Card Tribute: Dick Dietz

• 1967 Topps #341
• Dick's first full season in the majors. He batted .225 with 4 HR and 19 RBI in 56 games. Starting catcher Tom Haller started 120 games, so Dietz didn't have much of chance behind the plate in 1967.

• 1968 Topps #104
• .272, 6 HR, 38 RBI in 98 games. 
• .Dietz split time with Jack Hiatt in 1968. Hiatt was the better defender, but Dietz was better offensively.
• Dick was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded during Don Drysdale's record shutout inning streak. Umpire Harry Wendelstedt ruled that Dietz didn't try to get out of the way and nullified the hit by pitch. Dietz flied out to shallow left field and the streak was preserved.

• 1969 Topps #293
• .230, 11 HR, 35 RBI in 79 games
• Another year of the Dietz/Hiatt combination behind the plate. Hiatt batted only .196 in 1969, so Dietz was to get more of a chance to play in the future.

• 1970 Topps #135
• 1970 Stats: .300, 22 HR, 107 RBI in 148 games
• This was his big year. Dietz was second to Willie McCovey in RBI and second to Bobby Bonds in batting average.
• Dick made the NL All Star team. He hit a home run off of Catfish Hunter in the bottom of the 9th to start a National League comeback. The NL was behind 4-1 at the time. The NL tied the game 4-4 and then won the game in the 12th inning on that (in)famous Pete Rose / Ray Fosse home plate collision.

• 1971 Topps #545
• 1971 Stats:
• Regular Season - .252, 19 HR, 72 RBI in 142 games
• NL Championship Series - .067 (1 for 15) in 4 games
• This isn't actually  my card. None of my 1971 cards are in this kind of shape.
• It was Dick's last year as a starting catcher. He would be waived to the hated LA Dodgers in April 1972, probably in retaliation for his union activities during the brief 1972 player's strike.

• 1972 Topps #295
• 1972 Stats: .161, 1 HR, 6 RBI in 27 games for the LA Dodgers
• Dietz was buried behind nominal starter Chris Canizzaro, Duke Sims, and a young Steve Yeager. Dietz broke his wrist in July, ending his season.

• 1972 Topps #296
• It is likely this game was the first game of a doubleheader on June 6, 1971. Willie Montanez is at the plate. During this game both Denny Doyle and Tim McCarver stole bases batting in front of Montanez.

I won't put the 1973 card (pictured with the Dodgers) in here. Dietz was sold to the Atlanta Braves before the 1973 season. Dick played for the Braves in 1973 and posted a .474 on  base percentage and batted .295 in 83 games as a backup catcher/1B and pinch hitter. Dietz was released during spring training in 1974. There is a possibility that Dietz' career was prematurely ended due to his union activities. Here is a good Hardball Times article about this. Dietz died of a heart attack in 2005.

Giants Playoff Catchers

I decided to steal this idea from Capewood Collections (he's doing this for the Phillies).

