#69 Steve Hamilton - New York Yankees

Steven Absher Hamilton
New York Yankees
Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'6"  Weight:  190
Born:  November 30, 1934, Columbia, KY
Signed:  Signed by the Cleveland Indians as an amateur free agent, April 3, 1958
Major League Teams:  Cleveland Indians 1961; Washington Senators 1962-1963; New York Yankees 1963-1970; Chicago White Sox 1970; San Francisco Giants 1971; Chicago Cubs 1972

World Series Appearances:  New York Yankees 1963-1964
Died:  December 2, 1997, Morehead, KY (age 63)

Steve Hamilton established several basketball records while attending Morehead State, and was later a power forward/center for the Minneapolis Lakers.  After playing for the Lakers in the 1959 NBA Finals, during which his team was swept by the Celtics, Hamilton left the basketball court and set his sights on the baseball diamond.  He'd establish himself as a reliable lefty reliever during his 12-year big league career, playing primarily for the Yankees.  He appeared in the 1963 and 1964 World Series for the Yankees, although his team lost to the Dodgers and then the Cardinals.  Hamilton earned a save in Game 6 of the 1964 World Series, recording the final two outs of the game after Jim Bouton had pitched 8 1/3 innings.  He's one of only two people, along with Gene Conley, to have played in a World Series and in the NBA Finals.

Hamilton's best season came in 1965 when he was 3-1 with a 1.39 ERA in 46 appearances, pitching 58 1/3 innings as one of the Yankees' best relievers.  He briefly served as the Yankees' closer in 1968, recording 11 saves.  Late in his career, Hamilton developed an eephus-style pitch dubbed the "folly-floater."  He retired after the 1972 season with a career record of 40-31 in 421 games, a 3.05 ERA in 663 innings pitched and 42 saves.  Hamilton was the Tigers' pitching coach in 1975.

Some text for this post originally appeared on my 1965 Topps blog.

Building the Set / Card #120
March 12, 2023 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)

In mid-March, Doug and I attended the Philadelphia Sports Collectors Show, held within the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania.  My main focus for this show was accumulating as many 1969 Topps commons as possible, which I did by adding a grand total of 193 cards to our set.  That's almost 30% of the entire set added in one enjoyable afternoon.  I wrote a full summary of the show in a post over at The Phillies Room, found here.

This is the 43rd of the 193 commons and semi-stars purchased, pulled and stacked from the first two neon green binders housing 1969 Topps cards at the multi-table spread of Uncle Dick's Cards from Babylon, New York.  My method was simple - I pulled up a chair, found a card I needed, picked the best of the group from the binder page and set it aside.  After each 100 cards, I'd ask the dealer to tell me how much damage I had done so far.  With a budget in mind, I kept going twice, continuing after card #100 and card #200, and stopping at card #298.  The final amount due was 17% off the sticker price for the pile of 193 cards, with this card costing $1.25.

The Card / Yankees Team Set / Accuracy Index +1

This card uses the same photo from Hamilton's 1964 Topps card, meaning it was taken at least six years prior to the card's release.  Given his 1965 Topps card likely uses a photo from the same session, the player making a cameo in the back is likely Tony Kubek, who wore #10 with the Yankees and last played in 1965.  The cartoon on the back highlights Hamilton's time with the Lakers, and the write-up shorts him a pair of saves.  Hamilton saved 11 games in 1968, and not nine.

Accuracy Index:  Hamilton scores the lowest possible score without going negative given he's shown in the correct uniform (+5) but with a photo used before by Topps (-4).

1969 Season
The tall lefty came in from the bullpen 38 times for the Yankees, going 3-4 with a 3.32 ERA in 57 innings pitched.  He saved a pair of games, with either Jack Aker (#612) or Lindy McDaniel (#191) getting most of the save opportunities for the Yankees.

