#486 Paul Casanova - Washington Senators

Paulino Casanova
Washington Senators
Catcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'4"  Weight:  180
Born:  December 21, 1941, Colon, Cuba
Signed:  Signed by the Cleveland Indians as an amateur free agent before 1960 season
Major League Teams:  Washington Senators 1965-1971; Atlanta Braves 1972-1974

Died:  August 12, 2017, Miami, FL (age 75)

After a few false starts in the Indians and Cubs organizations, catcher Paul Casanova was signed by the Senators following the 1962 season, and he'd make his big league debut as a September call-up in 1965.  He spent most of the 1966 season in Washington, batting .254 with 13 home runs and 44 RBIs for the eighth place club.  He'd return as a starter in 1967, accumulating his best career numbers.  Casanova was batting .266 with six home runs and 23 RBIs at the All-Star break, and attended that year's All-Star Game as the Senators' sole representative.  He'd somehow catch all 22 innings of the Senators game on June 12, 1967, in which the Senators outlasted the Indians by a 6-5 score.  Casanova would finish the year with 53 RBIs, earning a few MVP votes.

He was the Senators' opening day catcher every year between 1968 and 1971, although his average and his overall playing time would steadily decline.  Casanova was dealt to the Braves in December 1971, and he'd play three seasons in the National League as the back-up to Earl Williams and then Johnny Oates.  He was behind the plate for Phil Niekro's (#355) no-hitter on August 5, 1973.  Casanova batted .225 overall with 50 home runs and 252 RBIs.  In the early 1990s, he'd coach in the White Sox minor league system.

Building the Set / Card #56
January 17, 2023 from Greg Morris Cards - Los Angeles, CA
On the evening of January 8th, I found myself sitting in Terminal C of the Philadelphia International Airport waiting to board my flight to Dallas.  Earlier that day, I had enjoyed watching our oldest son Doug at a winter track meet as he pole vaulted for his high school.  I was in a good mood despite the the fact that like most flights that day, my flight had been delayed.  This was for a work trip, and I was doing my best to stay positive and keep myself in the post-holiday happiness hangover that had lingered into the year's second week.  eBay seller Greg Morris Cards, based out of Los Angeles, somehow seems to post cards from various vintage baseball card set breaks on a weekly basis, with the cards typically all in fantastic condition.  With time to kill, knowing that bidding on baseball cards was a surefire good mood sustainer, and having only 40 cards so far for our 1969 Topps set, I pleasantly passed the time by bidding on 62 commons, all with no previous bidders, and all ending within the next 30 hours.

The next afternoon, while on a break at our work conference in the Hilton Anatole, I checked on the auctions, noting I had been outbid on a few, but was still the high bidder for most of the 62 cards.  That night, as auctions were close to ending, and as I was enjoying a few adult beverages at the fine Rodeo Goat establishment across the street from the Hilton, my Apple Watch began vibrating every few seconds as I was outbid on dozens of auctions.  When the dust had settled, I had won 24 new cards at an average price of about $2.50 per card.  This Casanova card was $1.55, and arrived a week after I had made the return trip home from Dallas.

The Card / Senators Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

This is one of 23 cards available in the set's fifth series available as either "yellow letter" or "white letter" variations, with the yellow letter variations being more prevalent.  This is the more prevalent yellow letter variation with Casanova's last name printed in yellow.

The back of the card states Casanova was named the Senators MVP in 1966 by the team's fans.  Statistically speaking, outfielder Fred Valentine led the team that season with a 3.5 bWAR, while batting .276 with 16 home runs 59 RBIs - all higher totals than Casanova.

Accuracy Index:  Topps gets everything correct here, and the card scores a solid five.

1969 Season
Casanova started 106 of the Senators' 162 games behind the plate, with Jim French (#199) starting the other 56 games.  He batted just .216 with four home runs and 37 RBIs in 124 games overall.  Manager Ted Williams (#650) commented following a game in August 1969 that, "Casanova is one of the better knuckleball hitters around."  The praise came after the catcher had hit a game-winning pinch-hit home run off White Sox knuckle ball pitcher Wilbur Wood (#123) on August 6th.

