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James Kenneth Lefebvre
Los Angeles Dodgers
Second Base-Third Base
Born: January 7, 1942, Inglewood, CA
Signed: Signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent before 1962 season
Major League Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers 1965-1972
World Series Appearances: Los Angeles Dodgers 1965-1966
As a Manager: Seattle Mariners 1989-1991; Chicago Cubs 1992-1993; Milwaukee Brewers 1999
Jim Lefebvre was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1965, and hit .400 (4 for 10) in the World Series as the Dodgers defeated the Twins in seven games. Lefebvre's best season came in 1966 when he was the starting second baseman for the National League All-Star Team. He hit .274 with 24 home runs and 74 RBIs that season - all career highs. Lefebvre played for the Dodgers through the 1972 season and when the team released him, he began a successful four-season stint with the Lotte Orions in Japan. In his eight major league seasons, he batted .251 with 74 home runs and 404 RBIs. Lefebvre would later manage in the majors, guiding the Mariners, Cubs and Brewers to a 417-442 record over six seasons.
As a Manager: Seattle Mariners 1989-1991; Chicago Cubs 1992-1993; Milwaukee Brewers 1999
Jim Lefebvre was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1965, and hit .400 (4 for 10) in the World Series as the Dodgers defeated the Twins in seven games. Lefebvre's best season came in 1966 when he was the starting second baseman for the National League All-Star Team. He hit .274 with 24 home runs and 74 RBIs that season - all career highs. Lefebvre played for the Dodgers through the 1972 season and when the team released him, he began a successful four-season stint with the Lotte Orions in Japan. In his eight major league seasons, he batted .251 with 74 home runs and 404 RBIs. Lefebvre would later manage in the majors, guiding the Mariners, Cubs and Brewers to a 417-442 record over six seasons.
Some text for this post originally appeared on my 1965 Topps blog.
Building the Set / Card #45
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 Card / Dodgers Team Set / Accuracy Index +5
1969 Season
Lefebvre was the opening day second baseman for the Dodgers, but he would injure his ankle a week into the season and ultimately lose the position to rookie Ted Sizemore (#552). He'd switch to third base in mid-June and entered into somewhat of a platoon with Bill Sudakis (#552). In total, Lefebvre made 42 starts at third base, 32 starts at second base and six starts at first base. In 95 games, he batted .236 with four home runs and 44 RBIs.
Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card: 1965 Topps #561
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (13): 1965-1972, 1989-1993
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 2013 BBM Legendary Foreigners #9
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards: 82 in the Beckett online database as of 2/1/23.
Sources:
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia
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 Lefebvre card was $2.27, and arrived a week after I had made the return trip home from Dallas.
The back of the card highlights Lefebvre's team-leading, and career-best, 24 home runs from 1966. Lou Johnson (#367) was second on the club that season with 17. The career summary provided mentions his big first two seasons in 1965 and 1966 and the "serious injuries" suffered in 1967 and 1968. Lefebvre was unlucky with injuries, dislocating his shoulder in 1967 and incurring a string of injuries in 1968, including a heel ailment, a sprained wrist and a pulled hamstring.
Accuracy Index: The long-time Dodger easily scores a five for being pictured in a Dodgers uniform. While the photo comes from the same session as the photo used for his 1968 Topps card, he's shown here batting and not fielding.
1969 Season
Lefebvre was the opening day second baseman for the Dodgers, but he would injure his ankle a week into the season and ultimately lose the position to rookie Ted Sizemore (#552). He'd switch to third base in mid-June and entered into somewhat of a platoon with Bill Sudakis (#552). In total, Lefebvre made 42 starts at third base, 32 starts at second base and six starts at first base. In 95 games, he batted .236 with four home runs and 44 RBIs.
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First Mainstream Card: 1965 Topps #561
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (13): 1965-1972, 1989-1993
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 2013 BBM Legendary Foreigners #9
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards: 82 in the Beckett online database as of 2/1/23.
Sources:
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia
Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
1965 Topps Blog
1965 Topps Blog
#139 Andy Kosco - Los Angeles Dodgers / #141 Bill Dillman - Baltimore Orioles
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