1963 Topps #171

1964 Topps #206

1968 Topps #496

1970 Topps #349

1972 Topps #766

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1963 Topps #171
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (10):  1963-1972
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1972 Topps #766
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  45 in the Beckett online database as of 6/24/23.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
1965 Topps Blog

#68 Dave Duncan - Oakland Athletics / #70 Tommy Helms - Cincinnati Reds

#68 Dave Duncan - Oakland Athletics

David Edwin Duncan
Oakland Athletics
Catcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  190
Born:  September 26, 1945, Dallas, TX
Signed:  Signed by the Kansas City Athletics as an amateur free agent before 1963 season
Major League Teams:  Kansas City Athletics 1964, 1967; Oakland Athletics 1968-1972; Cleveland Indians 1973-1974; Baltimore Orioles 1975-1976

World Series Appearances:  Oakland Athletics 1972

Dave Duncan was a veteran of 11 big league seasons as a catcher before moving on to a 34-year career as a successful pitching coach.  Largely a back-up during his early years with the A's, Duncan took over behind the plate in 1971, making the American League All-Star team.  In 1972, he hit only .218 but reached career highs in home runs (19) and RBIs (59) as the A's advanced to and won the World Series against the Reds in seven games.  Duncan would play for two seasons with the Indians and Orioles before retiring as a player following the 1976 season.  He collected 617 career hits while batting .214, with 109 home runs and 341 RBIs.

His coaching career began with the Indians (1978-1981) and Mariners (1982).  In 1983, he'd begin a 30-year run as pitching coach for any team managed by future Hall of Famer Tony LaRussa.  The pair worked together with the White Sox (1983-1986), Athletics (1986-1995) and Cardinals (1996-2011), winning World Series titles in 1989, 2006 and 2011.  Duncan was the pitching coach overseeing Cy Young seasons for four pitchers - LaMarr Hoyt in 1983, Bob Welch in 1990, Dennis Eckersley in 1992 and Chris Carpenter in 2005.

Building the Set / Card #119
March 12, 2023 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)

In mid-March, Doug and I attended the Philadelphia Sports Collectors Show, held within the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania.  My main focus for this show was accumulating as many 1969 Topps commons as possible, which I did by adding a grand total of 193 cards to our set.  That's almost 30% of the entire set added in one enjoyable afternoon.  I wrote a full summary of the show in a post over at The Phillies Room, found here.

This is the 42nd of the 193 commons and semi-stars purchased, pulled and stacked from the first two neon green binders housing 1969 Topps cards at the multi-table spread of Uncle Dick's Cards from Babylon, New York.  My method was simple - I pulled up a chair, found a card I needed, picked the best of the group from the binder page and set it aside.  After each 100 cards, I'd ask the dealer to tell me how much damage I had done so far.  With a budget in mind, I kept going twice, continuing after card #100 and card #200, and stopping at card #298.  The final amount due was 17% off the sticker price for the pile of 193 cards, with this card costing $1.25.

The Card / Athletics Team Set / Accuracy Index +2

Duncan appeared in 11 Topps flagship sets, and seven of his cards in those sets, including this one, make it clear he's a catcher.  As I'm suspecting will be the case with a lot of A's cards, Duncan is shown in an A's uniform, but he has the "KC" logo on his hat blacked out as the team moved from Kansas City following the 1967 season.  The back of the card highlights his 46 home runs hit while a member of the Class A Modesto Reds in 1966.

Accuracy Index:  Duncan gains 5 points for the accurate jersey, but loses 2 points for the logo-less hat.

1969 Season
This was Duncan's first full year in the majors, without spending any time in the minor leagues.  He'd back up regular catcher Phil Roof (#334), appearing in 58 games and batting .126 with three home runs.  That average was the lowest in the majors of any non-pitcher with at least 100 at-bats in 1969.

1964 Topps #528

1970 Topps #678

1973 Topps #337

1975 Topps #238

1977 Topps #338

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1964 Topps #528
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (11):  1964, 1968-1977
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2009 Topps Heritage #468
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  57 in the Beckett online database as of 6/23/23.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

#67 Bill Stoneman - Montreal Expos / #69 Steve Hamilton - New York Yankees

#67 Bill Stoneman - Montreal Expos

William Hambly Stoneman
Montreal Expos
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  170
Born:  April 7, 1944, Oak Park, IL
Drafted:  Drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 31st round on the 1966 amateur draft, June 7, 1966
Major League Teams:  Chicago Cubs 1967-1968; Montreal Expos 1969-1973; California Angels 1974

Bill Stoneman was one of the first stars of the expansion Expos, pitching a no-hitter against the Phillies on April 17, 1969, in the ninth game of the franchise's history.  It was only Stoneman's fifth start overall in the majors.  He was an 11-game winner in 1969, leading the league with 123 walks and 12 hit batters.  In 1971, Stoneman would again lead the league with 146 walks, but he'd go 17-16 with a 3.15 ERA for the Expos, striking out a career-high 251 in 294 2/3 innings pitched.  Stoneman would be named to the National League All-Star team in 1972, and at the end of the season, on October 2, 1972, he'd throw his second career no-hitter.  Stoneman worked over 200 innings in each of the Expos' first four seasons.  Injuries would curtail his career in 1973, and he'd appear in his last big league game with the Angels in 1974.  Stoneman had a lifetime record of 54-85 with a 4.08 ERA in 245 games pitched.  He struck out 934 while walking 602.