1967 Topps #115

1970 Topps #84

1971 Topps #139

1973 Topps #452

1975 Topps #633

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1967 Topps #115
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (9):  1967-1975
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1994 Fleer ProCards #2193
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  57 in the Beckett online database as of 2/6/23.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

#485 Gaylord Perry - San Francisco Giants / #487 Denis Menke - Houston Astros

#482 Jim Gosger - Seattle Pilots

James Charles Gosger
Seattle Pilots
Outfield

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  185
Born:  November 6, 1942, Port Huron, MI
Signed:  Signed by the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent, January 6, 1962
Major League Teams:  Boston Red Sox 1963, 1965-1966; Kansas City Athletics 1966-1967; Oakland Athletics 1968; Seattle Pilots 1969; New York Mets 1969; Montreal Expos 1970-1971; New York Mets 1973-1974

Frequently on the move during his decade in the major leagues, Jim Gosger spent time with five different clubs as a back-up outfielder and left-handed bat off the bench.  Gosger came up with the Red Sox, but his most productive seasons came in 1966 and 1967 with the Athletics.  In 1966, he began the season with Boston and was traded to Kansas City in mid-June.  His combined totals that season resulted in career bests for both home runs (10) and RBIs (44).  Getting the chance to play regularly, Gosger appeared in a career-high 134 games in 1967 as Kansas City's regular left fielder.  He batted .242 with five home runs and 36 RBIs, and was one of the better hitters for a team that lost 99 games.  Left unprotected by the Athletics, he was drafted by the expansion Pilots in 1968 and would be that club's opening day center fielder.

Gosger went from last place to a pennant race on July 14, 1969, when he was dealt to the Mets.  He'd appear in just 10 games with the Mets as a September call-up and not see any postseason action.  He spent the final seasons of his major league career with the Expos and a second stint with the Mets.  In 705 games, Gosger batted .226 with 30 home runs and 177 RBIs.

Building the Set / Card #55
January 17, 2023 from Greg Morris Cards - Los Angeles, CA
On the evening of January 8th, I found myself sitting in Terminal C of the Philadelphia International Airport waiting to board my flight to Dallas.  Earlier that day, I had enjoyed watching our oldest son Doug at a winter track meet as he pole vaulted for his high school.  I was in a good mood despite the the fact that like most flights that day, my flight had been delayed.  This was for a work trip, and I was doing my best to stay positive and keep myself in the post-holiday happiness hangover that had lingered into the year's second week.  eBay seller Greg Morris Cards, based out of Los Angeles, somehow seems to post cards from various vintage baseball card set breaks on a weekly basis, with the cards typically all in fantastic condition.  With time to kill, knowing that bidding on baseball cards was a surefire good mood sustainer, and having only 40 cards so far for our 1969 Topps set, I pleasantly passed the time by bidding on 62 commons, all with no previous bidders, and all ending within the next 30 hours.

The next afternoon, while on a break at our work conference in the Hilton Anatole, I checked on the auctions, noting I had been outbid on a few, but was still the high bidder for most of the 62 cards.  That night, as auctions were close to ending, and as I was enjoying a few adult beverages at the fine Rodeo Goat establishment across the street from the Hilton, my Apple Watch began vibrating every few seconds as I was outbid on dozens of auctions.  When the dust had settled, I had won 24 new cards at an average price of about $2.50 per card.  This Gosger card was $2.26, and arrived a week after I had made the return trip home from Dallas.

The Card / Pilots Team Set / Accuracy Index +10

There are 29 Pilots cards in the 1969 Topps set, and this Gosger card has the distinction of being the first card to feature a member of the team in an actual Pilots uniform.  He's one of only six out of the 29 cards to show the uniform the Pilots wore during spring training in 1969.

This is one of 23 cards available in the set's fifth series available as either "yellow letter" or "white letter" variations, with the yellow letter variations being more prevalent.  This is the more prevalent yellow letter variation with Gosger's first name printed in yellow.

Accuracy Index:  Gosger's card receives the highest possible score, a 10, for being pictured in the expansion Pilots uniform.

