#430 Johnny Bench AS - Cincinnati Reds

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 #639

September 21, 2025 from The Philly Show (Richie's 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.  After about 90 minutes of walking and buying, while running low on funds, and even lower on stamina, I found a nice display of vintage Topps star cards at Richie's Sports Cards, from Manalpan, New Jersey.  I quickly and easily picked up six more star cards needed for our set from Richie's, my fourth stop of the show.  This is the fifth of those six cards and it cost around $27 after a discount, making it the most expensive All-Star card I purchased for our set build.

The Card / Reds Team Set / Pete Rose Puzzle

Johnny Bench was a 14-time All-Star, going to the All-Star Game each year between 1968 and 1980, and then again in 1983 to honor the end of his career.  He was the starting catcher for the National League All-Stars in 1969, batting seventh and receiving starting pitcher Steve Carlton (#255).  Bench got the scoring started for the National League, hitting a second inning, two-run home run off Mel Stottlemyre (#470).  He'd single in the third off Blue Mood Odom (#195), draw a walk against Denny McLain (#150) and line out against Dave McNally (#340) in the sixth, before being replaced by back-up Randy Hundley (#347).

The stock photo used in the background behind Bench has yet to be identified, but the article linked below figured out by combining the background photos on this card and Ken Harrelson's All-Star card (#417), a full action scene showing a mystery play emerges.  The backs of these All-Star cards contain a puzzle piece of either Pete Rose (#120) or Carl Yastrzemski (#130).  The back of Bench's card features a patch of dirt behind Rose's photo.

Topps All-Star Card Appearances (9):  1969-70, 1974-79, 1981

1970 Topps #464

1974 Topps #331

1975 Topps #260

1978 Topps #700

1981 Topps #400

Sources:  
Baseball Reference

Sports Collectors Daily - Mistaken Identities

#429 Willie Horton AS - Detroit Tigers / #431 Bill Freehan AS - Detroit Tigers

#456 Bud Harrelson - New York Mets

Derrel McKinley Harrelson
New York Mets
Shortstop

Bats:  Both  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  160
Born:  June 6, 1944, Niles, CA
Signed:  Signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent, June 7, 1963
Major League Teams:  New York Mets 1965-77; Philadelphia Phillies 1978-79; Texas Rangers 1980

World Series Appearances:  New York Mets 1969, 1973
As a Manager:  New York Mets 1990-91
Died:  January 10, 2024, East Northport, NY (age 79)

Mets legend Bud Harrelson is the only person to have played a part in both Mets' World Series titles - in 1969 as their starting shortstop, and in 1986 as a coach.  Harrelson played in 16 big league seasons, 13 of those seasons with the Mets.  He was their everyday shortstop for most of the 1970s, and was selected to be an All-Star in 1970 and 1971.  Harrelson's career year came in 1971 when he won a Gold Glove while batting .252 with 16 doubles and 28 stolen bases.  He famously invoked the ire of the Reds' Pete Rose (#120) during the 1973 NLCS, when Harrelson compared the Big Red Machine's hitting prowess to his own.  Rose took exception and his hard slide into Harrelson during Game 3 sparked a bench-clearing brawl.  Harrelson and Rose would become teammates in 1979 with the Phillies, burying the hatchet.  Harrelson wrapped up his lengthy career with a stint with the Rangers in 1980 as a back-up infielder.  In 1,533 career games, he batted .234 with 123 doubles, six home runs, 242 RBIs and 115 stolen bases.

From the 1978 Phillies Yearbook

Harrelson coached in the Mets' minor and major league system between 1982 and 1990.  He replaced Davey Johnson (#203) as the club's manager a little over a month into the 1990 season upon Johnson's dismissal.  Harrelson found some success in 1990, but a second half Mets collapse in 1991 cost him his job.  Harrelson's record at the helm was 145-129.  He'd become part-owner of the Long Island Ducks in 2000, managing the team in its inaugural season.  Harrelson was inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame in 1986.

