#539 Ted Shows How - Mike Epstein / Ted Williams CPC

In the set's sixth series, Topps made the decision to include four (and only four) combo cards featuring members of the Orioles, Senators, Athletics and Giants.  A staple throughout the prior decade-plus of Topps sets, the combo cards would make a brief, final appearance with these four cards and then disappear again.  Various checklists also denote these as "CPC" for combo player cards.

Building the Set / Card #4
November 6, 2021 from Cooperstown, NY (Seventh Inning Stretch)

In early November 2021, needing a quick vacation and wanting to take our sons to Cooperstown for the first time, we took advantage of the annual NJEA Teacher Convention in which public schools are closed for a few days.  We loaded our car on a Thursday morning with a loose plan of spending two days in Cooperstown and the surrounding area over the weekend, shopping in the village, soaking in the Hall of Fame exhibits and eating a few good dinners.  The 4 1/2 hour drive to Otsego County was scenic and enjoyable.  Most of the day Friday was spent in the Hall of Fame and Saturday was dedicated largely to shopping in the many stores, mostly baseball related, located in the blocks surrounding the Hall.

We had spent a little bit of time in the multi-level Seventh Inning Stretch, located adjacent to Doubleday Field, on Friday.  But on Saturday I wanted to dig in to their haphazard, loosely alphabetical, collection of baseball cards for sale on their second floor.  I spent close to 45 minutes going through the boxes, and this card was one of about a dozen cards I picked out among the glorious mess of cards covering all eras between early 20th Century the late 2010s.  This card cost $12 and was one of a pair of cards, along with Luis Aparico (#75), added to our not-yet-collecting 1969 Topps set.  We also added one card to my 1935 Diamond Stars set and a few low-priced cards for our future 1959 Topps set.

The Card / Senators Team Set

Ted Williams (#650) was named the Senators manager prior to the 1969 season, taking over for Jim Lemon (#294) who had been let go following the team's 10th place finish the prior season.  

Williams seems to be showing Mike Epstein (#461) how to choke up on the bat in this photo taken at the Senators spring training facility in early 1969.  The back of the card summarizes Williams' career highlights and mentions the hope the team had of Epstein following in Williams' steps. 

1969 Season
Williams guided the club to a record of 86-76 in 1969, winning Manager of the Year honors for his efforts.  It was the only winning season of the franchise's brief 11-year stay in Washington, and they would relocate to Arlington in 1972, rechristened as the Texas Rangers.  Epstein was the Senators' regular first baseman, making 115 starts at the position and appearing in 131 games overall.  He batted .278 with 30 home runs and 85 RBIs, one of his best seasons in the majors.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / Wikipedia

#538 Charlie Smith - Chicago Cubs / #540 Curt Flood - St. Louis Cardinals