#581 Gary Nolan - Cincinnati Reds

Gary Lynn Nolan
Cincinnati Reds
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  197
Born:  May 27, 1948, Herlong, CA
Drafted:  Drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 1st round (13 pick) of the 1966 amateur draft, June 7, 1966
Major League Teams:  Cincinnati Reds 1967-73, 1975-77; California Angels 1977

World Series Appearances:  Cincinnati Reds 1970, 1972, 1975-76

Pitcher Gary Nolan was a career 110-game winner and member of the Big Red Machine Dynasty that went to the World Series four times between 1970 and 1976, winning championships in back-to-back years in 1975 and 1976.  Drafted in the first round of the 1966 amateur player draft, Nolan made his debut with the Reds a month shy of his 19th birthday in April 1967.  He finished third in the Rookie of the Year voting in 1967 after going 14-8 with a career-high 206 strikeouts.  After missing time in 1968 and 1969 with a sore arm, he'd join the starting pitching rotation for good in 1970, enjoying a career year when he was 18-7 with a 3.27 ERA and 181 strikeouts.  He'd win at least 15 games in 1972, 1975 and 1976, and was an All-Star in 1972.  Nolan missed the entire 1974 season due to injury, but was back in the Reds' starting pitching rotation for their World Series runs in 1975 and 1976.

He played all but five of his 250 major league games with the Reds, as his playing career ended after a short stint with the Angels in 1977.  Nolan was 110-70 lifetime with a 3.08 ERA and 1,039 strikeouts over 1,674 2/3 innings pitched.  He threw 45 complete games, including 14 shutouts during his career.  Nolan made 11 starts for the Reds in the postseason, and was the winning pitcher in the decisive Game 4 over the Yankees in the 1976 World Series.  He was elected to the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1983.

Building the Set / Card #490
December 15, 2024 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)
On Sunday, December 15th, Doug and I attended the latest Philly Show, spaciously spread out inside Hall A of the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania.  I wrote a full show report over at The Phillies Room, including some thoughts on attending the show with our oldest son, who first graced the Philly Show floors back in 2012.

Having had success the prior two shows at Uncle Dick's Cards with his well-organized, neon common binders, I opted to pull up a chair once again at the friendly dealer's array of tables.  The aim was simple:  Clear out Uncle Dick's 1969 Topps commons, starting off where I had left off the year before with card #501 and going through the end of the set, card #664.  In less than 25 minutes, I completed my quest, and this is the 46th of 98 commons pulled from the binder.  After a generous dealer discount due to my bulk purchase, this card cost me less than $2.

The Card / Reds Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

This is Nolan's second appearance in a Topps flagship release, as his rookie card can be found in the 1968 Topps set.  The back of the card mentions the sore arm that would seemingly follow Nolan throughout his career.  The cartoon on the back highlights his 7-0 record against the Mets.  For his career against the Mets, Nolan was 13-7 in 27 games with a 2.09 ERA, seven complete games and three shutouts.  His other favorite opponents were the Braves (14-5, 2.86 ERA) and Astros (15-6, 2.52 ERA).

Accuracy Index:  Nolan's card scores a +5, now a fairly regular occurrence this late in the set.

1969 Season
Hampered by a sore arm, Nolan was 8-8 with a 3.56 ERA in 16 games, including 15 starts.  He threw just 108 2/3 innings in the majors, striking out 111 and walking 49.  Nolan made seven starts for the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, and was 2-0 with a 2.90 ERA, throwing a pair of complete games.

1968 Topps #196

1971 Topps #75

1973 Topps #260

1976 Topps #444

1978 Topps #115

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1968 Topps #196
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (11):  1968-78
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1978 Topps #115
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  60 in the Beckett online database as of 3/21/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

#580 Jim Northrup - Detroit Tigers / #582 7th Series Checklist 589-664

This blog may take a brief spring break as the Phillies 2025 season gets under way, but it will return!