1969 Season
Gosger began the season as the Pilots' regular center fielder, but was batting just .109 when he was demoted to the Vancouver Mounties in mid-June.  As told by Jim Bouton in his book Ball Four, Gosger remarked, "You know, I didn't think I was that bad a ballplayer, but they're making a believer out of me."  With the Mounties, Gosger got hot, batting .462 in 12 games before he was named as the player to be named later in a trade with the Mets originally completed in February.  The Pilots had received Greg Goossen in the deal, and Gosger and Goossen had briefly been teammates in Vancouver.

Gosger reported to the Triple-A Tidewater Tides where he continued to hit well.  In 58 games, he batted .341, earning a September call-up to the Mets.  Before his call-up, he had helped the Tides win the International League title.  Gosger played in 10 games with the Mets, making just two starts, and batted .133 (2 for 15).  Although he was ineligible for the postseason roster, Gosger was rewarded a small part of the Mets' World Series share.

1963 Topps #553

1966 Topps #114

1967 Topps #17

1970 Topps #651

1971 Topps #284

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1963 Topps #553
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7):  1963, 1966-1971
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1983 Galasso 1969 Seattle Pilots #7
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  37 in the Beckett online database as of 2/5/23.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

#481 Bill Melton - Chicago White Sox / #483 Ted Abernathy - Chicago Cubs

#438 Gary Waslewski - St. Louis Cardinals

Gary Lee Waslewski
St. Louis Cardinals
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'4"  Weight:  190
Born:  July 21, 1941, Meriden, CT
Signed:  Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent before 1960 season
Major League Teams:  Boston Red Sox 1967-1968; St. Louis Cardinals 1969; Montreal Expos 1969-1970; New York Yankees 1970-1971; Oakland Athletics 1972

World Series Appearances:  Boston Red Sox 1967

Gary Waslewski made his big league debut on June 11, 1967, when his Red Sox team was in fourth place, five games behind the league leading White Sox.  He'd pitch in 11 more games for the Red Sox during the regular season, and when they improbably made the World Series, Waslewski found himself as the Game 6 starter, facing off against the Cardinals' Dick Hughes (#39).  The Red Sox would win that game (Waslewski got a no decision) but lose the decisive Game 7.  He'd serve as a swingman for the Red Sox in 1968 and was dealt to his 1967 World Series opponents, the Cardinals, in December 1968 for Dick Schofield (#18).  He'd be on the move again mid-way through the 1969 season, and he'd pitch his best stretch of baseball as a member of the expansion Expos.  Waslewski would appear in a career-high 42 games in 1969, and he'd pitch in 32 games in 1970 with the Expos and the Yankees.  A knee injury in 1971 cut short his career, and Waslewski would see his final major league action in eight games with the Athletics in 1972.  He attempted a few comebacks, last pitching for the Red Sox' Triple-A team in Pawtucket in 1974.

Waslewski pitched in 152 games over six seasons, going 11-26 with a 3.44 ERA over 410 1/3 innings pitched.  He was one of many former Red Sox players in attendance at the 50th anniversary celebration of the 1967 Red Sox team during the 2007 season.

Building the Set / Card #54
January 17, 2023 from Greg Morris Cards - Los Angeles, CA
On the evening of January 8th, I found myself sitting in Terminal C of the Philadelphia International Airport waiting to board my flight to Dallas.  Earlier that day, I had enjoyed watching our oldest son Doug at a winter track meet as he pole vaulted for his high school.  I was in a good mood despite the the fact that like most flights that day, my flight had been delayed.  This was for a work trip, and I was doing my best to stay positive and keep myself in the post-holiday happiness hangover that had lingered into the year's second week.  eBay seller Greg Morris Cards, based out of Los Angeles, somehow seems to post cards from various vintage baseball card set breaks on a weekly basis, with the cards typically all in fantastic condition.  With time to kill, knowing that bidding on baseball cards was a surefire good mood sustainer, and having only 40 cards so far for our 1969 Topps set, I pleasantly passed the time by bidding on 62 commons, all with no previous bidders, and all ending within the next 30 hours.

