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Michael David Kilkenny
Detroit Tigers
Pitcher
Born: April 11, 1945, Bradford, Canada
Signed: Signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent before 1964 season
Major League Teams: Detroit Tigers 1969-1972; Oakland Athletics 1972; San Diego Padres 1972; Cleveland Indians 1972-1973
Died: June 28, 2018, London, Canada (age 73)
Ronald Lawrence Woods
Detroit Tigers
Outfield
Born: February 1, 1943, Hamilton, OH
Signed: Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent, June 24, 1961
Major League Teams: Detroit Tigers 1969; New York Yankees 1969-1971; Montreal Expos 1971-1974
Mike Kilkenny's first three seasons in the majors were largely uneventful, as he was a reliable swingman for the Tigers, appearing in at least 30 games each year between 1969 and 1971. He was named the Tigers Rookie of the Year in 1969, going 8-6 with a 3.37 ERA in 39 games, including 15 starts. Kilkenny threw six complete games in his rookie season, including four shutouts. In 1972, he was dealt to the Athletics in early May, dealt to the Padres eight days later and finally dealt to the Indians less than a month later, becoming one of a handful of major leaguers to have played for four different teams in one season. His final major league action came in five games for the Indians in early 1973. His Indians career ended unceremoniously as he was suspended for the remainder of 1973 and all of 1974 for refusing a minor league demotion. Kilkenny continued to pitch semipro baseball in Canada, leading the London Majors of the Canadian Intercounty League to a title in 1975. He was 23-18 with a 4.43 ERA in 139 games pitched, with 106 of those appearances coming with the Tigers.
After languishing in the Pirates' minor league system for five seasons, and spending another three seasons playing for Tigers minor league teams, Ron Woods made his big league debut on April 22, 1969. He played just 17 games for the Tigers before being traded to the Yankees in June 1969. After parts of three seasons in New York, Woods was traded to the Expos on June 25, 1971 for Ron Swoboda (#585). He'd enjoy the best three seasons of his big league career in Montreal, and was the club's regular center fielder for most of 1973. Woods appeared in a career-high 135 games that season, batting .230. With his Expos playing time diminished with the arrival of Willie Davis (#65), Woods departed for Japan for the 1975 season. He'd play two years with the Chunichi Dragons before retiring. In the majors, Woods batted .233 in 582 games, with 26 home runs and 130 RBIs.
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 Tigers Rookie Stars card was a little under $5, for some reason, and arrived a week after I had made the return trip home from Dallas.
The Card / Tigers Team Set / Kilkenny Accuracy Index +5 / Woods Accuracy Index -3
This is the rookie card for both Kilkenny and Woods. Who knows what Woods is wearing here? The close crop leads me to believe he's definitely in a minor league uniform. On the back, Topps seems shocked by Woods' age, noting, "Ron just turned 26 years old!" Having looked at a lot of these Rookie Stars cards from the 1960s, quite a few prospects on these cards were in their mid-20s.
Accuracy Index: Kilkenny scores a five for being accurately pictured in a Tigers uniform. I'm applying the Don Money (#454) and Duffy Dyer (#624) rule (Money Duffy Rule?) to the Woods side of the card, since there's no way of telling what uniform he's wearing, but it's likely not a Tigers uniform. He loses only three points for being hatless.
Other Notable Baseball Cards - Kilkenny
First Mainstream Card: 1969 Topps #544
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (5): 1969-1973
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1973 Topps #551
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards: 17 in the Beckett online database as of 2/8/23.
Sources - Kilkenny:
Other Notable Baseball Cards - Woods
First Mainstream Card: 1969 Topps #544
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (6): 1969-1974
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1974 Topps #377
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards: 20 in the Beckett online database as of 2/8/23.
Sources - Woods:
1969 Season - Kilkenny
Statistically, this was Kilkenny's best season in the majors and he was the Tigers' best reliever. On August 12th, he pitched a three-hit shutout against the Angels, earning his first big league win. Earlier that day, his wife had given birth to their first child. As mentioned above, he was 8-6 with a 3.37 ERA, and his four shutouts were fourth best in the league.
Statistically, this was Kilkenny's best season in the majors and he was the Tigers' best reliever. On August 12th, he pitched a three-hit shutout against the Angels, earning his first big league win. Earlier that day, his wife had given birth to their first child. As mentioned above, he was 8-6 with a 3.37 ERA, and his four shutouts were fourth best in the league.
1969 Season - Woods
Woods played in 17 games for the Tigers, making one start in center field. On June 14th, he was traded to the Yankees for Tom Tresh (#212), and he'd serve as the regular center fielder for New York between mid-June and early September, before Bobby Murcer (#657) took over full-time. For the season, Woods played in 89 games, batting .183 with a pair of home runs and 10 RBIs.
Woods played in 17 games for the Tigers, making one start in center field. On June 14th, he was traded to the Yankees for Tom Tresh (#212), and he'd serve as the regular center fielder for New York between mid-June and early September, before Bobby Murcer (#657) took over full-time. For the season, Woods played in 89 games, batting .183 with a pair of home runs and 10 RBIs.
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Other Notable Baseball Cards - Kilkenny
First Mainstream Card: 1969 Topps #544
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (5): 1969-1973
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1973 Topps #551
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards: 17 in the Beckett online database as of 2/8/23.
Sources - Kilkenny:
Other Notable Baseball Cards - Woods
First Mainstream Card: 1969 Topps #544
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (6): 1969-1974
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1974 Topps #377
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards: 20 in the Beckett online database as of 2/8/23.
Sources - Woods:
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#543 Fred Norman - Boston Red Sox / #545 Willie Stargell - Pittsburgh Pirates
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