1951 Wes Westrum (.219, 20 HR, 70 RBI in 124 games)

1954 Wes Westrum (.187, 8 HR, 27 RBI in 98 games) / Ray Katt (.255, 9 HR, 33 RBI in 86 RBI)

1954 Topps #180

1954 Bowman #121

1962 Tom Haller (.261, 18 HR, 55 RBI in 99 games) / Ed Bailey (.232, 17 HR, 45 RBI in 96 games)

1962 Topps #356

1962 Topps #459

1971 Dick Deitz (.252, 19 HR, 72 RBI in 142 games)

1971 Topps #545

1987 Bob Brenly (.267, 18 HR, 51 RBI in 123 games)

1987 Topps #125

1989 Terry Kennedy (.239, 5 HR, 34 RBI in 125 games)

1989 Topps #59T

1997 Rick Wilkins (.195, 6 HR in 66 games)

1997 Pinnacle #125

2000 Bobby Estalella (.234, 14 HR, 53 RBI in 106 games)

2000 Upper Deck

2002 Benito Santiago (.278, 16 HR, 74 RBI in 126 games)

2002 Topps #68

2003 Benito Santiago (.279, 11 HR, 56 RBI in 108 games)

2003 Topps #66

2010 Buster Posey (.305, 18 HR, 67 RBI in 108 games)

2010 Topps #2

1968 Topps Giants - part 1

#267 Herman Franks

• The 1968 Giants finished in second place for the fourth straight year. It  must have been frustrating for fans during this era to keep getting so close without getting over the hump. The Giants had good pitching but they didn't have enough offense to compete with the St. Louis Cardinals
• Herman Franks had been managing the Giants since 1965. The club finished in second place in each of his seasons at the helm. Franks resigned as manager after the 1968 season. He later managed the Chicago Cubs from 1977-1979.
• Team record: 88-74 (2nd in NL, 9 games behind St. Louis)
• Attendance: 837,220 (7th of 10 teams)
• Team Batting: .239 (6th in NL)
• Team HR: 108 (2nd in NL)
• Team Stolen Bases: 50 (8th in NL)
• Team ERA: 2.71 (3rd in NL)
• Team Fielding: .975 (9th in NL)
• Batting Leader: Willie McCovey (.293)
• Home Run Leader: Willie McCovey (36)
• RBI Leader: Willie  McCovey (105)
• Runs Leader: Willie Mays (84)
• Stolen Base Leader: Bobby Bonds (16)
• Victories Leader: Juan Marichal (26)
• Losses Leader: Ray Sadecki (18)
• ERA Leader (starters): Bobby Bolin (1.99)
• ERA Leader (relievers): Frank Linzy (2.08)
• Saves Leader: Frank Linzy (12)
• League Leaders: Willie McCovey (slugging - .545, Home Runs - 36, RBI - 105); Ron Hunt (hit by pitch - 25); Juan Marichal (wins - 26, complete games - 30, innings - 325.2)
• NL All Stars: Willie  McCovey (starting 1B); Willie Mays (starting CF); Juan Marichal (P)
• Gold Glove Winners: Willie Mays (OF)

#104 Dick Dietz

• Dick Dietz batted .272 with six HR in 96 games.

Tom Haller

• Tom Haller didn't play for the Giants in 1968.
• Haller was traded (with a minor leaguer) to the LA Dodgers before the 1968 season for Ron Hunt and Nate Oliver
• Tom played for the Giants from 1961-1967, then for the Dodgers from 1968-1971. He finished his career with the Detroit Tigers in 1972. Haller was purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies after the 1972 season, but he never played with the club and was released in 1974.

#351 Bob Barton

• Bob Barton batted .261 in 46 games.

#419 Jack Hiatt.

• Jack Hiatt batted .232 with 10 HR in 90 games. 

1971 Topps Giants - Part 1

#563 Team Card

• After several years of disappointment and second-place finishes the Giants finally won a NL West title in 1971. They were in first place for much of the season but didn't clinch the division until the final day of the season. The Giants lost in the National League Championship series to the Pittsburgh Pirates three games to one.
• Team Record: 92-70 (1st in NL West, 1 game ahead of Los Angeles)
• Attendance: 1,106,043 (10th in National League)
• Team Batting: .247 (8th in NL)
• Team Home Runs: 140 (3rd in NL)
• Team Stolen Bases: 101 (2nd in NL)
• Team ERA: 3.32 (6th in NL)
• Team Fielding: .972 (12th in NL)
• League Leaders: Willie Mays (On Base Percentage - .425; Walks - 112)
• NL All Stars: Willie McCovey (starting 1B); Willie Mays (starting CF); Bobby Bonds (OF); Juan Marichal (P)
• Gold Gloves: Bobby Bonds (OF)
• Batting Leader: Bobby Bonds (.288)
• Home Run Leader: Bobby Bonds (33)
• RBI Leader: Bobby Bonds (102)
• Stolen Base Leader: Bobby Bonds (26)
• Victories Leader: Juan Marichal (18)
• Losses Leader: Gaylord Perry (12)
• Strikeouts Leader Juan Marichal (159)
• ERA Leader (starters): Gaylord Perry (2.76)
• ERA Leader (relievers): John Cumberland (2.92)
• Saves Leader: Jerry Johnson (18)

#517 Charlie Fox

• Charlie Fox was in his first full season as the manager of the Giants. Fox took over the managerial duties in May 1970 and remained as the Giants' manager until the middle of the 1974 season.
• Charlie's record as Giants' manager was 348-327 (.516)
• As a player Fox made his major league debut on September 24, 1942 at the age of 20 and played in his last game on September 26, 1942. Charlie's major league career consisted of three games with the New York Giants. He went 3 for 7 (.429) in those three games. Charlie left after the 1942 season to serve in World War II. He came back to baseball after the war and was a player/manager in the minors from 1946-1956.