#580 Jim Northrup - Detroit Tigers

James Thomas Northrup
Detroit Tigers
Outfield

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'3"  Weight:  190
Born:  November 24, 1939, Breckenridge, MI
Signed:  Signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent before 1960 season
Major League Teams:  Detroit Tigers 1964-74; Montreal Expos 1974; Baltimore Orioles 1974-75

World Series Appearances:  Detroit Tigers 1968
Died:  June 8, 2011, Grand Blanc, MI (age 71)

Slugger Jim Northrup played over a decade with the Tigers, hitting at least 10 home runs in eight different seasons and playing as the regular right fielder on the 1968 World Championship team.  He shifted to center field for the World Series, as Tigers' manager Mayo Smith (#40) moved regular center fielder Mickey Stanley (#13) to shortstop to replace the light-hitting Ray Oyler (#178).  Northrup led that Tigers squad in hits (153) and RBIs (90) and had a game-winning two-run triple off the Cardinals' Bob Gibson (#200) in the decisive Game 7 of the Series.  He hit four grand slams during the regular season and another in Game 6 of the World Series.  Northrup was dealt to the Expos in August 1974 and he'd play the last two seasons of his career with the Expos and Orioles.  Northrup collected 1,254 hits in the majors while batting .267 with 153 home runs and 610 RBIs.

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

Building the Set / Card #489
December 15, 2024 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)
On Sunday, December 15th, Doug and I attended the latest Philly Show, spaciously spread out inside Hall A of the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania.  I wrote a full show report over at The Phillies Room, including some thoughts on attending the show with our oldest son, who first graced the Philly Show floors back in 2012.

Having had success the prior two shows at Uncle Dick's Cards with his well-organized, neon common binders, I opted to pull up a chair once again at the friendly dealer's array of tables.  The aim was simple:  Clear out Uncle Dick's 1969 Topps commons, starting off where I had left off the year before with card #501 and going through the end of the set, card #664.  In less than 25 minutes, I completed my quest, and this is the 45th of 98 commons pulled from the binder.  After a generous dealer discount due to my bulk purchase, this card cost me less than $2.

The Card / Tigers Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

This is most likely the only card from the 1969 Topps set to feature a tractor in the background.  There's a front office guy (maybe?) in a suit next to the tractor, just to make things a little more interesting.  This is Northrup's third and final appearance in the set, as he was featured on the American League RBI Leaders card (#3) and was front and center on the World Series Game 6 card (#167).  The back of the card highlights his career grand slams and shows his two World Series home run balls hitting a hapless cardinal in mid-flight.

Accuracy Index:  Northrup's card earns a +5 and sadly doesn't earn any extra points for the tractor cameo.

1969 Season
Northrup followed up his career year in 1968 with another solid season in 1969.  Now the team's regular center fielder, he batted .295 in 148 games, with a career-high 25 home runs and 66 RBIs.  Northrup was sixth in the American League with 31 doubles.  He led all Tigers position players with a 5.0 bWAR.  On August 28th, Northrup became the first Tiger since Ty Cobb to have a 6 for 6 game, capping the feat with a 13th-inning walk-off home run.

1965 Topps #259

1966 Topps #554

1968 Topps #78

1973 Topps #168

1975 Topps #641

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1965 Topps #259
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (11):  1965-75
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2004 Upper Deck Legends Timeless Teams #75
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  85 in the Beckett online database as of 3/21/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
1965 Topps Blog

#579 Dave Nelson - Cleveland Indians / #581 Gary Nolan - Cincinnati Reds

#579 Dave Nelson - Cleveland Indians

David Earl Nelson
Cleveland Indians
Second Base

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  160
Born:  June 20, 1944, Fort Sill, OK
Signed:  Signed by the Cleveland Indians as an amateur free agent before 1964 season
Major League Teams:  Cleveland Indians 1968-69; Washington Senators 1970-71; Texas Rangers 1972-75; Kansas City Royals 1976-77

Died:  April 23, 2018, Milwaukee, WI (age 73)

Dave Nelson played professionally for 14 seasons, spending six seasons with the Senators/Rangers, before moving on to a long coaching and broadcasting career.  Nelson was a light-hitting infielder when he first arrived in the majors in 1968, ending the season as the Indians' regular second baseman.  He'd spend the entire 1969 season in Cleveland in a back-up role, and following the season was dealt to the Senators with Ron Law and Horacio Pina for Dennis Higgins (#441) and Barry Moore (#639).  Nelson had his best seasons in the majors with the Senators/Rangers, stealing 51 bases in 1972 and representing the Rangers (with Jim Spencer) at the 1973 All-Star Game.  He was the franchise's first third baseman, and he'd finish the Rangers' inaugural season with a career-best .286 batting average.  After two seasons with the Royals, Nelson would retire following the 1977 season and pivot to coaching.