Building the Set / Card #632

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 tenth of those 12, and the 73rd of 91 cards for the set added overall on the day.  I paid less than a dollar for it after the bulk dealer discount was applied. 

The Card / Mets Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

The write-up on the back of the card using the adjectives "hustling" and "flashy" to describe Harrelson.  He apparently taught himself how to switch-hit in 1966 while at Triple-A Jacksonville.  That's pretty impressive to learn how to switch-hit at the age of 22!

Accuracy Index:  Harrelson's card holds steady with a +5.

1969 Season
From his SABR biography, written by Eric Aron: 

Harrelson arrived in St. Petersburg in 1969 having spent the winter lifting weights and quitting smoking.  He came in weighing 165 pounds and ceded the lightest-Met prize to 157-pound Amos Otis (#31).  Gil Hodges (#564) favored platoons for his club at the corners in the outfield and infield, plus second base.  Catcher, center field, and shortstop were too important to Hodges to tinker with, even though Jerry Grote (#55) was no great shakes with the bat and Tommie Agee (#364) in center had a lower 1968 batting average than Harrelson (.217). 

Harrelson was sorely missed when he had to serve his military obligation starting in July.  Al Weis (#269) filled in at shortstop and - true to form for the Mets that year - hit both of his home runs for the season in a huge series at Wrigley Field.  Harrelson started just one game in a five-week span because of his obligation, and his batting average, which had surpassed .290 at the beginning of June, got over .250 only a couple of times the rest of the season; he finished at .248.  His .341 on-base percentage was crucial since he usually batted second against right-handers and slid down to eighth against southpaws.  But on a team with the pitching the '69 Mets had, his glove was more important than what he generated with his bat.  Harrelson committed just 19 errors in 119 games at shortstop; his best remembered play of that season was grabbing Joe Torre's (#460) grounder and starting the double play that clinched the first Eastern Division title in National League history and set off a riot at Shea Stadium on September 24.  Harrelson’s game-winning single the night before against Bob Gibson (#200) had set the party in motion by assuring the Mets of at least a tie for the division title. 

Harrelson was practically flawless in the field in the miraculous postseason.  His only error in 44 chances came with one out and no one on in the seventh inning of New York's 11-6 win over the Braves in Game Two of the National League Championship Series.  Though he was only 2-for-11 in the NLCS, he drove in three runs and both his hits went for extra bases - giving Harrelson, who would have a lifetime .288 slugging percentage, a stunning .455 slugging mark in the Mets' three-game sweep.  He batted .176 in the World Series against the Orioles, but he had three singles and three walks to give him a .300 on-base percentage.

Phillies Career
With Tim Foli handed the Mets' shortstop job for the 1978 season, Harrelson was dealt to the Phillies on March 24, 1978, towards the end of spring training, for Fred Andrews and cash.  He was reunited with his former teammate Tug McGraw (#601), and expected to fill in behind a solid infield of Ted Sizemore (#552) at second base and Larry Bowa at shortstop.  Harrelson played in 71 games in 1978, hitting .214 and making 22 starts all season.  Manny Trillo took over for Sizemore at second in 1979, and Harrelson appeared in only 53 games.  He did bat .282 and have an OBP of .395, both high marks for his career, but he made one less start than the year before with 21.  He was released following spring training in 1980, with the team opting to go with Luis Aguayo and Ramon Aviles as their back-up infielders.  In 124 total games with the Phillies, Harrelson batted .241 with seven doubles and 16 RBIs.