He returned to the Expos in 1983, working in the team's front office, and he'd serve as their general manager in 1987 and 1988.  He became the general manager of the Angels in 1999, hiring Mike Scioscia to manage the club, and the Angels won their first World Championship in 2002.  He'd step down as Angels' general manager in 2007, returning briefly on an interim basis in 2015.

Building the Set / Card #118
March 12, 2023 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)

In mid-March, Doug and I attended the Philadelphia Sports Collectors Show, held within the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania.  My main focus for this show was accumulating as many 1969 Topps commons as possible, which I did by adding a grand total of 193 cards to our set.  That's almost 30% of the entire set added in one enjoyable afternoon.  I wrote a full summary of the show in a post over at The Phillies Room, found here.

This is the 41st of the 193 commons and semi-stars purchased, pulled and stacked from the first two neon green binders housing 1969 Topps cards at the multi-table spread of Uncle Dick's Cards from Babylon, New York.  My method was simple - I pulled up a chair, found a card I needed, picked the best of the group from the binder page and set it aside.  After each 100 cards, I'd ask the dealer to tell me how much damage I had done so far.  With a budget in mind, I kept going twice, continuing after card #100 and card #200, and stopping at card #298.  The final amount due was 17% off the sticker price for the pile of 193 cards, with this card costing $1.25.  If I stick to composing posts five times a week, I should go through the stack and be caught up by the end of January.  But as the summer begins, that's becoming a bigger If.

The Card / Expos Team Set / Accuracy Index -8

Stoneman's rookie card can be found in the 1968 Topps set, and this photo, with him wearing a Cubs uniform, is likely taken during the same time as the photo used for his rookie card.  His SABR biography mentions he received his master's in education from the University of Oklahoma, closing the loop on the cartoon on the back of the card.

Accuracy Index:  It's another -8, given the hatlessness (-3) if that's a word, and the Cubs uniform (-5).

1969 Season
Stoneman was the second starting pitcher in Expos history, with Mudcat Grant (#306) getting the opening day start.  Stoneman would make more starts than any other Expos pitcher in their inaugural season, going 11-19 in 42 games overall and 36 starts.  He'd lead the team in wins, innings pitched (235 2/3) and strikeouts (185).  As mentioned above, he also led the league in walks and hit batters.

1968 Topps #179

1970 Topps #398

1971 Topps #266

1972 Topps #610

1974 Topps #352

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1968 Topps #179
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7):  1968-1974
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1974 Topps #352
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  41 in the Beckett online database as of 6/11/23.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

#66 Orioles Rookie Stars / #68 Dave Duncan - Oakland Athletics

#66 Orioles Rookie Stars - Mike Adamson / Merv Rettenmund

John Michael Adamson
Baltimore Orioles
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  185
Born:  September 13, 1947, San Diego, CA
Drafted:  Drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 1st round (1st pick) of the 1967 amateur draft (June secondary), June 6, 1967
Major League Teams:  Baltimore Orioles 1967-1969

Died:  May 7, 2022, Monument, CO (age 74)

Mervin Weldon Rettenmund
Baltimore Orioles
Outfield

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  190
Born:  June 6, 1943, Flint, MI
Signed:  Signed by the Baltimore Orioles as an amateur free agent, November 28, 1964
Major League Teams:  Baltimore Orioles 1968-1973; Cincinnati Reds 1974-1975; San Diego Padres 1976-1977; California Angels 1978-1980

World Series Appearances:  Baltimore Orioles 1969-1971; Cincinnati Reds 1975

Mike Adamson was the top pick in the June 1967 amateur player draft, and he'd report immediately to the Orioles a few days after signing his contract.  Adamson would play sparingly with the Orioles over the next three seasons, appearing in 11 games overall and making four starts.  He was 0-4 with a 7.46 ERA in 25 1/3 innings pitched, striking out 14 and walking 22.  Adamson pitched professionally through the 1971 season before retiring.

