#267 Vicente Romo - Cleveland Indians

Vicente Romo
Cleveland Indians
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  180
Born:  April 12, 1943, Santa Rosalia, Mexico
Acquired:  Purchased by the Cleveland Indians from the Mexico City Tigers (Mexican League), October 5, 1964
Major League Teams:  Los Angeles Dodgers 1968; Cleveland Indians 1968-1969; Boston Red Sox 1969-1970; Chicago White Sox 1971-1972; San Diego Padres 1973-1974; Los Angeles Dodgers 1982

Vicente Romo pitched professionally in parts of three decades, and his success spanning 25 years in the Mexican League between 1962 and 1986 led to his induction into the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992.  Romo was acquired by the Indians in October 1964, but left unprotected and selected by the Dodgers in the 1967 rule 5 draft.  After just one appearance with the Dodgers on April 11, 1968, he was returned to the Indians.  The late 1960s and early 1970s were Romo's best seasons in the major leagues.  Used mostly in relief, he was 5-3 with a 1.62 ERA in 40 games with the Indians in 1968, recorded 12 saves to lead the team.  Dealt to the Red Sox in 1969, he'd appear in a career-high 55 games, striking out 96 and converting 11 saves.  Romo would pitch in at least 40 games in the next four out of five seasons between 1970 and 1974 before returning to Mexico in 1975.

Romo worked as a staring pitcher in Mexico between 1975 and early 1982, returning to the Dodgers in 1982 after a seven year absence from the majors.  His second stint with the Dodgers lasted 15 games and Romo returned to Mexico for two more seasons to wrap up his career.  In 335 major league games, Romo was 32-33 with a 3.36 ERA and 52 saves.  He struck out 416 over 645 2/3 career innings pitched.  His younger brother, Enrique Romo, pitched six seasons in the majors for the Mariners (1977-1978) and Pirates (1979-1982).

Building the Set / Card #251
March 12, 2023 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)

In mid-March last year, over a year ago at this point, 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 174th 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.

The Card / Indians Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

This is Romo's rookie card featuring what must be a relatively new photo of the pitcher, as he first pitched with the Indians in June 1968.  The write-up on the back of the card explains how the Indians lost Romo to the Dodgers, only to have him return in 1968.

Accuracy Index:  Romo's card scores a surprising +5 for the accurate Indians uniform.

1969 Season
Romo started the season with the Indians, pitching in three games and a total of eight innings.  On April 19, 1969, he was traded with Joe Azcue (#176) and Sonny Siebert (#455) to the Red Sox for Dick Ellsworth (#605), Ken Harrelson (#240) and Juan Pizarro (#498).  As the Red Sox already had lefty Sparky Lyle (#311) in the closer role, Romo was used mostly as a set-up man, but he'd still get some save opportunities.  Romo's 11 saves for the season were second on the club behind Lyle's 17.  Overall, Romo was 7-9 with a 3.18 ERA in 52 games, which included 11 starts.  He threw four complete games, including a shutout against the Orioles on September 18th.

1970 Topps #191

1972 Topps #499

1974 Topps #197

1975 Topps #274

1983 Topps #633

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1969 Topps #267
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (8):  1969-1975, 1983
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1983 Topps #633
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  29 in the Beckett online database as of 2/18/24.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

#266 Dodgers Rookie Stars / #268 Al Spangler - Chicago Cubs

#266 Dodgers Rookie Stars - Tom Hutton / Alan Foster

Thomas George Hutton
Los Angeles Dodgers
First Base

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  180
Born:  April 20, 1946, Los Angeles, CA
Signed:  Signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent, November 20, 1964
Major League Teams:  Los Angeles Dodgers 1966, 1969; Philadelphia Phillies 1972-1977; Toronto Blue Jays 1978; Montreal Expos 1978-1981

