Final Card: Billy Smith

This is the first and last card for Phillies' pitcher Billy Smith (#241). By the time this card was issued, Smith's major-league career was already over.

Smith was signed by the Cardinals in 1953 and played 7 seasons (1953-59) in the Cards' farm system. He also played 2 games in '58 and 6 games in '59 with St. Louis. Smith was mostly a starting pitcher in the minors, but was a reliever during his 3 brief stints in the majors.

After the 1959 season, he and outfielder Bobby Gene Smith (no relation) were traded to the Phillies for catcher Carl Sawataksi. Bill played for the Phillies AAA teams from 1960 to 1964 (3 seasons in Buffalo, followed by 2 seasons in Little Rock, AR).

His lone action with the Phillies came in 24 games (5 starts) during the 2nd half of 1962.

He retired after the 1964 season with a 1-5 career record in 31 games. His only win came in 1962 against the Giants' Juan Marichal.

Smith passed away in 1997 at age 62.

Final Card - Billy Klaus

Here is the final card (#551) for infielder Billy Klaus. Billy was signed by the Cleveland Indians in 1946, and played 9 minor-league seasons in the Indians’, Cubs’, Braves’, and Giants’ organizations.

He made his major-league debut with the Boston Braves in April 1952, playing 7 games before returning to the minors for the rest of the season. He also played 2 games with the Milwaukee Braves in 1953.

After his 1954 minor-league season, the Giants traded him to the Red Sox, and he was in the majors to stay beginning in 1955. Billy was the BoSox’ regular shortstop in 1955, finishing 2nd in the AL Rookie of the Year voting (to Indian’s pitcher Herb Score).

Klaus moved over to 3rd base the following season to accommodate rookie shortstop Don Buddin, but returned to shortstop in 1957 when Buddin lost the season to military service. Buddin returned in 1958, and with 1957 rookie sensation Frank Malzone entrenched at 3rd base, Klaus was relegated to the bench. Billy only played in 61 games that season – mostly as a pinch-hitter.

Klaus was traded to the Orioles after the 1958 season, and spent 2 years as the backup SS-3B behind Ron Hansen and Brooks Robinson. The expansion Washington Senators drafted him before the 1961 season, but he only managed to fill a backup role with the first-year team.

Billy’s last stop was the Phillies, manning their bench for all of 1962 and the first 2 months of 1963 before getting his release on May 24th. He finished the 1963 season in Japan, then played for the Senators’ AA team in 1965-66.

Klaus passed away in 2006 at age 77. His brother Bobby was also an infielder for several clubs in the 1960s.

Dick Hall (#526)

One of the unsung heroes of the great Orioles teams of the 60's and early '70s, relief pitcher Dick Hall actually began his career as a light hitting outfielder in the Pirates chain in 1952. He was a semi-regular patrolling the Forbes Field outfield in 1954 but he spent the next two seasons transitioning into a pitching role. The Pirates had already tried to find him a home as an infielder when his hitting didn't support his taking up an outfield spot.

On the mound beginning in 1955 Hall pitched in all or part of four seasons going 6-13. Hall was obviously just learning his craft in those days and looking at his numbers confirms this. His 1959 season in the minors showed he'd adapted well (18 wins) and after a trade to Kansas City he had a respectable year in the A.L.

A trade to the Orioles for '61 really paid off for Hall (and the O's) He started 13 games that season and pitched well but his career blossomed when he moved to the bullpen full-time in 1962. Over the course of the next five years he went 44-26 with 44 saves. He won a World Series ring in '66 although he never left the bullpen during the Orioles four game sweep.

Traded to Philadelphia after the '66 Series he pitched two years there before the Phils released him. He re-signed with the Orioles and proved he had something left as he was a part of three Orioles AL championship clubs through 1971. After establishing himself as a pitched he showed great control. According to Baseball Reference in his last 7 seasons, he issued only 23 unintentional walks in 462 innings. He threw only one wild pitch in his entire

In addition to another World Series ring Hall had the honor of winning the very first American League playoff game. I was there in 1969 as the O's beat the Twins in 12 innings on their way to a sweep. In the top of the 12th inning that day Hall relieved Marcelino Lopez with the bases loaded and one out. He fanned Leo Cardenas and got Johnny Roseboro to fly out to kill the threat. The Orioles won with a squeeze bunt by Paul Blair in the bottom of that inning.

