#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

#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

#237 Bobby Cox - New York Yankees

Robert Joe Cox
New York Yankees
Third Base

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  180
Born:  May 21, 1941, Tulsa, OK
Signed:  Signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent before 1959 season
Major League Teams:  New York Yankees 1968-69

As a Manager:  Atlanta Braves 1978-81; Toronto Blue Jays 1982-85; Atlanta Braves 1990-10
Hall of Fame Induction:  2014

As a player, Bobby Cox appeared in 220 games for the Yankees in 1968 and 1969, batting .225 with 22 doubles, nine home runs and 58 RBIs.  He was the club's most regularly used third baseman in 1968, and his full season at the hot corner earned him a place on the Topps 1968 All-Star Rookie team.  Cox began his minor league managerial career in 1971 in the Yankees' farm system.  After guiding teams to winning records in each of his six seasons at the helm, Cox was the first base coach for Billy Martin's (#547) World Champion Yankees club in 1977.  Named the new Braves manager prior to the 1978 season, Cox's first stint with the club saw steady improvement, but he was fired following the 1981 season and quickly snatched up by the Blue Jays to be their manager.  Cox led the Blue Jays to their first winning season in franchise history in 1983 and a division title in 1985.  He'd re-join the Braves in 1986 as their general manager.

Cox returned to the dugout in 1990, and he'd guide the Braves for the next 21 seasons.  He led the team to 14 division pennants during that time, with the Braves getting to the World Series in 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996 and 1999.  They'd win one World Championship in 1995, defeating the Indians in six games.  Cox recorded 100-win seasons six times and his lifetime win total of 2,504 is currently fourth all-time.  He won Manager of the Year honors in 1985, 1991, 2004 and 2005, and his 158 life-time ejections is tops all-time among all big league managers.  His #6 was retired by the Braves in 2011, and Cox was voted into the Hall of Fame in 2014 by the Expansion Era Committee.

Building the Set / Card #592
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 33rd of 36 total cards bought from America's Pastime, and the 33rd of 91 cards for set added overall on the day.  Cox was the first of four star cards I'd add from America's Pastime, and the only card I feel I overpaid for from the show.

The Card / Yankees Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

This is Cox's rookie card and the first and last card of his in a Topps flagship set as a player.  The back of the card explains how he had come to the Yankees.  Cox bounced around throughout the 1960s, spending time in the organizations of the Dodgers (1959-64), Cubs (1965-66), and Braves (1966-67).  On December 7, 1967, he was traded by the Braves to the Yankees for Dale Roberts and Bob Tillman (#374).  Topps reprinted this card in its 2005 Topps Rookie Cup Reprints insert set.

Accuracy Index:  Cox's rookie card earns a +5.

1969 Season
Cox served as a bat off the bench for the Yankees, not earning a start until May 4th.  In 85 games, he batted .215, making 50 starts at third base and six starts at second base.  He'd spend all of 1970 with the Triple-A Syracuse club, having seen his last big league action as a player.

1978 Topps #93

1985 Topps #411

1992 Topps #489

2005 Topps #269

2009 Topps #17

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1969 Topps #237
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (23):  1969, 1978-81, 1983-86, 1990-93, 2001-10
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2010 Topps Heritage #137
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  127 in the Beckett online database as of 11/8/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

National Baseball Hall of Fame
Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

#236 Manny Mota - Montreal Expos / #238 Ken Johnson - Atlanta Braves

#562 Bob Watson - Houston Astros

Robert Jose Watson
Houston Astros
Catcher-Outfield

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  201
Born:  April 10, 1946, Los Angeles, CA
Signed:  Signed by the Houston Astros as an amateur free agent, January 31, 1965
Major League Teams:  Houston Astros 1966-79; Boston Red Sox 1979; New York Yankees 1980-82; Atlanta Braves 1982-84

World Series Appearances:  New York Yankees 1981
Died:  May 14, 2020, Houston, TX (age 74)

Bob Watson was a baseball lifer.  He played in parts of 19 seasons as a two-time All-Star, served as a coach, and was the second African-American general manager in major league history, helping to build the 1996 World Champion Yankees team.  Watson was a member of the Astros for 14 seasons, and as their regular left fielder between 1971 and 1974, then moving to first base between 1975 and 1978, he drove in at least 80 runs in five seasons.  One of his best seasons came in 1973 when he was named to his first All-Star Game, and batted .312 with 16 home runs and 94 RBIs.  Watson went to his second All-Star Game in 1975.  He set career highs with 22 home runs and 110 RBIs in 1977, and he hit for his first cycle that season on June 24th.  His home run totals were likely diminished given he played a majority of his games in the pitcher-friendly Astrodome.