Alan Benton Foster
Los Angeles Dodgers
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  180
Born:  December 8, 1946, Pasadena, CA
Drafted:  Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2nd round of the 1965 amateur draft
Major League Teams:  Los Angeles Dodgers 1967-1970; Cleveland Indians 1971; California Angels 1972; St. Louis Cardinals 1973-1974; San Diego Padres 1975-1976

Tommy Hutton was a strong defensive first baseman during 12 years in the majors before pivoting to a successful second career as a long-time baseball broadcaster.  He came up through the Dodgers' farm system and a trade to the Phillies before the 1972 season gave him an everyday job.  Hutton was a regular  for the Phillies in 1972 at first base and in the outfield, and then a super utility player for the club between 1973 and 1977.  Hutton was a member of back-to-back division winning Phillies teams in 1976 and 1977.  He was sold to the Blue Jays following the 1977 season, and he'd move to the Expos in July 1978, where he'd spend the final three-plus seasons primarily as a left-handed bat off the bench.  Hutton batted .248 for his career with 410 hits, 22 home runs and 186 RBIs. 

2008 Philadelphia Phillies Alumni Photo Cards

In 1982, Hutton joined the Expos' broadcast booth.  He's had stints with the Expos (1982-1986), Yankees (1987-1989), Blue Jays (1990-1996) and most notably the Marlins (1997-2015, 2022 to present).

Alan Foster pitched in parts of ten seasons in the majors, first coming up with the Dodgers in 1967.  In 1970, he was 10-13 with a career-high 33 starts as the team's number three starter behind Don Sutton (#216) and Claude Osteen (#528).  After spending 1972 with the Indians, Foster was purchased by the Cardinals in April 1973, and the 1973 season would prove to be the best of his career.  Foster was 13-9 with a 3.14 ERA for the Cardinals, reaching career highs in innings pitched (203 2/3) and strikeouts (106).  He'd pitch for three more seasons, wrapping up his playing career in 1976 with the Padres.  In 217 games, Foster was 48-63 with a 3.74 ERA over 1,025 1/3 innings pitched.

Building the Set / Card #250
March 12, 2023 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)

In mid-March last year, over a year ago at this point, 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 173rd 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 a little over $2.

The Card / Dodgers Team Set / Hutton Accuracy Index +5 / Foster Accuracy Index -3
Hutton appeared on three Rookie Stars cards (1967, 1969, 1972) before earning his first solo card in the 1973 Topps set.  He wore #4 between 1966 and 1969 with the Dodgers, as seen on the brim of his helmet, and the Dodgers would retire that number in 1980 in honor of Duke Snider.

I'm assuming Foster is wearing a Spokane Indians hat and jersey here, as he had pitched for the Dodgers' Triple-A team in 1967 and 1968.  This is his rookie card, and he'd appear on a solo card, in an actual Dodgers uniform, in the 1970 Topps set.

Accuracy Index:  Hutton scores a solid +5, and I'm going to dock Foster only three points for the logo less hat.  I can't really take off points for the former team uniform, given Foster is shown wearing a uniform from within the Dodgers' farm system. 

1969 Season - Hutton
Hutton spent most of the season with the Spokane Indians, coming up to the Dodgers for 16 games in July and August.  He batted .293 in 91 games for the Indians as their regular first baseman.  With the Dodgers, Hutton batted .271 and made 13 starts at first base, filling in for the injured Wes Parker (#493).

Phillies Career - Hutton
Hutton was acquired from the Dodgers on October 21, 1971, in exchange for Larry Hisle (#206), and he had not seen big league action since 1969.  He was never quite a regular with the Phillies, but he appeared in a career-high 134 games in 1972, making 51 starts at first base, 38 starts in right field and a combined seven starts in center and left fields.

His playing time was mostly a result of his solid defense, as he didn't hit for power and his average with the Phillies was only .253.  Hutton's best season with the team was also his last, as he batted .309 during the pennant-winning 1977 campaign.  As a pinch-hitter that year, Hutton batted .294 (10 for 34).  He was sold to the Blue Jays on December 8, 1977, ending his time with the Phillies.  Hutton appeared in 651 games with the Phillies, collecting 305 hits, 19 home runs and 148 RBIs.