The next afternoon, while on a break at our work conference in the Hilton Anatole, I checked on the auctions, noting I had been outbid on a few, but was still the high bidder for most of the 62 cards.  That night, as auctions were close to ending, and as I was enjoying a few adult beverages at the fine Rodeo Goat establishment across the street from the Hilton, my Apple Watch began vibrating every few seconds as I was outbid on dozens of auctions.  When the dust had settled, I had won 24 new cards at an average price of about $2.50 per card.  This Waslewski card was $1.37, and arrived a week after I had made the return trip home from Dallas.

The Card / Cardinals Team Set / Accuracy Index -8

Everything about this card is odd.  It's cropped weird.  The photo is way too dark and it's looks as if it's a poor resolution copy of a long distance shot of Waslewski.  Despite his World Series start, Waslewski didn't receive a card in the 1968 Topps set and this is his rookie card.  He's clearly wearing a Red Sox uniform here.  The back of the card highlights his World Series appearances and his acquisition over the winter by the Cardinals.

Accuracy Index:  Waslewski only loses eight points, as I didn't come up for a point deduction for "weird looking card."  He drops five for the Red Sox uniform and three for the blacked out hat.

1969 Season
Waslewski started the season in the Cardinals' bullpen and was used sparingly in the first few months, making it into just 12 games and pitching 20 2/3 innings between opening day and June 2nd.  On June 3rd, he was traded to the Expos for Mudcat Grant (#306) and he'd be one of the best pitchers for the expansion team.  Waslewski appeared in 30 games overall, making 14 starts.  He was 3-7 with a 3.29 ERA, including three complete games and a shutout on July 6th against the Phillies.

1970 Topps #607

1971 Topps #277

1972 Topps #108

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1969 Topps #438
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (4):  1969-1972
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1972 Topps #108
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  15 in the Beckett online database as of 2/4/23.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

#437 Luis Alcaraz - Kansas City Royals / #439 White Sox Rookie Stars

#389 Dan Coombs - Houston Astros

Daniel Bernard Coombs
Brooklyn Dodgers
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'4"  Weight:  200
Born:  March 23, 1942, Lincoln, ME

Signed:  Signed by the Houston Colt .45s as an amateur free agent before 1963 season
Major League Teams:  Houston Colt .45s 1963-1964; Houston Astros 1965-1969; 
San Diego Padres 1970-1971

Danny Coombs appeared in nine seasons with the Colt. 45s/Astros and Padres.  His first regular big league action came in 1965 when he appeared in 26 games for the Astros.  He'd bounce back and forth between the minors and majors the next two years, before sticking with the club for all of 1968 as the club's most frequently used lefty out of the bullpen.  Coombs was 4-3 with a 3.28 ERA in 40 games that season.  His career year came during his penultimate season of 1970 after the Padres had converted him to a starting pitcher.  Combs was 10-14 that season with a 3.30 ERA in 188 1/3 innings pitched.  In 144 career games, Combs had a 19-27 record with a 4.08 ERA and he accumulated 249 strikeouts over 393 innings pitched.

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

Building the Set / Card #53
January 17, 2023 from Greg Morris Cards - Los Angeles, CA
On the evening of January 8th, I found myself sitting in Terminal C of the Philadelphia International Airport waiting to board my flight to Dallas.  Earlier that day, I had enjoyed watching our oldest son Doug at a winter track meet as he pole vaulted for his high school.  I was in a good mood despite the the fact that like most flights that day, my flight had been delayed.  This was for a work trip, and I was doing my best to stay positive and keep myself in the post-holiday happiness hangover that had lingered into the year's second week.  eBay seller Greg Morris Cards, based out of Los Angeles, somehow seems to post cards from various vintage baseball card set breaks on a weekly basis, with the cards typically all in fantastic condition.  With time to kill, knowing that bidding on baseball cards was a surefire good mood sustainer, and having only 40 cards so far for our 1969 Topps set, I pleasantly passed the time by bidding on 62 commons, all with no previous bidders, and all ending within the next 30 hours.

