#450 Billy Williams - Chicago Cubs

Billy Leo Williams
Chicago Cubs
Outfield

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  175
Born:  June 15, 1938, Whistler, AL
Signed:  Signed by the Chicago Cubs as an amateur free agent before 1956 season
Major League Teams:  Chicago Cubs 1959-74; Oakland Athletics 1975-76

Hall of Fame Induction:  1987

Billy Williams was as automatic, consistent and reliable as any outfielder of his era.  For 16 seasons with the Cubs, Williams batted third and played left field (except for a two-year detour to right field), appearing in at least 150 games or more in 12 straight seasons.  He was called an Iron Man before Cal Ripken, Jr. came along, as he played in 1,117 consecutive games between 1963 and 1970.  Williams was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1961, and in 1962 he was named to the first of six All-Star teams.  He batted over .300 in five seasons, and collected at least 25 home runs in 10 seasons.  He enjoyed a career year in 1970, batting .322 with 42 home runs and 129 RBIs, finishing second in the league's MVP voting behind Johnny Bench (#95).  Williams led the league that season in runs scored (137) and hits (205).  He won the league's batting crown in 1972 with a .333 average, again finishing as the MVP runner-up behind Bench.  Williams was dealt to the Athletics after the 1974 season for Manny Trillo, Darold Knowles and Bob Locker (#548).  He spent the final two seasons of his career as the designated hitter for Oakland, finally reaching the postseason in 1975 with the club.

Williams retired with a .290 average, 2,711 hits, 426 home runs and 1,475 RBIs.  He served as a long-time coach for the Cubs (1980-82, 1986-87, 1992-01) with another brief tenure as a coach for the Athletics (1983-85).  He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987 and his #26 was retired by the Cubs that same year.  In 1999, Williams was selected to the Cubs All-Century Team and a statute of the long-time outfielder was installed outside Wrigley Field in 2010.

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

Building the Set / Card #631

September 21, 2025 from The Philly Show (Niagara Sports Cards)

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 third stop was a smaller table with the impossible to pass up offer of 1969 Topps commons that were only $1, unless marked.  The binder was right at the end of the table, making it an even easier sell.  The prices on some of the cards were stunningly low, so I was even more surprised when the dealer, Niagara Sports Cards, gave me an even deeper discount upon tallying up my total.

I found 12 cards needed from Niagara Sports Cards, and this was the ninth of those 12, and the 72nd of 91 cards for the set added overall on the day.  I paid $11 for it after the bulk dealer discount was applied. 

The Card / Cubs Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

There's a ballpark cop forever immortalized with a cameo behind Williams on this card.  The cartoon on the back highlights his 1961 Rookie of the Year win, while the write-up touts his team-leading totals in 1968 for RBIs, doubles and triples.  Williams appears earlier in the set on the National League RBI Leaders card (#4).  As far as I can tell, this card has never been reprinted by Topps.

Accuracy Index:  The model of consistency, like Williams himself, his card scores a +5.

1969 Season
Williams played in all 163 Cubs games, batting .293 with 21 home runs and 95 RBIs.  His 188 hits were fifth best in the league, his 33 doubles were third best and he lead all National League left fielders with 11 assists.  From his SABR biography, written by Mark Armour: 

The 1969 Cubs finally put it all together . . . for five months.  On September 2 they led the surprising New York Mets by five games and appeared to have the race in hand.  Shockingly, the Cubs dropped the next eight while the Mets were going 8-2.  The Cubs lost the lead and finished eight games behind the rampaging New Yorkers.  Chicago finished with 92 wins, its best record since 1945.  Although Williams hit .278 with six home runs during that fateful September, his team hit just .215 with 17 homers.  On September 5, Williams hit two doubles and two home runs off Pittsburgh's Steve Blass (#104), but these were the only four hits Blass allowed in a complete game 9-2 victory.  Losing or winning, Williams just kept playing every day, playing the same game he always played.  "I am not tough to live with after the loss," he admitted.  "I don't carry the game home.  I do what I can, and when I'm done I leave the park.  I leave my glove and I leave my spikes and everything about the game behind me."

