#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