The next afternoon, while on a break at our work conference in the Hilton Anatole, I checked on the auctions, noting I had been outbid on a few, but was still the high bidder for most of the 62 cards.  That night, as auctions were close to ending, and as I was enjoying a few adult beverages at the fine Rodeo Goat establishment across the street from the Hilton, my Apple Watch began vibrating every few seconds as I was outbid on dozens of auctions.  When the dust had settled, I had won 24 new cards at an average price of about $2.50 per card.  This Coombs card was $1.55, and arrived a week after I had made the return trip home from Dallas.

The Card / Astros Team Set / Accuracy Index +1

This card features the exact same photo used on Coombs' 1967 Topps card.  The cartoon on the back touts Coombs' four wins out of the Astros' bullpen in 1968, but his first win of 1968 came as a starting pitcher against the Braves on July 17th.  For all Astros cards in the 1968 Topps set and the early Astros cards in the 1969 Topps set, Topps removed any reference to the "Astros" nickname and referred to the team as "Houston" on the card fronts.  Mark Armour covered this issue with a great article over at the SABR Baseball Cards blog.

Accuracy Index:  Coombs scores the minimum here without going below zero, as he's featured in the correct Astros uniform (+5) but in a photo used previously (-4).

1969 Season
Coombs pitched in only 27 games between the Astros and the Triple-A Oklahoma City 89ers.  With the 89ers, he was 7-5 with a 4.45 ERA in 19 games, including 14 starts.  He threw four complete games.  With the Astros, Coombs made eight appearances between late April and early June, all in relief.  He was 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in eight innings pitched for Houston.

1965 Topps #553

1966 Topps #414

1967 Topps #464

1968 Topps #547

1971 Topps #126

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1965 Topps #553
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (6):  1965-1969, 1971
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2020 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-DCO
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  21 in the Beckett online database as of 2/4/23.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
1965 Topps Blog

#388 Tom McCraw - Chicago White Sox / #390 Bill Freehan - Detroit Tigers

#386 Jim McGlothlin - California Angels

James Milton McGlothlin
California Angels
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  185
Born:  October 6, 1943, Los Angeles, CA
Signed:  Signed by the Los Angeles Angels as an amateur free agent before 1962 season
Major League Teams:  California Angels 1965-1969; Cincinnati Reds 1970-1973; Chicago White Sox 1973

World Series Appearances:  Cincinnati Reds 1970, 1972
Died:  December 23, 1975, Union, KY (age 32)

Jim McGlothlin pitched in nine major league seasons and was an American League All-Star in 1967, before passing away from leukemia in 1975 at the all too young age of 32.  His first full season in the majors was also one of his best as McGlothlin went 12-8 in 1967 with a 2.96 ERA in 32 games.  He led the league with six shutouts and pitched two scoreless relief innings in the All-Star Game.  McGlothlin won 10 games in 1968 and was the Angels' opening day starter in 1969.  Following the 1969 season, he was dealt to the Reds with Pedro Borbon and Vern Geishert for Alex Johnson (#280) and Chico Ruiz (#469).  McGlothlin would have a career year in 1970, going 14-10 with a 3.59 ERA while pitching a career-high 210 2/3 innings.  He'd start Game 2 for the Reds in the 1970 World Series against the Orioles, and he'd get hit around a little, giving up four runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings.  The Orioles would win the series in five games.

McGlothlin continued to pitch well for the Reds, returning to the World Series in 1972.  Dealt to the White Sox in August 1973, McGlothlin would pitch in his final five games for Chicago.  In 256 career big league games, including 201 starts, McGlothlin was 67-77 with a 3.61 ERA, 36 complete games and 11 shutouts. A popular player during his years with the Reds, Johnny Bench (#95) and Pete Rose (#120) were among those former teammates who helped raise funds for McGlothlin to help pay for his medical treatment following his cancer diagnosis.