The Cubs honored Billy Williams with a "day" on June 29, 1969.  The Cubs hosted the Cardinals in a double-header, and in the second game Williams broke Stan Musial's NL record by playing in his 896th consecutive game.  In the first game, when Williams tied the record, he finished 1-for-4 while Ferguson Jenkins (#640) bested Bob Gibson (#200), 3-1.  In the nightcap, Williams celebrated his record by finishing four-for-five, including a double and two triples, in a 12-1 rout.  Between games the Cubs held a ceremony, for which they had flown Williams' mother and aunt in from Whistler.  Williams was showered with gifts, including a Chrysler Imperial automobile, capping one of the most memorable days of Williams' career.

1961 Topps #141

1968 Topps #37

1970 Topps #170

1972 Topps #439

1976 Topps #525

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1961 Topps #141
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (16):  1961-76
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2025 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #76RO-BW
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  938 in the Beckett online database as of 2/6/26.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

National Baseball Hall of Fame
Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
1965 Topps Blog

#449 Paul Lindblad - Oakland Athletics / #451 Rich Rollins - Seattle Pilots

#335 Bill Mazeroski - Pittsburgh Pirates

William Stanley Mazeroski
Pittsburgh Pirates
Second Base

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  183
Born:  September 5, 1936, Wheeling, WV
Signed:  Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent before 1954 season
Major League Teams:  Pittsburgh Pirates 1956-72

World Series Appearances:  Pittsburgh Pirates 1960, 1971
Hall of Fame Induction:  2001

Bill Mazeroski was an excellent defensive second baseman, a 10-time All-Star with the Pirates throughout the 1960s and the hero of the club's 1960 World Series Championship season.  Known mostly for his glove, Mazeroski won eight Gold Gloves and he's the all-time leader for double plays turned by a second baseman with 1,706.  His career putouts (4,974) at the position currently rank him 7th, while his career assists (6,685) are 5th on the all-time list.  Mazeroski and Roberto Clemente (#50) are the only two Pirates players to be members of both the 1960 and 1971 World Championship teams.  He hit one of the most iconic home runs in baseball history in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series.  With the score tied at 9-9, Mazeroski led off the bottom of the ninth inning, and homered off Yankees' pitcher Ralph Terry to give the Pirates an improbable walk-off win and the World Series title.

Mazeroski spent his entire playing career with the Pirates, batting .260 with 138 home runs and 853 RBIs.  After retiring as a player, he served as a Pirates coach for one season in 1973, and was the third base coach for the Mariners in 1979 and 1980.  His #9 was retired by the Pirates in 1987, and the Veteran's Committee voted him into the Hall of Fame in 2001 on the strength of his glove work at second base.

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

Building the Set / Card #628

September 21, 2025 from The Philly Show (Niagara Sports Cards)

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 third stop was a smaller table with the impossible to pass up offer of 1969 Topps commons that were only $1, unless marked.  The binder was right at the end of the table, making it an even easier sell.  The prices on some of the cards were stunningly low, so I was even more surprised when the dealer, Niagara Sports Cards, gave me an even deeper discount upon tallying up my total.

I found 12 cards needed from Niagara Sports Cards, and this was the sixth of those 12, and the 69th of 91 cards for the set added overall on the day.  The card was marked at $3, but I paid a little over $2 for it after the bulk dealer discount was applied.

The Card / Pirates Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

There are a lot of lines of statistics on the back of Mazeroski's card, and he'd add four more lines before calling it a career.  The write-up highlights his eight Gold Glove wins and acknowledges Mazeroski as the best fielding second baseman active in the majors.  The cartoon focuses on 1960, and Topps could have gone with a celebratory Mazeroski crossing home plate instead of playing defense.

Accuracy Index:  A great-looking card, earning a +5.

1969 Season
Mazeroski was once again the Pirates' opening day second baseman, but he'd start just 64 games at the position, losing playing time as the season progressed to Gene Alley (#436), Jose Martinez, and over the last month of the season, rookie Dave Cash.  In 67 games overall, he batted .229.  From his SABR biography, written by Bob Hurte: 

Indications that he was winding down became noticeable.  He was still a valuable commodity but in a different way.  He quietly assumed a new position on the team.  He became a mentor, the elder statesman to a new crop of young players.  The 1969 alignment featured Richie Hebner (#82) (21 years old) at third, Freddie Patek (#219) (24) played short, and Bob Robertson (#468) (22) was at first.  There was no communication gap among them; their willing ears devoured Mazeroski's wisdom and information on how to play hitters.  Mazeroski passed Frankie Frisch's career total for assists with his 6,027th at Wrigley Field in Chicago on April 14, 1969.  Statistically, however, 1969 was a subpar season for him both defensively and offensively.