1969 Season - Foster
Foster was with the Dodgers all year, his first full season in the majors.  In 24 games, including 15 starts, he went 3-9 with a 4.38 ERA, pitching 102 2/3 innings.  Foster threw two complete game shutouts in back-to-back starts against the Mets on June 13th and against the Padres on June 17th.

1967 Topps #428

1973 Topps #271

1975 Topps #477

1977 Topps #264

1981 Topps #374

Other Notable Baseball Cards - Hutton
First Mainstream Card:  1967 Topps #428
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (12):  1967, 1969, 1972-1981
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1990 Swell Baseball Greats #87
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  37 in the Beckett online database as of 2/18/24.

Sources - Hutton:  

Baseball Reference / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
The Phillies Room

Other Notable Baseball Cards - Foster
First Mainstream Card:  1969 Topps #266
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (9):  1969-1977
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1981 TCMA The 1960s II #465
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  28 in the Beckett online database as of 2/18/24.

Sources - Foster:  

Baseball Reference / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

1970 Topps #369

1973 Topps #543

1974 Topps #442

1975 Topps #296

1977 Topps #108

#265 Chico Cardenas - Minnesota Twins / #267 Vicente Romo - Cleveland Indians

#264 Bill Landis - Boston Red Sox

William Henry Landis
Boston Red Sox
Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  178
Born:  October 8, 1942, Hanford, CA
Signed:  Signed by the Kansas City Athletics as an amateur free agent before 1961 season
Major League Teams:  Kansas City Athletics 1963; Boston Red Sox 1967-1969

Bill Landis was a frequently-used reliever for the Red Sox in 1968 and 1969, and his major league career was cut short due to an arm injury and bouts of wildness.  Landis pitched in one game for the Athletics in 1963 after earning a September call-up, and he'd not return to the majors until his debut with the Red Sox in mid-April 1967.  A rule 5 draft selection, Landis was required to remain on the Red Sox roster all season and he was used in only 18 games during the team's Impossible Dream season.  He'd have his best season in 1968, pitching to a 3.15 ERA in 38 games and 60 innings pitched.  Landis pitched in 45 games in 1969 as one of manager Dick Williams' (#349) most frequently used relievers, but he'd return to the minors in 1970 and 1971 before retiring from baseball.  In 102 big league games, Landis was 9-8 with a 4.46 ERA and four saves.

Building the Set / Card #249
March 12, 2023 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)

In mid-March last year, over a year ago at this point, 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.

1968 Topps #189

This is the 172nd 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.

The Card / Red Sox Team Set / Accuracy Index +1

Landis appears in two Topps flagship sets during his career, and both cards use the same exact photo.  The cartoon on the back highlights his successful collegiate career while playing at Coalinga, a junior college located about 60 miles from his hometown of Hanford, California.  The school later changed its name to West Hills Community College.

Accuracy Index:  Landis' score drops to +1 given the correct uniform (+5) but the repeat use of the photo (-4).

1969 Season
As mentioned above, Landis pitched in 45 games, making five spot starts over the course of the 1969 season.  He was 5-5 with a 5.25 ERA and one save.  Only Vicente Romo (#267) and closer Sparky Lyle (#311) got more use out of the bullpen than Landis during the year.  Three of Landis' five wins came during the first four games of the Red Sox season.

