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Fred Dwight Whitfield
Cincinnati Reds
First Base
Born: January 7, 1938, Vandiver, AL
Signed: Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent before 1956 season
Major League Teams: St. Louis Cardinals 1962; Cleveland Indians 1963-1967; Cincinnati Reds 1968-1969; Montreal Expos 1970
Died: January 31, 2013, Gadsden, AL (age 75)
His Baseball Reference page notes when Fred Whitfield made his big league debut with the Cardinals on May 27, 1962, he became the 12,000th player in major league history. He was dealt to the Indians on December 15, 1962 for Jack Kubiszyn and Ron Taylor (#72), and Whitfield would enjoy the most successful seasons of his career in Cleveland. Between 1963 and 1967, he was the Indians' most used first baseman, hitting at least 20 home runs in 1963, 1965 and 1966. Whitfield drove in a career-high 90 runs in 1965 and his big season resulted in him being named as the first baseman on The Sporting News American League all-star team.
Whitfield was dealt to the Reds following the 1967 season and he'd spend 1968 and 1969 in Cincinnati backing up Lee May (#405) at first base. He closed out his big league career with four games with the Expos in 1970, having spent most of that season playing for Montreal's top farm team in Buffalo. Whitfield was a career .253 batter with 578 hits, 108 home runs and 356 RBIs.
His Baseball Reference page notes when Fred Whitfield made his big league debut with the Cardinals on May 27, 1962, he became the 12,000th player in major league history. He was dealt to the Indians on December 15, 1962 for Jack Kubiszyn and Ron Taylor (#72), and Whitfield would enjoy the most successful seasons of his career in Cleveland. Between 1963 and 1967, he was the Indians' most used first baseman, hitting at least 20 home runs in 1963, 1965 and 1966. Whitfield drove in a career-high 90 runs in 1965 and his big season resulted in him being named as the first baseman on The Sporting News American League all-star team.
Whitfield was dealt to the Reds following the 1967 season and he'd spend 1968 and 1969 in Cincinnati backing up Lee May (#405) at first base. He closed out his big league career with four games with the Expos in 1970, having spent most of that season playing for Montreal's top farm team in Buffalo. Whitfield was a career .253 batter with 578 hits, 108 home runs and 356 RBIs.
Some text for this post originally appeared on my 1965 Topps blog.
Building the Set / Card #58
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 / Reds Team Set / Accuracy Index -8
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 Whitfield card was $1.40, and arrived a week after I had made the return trip home from Dallas.
The Card / Reds Team Set / Accuracy Index -8
The photo used here could date all the way back to 1965, as it appears to be from the same session as the photo used on Whitfield's 1966 Topps card. He's wearing an Indians jersey with the feather from the Indians logo peaking through on the bottom right. Topps had more recent photos of Whitfield, with those photos used in the 1967 and 1968 Topps sets. On the back, Topps throws it back to 1958 when Whitfield led the Midwest League with 118 RBIs, and 1966 when he led the Indians with 78 RBIs. This is his last appearance in a Topps flagship set.
Accuracy Index: Whitfield scores a -8 on the strength of the Indians jersey (-5) and for being hatless (-3).
1969 Season
In his final full season, Whitfield made it into 74 games and bated .149 (11 for 74) with one home run and eight RBIs. He started only six games at first base and was primarily used as a pinch-hitter. As mentioned above, May was the Reds' regular first baseman and he led the club with 38 home runs. Whitfield was released by the Reds following the season, signing with the Expos in April 1970.
Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card: 1963 Topps #211
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7): 1963-1969
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1969 Topps #518
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards: 36 in the Beckett online database as of 2/8/23.
Sources:
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia
In his final full season, Whitfield made it into 74 games and bated .149 (11 for 74) with one home run and eight RBIs. He started only six games at first base and was primarily used as a pinch-hitter. As mentioned above, May was the Reds' regular first baseman and he led the club with 38 home runs. Whitfield was released by the Reds following the season, signing with the Expos in April 1970.
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First Mainstream Card: 1963 Topps #211
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7): 1963-1969
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1969 Topps #518
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards: 36 in the Beckett online database as of 2/8/23.
Sources:
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia
Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
1965 Topps Blog
1965 Topps Blog
#517 Mike McCormick - San Francisco Giants / #519 Yankees Rookie Stars
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