1967 Topps #306

1971 Topps #355

1975 Topps #395

1981 Topps #694

1991 Topps #261

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1967 Topps #306
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (17):  1967-81, 1990-91
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2021 Topps x ESPN 30-for-30: "Once Upon a Time in Queens" #33
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  152 in the Beckett online database as of 2/10/26.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
The Phillies Room

#455 Sonny Siebert - Cleveland Indians / #457 Dalton Jones - Boston Red Sox

#601 Tug McGraw - New York Mets

Frank Edwin McGraw
New York Mets
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  170
Born:  August 30, 1944, Martinez, CA
Signed:  Signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent, June 12, 1956
Major League Teams:  New York Mets 1965-67, 1969-74; Philadelphia Phillies 1975-84

World Series Appearances:  New York Mets 1973; Philadelphia Phillies 1980
Died:  January 5, 2004, Brentwood, TN (age 59)

One of the most popular players of his era, Tug McGraw was a key component of the 1969 Miracle Mets and he also recorded the final out in the 1980 World Series to give the Phillies their first championship in franchise history.  McGraw was an All-Star in 1972 and 1975 and he finished in the top ten in saves in seven different seasons.  Over 19 seasons, McGraw appeared in 824 games, compiling a 96-92 record with 180 saves and 3.14 ERA.

1992 Philadelphia Phillies
ALS Autograph Party Photocards

McGraw is the rare player who was able to be equally beloved by both Mets and Phillies fans, and writing this now I'm struggling to think of any other player who has been able to straddle that divide.

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

Building the Set / Card #595
September 21, 2025 from The Philly Show (America's Pastime)

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.  The first place I stopped was a table with well-organized and well-marked binders of commons and semi-stars with 20% Off notes across the front of each binder.  

I took my time and found 32 commons and semi-stars needed before asking to see the dealer's star cards from the set.  It turned out this first purchase was also my biggest, as I spent over half my allotted budget here, America's Pastime from Fair Lawn, New Jersey, before moving on to my second stop.  This was the 36th of 36 total cards bought from America's Pastime, and the 36th of 91 cards for set added overall on the day.  McGraw was the fourth of four star cards I'd add from America's Pastime, and I likely paid a premium given the popularity of McGraw in the Philly area.

The Card / Mets Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

Topps had to scoot McGraw's photo over to the left to make room for the purple name and position circle on the front of the card.  His minor league successes are highlighted on the back.  We also get a rare in-season highlight, noting McGraw was the winning pitcher for the Mets on April 9th.  Mets' starter Jim McAndrew (#321) departed the second game of the season after one inning, with McGraw allowing a run on five hits over 6 1/3 innings of relief.  He struck out seven batters, and Nolan Ryan (#533) relieved him to record the final five outs and earn a save.

Accuracy Index:  McGraw's card scores a +5.

1969 Season
McGraw emerged as an elite reliever during the 1969 season, appearing in 42 games for the eventual World Champions, and going 9-3 with a 2.24 ERA in 100 1/3 innings pitched.  He made four starts and threw a complete game victory over the Cubs on May 4th.  McGraw's 12 saves were one fewer than his right-handed complement out of the bullpen, Ron Taylor (#72).  He was crucial down the stretch for the Mets, and in August, September and October, McGraw was 4-1 with seven saves and a 0.50 ERA in 18 relief appearances, spanning 36 innings.  His services were needed only once in the postseason, as he pitched a scoreless three innings in NLCS Game 2, earning a save.

Phillies Career
McGraw was traded to the Phillies with Don Hahn on December 3, 1974 for Mac Scarce, John Stearns and Del Unser (#338).  Between 1975 and 1984, he was one of the most reliable relievers for the Phillies, appearing in 463 games and recording 94 saves.  Upon retirement, he was the Phillies all-time saves leader, but he's since been passed by five other relievers.  McGraw struck out Willie Wilson in Game 6 of the 1980 World Series, leaping off the mound in one of the most iconic moments in Philadelphia sports history.  He was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame in 1999.