#545 Dick Dietz

• Dick Dietz didn't give the backups much of a chance to play. Dietz played in 142 games and batted .252 with 19 HR and 72 RBI. Dick went 1 for 15 (.067) in the NLCS.
• Dick went 4 for 5 with two RBI and one run scored on July 8 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

#738 Russ Gibson

• I think this picture was taken at Phoenix Municipal Stadium (I would know for sure if the background were a bit more toward right field -- there was a big scoreboard there). I remember a big green wall behind the center field fence. Sometime in the late 70s (I forget which year) I saw Willie McCovey hit a ball over that wall.
• Russ Gibson batted .193 in 25 games. He wasn't used in the postseason.

Other players who caught for the Giants who didn't receive 1971 Topps Giants cards:

• Fran Healy (.280 in 93 AB)
• Dave Rader (.000 in 4 AB)

1972 Topps Giants - Part 6 (in action)

#712 Bobby Bonds

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#36 Jerry Johnson

#50 Willie Mays

#166 Chris Speier

#186 Ron Bryant

• When was this picture taken?
• Bryant pitched at home twice against the Cardinals (April 19 and July1)
• On April 19 Ron came in as a reliever in the top of the first inning. Bryant led off the bottom of the 3rd and struck out. He led off the bottom of the 5th with a single. It is doubtful that it was a bunt single. In the bottom of the 6th Bryant came up with two out and nobody on base and grounded out to second base. The Giants won the game 4-2 and didn't bat in the bottom of the 9th. It is doubtful that this picture was taken on April 19.
• On July 1 Bryant started the game and lasted 4 2/3 innings. In the bottom of the third inning Bryant came up with a runner on first base and nobody out and hit into a force play. This may have been a foul bunt attempt by Bryant during this at bat. Ron was removed from the game before his spot came up in the batting order again, so the bottom of the third in this game may be when this picture was taken.

Dick Dietz

#444 Ken Henderson

#568 Juan Marichal

#694 Alan Gallagher

Do y'all have any speculation on when these other plays occurred?

Vote in the poll on which of these cards is your favorite. There are several great action shots here!

1972 Topps Giants - part 1

#129 Charlie Fox

• The 1972 Giants took a hard fall from their 1971 NL West-winning season. Willie McCovey was injured and missed about half of the season. Willie Mays was traded to the New York Mets early in the season, and Juan Marichal went 6-16. Gaylord Perry was traded to the Cleveland Indians before the season, further weakening their pitching staff.
• Charlie Fox was in his second full season managing the Giants in 1972. He took over in May of 1970 and continued to manage the club until the middle of the 1974 season. The Giants finished 3rd in the NL West in 1970, 1st in 1971, 5th in 1972, 3rd in 1973, and were 5th in 1974 when Charlie was relieved of his duties. Fox had a 348-327 (.516) record as the Giants' manager. Fox managed the tail end of the season for the Montreal Expos (34 games) in 1976 and the last part of the season for the Chicago Cubs (39 games) in 1983.
• Team Record: 69-86 (5th in NL West, 26 1/2 games  behind Cincinnati)
• Attendance: 647,744 (11th in NL)
• Team Batting .244 (9th in NL)
• Team HR: 150 (1st in NL)
• Team Stolen Bases: 123 (2nd in NL)
• Team ERA: 3.69 (9th in NL)
• Team Fielding: .974 (tied for last in NL)
• NL All Stars: Chris Speier (SS)
• Batting Leader: Chris Speier - .269
• HR Leader: Dave Kingman - 29
• RBI Leader: Dave Kingman - 83
• Stolen Base Leader: Bobby Bonds - 44
• Wins Leader: Ron Bryant - 14
• ERA Leader (starters): Ron Bryant - 2.90
• ERA Leader (relievers): Randy Moffitt - 3.69
• Saves Leader: Jerry Johnson - 8

.+

#295 Dick Dietz

• Dick Dietz didn't play for the Giants in 1972. Dietz was placed on waivers  and selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 14, 1972. One source says that Dietz fell out of favor with the Giants due to his role as player representative in the 1972 strike and another source says that Dietz was lost to the Dodgers due to a clerical error. Ironically, during the celebration after the Giants clinched the NL West in a tight race against the Dodgers Dick grabbed a microphone and yelled, "To Hell with the Dodgers!" 
• Dick had played in 148 games in 1970 and in 142 games in 1971.

#643 Russ Gibson

• Russ Gibson batted .167 in five games. Gibson played in four April/May games and played in his final game on September 6 (my 6th birthday). He played in 31 games for AAA Phoenix in 1972. Gibson retired after the season.

#663 Fran Healy

• Fran Healy batted .152 in 45 games as a pinch hitter and backup catcher.

#232 Dave Rader

• Dave Rader took over the regular catching duties in 1972. He batted .259 with 6 HR and 41 RBI in 133 games.