Nelson coached at the major league level with the White Sox (1981-84), Indians (1992-97) and Brewers (2003-06).  In between coaching gigs, he worked as a broadcaster with the Royals, Cubs, Indians and Brewers.  In 813 big league games, Nelson batted .244 with 630 hits, 187 stolen bases, 77 doubles and 211 RBIs.

Building the Set / Card #488
December 15, 2024 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)
On Sunday, December 15th, Doug and I attended the latest Philly Show, spaciously spread out inside Hall A of the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania.  I wrote a full show report over at The Phillies Room, including some thoughts on attending the show with our oldest son, who first graced the Philly Show floors back in 2012.

Having had success the prior two shows at Uncle Dick's Cards with his well-organized, neon common binders, I opted to pull up a chair once again at the friendly dealer's array of tables.  The aim was simple:  Clear out Uncle Dick's 1969 Topps commons, starting off where I had left off the year before with card #501 and going through the end of the set, card #664.  In less than 25 minutes, I completed my quest, and this is the 44th of 98 commons pulled from the binder.  After a generous dealer discount due to my bulk purchase, this card cost me a little less than a dollar.

The Card / Indians Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

Topps must have needed a second baseman for its 1968 All-Star Rookie team, and Nelson got the job by default.  He batted .233 in 88 games in 1968, with four doubles, five triples and 19 RBIs.  This is Nelson's rookie card, taken during spring training in 1969, with a photo from the same session used for his 1970 Topps card.  In the write-up on the back, Topps highlights Nelson's speed on the base paths.  He finished in the top ten for stolen bases in the American League in four different seasons, with his 51 stolen bases in 1972 second behind Bert Campaneris (#495), who had one more with 52.

Accuracy Index:  Nelson's card earns a +5 for the accurate uniform.

1969 Season
In just 52 games, Nelson batted .203 (25 for 123) with no extra base hits and six RBIs.  On the roster the entire season, Nelson made 30 starts at second base, starting 24 games in a row for Al Dark's (#91) team between July 24th and August 16th.  He batted .196 during that stretch.

1970 Topps #112

1971 Topps #241

1973 Topps #111

1974 Topps #355

1976 Topps #535

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1969 Topps #579
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (8):  1969-76
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1976 Topps #535
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  48 in the Beckett online database as of 3/21/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

#578 Don Bosch - Montreal Expos / #580 Jim Northrup - Detroit Tigers

#578 Don Bosch - Montreal Expos

Donald John Bosch
Montreal Expos
Outfield

Bats:  Both  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  160
Born:  July 15, 1942, San Francisco, CA
Signed:  Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent before 1960 season
Major League Teams:  Pittsburgh Pirates 1966; New York Mets 1967-68; Montreal Expos 1969

Originally signed by the Pirates, Don Bosch played seven full seasons in the minor leagues before earning a September promotion to Pittsburgh in 1966.  His tenure with the Pirates was limited to three appearances late that season as a pinch-runner, a late inning defensive replacement in center field and as a pinch-hitter.  On December 6, 1966, Bosch and Don Cardwell (#193) were traded to the Mets for Gary Kolb (#307) and Dennis Ribant (#463).  He'd play in 94 games over two seasons with the Mets, batting .157 as a back-up outfielder.  Left unprotected in the 1968 expansion draft, Bosch went undrafted but was sold to the Expos.  He was in the running for the team's starting center fielder job, but was beaten out in spring training by Don Hahn.  When Hahn started slowly, Bosch got a shot, but he too had trouble with the bat.  A knee injury ended his season in July, and effectively ended his big league career.

Bosch appeared in 146 major league games, batting .164 with six doubles, a triple, four home runs and 13 RBIs.

Building the Set / Card #487
December 15, 2024 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)
On Sunday, December 15th, Doug and I attended the latest Philly Show, spaciously spread out inside Hall A of the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania.  I wrote a full show report over at The Phillies Room, including some thoughts on attending the show with our oldest son, who first graced the Philly Show floors back in 2012.

Having had success the prior two shows at Uncle Dick's Cards with his well-organized, neon common binders, I opted to pull up a chair once again at the friendly dealer's array of tables.  The aim was simple:  Clear out Uncle Dick's 1969 Topps commons, starting off where I had left off the year before with card #501 and going through the end of the set, card #664.  In less than 25 minutes, I completed my quest, and this is the 43rd of 98 commons pulled from the binder.  After a generous dealer discount due to my bulk purchase, this card cost me a little less than a dollar.

