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In the set's sixth series, Topps made the decision to include four (and only four) combo cards featuring members of the Orioles, Senators, Athletics and Giants. A staple throughout the prior decade-plus of Topps sets, the combo cards would make a brief, final appearance with these four cards and then disappear again. Various checklists also denote these as "CPC" for combo player cards.
Building the Set / Card #72
February 13, 2023 from Wenonah, NJ (Gar Miller Cards)
Given my chosen profession, I sit through an inordinate amount of work meetings, which are now almost all virtual in this post-pandemic world. On some occasions, these meetings are admittedly a combination of boring, unneeded, too lengthy or some combination of all three. During a recent early February virtual work meeting, and after it became apparent the meeting had derailed into matters unimportant to me personally, I bought a bunch of old baseball cards. Gar Miller is a noted hobby luminary, and he still sells vintage baseball cards via his online store, Gar Miller Cards. I navigated over to his website, picking up a small stack of cards from this 1969 Topps set build and a few bonus cards for our not yet officially collecting 1955 Bowman and 1959 Topps sets. For those watching me on screen during the virtual work meeting, I had the appearance of someone smiling, nodding appreciatively and following along attentively. But in reality, I was adding baseball cards to my online cart, including this Bird Hill Aces card which was $10.
February 13, 2023 from Wenonah, NJ (Gar Miller Cards)
Given my chosen profession, I sit through an inordinate amount of work meetings, which are now almost all virtual in this post-pandemic world. On some occasions, these meetings are admittedly a combination of boring, unneeded, too lengthy or some combination of all three. During a recent early February virtual work meeting, and after it became apparent the meeting had derailed into matters unimportant to me personally, I bought a bunch of old baseball cards. Gar Miller is a noted hobby luminary, and he still sells vintage baseball cards via his online store, Gar Miller Cards. I navigated over to his website, picking up a small stack of cards from this 1969 Topps set build and a few bonus cards for our not yet officially collecting 1955 Bowman and 1959 Topps sets. For those watching me on screen during the virtual work meeting, I had the appearance of someone smiling, nodding appreciatively and following along attentively. But in reality, I was adding baseball cards to my online cart, including this Bird Hill Aces card which was $10.
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| October 9, 1969 - Cuellar, Palmer and McNally |
Collectors and baseball fans will most likely immediately recognize there's a key person missing in this photo, as it only features four of the five most regularly used starting pitchers by the pennant-winning 1969 Orioles team. Dave McNally (#340) was the team's opening day pitcher, followed by Mike Cuellar (#453) and Jim Hardin (#610). But then future Hall of Famer Jim Palmer (#573) slotted in as the fourth starter with Tom Phoebus (#185) rounding out the quintet. Cuellar is the newcomer to the group, as he had been acquired from the Astros on December 4, 1968.
It's likely this photo was taken during spring training in 1969, on the same day Cuellar was having his picture taken for his solo Topps card in the set. The back of the card summarizes the accolades of each pitcher, starting with Phoebus and Hardin. Palmer would throw his only career no-hitter on August 13, 1969, driving home his unfortunate omission from a card labelled "Bird Hill Aces."
1969 Season
McNally was one of six Orioles to head to the All-Star Game in 1969, and the only pitcher from the club. Cuellar would lead the pitching staff with a 23-11 record, a 2.38 ERA, 18 complete games and five shutouts. McNally was 20-7 with a 3.22 ERA. Palmer, despite only making 26 appearances and 23 starts, would top all Orioles pitchers with a 4.2 bWAR. He was 16-4 with a 2.34 ERA, 11 complete games and a team-leading six shutouts. He'd strike out 123 in 181 innings. Phoebus was 14-7 with a 3.52 ERA and Hardin finished with a 6-7 record to go with a 3.60 ERA at the back end of the rotation.
McNally was one of six Orioles to head to the All-Star Game in 1969, and the only pitcher from the club. Cuellar would lead the pitching staff with a 23-11 record, a 2.38 ERA, 18 complete games and five shutouts. McNally was 20-7 with a 3.22 ERA. Palmer, despite only making 26 appearances and 23 starts, would top all Orioles pitchers with a 4.2 bWAR. He was 16-4 with a 2.34 ERA, 11 complete games and a team-leading six shutouts. He'd strike out 123 in 181 innings. Phoebus was 14-7 with a 3.52 ERA and Hardin finished with a 6-7 record to go with a 3.60 ERA at the back end of the rotation.
McNally threw an 11-inning complete game shutout against the Twins in Game 2 of the ALDS, striking out 11. Palmer clinched the series with a complete game of his own in Game 3. In the 1969 World Series, Cuellar won Game 1 with a complete game victory, allowing just a run. Jerry Koosman (#90) out dueled McNally in Game 2 to tie the series at 1-1. Game 3 saw Palmer get roughed up, allowing four runs over six innings and Game 4 belonged to Tom Seaver (#480) who outmatched Cuellar in another low-scoring extra inning game. In the decisive Game 5, McNally took the mound again, with he and Eddie Watt (#652) faltering in the late innings as the Mets amazingly took the World Series.
Sources:
Baseball Reference / Wikipedia
Baseball Reference / Wikipedia
#531 Dick Farrell - Philadelphia Phillies / #533 Nolan Ryan - New York Mets
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