Traded to the Red Sox in July 1979, Watson hit for the cycle with the club that September 15th, becoming the first player to accomplish the feat in both leagues.  He helped the Yankees reach the World Series in 1981, and even though his team fell to the Dodgers, Watson batted .318 with a pair of home runs during the series.  He'd retire as a player following three final seasons with the Braves, serving mainly as a pinch-hitter.  In 1,832 games, Watson batted .295 with 184 home runs and 989 RBIs.  After serving as the Athletics' hitting coach between 1986 and 1988, he was hired to the be the Astros' general manager following the 1988 season.  Watson moved to the Yankees as their GM between 1995 and 1998, and his last role in baseball was as MLB's vice president in charge of discipline, rules and on-field operations between 2002 and 2010.  He was inducted into the Houston Astros Hall of Fame in 2020.

Building the Set / Card #477
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 33rd of 98 commons pulled from the binder.  After a generous dealer discount due to my bulk purchase, this card cost me a little over $4, and was one of the pricier cards purchased from Uncle Dick's.

The Card / Astros Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

This is Watson's rookie card, and he'd eventually appear in 17 Topps flagship sets.  The write-up on the back of the card mentions Watson's original position of catcher.  There's more on that below, and during his long career, Watson would appear behind the plate in 10 games, making a pair of starts in 1973.  Topps reprinted this card in its 2001 Topps Archives set.

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

1969 Season
Watson appeared in only 20 games for the Astros, batting .275 with three doubles during three different stints with the club in April, mid-June and as a September call-up.  Watson was the team's opening day left fielder, but he was asked to report to the Savannah Senators to work on his catching skills.  Watson dutifully reported, but nearly quit the game due to the rampant racism he encountered in Savannah.  At some point during the season, the Astros moved Watson to their Triple-A team in Oklahoma City, where the slugger batted .408 in 61 games with seven home runs and 48 RBIs.

1973 Topps #110

1975 Topps #227

1978 Topps #330

1981 Topps #690

1985 Topps #51

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1969 Topps #562
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (17):  1969-85
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2013 Panini USA Baseball Champions #38
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  154 in the Beckett online database as of 3/1/25.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

#561 Ron Clark - Minnesota Twins / #563 Marty Pattin - Seattle Pilots

#460 Joe Torre - St. Louis Cardinals

Joseph Paul Torre
St. Louis Cardinals
First Base-Catcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  212
Born:  July 18, 1940, Brooklyn, NY
Signed:  Signed by the Milwaukee Braves as an amateur free agent, August 24, 1959
Major League Teams:  Milwaukee Braves 1960-65; Atlanta Braves 1966-68; St. Louis Cardinals 1969-74; New York Mets 1975-77

As a Manager:  New York Mets 1977-81; Atlanta Braves 1982-84; St. Louis Cardinals 1990-95; New York Yankees 1996-07; Los Angeles Dodgers 2008-10
Hall of Fame Induction:  2014

Joe Torre had a successful 18-year career in the majors before going on to have an even more successful 29-year career as a manager.  The strength of his managing career earned him induction into baseball's Hall of Fame in 2014.

As a player, Torre was a nine-time All-Star between 1963 and 1973 and he won National League MVP honors with the Cardinals in 1971.  That year he topped the league with 230 hits,  a .363 average and 137 RBIs while hitting 24 home runs.  He hit a career high 36 home runs in 1966 and topped the 100-RBI plateau in five different seasons.  For his playing career, he finished with a .297 batting average, 2,342 hits, 252 home runs, 1,185 RBIs and zero postseason appearances.

1992 Philadelphia Phillies ALS Autograph Party

Torre began his managerial career as a player-manager for the Mets in 1977.  His stint as Mets manager didn't go well, but he reached his first ever postseason in 1982 during his first year managing the Braves.  He needed to wait another decade-plus to make it to the World Series, eventually guiding the Yankees to four titles in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000.  He was named the American League Manager of the Year in 1996 and 1998.  Torre retired as a manager following the 2010 season and finished with a lifetime record of 2,326-1,997.  His managerial win total is fifth on the all-time list behind Connie Mack, Tony LaRussa, John McGraw and Bobby Cox (#237). 

