Thursday, September 11, 2025

#431 Bill Freehan AS - Detroit Tigers


All-Star cards returned to Topps sets in 1968 under The Sporting News banner for a three-year run between 1968 and 1970.  Topps included 20 All-Star cards in its 1969 set, featuring 10 All-Stars from each league and one player from each position, including both a right-handed and left-handed pitcher.  

Building the Set / Card #558
December 15, 2024 from The Philly Show (Vintage Cardboard Collectibles)
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 spent the first half hour or so pulling 98 commons and semi-stars from the neon green binder of Uncle Dick's Cards, and adding the big purchase of the day, the Rollie Fingers (#597) rookie card, and after adding a few more star cards, the remaining cash I had was starting to burn a hole in my wallet.  I had noticed the common/semi-star boxes at the tables of Vintage Cardboard Collectibles, and I found 14 more cards for our 1969 Topps set and six cards for our not-yet-officially collecting 1959 Topps set.  This is the 13th of those 14 cards.  After the obligatory dealer discount, I handed over the last of my cash, and we exited the show for the drive home.

The Card / Tigers Team Set / Pete Rose Puzzle
Bill Freehan (#390) was an 11-time All-Star, starting behind the plate seven consecutive times, between 1966 and 1972, and having his streak broken by Carlton Fisk in 1973.  Freehan was 2 for 2 in the 1969 All-Star Game, hitting a solo home run of Steve Carlton (#255) in the third and adding an RBI-single against Bob Gibson (#200) in the fourth.  He was one of the only bright spots for the junior circuit, as they lost the game by a score of 9-3.

The stock photo used in the background is actually Freehan from a photo featured earlier in the set on a World Series subset card (#165).  The backs of these All-Star cards contain a puzzle piece of either Pete Rose (#120) or Carl Yastrzemski (#130).  The back of Freehan's card features the top of Rose's hat.

Topps All-Star Card Appearances (3):  1968-70

1968 Topps #375
1970 Topps #465

Sources:  
Baseball Reference

#430 Johnny Bench AS - Cincinnati Reds / #432 Bob Gibson AS - St. Louis Cardinals
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1 comment:

  1. AnonymousSeptember 11, 2025 at 11:52 AM

    I was curious so I looked it up. Freehan only received 2 votes in his first year of eligibility for the HOF. One and done. A shame for someone who may be considered the top catcher in the AL during the late 60's/early 70's, until Fisk and Munson came along. In my opinion, at least a border line HOFer.

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