In five postseason games, all with Baltimore Hall had a pair of wins and as many saves. He also had a single in three at bats showing he hadn't forgotten his days as a position player. After he retired Hall worked as a CPA. In this Baltimore Sun interview from 2009 Hall discusses how his usual pitching delivery led to his unusual nickname of 'Turkey' and his post career life.

Final Card: Bob Oldis

This is the final card for backup catcher Bob Oldis (#404). Bob had cards in the 1953-55 sets, then again from 1960-63.

Bob was signed by the Washington Senators in 1949, and played in the minors for 4 seasons before making his major-league debut in April 1953. Bob only played in 7 games with the Sens that year, and spent most of the season in the minors.

He was with the big club for all of 1954, but as the 3rd-string catcher only played in 11 games, and did not play at all from mid-June to mid-August. He began the ’55 season with the Senators, but was sent down in early June, having only played in 6 games.

Oldis spent the next 4 seasons in the minors, with the Senators (1956) and Yankees (1957-59).

After the ’59 season, he was selected by the Pirates in the Rule 5 draft, and was the Bucs’ 3rd-string catcher in 1960, behind Smoky Burgess and Hal Smith. He played in 22 games during the season, and was a defensive replacement in 2 games in the World Series, although he did not have any plate appearances. Bob was back in triple-A for most of 1961, then was sold to the Phillies after the season.

His final 2 seasons (at age 34 and 35) was where he saw the most playing time of his career. In 1962 he caught 30 games (23 starts) as the 3rd-stringer behind Clay Dalrymple. In 1963 he finally advanced to the #2 catcher’s slot, catching in 43 games (19 starts) behind Dalrymple and ahead of ex-Angels’ backstop Earl Averill.

Bob retired after the 1963 season, and stayed on with the Phillies as a coach from 1964 to 1966. He also coached for the Twins (1968) and Expos (1969). Oldis was later a scout for the Phillies and Expos, and since 2002 has been a scout for the Marlins.

Roy Sievers (#283)

Some time ago, I posted every player appearing for the Phillies from 1966-1969 across my various blogs. I think the only key player* for the Phillies from 1963-69 that I haven’t blogged about yet is Roy Sievers, who was their 1st baseman for 1962, 1963, and part of the 1964 season.

Aside from being an ex-Phillie, Sievers’ name popped up for me two other times. He was one of the last active players from the St. Louis Browns, and he was one of only 8 players to have played for both Washington Senators’ franchises.

Sievers was signed by the St. Louis Browns in 1944, but didn’t begin playing until 1947. He played in their farm system from 1947 to 1948, then made his major-league debut with the Browns in April 1949. Roy was the Browns’ starting right fielder in his rookie season, batting .306 with 16 homers and 91 RBI. He also won the AL Rookie of the Year award.

In 1950, although Sievers started more games in center field than any of his teammates, he ended up with the 4th-most playing time among the outfielders. He also started 21 games at 3rd base, as the team rotated more than 5 players through the hot corner.

Shoulder injuries limited his playing time for the next few seasons. In 1951 he only played in 31 games for the Browns, having been sent to the minors in mid-June. After missing most of the 1952 season, he returned to the Browns in 1953, sharing the starting 1st base assignments with Dick Kryhoski.

The Browns moved to Baltimore before the 1954 season, but not Sievers. He was traded to the Senators in February, and became the Nats' regular left fielder for the next 5 seasons. Along with the increased playing time (over 500 at-bats each season) came a power surge, as he crashed 24, 25, 29, 42, and 39 homers during those years, along with 102, 106, 95, 114, and 108 RBI. His 1957 totals of 42 homers and 114 RBI led the AL, while he also hit .301 that season.

1959 was his last season in Washington. Roy only played in 115 games, collecting 19 homers and 49 RBI. After the season he was traded to the White Sox for catcher Earl Battey and 1st baseman Don Mincher.

In his 2 seasons as the White Sox’ 1st baseman, Sievers was recharged, bouncing back with over 25 homers and 90 RBI each season. He also made his last of 4 all-star teams in 1961.

In November 1961, the Sox moved him to the Phillies for pitcher John Buzhardt and 3rd baseman Charley Smith. Roy was the Phils' regular 1st sacker for all of 1962 and 1963. In 1964 Sievers shared the 1st base job with rookie John Herrnstein through mid-July.

On July 16th he was sold to the (new) Washington Senators, where he was used mostly as a pinch-hitter until they released him in May 1965.

Sievers was a coach for the Reds in 1966, then managed in the minor leagues from 1967-70 for the Mets and Athletics.



