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Joseph Blase Sparma
Detroit Tigers
Pitcher
Born: February 4, 1942, Massillon, OH
Signed: Signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent before 1963 season
Major League Teams: Detroit Tigers 1964-1969; Montreal Expos 1970
World Series Appearances: Detroit Tigers 1968
Died: May 14, 1986, Columbus, OH (age 44)
As the quarterback for the 1961 and 1962 Ohio State University football teams, Joe Sparma helped lead the Buckeyes to a Big Ten College championship. Later as a pitcher, mostly with the Tigers, Sparma was a solid starter who often clashed with his manager, Mayo Smith (#40). Sparma won at least 10 games in three different seasons, including a career best 16 in 1967. He was 16-9 that year with a 3.76 ERA, also setting career highs in innings pitched (217 2/3) and strikeouts (153). In 1968, Sparma lost his spot in the Tigers' starting rotation after making non-flattering public remarks about Smith. Benched for several weeks, he returned to the rotation on September 17, 1968, and pitched a complete game victory against the Yankees to clinch Detroit's first American League pennant since 1945. He pitched only a third of an inning in the 1968 World Series, in which the Tigers downed the Cardinals in seven games.
Died: May 14, 1986, Columbus, OH (age 44)
As the quarterback for the 1961 and 1962 Ohio State University football teams, Joe Sparma helped lead the Buckeyes to a Big Ten College championship. Later as a pitcher, mostly with the Tigers, Sparma was a solid starter who often clashed with his manager, Mayo Smith (#40). Sparma won at least 10 games in three different seasons, including a career best 16 in 1967. He was 16-9 that year with a 3.76 ERA, also setting career highs in innings pitched (217 2/3) and strikeouts (153). In 1968, Sparma lost his spot in the Tigers' starting rotation after making non-flattering public remarks about Smith. Benched for several weeks, he returned to the rotation on September 17, 1968, and pitched a complete game victory against the Yankees to clinch Detroit's first American League pennant since 1945. He pitched only a third of an inning in the 1968 World Series, in which the Tigers downed the Cardinals in seven games.
Sparma pitched one more season in Detroit and was traded to the Expos in December 1969 for Jerry Robertson (#284). Struggling with control, he appeared in his final nine games with the Expos, and finished out the 1970 season with their Triple-A affiliate. Sparma earned a career record of 52-52 over 183 games pitched, with a 3.94 ERA.
Some text for this post originally appeared on my 1965 Topps blog.
Building the Set / Card #57
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 / Tigers Team Set / Accuracy Index +5
1969 Season
Sparma struggled mightily with his control in 1969, appearing in 23 games and pitching 92 2/3 innings. He allowed 77 walks to just 41 strikeouts over the season, much to the dismay of manager Smith. Overall he was 6-8 with a 4.76 ERA. On May 31st against the Pilots, Sparma took a no-hitter into the ninth inning, despite allowing seven walks. With one out in the bottom of the ninth, and two outs away from the no-hitter, Don Mincher (#285) doubled to right to end the no-hit bid.
Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card: 1964 Topps #512
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7): 1964-1970
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1970 Topps #243
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards: 33 in the Beckett online database as of 2/7/23.
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 Sparma card was $3, and arrived a week after I had made the return trip home from Dallas.
The Card / Tigers Team Set / Accuracy Index +5
The cartoon on the back highlights Sparma's collegiate football career with Ohio State. The write-up mentions him pitching in the game that clinched the pennant for the Tigers in 1968.
Accuracy Index: The photo may be a few years old, but the card scores a five for featuring Sparma in a Tigers uniform.
1969 Season
Sparma struggled mightily with his control in 1969, appearing in 23 games and pitching 92 2/3 innings. He allowed 77 walks to just 41 strikeouts over the season, much to the dismay of manager Smith. Overall he was 6-8 with a 4.76 ERA. On May 31st against the Pilots, Sparma took a no-hitter into the ninth inning, despite allowing seven walks. With one out in the bottom of the ninth, and two outs away from the no-hitter, Don Mincher (#285) doubled to right to end the no-hit bid.
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First Mainstream Card: 1964 Topps #512
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7): 1964-1970
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1970 Topps #243
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards: 33 in the Beckett online database as of 2/7/23.
Sources:
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia
Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
1965 Topps Blog
1965 Topps Blog
#487 Denis Menke - Houston Astros / #489 Clete Boyer - Atlanta Braves
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