1971 Topps #362

Outfielder Merv Rettenmund was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1965 NFL Draft, the day after he had signed a contract to play with the Orioles.  Winner of the 1968 Minor League Player of the Year award, Rettenmund played a key role in the Orioles dynasty of the early 1970s that saw the team go to three consecutive World Series, and win it all in 1970.  Rettunmund reached career highs with 18 home runs and a .322 average in 1970, and followed that up with a .318 average and a career high 75 RBIs in 1971.  His .318 mark was the third best in the league, earning him some MVP votes.  Injuries and batting slumps ended his time with the Orioles, and Rettenmund was dealt to the Reds in December 1973.  

As a back-up outfielder and pinch-hitter for the Big Red Machine, Rettenmund won another World Series ring in 1975.  After a few seasons with the Padres, he played in his final three seasons with the Angels as a back-up outfielder/designated hitter.  Rettenmund batted .271 over 13 seasons, with 693 hits, 66 home runs and 329 RBIs.  Following his playing days, he was a long-time and well-respected hitting coach with the Rangers (1983-85), Athletics (1989-90), Padres (1991-99), Braves (2000-01), Tigers (2002) and Padres again (2006-07).  I distinctly remember Rettenmund's 1975 Topps card being one of the first my Dad and I acquired for that set build, and my Dad being amused at my inability to correctly pronounce his last name.

Building the Set / Card #117
March 12, 2023 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)

In mid-March, Doug and I attended the Philadelphia Sports Collectors Show, held within the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania.  My main focus for this show was accumulating as many 1969 Topps commons as possible, which I did by adding a grand total of 193 cards to our set.  That's almost 30% of the entire set added in one enjoyable afternoon.  I wrote a full summary of the show in a post over at The Phillies Room, found here.

This is the 40th of the 193 commons and semi-stars purchased, pulled and stacked from the first two neon green binders housing 1969 Topps cards at the multi-table spread of Uncle Dick's Cards from Babylon, New York.  My method was simple - I pulled up a chair, found a card I needed, picked the best of the group from the binder page and set it aside.  After each 100 cards, I'd ask the dealer to tell me how much damage I had done so far.  With a budget in mind, I kept going twice, continuing after card #100 and card #200, and stopping at card #298.  The final amount due was 17% off the sticker price for the pile of 193 cards, with this card cost less than a dollar.  If I stick to composing posts five times a week, I should go through the stack and be caught up by the end of January.  But as the summer begins, that's becoming a bigger If.

The Card / Orioles Team Set / Adamson Accuracy Index +5 / Rettenmund Accuracy Index -3
This is Adamson's rookie card, and he'd appear once more in a Topps set, sharing another Rookie Stars card in 1971 with Roger Freed.  It's Rettenmund's first appearance in a mainstream Topps set too, although he appeared back in 1967 in the Topps Venezuelan set.

Accuracy Index:  Adamson scores a rare (so far) +5 for a Rookie Stars card participant, as he's in the correct uniform with an Orioles logo on his hat.  Rettenmund is likely wearing a Red Wings jersey here, and he loses 3 points for the logo-less hat.

1969 Season - Adamson
It looks as if Adamson made the Orioles' opening day roster, pitching in six games in April and early May before his demotion back to the minors.  With the Orioles, and with his final big league game coming on May 7th, he was 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in eight innings pitched.  With the Rochester Red Wings, he was 11-8 with a 4.17 ERA in 23 games, including 22 starts.

1969 Season - Rettenmund
Rettenmund spent all of 1969 with the Orioles, appearing in 95 games and making starts at all three outfield spots - 19 in left, 13 in center and 10 in right.  The Orioles' outfield was well stocked with Frank Robinson (#250) in right, Paul Blair (#506) in center and Don Buford (#478) in left.  Still, Rettenmund saw plenty of playing time as a defensive replacement and occasional pinch-hitter.  He batted .247 with four home runs and 25 RBIs.  In the 1969 World Series, Rettenmund pinch-ran for Robinson in Game 2.

Other Notable Baseball Cards - Adamson
First Mainstream Card:  1969 Topps #66
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (2):  1969, 1971
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1971 Topps #362
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  8 in the Beckett online database as of 6/11/23.

Sources - Adamson:  

Baseball Reference / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

Other Notable Baseball Cards - Rettenmund
First Mainstream Card:  1969 Topps #66
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (12):  1969-1980
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2004 Upper Deck Legends Timeless Teams #64
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  76 in the Beckett online database as of 6/11/23.