* Well, there's also pitcher Ed Roebuck, who played for the Phillies from 1964-66, but Topps didn't make a card for him in 1966, so...

1963 Rookie Stars (Reds / Phillies)

In 1963, Topps began issuing multi-player Rookie Stars cards. These were weird “floating head” cards that featured players from multiple teams. (Beginning in 1964, Topps switched to team-specific Rookie Stars cards, featuring 2 to 3 “normal” photos of players from the same team.)

What’s unusual about this card is that it features 2 sets of teammates.

I have already featured all 4 of these players on other blogs, so I’m just going to link them here:

Sammy Ellis played from 1962-69, primarily for the Reds as a starting pitcher.

Ray Culp debuted with the Phillies in 1963. After 4 seasons there and 1 with the Cubs, he played 6 seasons for the Red Sox.

Jesse Gonder played for 5 teams from 1960-67, but got most of his playing time with the Mets and Pirates from 1963-67.

John Boozer bounced between the Phillies and their farm system from 1962-69, as a long reliever and spot starter.

Robin Roberts (#125)

Here we have Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts looking resplendent yet somewhat odd in his orange and black Orioles' cap. Although he pitched three plus years for my Birds and some for the Astros I still have a hard time thinking of him as anything but a Philadelphia Phillie.

For a six year stretch across the first half of the 1950s Roberts was the dominant right hand pitcher in the National League. From 1950 through 1955 he led the league in wins four times, starts six times, innings pitched five times and strikeouts twice.

Roberts was a three sport star playing baseball, football, and basketball for Lanphier High School in Springfield, Illinois. Roberts attended Michigan State on a basketball scholarship, but he also pitched for the Spartans' baseball team. He was signed by the Phillies for a $25,000 bonus, pitched for half a season in the minors, then made his debut for Philadelphia in June 1948.

He was a Phillie for 14 seasons and went 286-245 for teams that more often than not finished well below the .500 mark. He was instrumental however in the Phils' Whiz Kids pennant winning season of 1950. It was his second full season in the majors and he won 20 games for the first time, a feat he'd accomplish six consecutive seasons.

He started Game Two of the 1950 Series against the Yankees and in typical Roberts fashion he pitched all ten innings dueling Allie Reynolds and lost 2-1 when Joe DiMaggio reached him for a home run in the top of the tenth. He pitched one inning of Game Four but never again reached the post-season. He might have had more chances he not been released by the Yankees in May of 1962 after having been purchased in the off-season.

While he was still a productive inning-eater for Philadelphia, Roberts numbers slowly declined over the course of the second half of the decade. A 1-10 record in 1961 brought about his sale to the Yankees who thought his experience would benefit the staff and had several starters who were subject to military call-ups in '62. Rain and open dates and lack of opportunities kept Roberts off the mound and he was released late in April. He had offers from Japan and the Reds but only the Orioles met his salary requests and he signed and pitched for the Birds for three and a half seasons while putting up surprisingly good numbers for a guy with so much wear and tear on his arm.

He was released by the Orioles in mid-season 1965 and moved on to the Astros for whom he pitched a year before finishing with the Cubs in 1966.

From Baseball Reference:

Notable Achievements

• 7-time NL All-Star (1950-1956)


• 4-time NL Wins Leader (1952-1955)


• 5-time NL Innings Pitched Leader (1951-1955)


• 2-time NL Strikeouts Leader (1953 & 1954)


• 5-time NL Complete Games Leader (1952-1956)


• NL Shutouts Leader (1950)


• 15 Wins Seasons: 10 (1949-1956, 1958 & 1959)


• 20 Wins Seasons: 6 (1950-1955)


• 25 Wins Seasons: 1 (1952)


• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 14 (1949-1960, 1963 & 1964)


• 300 Innings Pitched Seasons: 6 (1950-1955)


• Baseball Hall of Fame: Class of 1976

Roberts' Hall of Fame bio:


Robin Roberts was the ace of the Phillies staff for most of his 14 years in a brilliant 19-season Major League career. The durable workhorse with a superior fastball and pinpoint control won 286 games and compiled six consecutive 20-victory seasons. In 1950, he paced the Phils to their first flag in 35 years with a 20-11 record. A tough competitor, he was a frequent league leader in victories, innings pitched, complete games, shutouts and strikeouts, topping the National League in wins from 1952-55.

Don Hoak (#305)

Here is Phillies’ 3rd baseman Don Hoak, who looks somewhat like Mickey Mantle in this photo, IMO.