1957 Topps #24

1959 Topps #415

1961 Topps #312

1970 Topps #440

1972 Topps #760

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1957 Topps #24
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (19):  1957-74, 2001
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2025 Topps Allen & Ginter #326
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  850 in the Beckett online database as of 2/4/26.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

National Baseball Hall of Fame
Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
1965 Topps Blog

#334 Phil Roof - Oakland Athletics / #336 Jim Roland - Minnesota Twins

#250 Frank Robinson - Baltimore Orioles

Frank Robinson
Baltimore Orioles
Outfield

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  183
Born:  August 31, 1935, Beaumont, TX
Signed:  Signed by the Cincinnati Reds as an amateur free agent before 1953 season
Major League Teams:  Cincinnati Reds 1956-65; Baltimore Orioles 1966-71; Los Angeles Dodgers 1972; California Angels 1973-74; Cleveland Indians 1974-76

World Series Appearances:  Cincinnati Reds 1961; Baltimore Orioles 1966, 1969-71
As a Manager:  Cleveland Indians 1975-77; San Francisco Giants 1981-84; Baltimore Orioles 1988-91; Montreal Expos 2002-04; Washington Nationals 2005-06
Died:  February 7, 2019, Los Angeles, CA (age 83)
Hall of Fame Induction:  1982

Frank Robinson was the first player to win the MVP Award in both National and American Leagues, winning the honor in 1961 with the Reds and then in 1966 in his first season with the Orioles.  Robinson won National League Rookie of the Year honors with the Reds in 1956 and was a six-time All-Star with the club before a blockbuster deal sent him to Baltimore.  Robinson won the Triple Crown in 1966 and led the Orioles to their first World Series title that season, winning World Series MVP honors in the process.  He led the Orioles to their second World Championship title in 1970.  In 21 seasons, Robinson was a 14-time All-Star, batting over .300 nine times and hitting at least 30 home runs in 11 seasons.  When he retired, his 586 career home runs ranked fourth on the all-time list.  Robinson collected 2,943 career hits to go along with 1,812 career RBIs.

In 1975, he was named a player-manager for the Indians, becoming the first black manager in Major League Baseball history.  Although he was named Manager of the Year in 1989, he never guided a team to the postseason.  Robinson was the final manager in Expos history and the first manager for the Nationals after the team had relocated to Washington, and he retired following the 2006 season with a career 1,065-1,176 record.  He was a first ballot Hall of Famer in 1982, and his #20 has been retired by the Orioles, Reds and Guardians.

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

Building the Set / Card #626

September 21, 2025 from The Philly Show (Niagara Sports Cards)

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 third stop was a smaller table with the impossible to pass up offer of 1969 Topps commons that were only $1, unless marked.  The binder was right at the end of the table, making it an even easier sell.  The prices on some of the cards were stunningly low, so I was even more surprised when the dealer, Niagara Sports Cards, gave me an even deeper discount upon tallying up my total.

I found 12 cards needed from Niagara Sports Cards, and this was the fourth of those 12, and the 67th of 91 cards for the set added overall on the day.  The card was marked at $25, but I paid a little over $18 for it after the bulk dealer discount was applied.

The Card / Orioles Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

Topps used a wildly off center photo for the card, but I guess it kind of works?  There's a lot of blue sky behind Robinson, so I still would have cropped it a little differently.  Topps reprinted the card in its 2001 Topps Through the Years insert set.  His impressive multi-league MVP wins are highlighted in the write-up on the back of the card.

Accuracy Index:  Robinson's card scores an off center +5.

Inserts:  Robinson is included as one of the 48 decals in the Topps Decals insert set.