Since 2011 he's worked in the Commissioner's office first as an Executive Vice President for Baseball Operations and currently as a special assistant to the Commissioner.  Torre had his #6 retired by the Yankees in 2014, the same year he joined the Hall of Fame.

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

Building the Set / Card #405
December 3, 2023 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)

Doug and I returned to The Philly Show in early December, once again held inside the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania.  eBay has taken over sponsorship of the show, with the quaint, bubble-lettered Philly Show logo that had been in place since the 1980s replaced with a more modern logo, keeping with the times.  I wrote about the show in a post over at The Phillies Room.

Similar to my strategy from March, I wanted to focus on accumulating commons and having found success with Uncle Dick's Cards before, I didn't mess around and headed right for the neon green binders.  I pulled 145 cards from the binder containing cards 301 to the end of the set, stopping when I reached 500.  This card was the 113th of 145 cards purchased for our set, and after the dealer discount due to my bulk purchase, it cost a little over $2.  Given his career and longevity in the game, it's kind of odd to find a Torre card with a bunch of commons.  But I guess there aren't a lot of dedicated Torre collectors out there, driving up the price of his cards?

The Card / Cardinals Team Set / Accuracy Index -8

Torre is wearing a Braves jersey here, and Topps can be forgiven for this as he was acquired from Atlanta late in the spring - see below.  The cartoon on the back plays up Torre's offseason job as a stock broker, and the write-up focuses on his star-making offensive numbers along with his defensive prowess.  I think the cartoon is supposed to show Torre reading a stock ticker while it's snowing.

Accuracy Index:  Torre's card drops to a -8.

1969 Season
On March 17th, the Braves traded Torre to the Cardinals for Orlando Cepeda (#385).  Braves' ownership had soured on Torre due to an offensive decline, along with his work battling for a collective bargaining agreement with the owners as the team's player representative.  Moving to first base for most of the season, Torre batted .289 with 18 home runs and 101 RBIs.  Tim McCarver (#475) was the Cardinals' primary catcher, and Torre made 142 starts at first, with only 16 starts behind the plate.

1962 Topps #218

1971 Topps #370

1978 Topps #109

1985 Topps #438

2009 Topps #131

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1962 Topps #218
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (35):  1962-81, 1983-85, 1991-93, 2001-09
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2024 Topps Allen & Ginter Cycle Succession #CS-5
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  627 in the Beckett online database as of 11/24/24.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference / SABR / Wikipedia

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

#459 Dave Boswell - Minnesota Twins / #461 Mike Epstein - Washington Senators

#447 Ralph Houk MG - New York Yankees

Ralph George Houk
New York Yankees
Manager

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  193
Born:  August 9, 1919, Lawrence, KS
Signed:  Signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent before 1939 season
Major League Teams:  New York Yankees 1947-54

World Series Appearances:  New York Yankees 1947, 1952, 1961-63
As a Manager:  New York Yankees 1961-63, 1966-73; Detroit Tigers 1974-78; Boston Red Sox 1981-84
Died:  July 21, 2010, Winter Haven, FL (age 90)

As the back-up to Yogi Berra's back-up during his playing days, Ralph Houk saw limited major league action in his parts of eight seasons with the Yankees.  He earned the most playing time in his rookie season of 1947, playing in 41 games, and batting .272 with 12 RBIs.  Houk had a pinch-hit single in 1947's World Series Game 6, the first of four World Series winners Houk played for between his rookie season and 1952.  Between 1948 and 1954, he appeared in a low range of one to a high of 14 games each season, retiring with a .272 lifetime average, 43 hits, no home runs and 20 RBIs.  In his last few years as an active player, Houk transitioned into the role of full-time bullpen coach.  He'd manage in the minors for a few seasons before assuming the role of Casey Stengel's first base coach in 1958.  Houk took over for Stengel as the club's manager beginning in 1961.

His Yankees won 109 games in 1961, and defeated the Reds in five games in the World Series.  They'd win the pennant and World Series again in 1962, defeating the Giants in seven games.  Houk's 1963 team won 104 games, but were swept in the 1963 World Series by the Dodgers.  He'd move into the front office in 1964 as the Yankees' general manager, but return to the dugout in 1966 following the firing of Johnny Keane.  Houk's tenure with the Yankees came to an end following the 1973 season, and he'd join the Tigers as their manager between 1974 and 1978.  His final managerial stint came with the Red Sox between 1981 and 1984.  Houk's record as a manager was 1,619-1,531, including three pennants and a pair of World Championship titles.