Sources - Rettenmund:  

Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

1970 Topps #629

1971 Topps #393

1975 Topps #369

1978 Topps #566

1980 Topps #402

#65 Willie Davis - Los Angeles Dodgers / #67 Bill Stoneman - Montreal Expos

#64 Bill Monbouquette - San Francisco Giants

William Charles Monbouquette
San Francisco Giants
Catcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  190
Born:  August 11, 1936, Medford, MD
Signed:  Signed by the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent, June 21, 1955
Major League Teams:  Boston Red Sox 1958-1965; Detroit Tigers 1966-1967; New York Yankees 1967-1968; San Francisco Giants 1968

Died:  January 25, 2015, Gloucester, MA (age 78)

Bill Monbouquette was a three-time All-Star with the Red Sox and a 20-game winner in 1963.  On May 12, 1961, he struck out 17 Senators batters, a Red Sox strikeout record that stood until Roger Clemens struck out 20 batters in a game in 1986.  Monbouquette no-hit the White Sox on August 1, 1962, with only a second inning walk to Al Smith erasing his perfect game bid.  He spent eight seasons with the Red Sox and was dealt to the Tigers following the 1965 season for George Smith, George Thomas (#521) and Jackie Moore.  He spent the final three seasons of his big league career with the Tigers, Yankees and Giants, mainly pitching in relief.  For his career, Monbouquette was 114-112 with a 3.68 ERA and 1,122 strikeouts.

After retiring as a player, he worked as a scout for the Yankees between 1970 and 1975.  Monbouquette moved to the Mets organization in 1976 where he worked mainly in the minor league system, but served as the Mets' pitching coach in 1982 and 1983.  He returned to the Yankees as their pitching coach in 1985 and 1986.  Monbouquette was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2000 and was given a World Series ring when the Red Sox won the Championship in 2004.

Some text for this post originally appeared on my 1965 Topps blog.

Building the Set / Card #116
March 12, 2023 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)

In mid-March, Doug and I attended the Philadelphia Sports Collectors Show, held within the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania.  My main focus for this show was accumulating as many 1969 Topps commons as possible, which I did by adding a grand total of 193 cards to our set.  That's almost 30% of the entire set added in one enjoyable afternoon.  I wrote a full summary of the show in a post over at The Phillies Room, found here.

This is the 39th of the 193 commons and semi-stars purchased, pulled and stacked from the first two neon green binders housing 1969 Topps cards at the multi-table spread of Uncle Dick's Cards from Babylon, New York.  My method was simple - I pulled up a chair, found a card I needed, picked the best of the group from the binder page and set it aside.  After each 100 cards, I'd ask the dealer to tell me how much damage I had done so far.  With a budget in mind, I kept going twice, continuing after card #100 and card #200, and stopping at card #298.  The final amount due was 17% off the sticker price for the pile of 193 cards, with this card cost less than a dollar.  If I stick to composing posts five times a week, I should go through the stack and be caught up by the end of January.  But as the summer begins, that's becoming a bigger If.

The Card / Giants Team Set / Accuracy Index -10

Topps really had to squeeze the font to fit Monbouquette's name into the green team circle.  He's wearing a Yankees jersey here, with the Yankee Stadium facade visible in the background.  It's highly likely the photo is from 1967 and from the same session as the photo used for Monbouquette's 1968 Topps card.  The cartoon on the back highlights his 1962 no-hitter, and explains to the collector how Monbouquette came to the Giants.  The veteran threw in seven games with the Giants after being acquired from the Yankees on July 12, 1968 in exchange for Lindy McDaniel (#191).

Accuracy Index:  He didn't pitch with the Giants in 1969 (-2), and Monbouquette's card is docked points for the Yankees jersey (-5) and the logo-less hat (-3).

1969 Season
On  December 31, 1968, Monbouquette was sold to the Astros by the Giants.  After a month in spring training with the Astros, he was returned to the Giants on April 5, 1969 and subsequently released.  A few days later, the Yankees gave him a job as a scout and manager of the Johnson City Yankees, the team's Appalachian League (rookie league) team.