The Card / Expos Team Set / Accuracy Index +10

This is another well-framed, well-executed baseball card.  I'm finding there are actually quite a few examples of cards in the 1969 Topps set that look great with the card's design, and this is one of them.  Bosch is shown modeling the new team's uniform during spring training, with his uniform #19 showing through on his back.  The write-up on the back isn't quite accurate, as Bosch was sold to the Expos and not drafted.  The expansion draft happened on October 14, 1968, and Bosch was acquired two days later.  The cartoon highlights his minor league batting title while a member of the Kinston Eagles.

Accuracy Index:  Bosch gets a top mark of +10 for the accurate expansion uniform.

1969 Season
Bosch made 21 starts in center field and one start in right field for Gene Mauch's (#606) expansion team.  His last start came on June 17th, and he languished on the bench for weeks before his knee injury ended his season.  Bosch batted .179 in 49 games.

1968 Topps #572

1970 Topps #527

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1968 Topps #572
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (3):  1968-70
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1970 Topps #527
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  11 in the Beckett online database as of 3/16/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

#577 Mike Hegan - Seattle Pilots / #579 Dave Nelson - Cleveland Indians

#577 Mike Hegan - Seattle Pilots

James Michael Hegan
Seattle Pilots
First Base-Outfield

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  188
Born:  July 21, 1942, Cleveland, OH
Signed:  Signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent, August 9, 1961
Major League Teams:  New York Yankees 1964, 1966-67; Seattle Pilots 1969; Milwaukee Brewers 1970-71; Oakland Athletics 1971-73; New York Yankees 1973-74; Milwaukee Brewers 1974-77

World Series Appearances:  New York Yankees 1964; Oakland Athletics 1972
Died:  December 25, 2013, Hilton Head, SC (age 71)

Mike Hegan grew up around baseball as his father, Jim Hegan, was a long-time catcher and a five-time All-Star between 1941 and 1960.  The younger Hegan was drafted by the Yankees, and he'd appear in five regular season games in 1964 as a September call-up.  With an injury to Tony Kubek, Hegan was added to the World Series roster following the season, seeing action in three different postseason games.  He wouldn't get a shot at regular playing time until the Pilots picked him up in one of the franchise's first transactions.  Hegan was the opening day right fielder for the Pilots, and he was named the Pilots' only All-Star for that year's All-Star Game.  Don Mincher (#285) replaced Hegan on the roster as the outfielder was injured at the time.  The Pilots relocated to Milwaukee for the 1970 season, and Hegan was the opening day first baseman for the Brewers, ultimately appearing in a career-high 148 games.  Hegan's next role was as a pinch-hitter and defensive replacement for the Athletics' dynasty of the early 1970s.  He'd go to the postseason in 1971 and 1972 with the team and win a ring when the Athletics defeated the Reds in seven games in 1972.

1976 Topps #69

The next five years saw Hegan as a reliable bench player and designated hitter, doing repeat stints with the Yankees and then the Brewers.  In 966 games, Hegan batted .242 with 504 hits, 53 home runs and 229 RBIs.  He'd begin his second career in the Brewers' broadcast booth between 1978 and 1988, and joined the Indians broadcast team in 1989, retiring following the 2011 season.

Building the Set / Card #486
December 15, 2024 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)
On Sunday, December 15th, Doug and I attended the latest Philly Show, spaciously spread out inside Hall A of the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania.  I wrote a full show report over at The Phillies Room, including some thoughts on attending the show with our oldest son, who first graced the Philly Show floors back in 2012.

Having had success the prior two shows at Uncle Dick's Cards with his well-organized, neon common binders, I opted to pull up a chair once again at the friendly dealer's array of tables.  The aim was simple:  Clear out Uncle Dick's 1969 Topps commons, starting off where I had left off the year before with card #501 and going through the end of the set, card #664.  In less than 25 minutes, I completed my quest, and this is the 42nd of 98 commons pulled from the binder.  After a generous dealer discount due to my bulk purchase, this card cost me a little less than $2.

The Card / Pilots Team Set / Accuracy Index -8

Hegan is wearing a Yankees jersey here, and it's odd Topps couldn't get a photo of him in his new uniform when the other Pilots players on the checklist this late are all sporting their new Pilots' gear.  The write-up on the back explains Hegan had joined the organization before the expansion draft.  Jim Hegan makes a cameo in the cartoon, and the elder Hegan was a coach with the Yankees (1960-73; 1979-80) during both of the younger Hegan's stints with the club.