Hoak played in the minors from 1947-53, and was a third baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers (1954-55), Cubs (1956), Reds (1957-58), Pirates (1959-62), and Phillies (1963-64).

His lone all-star appearance came in 1957, when he also led the NL with 39 doubles. Hoak was one of SEVEN Cincinnati players voted into the NL starting lineup for the all-star game. As a result of the ballot box stuffing, the commissioner replaced several Reds players, and took the voting away from the fans, which they did not regain until 1970.

We’ve all heard of the saying that “no team can win with 3 ex-Cubs on the roster”. The exception was the 1960 Pirates, but I once heard a funny explanation that, since Hoak was only with the Cubs for 1 season, and he hated his time there, he didn’t count toward The Curse.

Hoak spent the final 2 seasons of his career with the Phillies. He was acquired from the Pirates in November 1962 for Pancho Herrera (who had been the team’s regular 1st baseman from 1960-61, but spent 1962-74 in the minors) and journeyman outfielder Ted Savage.

Don was the Phil’s regular 3rd baseman in 1963, but at age 35, he only hit .231 in 115 games. The following season, rookie Richie Allen took over the position, and Hoak was released on May 18th, having only made 6 pinch-hitting appearances up to that point.

When I first started following the Phillies in 1967, Don was their 1st-base coach. He also managed in the Pirates’ farm system during the ’68 and ’69 seasons.

Hoak passed away in October 1969 at age 41.

Final Card: Frank Torre

Here's the final card for Joe Torre's big brother Frank (#161). Both Frank and Joe (wait, is this a Hardy Boys book or a baseball card blog?) started out with the Milwaukee Braves, but never played together.

Although they were both on the 1960 Braves' team, Frank had been sent down to the minors in late June, months before Joe's September call-up. (They played on different teams in the Braves' farm system in 1960 and 1961.)

Frank Torre was signed by the Boston Braves in 1951. After one season in class-A ball, he spent the '52-'53 seasons in military service. After 2 more seasons in the high minors, Torre made his major-league debut with Milwaukee in April 1956.

After a year as the backup to veteran Joe Adcock, Frank was the primary 1st-sacker during the Braves' two World Series years (1957-58), with Adcock riding shotgun. Their roles were reversed in 1959, with Torre only starting 63 games, to Adcock's 85.

In 1960, Adcock completely took over the 1st base post. After only 21 games (10 starts), Torre was sent down to the minors in late-June, where he would remain until the Phillies acquired him prior to the 1962 season.

The Phillies used Frank primarily as a pinch-hitter and late-inning defensive replacement at 1st base in 1962 and 1963. He started 35 games in '62, but only 21 games in '63, as 3B-CF Don Demeter became 3B-1B-CF Demeter in 1963.

Torre retired after the 1963 season.

Dallas Green (#91)

Here's Phillies' pitcher/lifer Dallas Green.

Green was signed by the Phillies in 1955 and pitched in the minors for 5 1/2 seasons before making his major-league debut in June 1960. Dallas was a spot starter/reliever for the Phillies for the next 3 1/2 seasons. In the Phillies' near-miss 1964 season, Green split his time between the Phillies and their AAA team in Little Rock, Arkansas. 

 

Green was sold to the Senators at the start of the 1965 season, but was returned a month later. He spent the remainder of that season, and most of the 1966 season with the Phillies' AAA team. In August 1966 Dallas was sold to the Mets, but once again returned to the Phillies after a month. His final season as a player was in 1967, where he split his time between Philadelphia and double-A Reading, before the Phillies released him in mid-September.

After his playing career, Green worked in the Phillies' farm system under Paul Owens. When Owens became the team's GM in 1972, Green moved up to Farm Director. Under Owens' and Green's watch, the Phillies developed Larry Bowa, Greg Luzinski, Mike Schmidt, Bob Boone, and others. Dallas became the team's field manager when Danny Ozark was fired in 1979.

After leading (driving?) the team to their first World Series championship, Dallas moved on to the Cubs, as President and GM. After some high-profile stints managing the Mets and Yankees, he returned to the Phillies' organization as an adviser to the general manager.


Dallas Green's granddaughter was the young girl killed during the January 2011 shooting of a congresswoman in Tucson, Arizona.

Jack Baldschun (#341)

Sorry for another Phillie so soon, but I just moved and I can't find the power cord to my scanner, so I'm limited to cards that I've already scanned to my computer. This means a lot of Phillies, Giants, and White Sox players until further notice.