Building the Set / Card #395
December 3, 2023 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards)

Doug and I returned to The Philly Show in early December, once again held inside the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania.  eBay has taken over sponsorship of the show, with the quaint, bubble-lettered Philly Show logo that had been in place since the 1980s replaced with a more modern logo, keeping with the times.  I wrote about the show in a post over at The Phillies Room.

Similar to my strategy from March, I wanted to focus on accumulating commons and having found success with Uncle Dick's Cards before, I didn't mess around and headed right for the neon green binders.  I pulled 145 cards from the binder containing cards 301 to the end of the set, stopping when I reached 500.  This card was the 103rd of 145 cards purchased for our set, and after the dealer discount due to my bulk purchase, it cost a little less than $2.

The Card / Yankees Team Set / Accuracy Index +5

This card is so, so close to using the exact same photo as Houk's 1968 Topps card, but the manager has turned his head ever so slightly here.  The back of the card pays tribute to his pennant winning teams from 1961, 1962 and 1963.

This is one of 23 cards available in the set's fifth series available as either "yellow letter" or "white letter" variations, with the yellow letter variations being more prevalent.  This is the more prevalent yellow letter variation with Houk's last name printed in yellow.

Accuracy Index:  Houk's card just barely scores a +5.

1969 Season
Now 49 years old and in his third full season back at the helm for the Yankees, Houk guided his club to a 80-81 finish in the American League East, 28 1/2 games behind the Orioles and a fifth place finish.  Mel Stottlemyre (#470) and Fritz Peterson (#46) were bright spots for the Yankees.  Stottlemyre was 20-14 with a 2.82 ERA in 39 starts, while Peterson was 17-16 with a 2.55 ERA in 37 starts.  Closer Jack Aker (#612), rescued from the Pilots, had 11 saves and a 2.06 ERA in 38 appearances.

Left fielder Roy White (#25) led the club with a .290 average.  Right fielder Bobby Murcer (#657) had a team-leading 26 home runs and 82 RBIs.  Mickey Mantle (#500), who had retired following the 1968 season, had his #7 retired on Mickey Mantle Day at Yankee Stadium on June 8th.  Joe DiMaggio, the player Mantle had replaced, presented him with his plaque.  On August 8th, catcher Thurman Munson made his big league debut, catching a complete game shutout thrown by Al Downing (#292).

1952 Topps #200

1962 Topps #88

1968 Topps #47

1978 Topps #684

1985 Topps #11

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1952 Topps #200
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (21):  1952, 1960-63, 1967-78, 1981, 1983-85
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2004 Topps Fall Classic Covers #FC1961
Total Non-Parallel Baseball Cards:  112 in the Beckett online database as of 11/10/24.

Update Cards

For my 1965 Topps blog, I used the team card posts to come up with five or six candidates per team for an imaginary update series.  With no team cards in the 1969 Topps set, I'll use each manager card for this exercise, and come up with a list of deserving cards to be included in an 8th/update series.

• Thurman Munson (c) - Munson's rookie card would appear in the 1970 Topps set, but I'd give him a card in my update series.
• Jack Kenney (3b) - The regular third baseman, Jack Kenney (#519) shared a Rookie Stars card with Len Boehmer in the main set.
• Ron Woods (cf) - Ron Woods (#544) was also on a Rookie Stars card in the main set, but with his former team, the Tigers.
• Bill Burbach (rhp) - Fifth starter Bill Burbach (#658) was on a three-player Rookie Stars card late in the set.  He appeared in 31 games overall, making 24 starts.
• Jack Aker (rhp) - Aker is in the set with the Pilots.  He came over to the Yankees in a May 20th trade that sent Fred Talbot (#332) to Seattle.
• Jimmie Hall (of) - And finally, Jimmie Hall (#61) was a back-up outfielder with the Yankees, and he appears early in the set with the Indians.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference - Houk / Baseball Reference - 1969 Yankees / SABR / Wikipedia

Beckett Database / The Trading Card Database

#446 Claude Raymond - Atlanta Braves / #448 Bob Tolan - Cincinnati Reds