1965 Topps #533

1966 Topps #124

1975 Topps #67

1981 Topps #404

1985 Topps #157

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1965 Topps #533
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (21):  1965-85
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2017 Topps Update Postseason Celebrations #PC-3
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  181 in the Beckett online database as of 11/8/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

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

#600 Tony Oliva - Minnesota Twins / #602 Cubs Rookie Stars

#560 Luis Tiant - Cleveland Indians

Luis Clemente Tiant
Cleveland Indians
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  180
Born:  November 23, 1940, Marianao, Cuba
Acquired:  Purchased by the Cleveland Indians from the Mexico City Tigers before 1962 season
Major League Teams:  Cleveland Indians 1964-69; Minnesota Twins 1970; Boston Red Sox 1971-78; New York Yankees 1979-80; Pittsburgh Pirates 1981; California Angels 1982

World Series Appearances:  Boston Red Sox 1975
Died:  October 8, 2024, Wells, ME (age 83)

Cuban pitcher Luis Tiant, affectionately nicknamed El Tiante, pitched in 19 big league seasons primarily with the Indians and Red Sox.  He was a three-time All-Star and won his league's ERA title twice, in 1968 with a 1.60 mark and in 1972 with a 1.91 mark.  1968 was perhaps his finest season, as he went 21-9 for the Indians, pitching 19 complete games and leading the league with nine shutouts.  He'd fall back to Earth and suffer a 20-loss season in 1969.  After a few rough years, Tiant had a career resurgence with the Red Sox in the 1970s, winning at least 20 games for the club in three different seasons.  He started three games for Boston in the 1975 World Series against the Reds, going 2-0 with two complete games and a shutout, but the Reds ultimately won the Series in seven games.  Tiant wrapped up his major league career with the Angels in 1982, but he'd go on to pitch a few more seasons in Mexico and then again in the Senior Professional Baseball Association in 1989.

Tiant's career record was 229-172 over 573 games with a 3.30 ERA, 187 complete games, 49 shutouts and 2,416 strikeouts.  His strikeout total is currently 49th on the all-time leaders list, while his shutouts rank 21st all-time.  Tiant was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 1997, the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum in 2002 and the Venezuelan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in 2009.

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

Building the Set / Card #578
September 21, 2025 from The Philly Show (America's Pastime)

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.  The first place I stopped was a table with well-organized and well-marked binders of commons and semi-stars with 20% Off notes across the front of each binder.  

I took my time and found 32 commons and semi-stars needed before asking to see the dealer's star cards from the set.  It turned out this first purchase was also my biggest, as I spent over half my allotted budget here, America's Pastime from Fair Lawn, New Jersey, before moving on to my second stop.  This was the 19th of 36 total cards bought from America's Pastime, and the 19th of 91 cards for set added overall on the day, and it cost a little over $4 after the dealer discount.

The Card / Indians Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

This has always seemed like an iconic card from the 1969 Topps set, and the odd cropping is needed in order for the photo to work well with the set's design.  The photo would have been taken in early 1969 as Tiant is showing off the MLB patch all teams wore during the season to celebrate the league's centennial.  Just a few of his accolades from 1968 are shown on the back - his nine shutouts and the 19 batters he struck out on July 3, 1968.  

Accuracy Index:  Tiant's card definitely earns its +5 rating.

Inserts:  Tiant is included in the 35 card Topps Deckle Edge insert set and is one of 48 decals in the Topps Decals insert set.  He's one of 27 players to appear in both insert sets.

1969 Season
Coming off his career year in 1968, Tiant was 9-20 with a 3.71 ERA in 38 games for the Indians, exceeding 200 innings pitched for the third season in a row.  The Al Dark-managed (#91) club finished in last place in the American League East with a 62-99 record.  On December 10th, the Indians traded the popular Tiant with Stan Williams (#118) to the Twins for Dean Chance (#620), Bob Miller (#403), Graig Nettles (#99) and Ted Uhlaender (#194).

