Cards That Never Were: 1962 Fleer Football - New Poll

Here is the 1962 Fleer Football version of Ron Santo. Again Fleer has simplicity on it's side, but not really much else going for it.

If anybody is still paying attention, I'd like to see what you think. Leave a comment to vote.

Which version of the 1962 Ron Santo do you like best?

1. The original 1962 Topps Baseball version?

2. The 1962 Topps Football version?

3. The 1962 Fleer Football version?

Results of the 1961 Poll

Original 1961 Topps Baseball
2 Votes

And none of the other cards received a single vote. In my opinion the original was the best, if only because of the trophy graphic. I thought of including it on the other cards but that trophy is unique to Topps baseball cards. I like both Fleer designs but the baseball card loses points for having no information other than the player's name on the front. No team logo, no team name, no position, nothing. The fooball card has a clean look similar to the 1973 Topps but could use a but more color. The topps football is just plain boring.

Cards That Never Were: 1962 Topps Football

This is the third in my series of Ron Santo on Topps Football cards. This is the photo used on the 1962 Topps baseball card used in the 1962 Topps football format. I like this version better than the 1962 baseball, it has a nice vintage look and also has a tiny "action shot" in the corner. 

Nationals Manager : Davey Johnson

Today Davey Johnson becomes the 3rd Washington National's manager of the season. He has managed 4 other teams including the 1986 World Series Champion New York Mets. His most recent stint was for the L.A. Dodgers in 2000.

He was an all star member of the World Series champion 1970 Baltimore Orioles. His teammate Boog Powell was voted AL MVP.

In 1976 Powell played for player/manager Frank Robinson on the Cleveland Indians.

Hall of Famer, Robinson spent the first part of the 1974 season with the California Angels before being dealt to the Indians. While on the Angels his teammate was Mike Epstein who was released by the Angels in May.

1969 was Epstein's best year hitting 30 homers with a batting .278, 34 points higher than his career average of .244. I'd like to think this card had something to do with that. His teammate, Frank "Hondo" Howard, hit a career high 48 dingers for the Washington Senators that year.

1964 was Howard's last year on the L.A. Dodgers and Jim Brewer's first.

In 1962 Brewer spend most of the year in Salt Lake City playing AAA ball but joined the Cubs long enough to get on this card and have a cup of coffee with Ron Santo.

From the 3rd Nationals manager this season to Ron Santo in 6 degrees.

Nationals Interim Manager : John McLaren

Well, I was going to wait until Monday to make this blog, but it looks like Monday we will see a new Washington Nationals manger, Davey Johnson. McLaren took over for Jim Riggleman, who quit after winning 10 of the last 11 games, because he was "disrespected" by the Washington brass. This is McLaren's second managerial stint. His first took place under similar circumstances. The Seattle Mariners had just won 9 of their last 10 games when manager Mike Hargrove quit.  He claimed his "passion had faded".

McLaren never made the majors as a player and spent his entire minor league career in the Astros organization. In 1975 he was playing single A ball for the Dubuque Packers along with future big leaguer, Terry Puhl.

Puhl hit 62 homeruns, batted .280, and made one All Star appearance over his 15 years in the majors but it was enough to get him inducted to the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame, the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame, and the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. In 1981 he was teammate with a true Hall of Famer on the Houston Astros, Nolan Ryan. 

In 1973 Ryan threw a record 383 K's and 2 no-hitters while playing for the California Angels. His teammate Frank Robinson was still impressive with 30 homers and 97 RBI's.

Robinson won the triple crown and AL MVP in 1966 while on the Baltimore Orioles. His teammate and fellow Hall of Famer, Luis Aparicio led the league in singles and won his 7th Gold Glove.

While playing for the Chicago White Sox in 1962, Aparicio started both All Star games at shortstop, led the league in stolen bases and won his 5th Gold Glove. His teammate Juan Pizarro, led the AL in strike outs per 9 innings for the second year in a row.

10 years later, Pizarro would find himself on the North side of Chicago playing with Ron Santo and the Cubs.

From John McLaren to Ron 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.

Braves Manager : Fredi Gonzalez

The Braves have a new manager this year. Fredi Gonzalez has taken the helm after 21 years with Bobby Cox. Gonzalez was the manager of the Florida Marlins from 2007-2010

Fredi Gonzalez doesn't have a MLB card as he never made it past AA. He appeared on a regional card for the Greensboro Hornets in 1983 where he played with future big leaguer Roberto Kelly.

 

In 1992 Kelly was an All Star for the New York Yankees. Also in 1992 fellow Yankee, Steve Howe was banned for life (only to be reinstated) for substance abuse.

 

Coming off his Rookie of the Year season, Howe and bullpen mate Jerry Reuss were part of the 1981 World Series Champion Dodgers.

Ten years earlier Reuss pitched for the 1971 St. Louis Cardinals where Joe Torre was having an MVP season.

In 1962 a young Joe Torre caught for the veteran pitcher Lew Burdette on the Milwaukee Braves.

In 1965 Burdette made 7 appearances for the Cubs before being dealt to the Phillies. During that time he was teammates with Ron Santo.

From Fredi Gonzalez to Ron Santo in 6 degrees after a short stint in the minors.