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Paulino Casanova
Washington Senators
Catcher
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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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
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