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.

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.

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.

Cubs Manager : Mike Quade

The current manager of the Chicago Cubs is Mike Quade. He took over for Lou Piniella late last season. While he hasn't achieved much, he hasn't had much to work with, despite having the2nd highest payroll in the National League.

 

Quade never made the big leagues as a player but was made a manager at 28 years old. In this card he is a 26 year old player/coach for the 1983 Alexandria Dukes. His teammate is Bobby Bonilla or as he was known as then, "Roberto".

Bonilla came up as a rookie on the 1986 Chicago White Sox where he played with Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk.

Who can forget Fisk waving his home run ball fair during the 1975 World Series? Equally unforgettable is his 1975 Red Sox teammate, Luis Tiant's turn-around delivery.

In 1968 Tiant had an incredible 1.60 ERA which was credited to changing to his trademark delivery. He was teamed with veteran pitcher Stan Williams on the Cleveland Indians.

 

At 6'4" 225 lbs, Williams was an intimidating force on batters and won a World Series game for the L.A. Dodgers in 1959. His teammate was utility infielder Don Zimmer.

Zimmer has a full history with the Cubs as a manger, coach and a player. In 1961 he played for the Cubs alongside Ron Santo.

 

From Quade to Santo in 6 degrees.

Washington Nationals Win 11 of last 12, Manager Riggleman Quits

Yesterday, after sweeping the Seattle Mariners, Jim Riggleman decided it was time to negotiate an extension with Nationals' brass. It didn't go so well. Today the Nationals named John McLaren interim manager. Riggleman felt that he was being used as a place-holder for somebody else and that his current contract was "disrespectful". With the National's recent success he felt it was a good time to discuss an extension but when the club refused, he walked. A fairly bold move for a manager with a career winning percentage of .445 in nearly 1500 games. He never won so much as a division title. His best year was 1998 when he led the Cubs to a wild card berth.

As a player Riggleman was unspectacular as well, spending most of his career at the AA level and never making the majors. In 1979 on the AA Arkansas Travelers he played with future big-leaguer Tito Landrum.

 

Tito was played in the 1985 World Series along with Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith on the St. Louis Cardinals.

 

Ozzie was originally drafted by the San Diego Padres in 1977 and in 1979 he was teamed with fellow hall of famer Gaylord Perry.

 

Perry made his major league debut in 1962 on the San Francisco Giants. His teammate, Jack Sanford, led the team with 24 wins and came in 2nd in Cy Young voting behind Don Drysdale.

In 1957 Sanford won the NL Rookie of the Year while on the Philadelphia Phillies where he played with Hall of Fame centerfielder Richie Ashburn. 

 

Ashburn spent 2 seasons on the Chicago Cubs playing with Ron Santo including 1961.

Starting with Jim Riggleman losing(?) a game of chicken and ending with Ron Santo in 6 degrees.