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Alec John Distaso
Chicago Cubs
Pitcher
Born: December 23, 1948, Los Angeles, CA
Drafted: Drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 1st round (1st pick) of the 1967 amateur draft, January 28, 1967
Major League Teams: Chicago Cubs 1969
Died: July 13, 2009, Macomb, IL (age 60)
Donald Wayne Young
Chicago Cubs
Outfield
Born: October 18, 1945, Houston, TX
Signed: Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent, June 4, 1963
Major League Teams: Chicago Cubs 1965, 1969
Died: November 21, 2024, Mesa, AZ (age 79)
James Robert Qualls
Chicago Cubs
Infield
Born: October 9, 1946, Exeter, CA
Signed: Signed by the Chicago Cubs as an amateur free agent, June 6, 1964
Major League Teams: Chicago Cubs 1969; Montreal Expos 1970; Chicago White Sox 1972
Don Young played in 11 games for the Cubs in 1965, spent the next three full seasons back in the minors, and then spent the entire 1969 season as the most frequently used center fielder by manager Leo Durocher (#147). Young appeared in 101 games overall, and made 98 starts in center, including on opening day. He batted .239 with 12 doubles, six home runs and 27 RBIs, and a few defensive lapses late in the season contributed to the Cubs' collapse down the stretch. Young never made it back to the majors following the 1969 season, playing parts of two more seasons in the minors before retiring.
Jim Qualls made the Cubs' opening day roster out of spring training in 1969, but spent the bulk of the first half of that season back in the minor leagues or serving in the National Guard. He'd end up playing in 43 games in the majors that year, his most in parts of three big league seasons, batting .250 with five doubles and nine RBIs. Qualls' biggest hit of the season was a one-out single in the top of the ninth off the Mets' Tom Seaver (#480) on July 9th, breaking up Seaver's perfect game. Qualls would play in nine games with the Expos in 1970 and 11 games with the White Sox in 1972 before heading to Japan for the 1972 and 1973 seasons. With the Kinetsu Buffaloes, Qualls played in 162 games, batting .252 with 15 home runs and 71 RBIs. In the majors, he appeared in 63 games, batting .223.
September 21, 2025 from The Philly Show (Vintage Sports)
On Sunday morning, September 21st, I made the hour-long drive to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania for the latest installment of the Philadelphia Sports Card & Memorabilia Show, known to its friends as The Philly Show. The show has a legitimate official sponsor (eBay) and the advertisement for the event notes the show is in its 50th year. I hadn't attended a baseball card show since the last Philly Show in December, and I was flying solo to this one as our oldest son is in his first month of college at Villanova. I posted a full summary of the show over at The Phillies Room.
I made stops at six tables at the show, all yielding needed cards for our 1969 Topps set, and I left the show with just 16 more cards to go for my version of a complete set. My second stop was the aptly named Vintage Sports table. I always appreciate a dealer with clear signage explaining their pricing method, and Vintage Sports had a marker in their selection of 1969 Topps cards laying out that cards without a sleeve were $1 and cards with a sleeve were $2. I had one "high number" in a sleeve, and that was a whopping $4.
I found 28 commons needed before moving on to my third stop. This was the 28th of 28 total cards bought from Vintage Sports, and the 63rd of 91 cards for the set added overall on the day. Sleeved, this card cost less than $4 after a dealer discount.
The Card / Cubs Team Set
Distaso Accuracy Index +5 / Young Accuracy Index +5 / Qualls Accuracy Index +5
This is one of 11 Rookie Stars cards, out of the 59 Rookie Stars cards in the set, to feature a trio of players. All three had made the Cubs' opening day roster, so they were good choices for a late series card. It's the rookie card for Distaso and Qualls, but Young had previously appeared in the 1966 Topps set. It's also the last card for Distaso.
