965-66; New York Yankees 1967; Seattle Pilots 1969; Milwaukee Brewers 1970; Boston Red Sox 1970-74

World Series Appearances:  Los Angeles Dodgers 1965
Died:  August 9, 2018, Peabody, MA (age 77)

Sharing a name and a birthday (May 29th) with the 35th President of the United States, this John Kennedy was a middle infielder for 12 seasons in the big leagues.  Kennedy's only season as an everyday player for a full season came in 1964 when he was the starting third baseman (81 games) or shortstop (43 games) for Gil Hodges' (#564) Senators.  Kennedy was traded to the Dodgers with Claude Osteen (#528) in December 1964 in the trade that sent Frank Howard (#170) and four other players to the Senators.  With the Dodgers, he appeared in 104 games in 1965 and won a World Series ring with the club.  Kennedy would go on to serve as a back-up infielder for the Pilots during their only year of existence and finished his playing career with 4 1/2 seasons with the Red Sox.  In 856 games, Kennedy was a .225 lifetime hitter with 32 home runs and 185 RBIs.

He served as a scout and minor league manager with the Boston, Oakland and New York Yankees' organizations between 1975 and 2001.  Kennedy managed the North Shore Spirit in the independent Northern League between 2003 and 2006.

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

Building the Set / Card #521
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 77th 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 / Pilots Team Set / Accuracy Index +10

Browsing through the dealer's wares at an early 1980s baseball card show, most likely held inside the Ocean City Music Pier in New Jersey, this was the first Pilots card I ever saw.  I had no idea the Pilots had existed, and I remember this card sending me down a rabbit hole within the baseball books at our library trying to learn more information about these mysterious Pilots.  The back of the card explains how Kennedy came to the Pilots and highlights his high school athletic success.

Accuracy Index:  Kennedy's card earns a solid +10 for the Pilots' expansion uniform.

1969 Season
After spending the entire 1968 season in the minor leagues, Kennedy was purchased by the Pilots from the Yankees on November 13, 1968.  In 61 games with the Pilots, Kennedy batted .234 with three doubles, a triple and four home runs.  He had 14 RBIs all season.  For some reason receiving less playing time than the light-hitting Ray Oyler (#178), Kennedy made 18 starts at third base and 14 starts at shortstop.  He was featured in Jim Bouton's book, Ball Four, in Bouton's entry for June 18th: 

John Kennedy flew into a rage at [umpire] Emmett Ashford over a called strike and was tossed out of the game. Still raging, he kicked in the water cooler in the dugout, picked it up and threw it onto the field. Afterward, we asked him what had gotten into him. He really isn’t that type. And he said, "Just as I got called out on strikes, my greenie kicked in."

1964 Topps #203

1966 Topps #407

1970 Topps #53

1971 Topps #498

1973 Topps #437

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1964 Topps #203
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (9):  1964-67, 1969-73
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1973 Topps #437
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  44 in the Beckett online database as of 6/6/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
1965 Topps Blog

#630 Bobby Bonds - San Francisco Giants / #632 Jon Warden - Kansas City Royals