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1968 Topps #189
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (2):  1968-1969
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1969 Topps #264
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  9 in the Beckett online database as of 2/16/24.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

#263 Jerry May - Pittsburgh Pirates / #265 Chico Cardenas - Minnesota Twins

#263 Jerry May - Pittsburgh Pirates

Jerry Lee May
Pittsburgh Pirates
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  190
Born:  December 14, 1943, Staunton, VA
Signed:  Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent before 1961 season
Major League Teams:  Pittsburgh Pirates 1964-1970; Kansas City Royals 1971-1973; New York Mets 1973

Died:  June 30, 1996, Swoope, VA (age 52)

Jerry May was an above-average defensive catcher known for his ability to call a game and his penchant for throwing out would-be base stealers.  Originally a back-up to Jim Pagliaroni (#302), May was the Pirates' regular catcher for their 1967 and 1968 seasons.  He hit a career high .271 in 1967 and drove in a career high 33 runs in 1968.  Catching prospect Manny Sanguillen (#509) took over at catcher beginning in 1968, and the Pirates dealt May to the Royals prior to the 1971 season.  He'd serve mainly as a back-up to Ed Kirkpatrick and Fran Healy during his three seasons in Kansas City.  After four games with the Mets in 1973 and a brief return to the Pirates' minor league system, May retired as a player.  In 556 games, he batted .234 with 15 home runs and 130 RBIs.

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

Building the Set / Card #248
March 12, 2023 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)

In mid-March last year, over a year ago at this point, 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 171st 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.

The Card / Pirates Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

This photo and the photo used for May's 1967 Topps card were taken at the same session.  Topps diplomatically states May is "improving as a hitter" on the back of the card, even though his average dipped from .271 in 1967 to .219 in 1968.

Accuracy Index:  May is wearing a Pirates uniform in a photo not quite seen before, so his card scores a solid +5.

1969 Season
May spent the entire season with the Pirates, now as the back-up to regular catcher Sanguillen.  In 62 games, including 50 starts behind the plate, May batted .232 with seven home runs and 23 RBIs.  The Pirates' opening day catcher, his playing time steadily decreased as the year wore on, and Sanguillen handled the bulk of the team's catching duties from mid-July to the end of the season.

1965 Topps #143

1967 Topps #379

1970 Topps #423

1971 Topps #719

1973 Topps #558

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1965 Topps #143
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (9):  1965-1973
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1973 Topps #558
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  44 in the Beckett online database as of 2/16/24.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
1965 Topps Blog

#262 Mike Kekich - New York Yankees / #264 Bill Landis - Boston Red Sox

#261 Bob Johnson - Atlanta Braves

Robert Wallace Johnson
Atlanta Braves
Infield

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  175
Born:  March 4, 1936, Omaha, NE
Acquired:  Sent from Pauls Valley (Sooner State) to the Detroit Tigers in an unknown transaction before 1955 season
Major League Teams:  Kansas City Athletics 1960; Washington Senators 1961-1962; Baltimore Orioles 1963-1967; New York Mets 1967; Cincinnati Reds 1968; Atlanta Braves 1968; St. Louis Cardinals 1969; Oakland Athletics 1969-1970

Died:  November 9, 2019, St. Paul, MN (age 83)

A super utility player and pinch-hitter throughout his 11 years in the big leagues, Bob Johnson wore the uniform of seven different teams, spending parts of five seasons with the Orioles.  He was a member of the expansion Washington Senators, hitting the first home run in D.C. Stadium history (later Robert F. Kennedy Stadium) on opening day 1962.  Johnson was dealt to Baltimore before the 1963 season, and he'd spend the next four-plus seasons as the Orioles, and one of the league's, top pinch-hitters.  In 1964, he led the American League with 15 pinch hits, and he set a record (since broken) with six consecutive pinch hits.  Johnson would win a World Series ring with the Orioles in 1966, although he didn't appear in that series.  Johnson was on the move again in 1967, traded to the Mets, and he'd lead the National League with 13 pinch hits.  He'd finish up his major league career in 1970, after playing for four teams over three seasons.  In 874 games, Johnson batted .272 with 628 hits, 44 home runs and 230 RBIs.

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

Building the Set / Card #247
March 12, 2023 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)

In mid-March last year, over a year ago at this point, 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 170th 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.