1959 Topps #173

1961 Topps #562

1963 Topps #480

1967 Topps #482

1968 Topps #234

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1959 Topps #173
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (11):  1959-1969
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2001 Fleer Boston Red Sox 100th Anniversary #20
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  81 in the Beckett online database as of 6/11/23.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
1965 Topps Blog

#63 Jim Hickman - Chicago Cubs / #65 Willie Davis - Los Angeles Dodgers

#63 Jim Hickman - Chicago Cubs

James Lucius Hickman
Chicago Cubs
Outfield

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'3"  Weight:  192
Born:  May 10, 1937, Henning, TN
Signed:  Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent before 1956 season
Major League Teams:  New York Mets 1962-1966; Los Angeles Dodgers 1967; Chicago Cubs 1968-1973; St. Louis Cardinals 1974

Died:  June 25, 2016, Jackson, TN (age 79)

Jim Hickman spent six seasons in the Cardinals' minor league system before being left unprotected and selected by the Mets in the 1961 expansion draft.  With the Mets, he entered the franchise's record books as their first player to hit for the cycle (August 7, 1963) and the first to hit three home runs in a game (September 3, 1965).  He was the last player to hit a home run at the Polo Grounds, off the Phillies' Chris Short (#395) on September 18, 1965.  Finally, he was the last of the original Mets, departing the organization on November 29, 1966 with Ron Hunt (#664), traded to the Dodgers for Tommy Davis (#135) and Derrell Griffith.

Hickman enjoyed his best season in 1970 with the Cubs, winning the N.L. Comeback Player of the Year award, playing in that year's All-Star Game and setting career highs in batting average (.315), home runs (32) and RBIs (115).  It was his 12th inning single in the All-Star Game that drove home Pete Rose (#120) with the winning run as Rose barreled over catcher Ray Fosse (#244) at the plate.  Hickman appeared in 1,421 games over 13 seasons, batting .252 with 159 home runs and 560 RBIs.

Some text for this post originally appeared on my 1965 Topps blog.

First completed page!

Building the Set / Card #115
March 12, 2023 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)

In mid-March, Doug and I attended the Philadelphia Sports Collectors Show, held within the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania.  My main focus for this show was accumulating as many 1969 Topps commons as possible, which I did by adding a grand total of 193 cards to our set.  That's almost 30% of the entire set added in one enjoyable afternoon.  I wrote a full summary of the show in a post over at The Phillies Room, found here.

This is the 38th of the 193 commons and semi-stars purchased, pulled and stacked from the first two neon green binders housing 1969 Topps cards at the multi-table spread of Uncle Dick's Cards from Babylon, New York.  My method was simple - I pulled up a chair, found a card I needed, picked the best of the group from the binder page and set it aside.  After each 100 cards, I'd ask the dealer to tell me how much damage I had done so far.  With a budget in mind, I kept going twice, continuing after card #100 and card #200, and stopping at card #298.  The final amount due was 17% off the sticker price for the pile of 193 cards, with this card costing me $1.25.  If I stick to composing posts five times a week, I should go through the stack and be caught up by the end of January.  But as the summer begins, that's becoming a bigger If.

The Card / Cubs Team Set / Accuracy Index -8

Topps isn't fooling anyone here, as Hickman is clearly wearing a Dodgers uniform.  The red #35 he wore with the Dodgers during the 1967 season is visible, and Topps might have wanted to crop this photo a little closer.  His three home run game with the Mets in 1965 is celebrated in cartoon form on the back.  The write-up on the back gives a summary of how Hickman found himself on the Cubs.  Hickman and Phil Regan (#535) went from Los Angeles to Chicago in exchange for Jim Ellis and Ted Savage (#471) on April 23, 1968.  Topps notes Hickman is able to play third base if needed for the Cubs, but in six seasons in Chicago he never found his way over there.

Accuracy Index:  Hickman scores a fairly standard -8 for the Dodgers uniform (-5) and the smudged out hat (-3).

1969 Season
The best stretch of Hickman's career was about to begin, although he took only a slight step forward in 1969.  He was the Cubs' opening day right fielder, and made 82 starts overall in right with Billy Williams (#450) most regularly in left field and a bunch of different players switching in and out of the center field position.  Hickman batted .237 with 21 home runs and 54 RBIs the year before winning Comeback Player of the Year in 1970.

1962 Topps #598

1963 Topps #107

1967 Topps #346

1970 Topps #612

1973 Topps #565

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1962 Topps #598
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (11):  1962-1967, 1969-1973
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2004 Upper Deck Legends Timeless Teams #54
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  56 in the Beckett online database as of 6/4/23.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
1965 Topps Blog

#62 Chico Salmon - Seattle Pilots / #64 Bill Monbouquette - San Francisco Giants