Accuracy Index:  Hegan scores a rare, for a later series card, -8.

1969 Season
On June 14, 1968, the Pilots purchased Hegan's contract from the Yankees, making him one of the first players on the Pilots' roster.  He hit the first home run in Pilots' history, a two-run shot on opening day in the top of the first, off the Angels' Jim McGlothlin (#386).  Tommy Harper (#42) had doubled to lead off the game.  Hegan was batting .296 when he was selected to the American League All-Stars, but an injury derailed his trip to RFK Stadium in Washington.  Hegan appeared in 95 games overall, batting .292 with eight home runs and 37 RBIs.

1967 Topps #553

1970 Topps #111

1971 Topps #415

1973 Topps #382

1977 Topps #507

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1967 Topps #553
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (11):  1967-77
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2002 Upper Deck Vintage Special Collection Game Jersey #S-MH
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  56 in the Beckett online database as of 3/16/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

#576 Phillies Rookie Stars / #578 Don Bosch - Montreal Expos

#575 Bill Singer - Los Angeles Dodgers

William Robert Singer
Los Angeles Dodgers
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'4"  Weight:  184
Born:  April 24, 1944, Los Angeles, CA
Signed:  Signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent before 1961 season
Major League Teams:  Los Angeles Dodgers 1964-72; California Angels 1973-75; Texas Rangers 1976; Minnesota Twins 1976; Toronto Blue Jays 1977

Bill Singer spent nine years of his 14-year big league career with the Dodgers, was a two-time All-Star and threw a no-hitter in 1970.  Singer was used sparingly by the Dodgers between 1964 and 1966, appearing in just seven games over those three seasons.  He'd join the starting pitching rotation for good in 1967, and enjoyed a career year in 1969 when he was 20-12 with a 2.34 ERA in 41 appearances.  Singer threw his no-hitter on July 20, 1970 against the Phillies at Dodger Stadium, striking out ten.  Dealt to the Angels in a blockbuster, seven-player deal in November 1972, Singer would win 20 games again in 1973 and make his second All-Star team.  He was the opening day starter in the first game in Blue Jays franchise history in 1977.  Singer was 118-127 lifetime in 322 games pitched, with a 3.39 ERA and 1,515 strikeouts.

Following his playing career, Singer served as a scout and in the front office with the Marlins, Pirates, Dodgers, Mets and Diamondbacks organizations.  His baseball executive days were marred by a racially motivated incident involving then Dodgers' assistant GM Kim Ng in 2003, leading to his dismissal from a position with the Mets.

Building the Set / Card #485
December 15, 2024 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)
On Sunday, December 15th, Doug and I attended the latest Philly Show, spaciously spread out inside Hall A of the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania.  I wrote a full show report over at The Phillies Room, including some thoughts on attending the show with our oldest son, who first graced the Philly Show floors back in 2012.

Having had success the prior two shows at Uncle Dick's Cards with his well-organized, neon common binders, I opted to pull up a chair once again at the friendly dealer's array of tables.  The aim was simple:  Clear out Uncle Dick's 1969 Topps commons, starting off where I had left off the year before with card #501 and going through the end of the set, card #664.  In less than 25 minutes, I completed my quest, and this is the 41st of 98 commons pulled from the binder.  After a generous dealer discount due to my bulk purchase, this card cost me a little less than $2.

The Card / Dodgers Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

This is Singer's second appearance in the set, as he shows up on the 1968 N.L. Strikeout Leaders card (#12).  This photo appears to be from spring training in 1969, with spectators pressed up against a fence behind Singer.  A similar photo was used for Singer's 1970 Topps card.  The cartoon on the back foreshadows the big league no-hitter still to come the following season.

Accuracy Index:  Singer's card scores a solid +5.

1969 Season
Easily his career year, as mentioned above, Singer and lefty Claude Osteen (#528) formed an impressive one-two punch at the top of the Dodgers' starting pitching rotation.  Osteen was also a 20-game winner.  Singer pitched in a career-high 41 games and threw a career-high 315 2/3 innings, a mark he'd match in 1973.  He also struck out a career best 227 batters.

1966 Topps #288

1970 Topps #490

1974 Topps #210

1975 Topps #40

1977 O-Pee-Chee #85

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1966 Topps #288
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (12):  1966-77
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1977 Topps #346
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  90 in the Beckett online database as of 3/16/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

#574 George Scott - Boston Red Sox / #576 Phillies Rookie Stars