1965 Topps #145

1975 Topps #430

1976 Topps #130

1981 Topps #627

1983 Topps #178

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1965 Topps #145
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (18):  1965-71, 1973-83
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2024 Topps Living
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  392 in the Beckett online database as of 10/12/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database
1965 Topps Blog

#559 Cardinals Rookie Stars / #561 Ron Clark - Minnesota Twins

#509 Manny Sanguillen - Pittsburgh Pirates

Manuel de Jesus Sanguillen
Pittsburgh Pirates
Catcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  193
Born:  March 21, 1944, Colon, Panama
Signed:  Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent, October 2, 1964
Major League Teams:  Pittsburgh Pirates 1967, 1969-76; Oakland Athletics 1977; Pittsburgh Pirates 1978-80

World Series Appearances:  Pittsburgh Pirates 1971, 1979

If not for Johnny Bench (#95), Manny Sanguillen would be picked by many baseball experts as the best National League catcher in the early 1970s.  Sanguillen played in 13 big league seasons, all but one of those with the Pirates, and was a member of six pennant-winning Pirate teams throughout the decade.  He played a key part in helping Pittsburgh to a World Series title in 1971, and he'd win his second World Series ring as super utility player in 1979.  Sanguillen assumed the Pirates' starting catching duties in 1969, and his best season came in 1971 when he was named to the first of his three All-Star Game appearances.  He batted .319 that season with 26 doubles, seven home runs and 81 RBIs, a career best.  Sanguillen batted .379 (11 for 29) in the 1971 World Series, won by the Pirates in seven games over the Orioles, and his hit total was second in the series behind only Roberto Clemente (#50) with 12.  He was scheduled to join Clemente on the 1972 New Year's Eve flight to Puerto Rico that crashed, claiming Clemente's life, but Sanguillen had misplaced his car keys, missing the flight.

Sanguillen led the league with 51 runners caught stealing in 1974, and he'd bat a career-high .328 in 1975.  On November 5, 1976 he was dealt to the Athletics (with cash) for the services of manager Chuck Tanner.  The Pirates would re-acquire Sanguillen in April 1978, and he'd settle into a back-up, utility role over the final three seasons of his big league career.  In 1,448 games, Sanguillen batted .296 with 205 doubles, 65 home runs and 585 RBIs.  The popular former Pirate could be found at PNC Park at Manny's BBQ in recent years, and the Pirates inducted him into their Hall of Fame in 2024.

Building the Set / Card #573
September 21, 2025 from The Philly Show (America's Pastime)

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.  The first place I stopped was a table with well-organized and well-marked binders of commons and semi-stars with 20% Off notes across the front of each binder.  

I took my time and found 32 commons and semi-stars needed before asking to see the dealer's star cards from the set.  It turned out this first purchase was also my biggest, as I spent over half my allotted budget here, America's Pastime from Fair Lawn, New Jersey, before moving on to my second stop.  This was the 14th of 36 total cards bought from America's Pastime, and the 14th of 91 cards for set added overall on the day, and it cost a little over $3 after the dealer discount.

The Card / Pirates Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

This is a great card and the photo works well with the 1969 Topps design.  Sanguillen appeared in 30 games for the Pirates in 1967, leading Topps to give him his rookie card in their 1968 set.  The back of the card highlights his .328 average in 1966 with the Carolina League's Raleigh Pirates and his strong throwing arm.  Sanguillen finished in the top five among catchers for assists in five different seasons, leading the league with 72 assists in 1971.

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

1969 Season
Jerry May (#263) was the Pirates' opening day catcher, but Sanguillen soon replaced him in the line-up, ultimately making 107 starts behind the plate to May's 50.  Sanguillen batted .303 with 21 doubles, five home runs and 57 RBIs.  His only blemish for the season is that he led all National League catchers with 17 errors.  Sanguillen was behind the plate for Bob Moose's (#409) no-hitter against the Mets on September 20th, one of his proudest accomplishments in the majors.

1968 Topps #251

1972 Topps #60

1975 Topps #515

1979 Topps #447

1981 Topps #226

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1968 Topps #251
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (14):  1968-81
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2021 Topps Archives Movie Poster Cards #MPC-1
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  131 in the Beckett online database as of 10/10/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

#508 Moe Drabowsky - Kansas City Royals / #510 Rod Carew - Minnesota Twins