Building the Set / Card #52
January 17, 2023 from Greg Morris Cards - Los Angeles, CA
On the evening of January 8th, I found myself sitting in Terminal C of the Philadelphia International Airport waiting to board my flight to Dallas.  Earlier that day, I had enjoyed watching our oldest son Doug at a winter track meet as he pole vaulted for his high school.  I was in a good mood despite the the fact that like most flights that day, my flight had been delayed.  This was for a work trip, and I was doing my best to stay positive and keep myself in the post-holiday happiness hangover that had lingered into the year's second week.  eBay seller Greg Morris Cards, based out of Los Angeles, somehow seems to post cards from various vintage baseball card set breaks on a weekly basis, with the cards typically all in fantastic condition.  With time to kill, knowing that bidding on baseball cards was a surefire good mood sustainer, and having only 40 cards so far for our 1969 Topps set, I pleasantly passed the time by bidding on 62 commons, all with no previous bidders, and all ending within the next 30 hours.

The next afternoon, while on a break at our work conference in the Hilton Anatole, I checked on the auctions, noting I had been outbid on a few, but was still the high bidder for most of the 62 cards.  That night, as auctions were close to ending, and as I was enjoying a few adult beverages at the fine Rodeo Goat establishment across the street from the Hilton, my Apple Watch began vibrating every few seconds as I was outbid on dozens of auctions.  When the dust had settled, I had won 24 new cards at an average price of about $2.50 per card.  This McGlothlin card was $1.28, and arrived a week after I had made the return trip home from Dallas.

The Card / Angels Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

This is the same exact pose, but not the same photo (or location) as the photo used for his 1967 Topps card.  The back of the card highlights his All-Star Game appearance and his six shutouts from 1967.  The cartoon on the back refers to his older brother.  While he's not mentioned in McGlothlin's SABR biography or Wikipedia entry, there's a Gibson McGlothlin in Baseball Reference, born in 1933 and who pitched in the White Sox organization between 1952 and 1956.

Accuracy Index:  McGlothlin's card scores a five since he's accurately depicted in an Angels uniform.

1969 Season
In his final season with the Angels, McGlothlin was 8-16 with a 3.18 ERA in 37 games, including 35 starts.  He threw 201 innings, four complete games and one shutout against the White Sox on April 22nd.  Andy Messersmith (#296), Tom Murphy (#474) and McGlothlin were the three top starters for the Angels, as the club finished in third place in the division with a 71-91-1 record.

1966 Topps #417

1967 Topps #19

1971 Topps #556

1973 Topps #318

1974 Topps #557

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1966 Topps #417
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (9):  1966-1974
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1974 Topps #557
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  39 in the Beckett online database as of 2/4/23.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

#385 Orlando Cepeda - Atlanta Braves / #387 Bobby Klaus - San Diego Padres

#366 Bo Belinsky - St. Louis Cardinals

Robert Belinsky
St. Louis Cardinals
Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  191
Born:  December 7, 1936, New York, NY
Signed:  Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent before 1956 season
Major League Teams:  Los Angeles Angels 1962-1964; Philadelphia Phillies 1965-1966; Houston Astros 1967; Pittsburgh Pirates 1969; Cincinnati Reds 1970

Died:  November 23, 2001, Las Vegas, NV (age 64)

I clearly remember seeing copies of the biography, Bo: Pitching and Wooing for sale at old baseball card shows as a young collector and thinking Bo Belinsky must have been one of the greats from the 1960s.  Turns out he was simply a larger than life personality who relished the spotlight, dated a bunch of women connected to show business and had a quick rise and quicker fall from grace as a pitcher in the major leagues.  He won his first five starts with the Angels in 1962 and pitched a no-hitter against the Orioles in his fourth start on May 5th.  It was all downhill from there.

Belinsky pitched for three seasons with the Angels, going 21-28 with a 3.74 ERA.  Seemingly focused more on the Hollywood lifestyle than pitching, the Angels quickly soured on the pitcher and traded him to the Phillies in December 1964.  That began a six-year trek for Belinsky through the Phillies, Astros, White Sox, Cardinals, Pirates, Angels (again) and Reds systems before he retired following the 1970 season at the age of 34.  In 146 games over 8 seasons, Belinsky compiled a 28-51 record with a 4.10 ERA.  He contributed to the aforementioned biography, published in 1973 and written by Maury Allen.