1969 Season
From his SABR biography, written by Maxwell Kates: 

As the Orioles were poised for greatness in 1969, their catalyst was once again Frank Robinson.  Proving himself as a comeback player, he batted .308 while driving in 100 runs and hitting 32 homers, including 12 in April.  Off the field Robinson developed a way to perpetuate team chemistry while keeping his teammates relaxed.  Capitalizing on the television success of Laugh-In, Robinson established a clubhouse kangaroo court, proclaiming himself "da Judge."  Wearing a robe and a mop for a wig, Robinson levied fines for "crimes" such as missing the team bus, missing the cutoff man, or wearing running shoes in public.  As writer Ted Patterson remembered, only Robinson could have got away with saying "Stand up, Earl [Weaver]. (#516) Oh, you are standing."  The Orioles donated the proceeds of the 1969 kangaroo court fines to Cincinnati catcher Pat Corrales (#382), whose wife had died that summer giving birth to her fourth child.

Despite 109 regular-season wins and Robinson’s home run in the fifth game, Baltimore lost the 1969 World Series to the Miracle New York Mets.

1957 Topps #35

1961 Topps #360

1967 Topps #100

1975 Topps #580

2006 Topps #295

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1957 Topps #35
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (33):  1957-77, 1983-84, 1986, 1988-91, 2002-06
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2024 Topps Dynamic Duals Ripple Effect #RE-05
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  2,422 in the Beckett online database as of 2/1/26.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

National Baseball Hall of Fame
Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
1965 Topps Blog

#249 Ed Spiezio - San Diego Padres / #251 Ron Herbel - San Francisco Giants

#398 Tito Francona - Atlanta Braves

John Patsy Francona
Atlanta Braves
Outfield-First Base

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  190
Born:  November 4, 1933, Aliquippa, PA
Signed:  Signed by the St. Louis Browns as an amateur free agent before 1952 season
Major League Teams:  Baltimore Orioles 1956-57; Chicago White Sox 1958; Detroit Tigers 1958; Cleveland Indians 1959-64; St. Louis Cardinals 1965-66; Philadelphia Phillies 1967; Atlanta Braves 1967-69; Oakland Athletics 1969-70; Milwaukee Brewers 1970

Died:  February 13, 2018, New Brighton, PA (age 84)

A journeyman bench player for most of his career, Tito Francona found his greatest success during the late 1950s/early 1960s with the Indians.  He was an All-Star in 1961, the year in which he hit his career high in RBIs with 85.  Francona batted a career best .363 over 122 games for the Indians in 1959 and led the league in doubles with 36 in 1960.  Over his 15-year career, Francona never appeared in the postseason.

Francona was sold to the Cardinals in December 1964, beginning a six-season odyssey that would take him to the Phillies, Braves, Athletics and Brewers where he wrapped up his playing days in 1970.  In 1,719 career games, Francona amassed 1,395 hits, 125 home runs and 656 RBIs.  His son Terry played for 10 seasons in the majors and went on to manage the Phillies, Red Sox, Indians/Guradians and Reds.  Terry won two World Series titles with the Red Sox in 2004 and 2007, and he took the Indians to the World Series in 2016 where they lost to the Cubs in seven games.

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

Building the Set / Card #619
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 25th of 28 total cards bought from Vintage Sports, and the 60th of 91 cards for the set added overall on the day.  Unsleeved, this card cost less than $1 after a dealer discount.

The Card / Braves Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

Topps took photos of Francona by the batting cages at a visiting ballpark at some point in 1967, after he had joined the Braves, and two photos from the session appear on his 1968 and 1969 Topps cards.  The back of the card explains how Francona had filled in for the injured Rico Carty (#590) in 1968, batting .286 in 122 games.

Accuracy Index:  It's another +5 for this card.

1969 Season
Francona split the season between the Braves and Athletics, batting a healthy .318 overall with five home runs and 42 RBIs.  From his SABR biography, written by Joseph Wancho: 

For the most part he came off the bench to play all three outfield positions as well as first base.  His average dropped a bit (.258 over five years in the National League).  "I believe Tito is a better hitter now than I've ever seen him," said Atlanta manager Lum Harris (#196).  "I know one thing.  When they throw that steamer (fastball) up there, he can hit anybody who walks out to the mound." 

On August 22, 1969, the Braves sold Francona to the Oakland Athletics.  Again he was thrust into the reserve role.  Three weeks after joining the A's, on September 12, Francona equaled his career-best mark of five hits in a game.  He went 5-for-5 against Chicago, driving in two runs and scoring twice in a 12-5 Oakland win.