Jack Baldschun was the star bullpen ace for the Phillies in the early 1960s. Upon leaving Philly after the 1965 season, his career flamed out.

Jack was signed by the (old) Washington Senators in 1956. He pitched 5 seasons in the minors, first as a starter, before switching to relief in 1958. The Phillies selected him from the (by then) Minnesota Twins in the Rule 5 draft after the 1960 season.



As a Rule 5 pick, Baldschun was retained on the major-league roster for the entire 1961 season. He didn't merely take up a roster spot - he appeared in 65 games (most in the NL). Jack pitched 99 innings (all in relief). He was the only one of the 10 primary pitchers used that season not to start a game.

Baldschun was the big cheese in the Phillies' bullpen during the '62, '63, and '64 seasons. As in 1961, he was the only pitcher not to start a game for the Phillies in '62 and '63. He compiled records of 12-7 and 11-7 in 1962 and 1963 respectively.

Jack slumped in 1965, and although still leading the staff in games, he shared the bullpen ace duties with rookie Gary Wagner.

After the 1965 season, Baldschun was traded to the Orioles for veteran outfielder Jackie Brandt and pitching prospect Darold Knowles (who would become the Phillies' bullpen stopper in 1966). Three days later, Baltimore flipped Jack to the Reds in the Frank Robinson trade.

He appeared in 9 games (13 innings) for the Reds, but spent most of 1967 and all of 1968 with the Reds' AAA team. Baldschun was released by Cincinnati prior to the 1969 season, and signed with the expansion San Diego Padres in mid-April. Jack spent the entire 1969 season with the Padres, but appears to have been the 9th man on a 10-man (expansion team) staff.

Baldschun split the 1970 season between San Diego and their AAA team, with his final big-league appearance coming on August 21st. After 1 game with triple-A Hawaii in 1971, his career was over.

Art Mahaffey (#385)

I have 69 cards in the 1963 set, and 21 of them are Phillies. I better start working them in now and then, otherwise this will turn into an all-Phillies blog down the road.


Art Mahaffey was one of the Phillies' top starting pitchers in the early-to-mid 1960s. Art was signed by the Phillies, and pitched for 4 1/2 seasons in their minor-league system. In 1956 he played for the class-D Mattoon (IL) Phillies, where not one of his teammates made it to the big leagues. The following season, while pitching for class-B High-Point-Thomasville (NC), one of his teammates was future Phillies' pitcher and manager Dallas Green. His manager there was Frank Lucchesi, who would manage the Phillies from 1970-72.

After compiling a 16-5 record in 1959 and 11-9 in the first half of 1960, Mahaffey made his major-league debut with the Phillies on July 30th, joining a rotation that included Robin Roberts, Jim Owens, and John Buzhardt. Art started 12 of his 14 games that season, and finished with a 7-3 record.



Mahaffey was a key member of the Phillies rotation from 1961 through 1964. He led the NL with 19 losses in 1961, but the Phillies were a bad team, and he must have been doing something right, or he wouldn't have remained in the rotation.

1962 brought an almost complete turnover of the rotation, as rookies Jack Hamilton and Dennis Bennett, along with veteran Cal McLish replaced Roberts and Buzhardt. Mahaffey led the staff in starts (39) and innings (274) while posting a 19-14 record.

Mahaffey's starts were cut in half in 1963, since rookie Ray Culp and lefty Chris Short both joined the rotation (and Hamilton was traded away). In fact, Art dropped to #4, ahead of only Bennett.

He bounced back in 1964 with a 12-9 record, but was still stuck in the #4 starter's role, behind newly acquired Jim Bunning, as well as Short and Bennett. This was his last effective season as a starting pitcher. In 1965 he only started 9 games (mostly in May), and was relegated to the bullpen for much of the season, in favor of Ray Herbert and Bo Belinsky (both acquired from the American League in the off-season).

After the 1965 season, Mahaffey was traded to the Cardinals (with outfielder Alex Johnson and catcher Pat Corrales) for 1st baseman Bill White, shortstop Dick Groat, and catcher Bob Uecker. Art split the 1966 season between the Cardinal's bullpen and starting for triple-A Tulsa. He played his last major-league game on July 17, 1966.

On April 1, 1967 Mahaffey moved on to the Mets, in a 5-player trade involving Jerry Buchek and Ed Bressoud. He would play that season with the Mets' and Cubs' minor-league teams before retiring.