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

Building the Set / Card #51
January 17, 2023 from Greg Morris Cards - Los Angeles, CA
On the evening of January 8th, I found myself sitting in Terminal C of the Philadelphia International Airport waiting to board my flight to Dallas.  Earlier that day, I had enjoyed watching our oldest son Doug at a winter track meet as he pole vaulted for his high school.  I was in a good mood despite the the fact that like most flights that day, my flight had been delayed.  This was for a work trip, and I was doing my best to stay positive and keep myself in the post-holiday happiness hangover that had lingered into the year's second week.  eBay seller Greg Morris Cards, based out of Los Angeles, somehow seems to post cards from various vintage baseball card set breaks on a weekly basis, with the cards typically all in fantastic condition.  With time to kill, knowing that bidding on baseball cards was a surefire good mood sustainer, and having only 40 cards so far for our 1969 Topps set, I pleasantly passed the time by bidding on 62 commons, all with no previous bidders, and all ending within the next 30 hours.

The next afternoon, while on a break at our work conference in the Hilton Anatole, I checked on the auctions, noting I had been outbid on a few, but was still the high bidder for most of the 62 cards.  That night, as auctions were close to ending, and as I was enjoying a few adult beverages at the fine Rodeo Goat establishment across the street from the Hilton, my Apple Watch began vibrating every few seconds as I was outbid on dozens of auctions.  When the dust had settled, I had won 24 new cards at an average price of about $2.50 per card.  This Belinsky card was $1.51, and arrived a week after I had made the return trip home from Dallas.

The Card / Cardinals Team Set / Accuracy Index -16

Belinsky's final Topps flagship set appearance shows him with the Cardinals, a team for which he never pitched.  He was selected by the Cardinals from the Astros in the 1968 rule 5 draft and then sold to the Angels on April 3, 1969.  A reunion with the Angels never happened as he was sold again to the Pirates on July 30, 1969.  

Accuracy Index:  This represents a new high score on the merit of Belinsky never having played with the Cardinals in 1969 (-2) or at any point during his career (-6).  He's also hatless (-3) and wearing an Astros uniform (-5).

1969 Season
As mentioned above, Belinsky began the year with the Cardinals, was in the Angels' organization for four months, and was sold to the Pirates where he'd appear in eight games in August and September.  With Pittsburgh, Belinsky was 0-3 with a 4.58 ERA, making three starts and pitching 17 2/3 innings overall.

Phillies Career
Belinsky was traded to the Phillies for Rudy May and Costen Shockley on December 3, 1964.  Earlier in the year, Belinsky had punched a sports reporter, been demoted to the minor leagues and refused to report.  The Angels suspended him without pay.  Inserted into the Phillies starting rotation, he started the season with seven rough starts (1-3, 6.58 ERA) and manager Gene Mauch (#606) shifted him to the bullpen.  He'd bounce back and forth between starter and reliever throughout the season, missing most of September with a broken rib.  Belinsky appeared in 30 games for the Phillies in 1965, making 14 starts and earning a 4-9 record with a 4.84 ERA.  He vowed not to the return to the Phillies' bullpen in 1966, blaming Mauch for his pitching woes. 

Belinsky's performance suffered further in 1966, as he appeared in 9 games with the Phillies (0-2, 2.93 ERA in 15 1/3 innings) before getting demoted to Triple-A San Diego in June.  With the Padres, Belinsky appeared in only 13 games.  The Phillies left him unprotected following the season, and the Astros drafted him on November 28, 1966 in the annual rule 5 draft.  Mauch said of Belinsky, “He could pitch.  He just wouldn’t work out.  I wish I had a thousand guys with his arm and none with his head.”

Belinsky appeared in the 1965 and 1966 Topps sets with the Phillies, and he has a third mainstream Phillies card within the 1989 Swell Baseball Greats set.

1962 Topps #592

1963 Topps #33

1964 Topps #315

1966 Topps #506

1967 Topps #447

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1962 Topps #592
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7):  1962-1967, 1969
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1999 Sports Illustrated Greats of the Game #29
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  32 in the Beckett online database as of 2/4/23.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

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

#365 Jim Fregosi - California Angels / #367 Lou Johnson - Cleveland Indians