This is one of 11 Rookie Stars cards, out of the 59 Rookie Stars cards in the set, to feature a trio of players. All three had made the Cubs' opening day roster, so they were good choices for a late series card. It's the rookie card for Distaso and Qualls, but Young had previously appeared in the 1966 Topps set. It's also the last card for Distaso.
Accuracy Index: A solid showing all around as all three rookie stars earn a +5.
1969 Season - Distaso
From his SABR biography, written by Rory Costello:
From his SABR biography, written by Rory Costello:
Wearing number 45, Distaso made his big-league debut on April 20 in the second game of a doubleheader at old Jarry Park in Montreal. Relieving Joe Niekro (#43), who took the loss, Al retired six of the seven Expos to face him, allowing just one walk. His only other appearance came two days later, at another park of yesteryear, Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field. Bill Hands (#115) got knocked out in the second inning, and Distaso allowed two inherited runners to score before retiring the side. He then gave up two runs of his own in the fourth before leaving for a pinch-hitter.
On May 10, the Cubs promoted catcher Bill Heath from Tacoma and sent Distaso down to San Antonio in the Texas League (Double A). The team went with just nine pitchers; "it was decided that this number would suffice with the team encountering seven off days in the next four weeks, and with the batsmen currently suffering."
With the Double-A San Antonio Missions, Distaso was 4-8 with a 4.21 ERA in 21 games, including 20 starts. He struck out 47 and walked 39 in 124 innings pitched.
Other Notable Baseball Cards - Distaso
First Mainstream Card: 1969 Topps #602
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (1): 1969
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1969 Topps #602
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards: 2 in the Beckett online database as of 1/29/26.
Sources - Distaso:
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia
First Mainstream Card: 1969 Topps #602
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (1): 1969
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1969 Topps #602
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards: 2 in the Beckett online database as of 1/29/26.
Sources - Distaso:
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia
1969 Season - Young
From his Wikipedia entry: In the ninth inning of a game against the New York Mets on July 8, 1969 playing centerfield Young failed to catch balls hit by Ken Boswell (#402) and Donn Clendenon (#208). Both were ruled doubles. Young had the Clendenon ball in his mitt before crashing into the wall; with Boswell stopping at third thinking the ball was caught. A Cleon Jones (#512) double followed that tied the game. After an intentional walk to Art Shamsky (#221) a single by Ed Kranepool (#381) plated Jones with the winning run. The line score in the 9th was 3 runs on 4 hits with two left on with no errors.
After the game manager Leo Durocher blamed Young for the loss. Among other things, Durocher said, "My 3-year-old could have caught those balls." Teammate Ron Santo (#570) also loudly criticized Young in the clubhouse accusing him of letting his concern about hitting influence his fielding. The next day Santo apologized to Young and called a press conference to make a public apology. The Cubs, who had a nine-game lead as late as Aug. 16, went on to lose the pennant by eight games to the Mets. Don Young was blamed by many for the Cubs collapse.
From his Wikipedia entry: In the ninth inning of a game against the New York Mets on July 8, 1969 playing centerfield Young failed to catch balls hit by Ken Boswell (#402) and Donn Clendenon (#208). Both were ruled doubles. Young had the Clendenon ball in his mitt before crashing into the wall; with Boswell stopping at third thinking the ball was caught. A Cleon Jones (#512) double followed that tied the game. After an intentional walk to Art Shamsky (#221) a single by Ed Kranepool (#381) plated Jones with the winning run. The line score in the 9th was 3 runs on 4 hits with two left on with no errors.
After the game manager Leo Durocher blamed Young for the loss. Among other things, Durocher said, "My 3-year-old could have caught those balls." Teammate Ron Santo (#570) also loudly criticized Young in the clubhouse accusing him of letting his concern about hitting influence his fielding. The next day Santo apologized to Young and called a press conference to make a public apology. The Cubs, who had a nine-game lead as late as Aug. 16, went on to lose the pennant by eight games to the Mets. Don Young was blamed by many for the Cubs collapse.