Phillies Career
On April 10, 1967, Francona was sold by the Cardinals to the Phillies.  In 27 games with the club, he hit .205 (15 for 73) with a double and three RBIs.  His services were needed solely for him to fill in at first for an injured Bill White (#588) and when White was activated in late May, Francona served only as a pinch-hitter or late inning defensive replacement.  

With his playing time significantly decreased, the Phillies sold him to the Braves on June 12th, a little over two months after they had acquired him.  His very short tenure with the Phillies is memorialized on his 1967 Topps card.

1957 Topps #184

1961 Topps #503

1967 Topps #443

1970 Topps #663

1985 Topps #134

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1957 Topps #184
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (15):  1957-70, 1985
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2016 Topps Archives #306
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  96 in the Beckett online database as of 1/25/26.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
1965 Topps Blog / The Phillies Room

#397 Chuck Dobson - Oakland Athletics / #399 Bob Bailey - Montreal Expos

#193 Don Cardwell - New York Mets

Donald Eugene Cardwell
New York Mets
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'4"  Weight:  195
Born:  December 7, 1935, Winston-Salem, NC
Signed:  Signed by the Philadelphia Phillies as an amateur free agent before 1954 season
Major League Teams:  Philadelphia Phillies 1957-60; Chicago Cubs 1960-62; Pittsburgh Pirates 1963-66; New York Mets 1967-70; Atlanta Braves 1970

World Series Appearances:  New York Mets 1969
Died:  January 14, 2008, Winston-Salem, NC (age 72)

Don Cardwell was a starting pitcher for most of his 14 years in the majors, winning at least 13 games in three different seasons and earning a World Series ring with the 1969 Amazin' Mets.  Cardwell was signed by the Phillies and struggled somewhat during his first three seasons in the majors.  Dealt to the Cubs on May 13, 1960, Cardwell threw a no-hitter in his first start for his new team becoming the first player to accomplish that feat.  He led the league with 38 starts in 1961, and threw a career-high 259 1/3 innings while winning a career-high 15 games.  Cardwell crossed the 200-inning plateau in four different seasons.  Effectively wild, he led the league in hit batters twice, in 1963 and 1965.  As a member of the Mets pitching staff in 1969, he went 8-10 with a 3.01 ERA in 30 appearances, throwing a shutout inning in Game 1 of the World Series against the Orioles.

Cardwell retired in 1970 with a career record of 102-138 in 410 appearances.  He recorded 1,211 career strikeouts over 2,123 innings pitched.

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

Building the Set / Card #605
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 10th of 28 total cards bought from Vintage Sports, and the 46th of 91 cards for the set added overall on the day.  Unsleeved, this card cost less than $1 after a dealer discount - a surprising price given the premium usually paid for Mets cards from this set.

The Card / Mets Team Set / Accuracy Index +1

This is yet another card featuring the same photo used in Topps' 1967 set.  The back of the card highlights Cardwell's 1960 no-hitter, while the cartoon digs deep, going all the way back to his 1954 season.

Accuracy Index:  Cardwell's card scores a +1 - accurate uniform, but a repeat photo.

1969 Season
Cardwell appeared in 30 games for the eventual World Champions, making 21 starts.  From his SABR biography, written by Matthew Silverman: 

He started off at 0-4 as the Mets scored just twice in his first 28 innings of work.  He finally got himself a win by taking matters into his own hands, allowing only a Lee May (#405) home run to Cincinnati while breaking the game open with a three-run blast of his own (it turned out be his last major league home run).   

Cardwell's most famous moment with the bat, however, came in the back end of an extraordinary doubleheader in September.  With the Mets remarkably having taken over first place from the Cubs, the Mets hit Pittsburgh for a Friday night doubleheader.  Left fielder Cleon Jones (#512) was injured and platoon right fielder Art Shamsky (#221) missed the twin bill because it was Rosh Hashanah.  The Mets had little offense to begin with and they snuck out a win in the opener with pitcher Jerry Koosman (#90) singling in the only run and protecting the lead with a shutout.  Cardwell, who’d driven in just one run since his three-run homer against the Reds in May, singled in Bud Harrelson (#456) against Dock Ellis (#286) in the second inning in the nightcap.  Cardwell danced through trouble and the lead held up, with ninth-inning help from Tug McGraw (#601). The twin 1-0 wins with pitchers driving in the only runs of each game - part of 36 consecutive scoreless innings by the club - pushed the Mets to 2 1/2 games in front of Chicago.  It seemed like further proof that baseball was in the midst of a miracle.

