Cards That Never Were: 1961 Fleer Football

This week's Ron Santo Card that wasn't is a 1961 Fleer Football style card. Just as I did last week, I used the photo from the 1961 Topps. I must admit, I like the vintage simplicity of this design. 

I'm still fairly new to this blog thing, but if anybody is actually reading this, I'd like to know what you think about it. I'm not sure how to create a poll using images so please just leave a comment.

Which 1961 version of Ron Santo do you like best?

           

1. The original 1961 Topps version?
2. The 1961 Fleer Baseball Version?
3. The 1961 Topps Football Version?
4. The 1961 Fleer Football Version?

Please submit your votes in the comment section.

Manager Cards Redux

I've done quite a few posts featuring manager cards and I'm only up to the Mariners. The one thing I haven't gotten bored with is checking out the managers as players. So here are a few of the cards featured in my earlier posts. I used the format of the 1974 O Pee Chee Hank Aaron Special as a template. 

Bobby Cox was featured as both player and manager in my first post.

Dick Williams appeared in my tribute to Harmon Killebrew. 

Mike Scioscia was my first post to feature 2011 managers. 

My posting on Sparky Anderson was inspired by an article I read that portrayed Sparky Anderson the manager and George Anderson the player and family man as different personalities.

I've got a few more ideas on how to feature the player / manager cards, so look for a few similar posts in the future.

Mariners Manager : Eric Wedge

Eric Wedge is in his first year as manager of the Seattle Mariners. He was the Cleveland Indians manager from 2003 until 2009. He led the Indians to a division championship in 2007 and was voted AL Manager of the year.

As a player, Wedge played sparingly for the Red Sox from 1991-1992 then was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the expansion draft. He was a late season call up for the Rockies in 1993. Andres Galarraga was having an All Star season for the Rockies during their inaugural year.

Galarraga also represented the Montreal Expos in the 1988 All Star game. '88 was the final year for teammate and 6 time All Star Graig Nettles.

Nettles had his best season playing for the 1977 World Series Champion New York Yankees. Despite putting up career high numbers during the regular season, Nettles hit an anemic .171 in the post season. Fortunately his teammate was Mr. October, Reggie Jackson.

Reggie led the AL with 39 Homers in 1975 while an aging Billy Williams still showed that sweet swing with 22 home runs as DH for the 1975 Oakland A's.

In 1964 Billy Williams and Ron Santo represented the Chicago Cubs in the All Star game.

From Eric Edge to Ron Santo in 5 degrees.

Indians Manager: Manny Acta

The 2011 Indians started the season strong  with an 18-8 record through April with Manny Acta at the helm. It is Acta's second year with the Tribe. He was fired in his 3rd year as the National's manager and has not yet had a winning season as a big league manager.

 

Acta played in the Houston Astros farm system from 1987-1991 never spending a full season above A level. He also managed the Astros A level teams from 1993-2000. While on the 1990 Osceola Astros, he was a teammate of  East Chicago speedster Kenny Lofton.

In 1996 Lofton led the league for the 5th year straight with 75 stolen bases. That doesn't include the 2 he stole in the All Star game or the 5 he swiped in the playoffs. Also playing for the Indians was a Eddie Murray who bashed 22 homers in '96 despite being 40 years old.

Murray aslo hit 22 home runs in 1981 which was enough to lead the league in the strike shortened year. His Baltimore Orioles teammate Rick Dempsey also played into his 40s despite the wear and tear endured as a catcher.

 

In 1972 Dempsey played backstop for pitching great Jim Perry on the Minnesota Twins.

 

Not only was Perry an All Star pitcher but a switch hitter with 5 homers and a .199 batting average. In 1961 he played along with Ty Cline on the Cleveland Indians.

 

 Cline was a career pinch hitter and back-up outfielder, playing for 7 different teams in his 12 MLB years. In 1966 he played with the Cubs and Ron Santo.

From Manny Acta to Ron Santo in 6 degrees.

Cards That Never Were: 1961 Topps Football

Recently Topps has been using the same or similar designs for baseball and football. This is what Ron Santo's rookie card might have looked like if Topps did this in 1961.

Giants Manager : Bruce Bochy

Bruce Bochy is the manager of the defending champions, the San francisco Giants. This is his 5th season in San Francisco. The Giants signed him in 2007 following 12 seasons as the skipper of the Padres. 

Bochy spent most of his playing career as a back up catcher for the Mets, Padres and Astros. In 1979 he was teamed up with Jesus Alou on the Houston Astros.

In 1964 Jesus was on the San Francisco Giants along with his brother Matty Alou. 

In 1961 Matty played with another Alou in San Francisco, his other brother Felipe.

In 1965 Felipe played for the Milwaukee Braves along with knuckleballer, Phil Niekro.

Phil shared the mound in Atlanta with his brother Joe Niekro in 1974.

Joe Niekro played for the 1969 Cubs along with Ron Santo.

From Bruce Bochy to Ron Santo in 6 Degrees and 5 brothers.

Back from the Beach

Sorry for the absence but upon returning from vacation, my computer decided it needed a vacation too and stopped working. But I'm back and my computer is back to work.

Cards That Never Were: 1971 Topps Great Moments

1971 Topps Great Moments

This is a moment that is etched in the minds of older Cub fans. A black cat walking past Ron Santo who was in the on deck circle at Shea Stadium. On September 9, 1969 the Cubs were in 1st place by 1.5 games ahead of the Mets. The Cubs lost this game and eventually yielded the lead to the Miracle Mets. It would be anothe 15 years before the Cubs would even win a division title and of course it has been 102 years and counting since the Cubs won a World Series. 

On Vacation

My posts will be infrequent this week because I'm on the beach. I have my laptop with me but I seriously doubt I will be using it much. Just like all the scrubs in baseball, I don't work All Star Week.

Dodgers Manager : Don Mattingly

Don Mattingly worked on Joe Torre's coaching staff on the Yankees from 2003-2007. After being passed over when Torre left, he went to L.A. and was Torre's bench coach on the Dodgers. When Torre retired last year the manager job was given to Mattingly.

Mattingly was the A.L. MVP in 1985 while on the New York Yankees. He was teamed with Don Baylor.

Don Baylor was the A.L. MVP in 1979 while on the California Angels where he played with Hall of Famer Rod Carew.

Rod Carew was also an A.L. MVP in 1977 and Rookie of the Year in 1967 on the Minnesota Twins. His teammate there was Dean Chance.

Chance was the AL Cy Young award winner in 1964 on the Los Angeles Angles. Albie Pearson was his teammate.

Pearson was the Rookie of the Year in 1958 with the Senators and in 1960 he played with Milt Pappas on the Baltimore Orioles.

In 1972 Pappas pitched a near-perfect game. He retired the first 26 San Diego Padres and had a 1-2 count on Larry Stahl. Umpire Bruce Froeming called the next 3 pitches balls. Although Pappas has never forgiven Froeming, he got the next batter to pop out. Ant the first player on the mound to congratulate him was Ron Santo.

From Mattingly to Santo in 6 degrees.