The Card / Braves Team Set / Accuracy Index -10

That's an Orioles uniform and hat Johnson is wearing, and the palm tree in the background means the photo was likely taken at the same time as the photo used for his 1967 Topps card.  On the back, Topps briefly mentions Johnson's strength as a pinch-hitter by way of his six consecutive pinch hits during the 1964 season.

Accuracy Index:  Johnson didn't play for the Braves in 1969 (-2), and he's wearing an Orioles jersey (-5) with a blank hat (-3).

1969 Season
On March 25th, the Braves traded Johnson to the Cardinals for catcher Dave Adlesh (#341).  In 19 games with the Cardinals, Johnson batted .207 (6 for 29) primarily as a pinch-hitter, although he did make four starts at third base.  On July 12th, Johnson was dealt again, heading to the Athletics in exchange for outfielder Joe Nossek (#143).  He'd come alive in Oakland, batting .343 (23 for 67) in 51 games.  The Athletics pursued Johnson after the Cardinals had placed him on waivers at the suggestion of manager Hank Bauer (#124), who had played with Johnson back in 1960 when the Athletics were still in Kansas City.

1962 Topps #519

1964 Topps #304

1967 Topps #38

1968 Topps #338

1970 Topps #693

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1962 Topps #519
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (9):  1962-1970
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2009 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-BJ
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  45 in the Beckett online database as of 2/16/24.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
1965 Topps Blog

#260 Reggie Jackson - Oakland Athletics / #262 Mike Kekich - New York Yankees

#259 Bill Short - Cincinnati Reds

William Ross Short
Cincinnati Reds
Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  5'9"  Weight:  170
Born:  November 27, 1937, Kingston, NY
Signed:  Signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent before 1955 season
Major League Teams:  New York Yankees 1960; Baltimore Orioles 1962, 1966; Boston Red Sox 1966; Pittsburgh Pirates 1967; New York Mets 1968; Cincinnati Reds 1969

Died:  February 2, 2022, Sarasota, FL (age 84)

Bill Short pitched professionally for 15 seasons with his only full season in the majors coming in 1968 with the Mets.  Short peaked in 1959 when he was 17-6 with a 2.48 ERA for the Richmond Virginians, then the Yankees' top farm team, winning International League MVP honors.  He'd make 10 starts for the Yankees in 1960, appear in five games for the Orioles in 1962, and then not return to the majors until July 1966.  In his one season with the Mets, Short relieved in a career-high 34 games, pitching to a 4.85 ERA over 29 2/3 innings.  After four appearances with the Reds in 1969, Short joined the Pirates as a minor league pitching instructor in 1970, a job he'd hold for a few years before leaving baseball.  Short was 5-11 overall in the majors with a 4.73 ERA in 73 games pitched.

Building the Set / Card #246
March 12, 2023 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)

In mid-March last year, over a year ago at this point, 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 169th 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.

The Card / Reds Team Set / Accuracy Index -12

Short is shown hatless and wearing a Pirates jersey, in a photo taken at the same time as the photo used for his 1967 Topps card.  It's also the same exact photo used for his 1968 Topps card.  The back of the card does a good job of summarizing Short's career to date, his big 1959 season and the elbow injury that likely curtailed his big league career.

Accuracy Index:  Short's problematic card features a photo used before (-4), a Pirates uniform (-5) and the lack of a hat (-3).

1969 Season
The Reds selected Short from the Mets on December 2, 1968 in the annual rule 5 draft.  He'd spend most of the season pitching for the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, where he was 12-7 with a 3.86 ERA over 27 appearances.  Recalled briefly in early June, Short pitched in four games for the Reds, allowing four earned runs over 2 1/3 innings for a 15.43 ERA.

1960 Topps #142

1961 Topps #252

1962 Topps #221

1967 Topps #577

1968 Topps #536

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1960 Topps #142
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (6):  1960-1962, 1967-1969
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1969 Topps #259
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  19 in the Beckett online database as of 2/16/24.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

#258 Jackie Hernandez - Kansas City Royals / #260 Reggie Jackson - Oakland Athletics