Phillies Career
Cardwell made his big league debut with the Phillies on April 21, 1957, pitching the final three innings of an 8-5 win over the Giants at the Polo Grounds, and saving the game for starter Jack Sanford.  He'd be used primarily as a starter for the Phillies, and his best season with the club came in 1959 when he was 9-10 with a 4.06 ERA in 25 games, including 22 starts.  Cardwell began the 1960 season with the Phillies, but was dealt to the Cubs in mid-May with first baseman Ed Bouchee for infielder Tony Taylor (#108) and catcher Cal Neeman.  He'd throw his no-hitter in his first start with the Cubs, but I'd say the Phillies eventually won the trade given the Wall of Fame career of Taylor, and his role as an ambassador for the club until his passing in 2020.

1957 Topps #374

1959 Topps #314

1961 Topps #564

1967 Topps #555

1970 Topps #83

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1957 Topps #374
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (14):  1957-70
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1990 Swell Baseball Greats #72
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  72 in the Beckett online database as of 1/1/26.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
1965 Topps Blog / The Phillies Room

#192 Jose Pagan - Pittsburgh Pirates / #194 Ted Uhlaender - Minnesota Twins

#80 Norm Cash - Detroit Tigers

Norman Dalton Cash
Detroit Tigers
First Base

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  185
Born:  November 10, 1933, Justiceburg, TX
Signed:  Signed by the Chicago White Sox as an amateur free agent, May 21, 1955
Major League Teams:  Chicago White Sox 1958-59; Detroit Tigers 1960-74

World Series Appearances:  Chicago White Sox 1959; Detroit Tigers 1968
Died:  October 11, 1986, Beaver Island, MI (age 52)

Slugger Norm Cash was a steady presence in the Tigers line-up as their regular first baseman for 15 seasons between 1960 and the early 1970s.  Traded from the White Sox in December 1959 with Bubba Phillips and John Romano for Minnie Minoso and three other players, Cash paid long-term dividends as a four-time All-Star.  His .361 average in 1961 led the league and he belted at least 20 home runs in 11 different seasons.  That 1961 season was probably his best as he hit 41 home runs and had 132 RBIs, both career highs, to go along with his league-leading average.  Cash was also a fine defensive first baseman, leading the American League in assists three times and fielding percentage twice.  He helped guide the Tigers to a World Series title in 1968, hitting .385 with a home run in the seven-game series against the Cardinals.

A fan favorite, Cash played in 2,089 games and had 1,820 career hits, 377 home runs and 1,104 RBIs to go along with his .271 batting average.  Upon his retirement in 1974, his 377 home runs were the fourth most by an American League left-handed hitter behind Babe Ruth, Ted Williams (#650) and Lou Gehrig.  His 373 home runs are currently second on the all-time Tigers list, behind Al Kaline's (#410) 399.  Kaline, Cash's teammate throughout their Tigers careers, said of Cash, "When you mention Norm Cash, I just smile.  He was just a fun guy to be around and a great teammate.  He always came ready to play."  Tragically, Cash drowned at the young age of 52 after slipping and falling off a dock after a night out.

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

Building the Set / Card #597
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 2nd of 28 total cards bought from Vintage Sports, and the 38th of 91 cards for the set added overall on the day. Sleeved, this card cost less than $2 after a dealer discount.

The Card / Tigers Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

To me, Cash looks younger here than he does on some of his Topps cards released prior to 1969, so it's anyone's guess how old this photo actually is.  His heroics from the 1968 World Series are summarized in the write-up on the back of the card.

Accuracy Index:  Cash's card earns a solid +5.

1969 Season
Cash enjoyed another in a long line of high production seasons, appearing in 142 games and batting .280 with 22 home runs and 74 RBIs.  His Tigers fell to second place in the American League after winning the World Championship in the prior year.

1959 Topps #509

1961 Topps #95

1968 Topps #256

1972 Topps #150

1974 Topps #367

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1959 Topps #509
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (16):  1959-74
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2013 Panini Golden Age #77
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  170 in the Beckett online database as of 11/13/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
1965 Topps Blog

#79 Milt Pappas - Atlanta Braves / #81 Mel Queen - Cincinnati Reds