1969 Season - Qualls
From his SABR biography, written by Rory Costello: . . . His best day in the majors came shortly after his return, on July 2. At Montreal’s old Jarry Park, he went 3 for 4, with a double and triple off Bill Stoneman (#67), plus another double against Gary Waslewski (#438). He has no memory of that day, though - 'it’s probably in my old scrapbooks, but I don’t really look at those no more.'
Six days later, the Cubs were in Shea Stadium for a three-game series. Don Young lost the opener with two ninth-inning misplays. Durocher and in particular third baseman Ron Santo had caustic remarks for Young; the next night Qualls was in the lineup.
In front of 59,083 fans - the biggest baseball crowd that Shea would ever host - Tom Seaver was overpowering. He mowed through the Chicago order, although Santo did hit two deep fly balls that Tommie Agee hauled in. Seaver threw out Randy Hundley (#347) on an attempted bunt to open the ninth. Then Qualls (who had also hit the ball hard previously) stepped up. Batting left against the righty, he swung at the first pitch - a sinker that didn’t sink.
The ball was outside, and Qualls took it the other way. Some accounts describe the hit as a “looper” or “flare” - which suggests that it was a cheapie. It was nothing of the sort, simply a clean sharp single, as Mets announcer Bob Murphy described it:
"And it’s hit hard to left field . . . It's going to be a base hit . . . A base hit by Jimmy Qualls and it breaks up the perfect game . . . Now the applause for Tom Seaver . . . Eight and one-third innings of perfect baseball by Seaver.”
From his SABR biography, written by Rory Costello: . . . His best day in the majors came shortly after his return, on July 2. At Montreal’s old Jarry Park, he went 3 for 4, with a double and triple off Bill Stoneman (#67), plus another double against Gary Waslewski (#438). He has no memory of that day, though - 'it’s probably in my old scrapbooks, but I don’t really look at those no more.'
Six days later, the Cubs were in Shea Stadium for a three-game series. Don Young lost the opener with two ninth-inning misplays. Durocher and in particular third baseman Ron Santo had caustic remarks for Young; the next night Qualls was in the lineup.
In front of 59,083 fans - the biggest baseball crowd that Shea would ever host - Tom Seaver was overpowering. He mowed through the Chicago order, although Santo did hit two deep fly balls that Tommie Agee hauled in. Seaver threw out Randy Hundley (#347) on an attempted bunt to open the ninth. Then Qualls (who had also hit the ball hard previously) stepped up. Batting left against the righty, he swung at the first pitch - a sinker that didn’t sink.
The ball was outside, and Qualls took it the other way. Some accounts describe the hit as a “looper” or “flare” - which suggests that it was a cheapie. It was nothing of the sort, simply a clean sharp single, as Mets announcer Bob Murphy described it:
"And it’s hit hard to left field . . . It's going to be a base hit . . . A base hit by Jimmy Qualls and it breaks up the perfect game . . . Now the applause for Tom Seaver . . . Eight and one-third innings of perfect baseball by Seaver.”
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Other Notable Baseball Cards - Young
First Mainstream Card: 1966 Topps #139
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (3): 1966, 1969-70
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1970 Topps #117
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards: 8 in the Beckett online database as of 1/29/26.
Sources - Young:
Baseball Reference / Wikipedia
First Mainstream Card: 1966 Topps #139
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (3): 1966, 1969-70
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1970 Topps #117
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards: 8 in the Beckett online database as of 1/29/26.
Sources - Young:
Baseball Reference / Wikipedia
Other Notable Baseball Cards - Qualls
First Mainstream Card: 1969 Topps #602
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (3): 1969-71
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1971 Topps #731
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards: 10 in the Beckett online database as of 1/29/26.
Sources - Qualls:
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia
First Mainstream Card: 1969 Topps #602
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (3): 1969-71
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1971 Topps #731
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards: 10 in the Beckett online database as of 1/29/26.
Sources - Qualls:
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia
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