#8 Ron Swoboda

Known for “the play”....1969 Mets game 5 catch….in Met world no matter what happened before or after he is crowned forever a hero….A wunderkind associated with Mets franchise from 1964, being fast tracked to the bigs….sported a Topps Rookie Award for his 1965 debut….The card company possibly excited by his awe inspiring start of 9 home runs by May 8^th…..overlooking his .228 BA in favor of his 19 dingers and 50 runs driven in….the accumulated four baggers in his debut were his career best….follow up year statistically near identical….career year 1967 was his third, hitting robust .281…..20 points better than any other effort and 39 points above his career mark of .242.….retains everyday status for 1968….come 1969 starts to wind down and settle into platoon staff as new kids with new and improved skills vied for his playing time….BA diminished accordingly to the .230 mark…..The island of respite comes in 1969 Series…..hits .400 based on 6 safeties but importantly was a double in game 5 that brought in the winning run….Maybe more significant was diving catch of liner that limited the damage of an Oriole rally in game 4….a redemption for years of being perceived as a defensive liability….target of roasting by Casey Stengle….A trade to the Expos and then Yankees within 1971 hammered home his confinement to reserve only role….did not benefit from new established AL DH rule which could have been key in more activity....BA floundered….last MLB at bat was 1973….Unsuccessfully tried out with Atlanta spring training 1974…..Balanced baseball and non baseball pursuits….notably the broadcast booth and sportscaster….appeared in 1999 episode of Everybody Loves Raymond with fellow 1969 Miracle Mets teammates….a writer too having wrote a memoir called “Here’s the Catch:….”     

 

#22 Rob Gardner

A hard luck story of extended existence in and out of minors and majors.....1972 far and away his best MLB endeavor.....while initially signed by the Twins Gardner climbed up the Mets organization during the team’s early years.... only spent one full season in the majors 1966.....output was 4 wins 8 losses 5.12 ERA  including 17 starts amidst a total of 41 games..... Greatest highlight going toe to toe with Chris Short each going for 15 shutout innings in game that was declared an 18 tie....Gardner expected to be in future plans but no return materialized, subsequently bouncing along multiple organizations.....got only short promotions to Cubs and Indians despite the increased demand for players with expansion....was able to turn heads of franchises off a 16 win season in AAA Syracuse in 1970....earned a short stint up that year....an expectation of a steady roster spot were dashed by a ping pong trades between Oakland and NYY.....A’s were already flush with pitching and was used sparingly then returned to NYY organization (landing in Syracuse again) and a call up for the conclusion of 1971....overcame his 4^th straight minor assignment gave a yeoman-like yet abbreviated turn of work for the Yankees as they found themselves in a four way AL East pennant race.....as a starter had a 2.24 ERA stacking eight wins vs four defeats.....Once intensions quickly turned and history repeats and traded prior to 1973 to the A’s who not only sport the strongest staff in league plus the full return of Vida Blue.....naturally limited and ineffective work with a AAA demotion sandwiched in between.....procured by the Brewers in cash deal but arm problems resulted in a poor pitching display.....Gardner was returned to the A’s as damaged goods thereby ending his year and MLB days....went into MiBL coaching while he did return to the mound every once in a while in a very limited role.....one claim to fame was that he was traded to the Yankees for one Alou Brother (Felipe) and traded back to the A’s for another Alou (Matty).

#47 John Ellis #48 John Ellis In Action

Big John....In Cleveland was known as Moose....played with zeal and desire....a happy warrior..... Started in the bigs starting 1970 based on an excellent spring training campaign.....Slated to compete with the legendary Thurmond Munson to backstop vacancy never truly addressed since the departure of Elston Howard ....but Munson's ironman presence as the iconic backstop left Ellis searching for another position....In his career Ellis never really settled in any one position on any team....often split catcher, 1^st base, and later the designated hitter titles...  After being acquired by the Tribe for 1973, put together a solid body of work at the plate establishing the pattern of the more he played the better his yield.....injuries set him back starting in 1975 onward as Ellis moved on to Texas.....lost for most of 1976 putting his sparkling .412 start to naught....wasn’t able to reach 300 at bats until 1979 when he was mostly a DH....was able to hang on a part time basis until 1981, his last season....In the mid-1970s, Ellis joined the Spalding Sporting Goods Advisory Staff and .....In 1987 he founded the Connecticut Sports Foundation Against Cancer....passed away April 7, 2022

#108 Gary Waslewski

New England native, born and raised in Connecticut….Decent ERA for whatever MLB team he served with….but lacked the notoriety and the "wow!" factor that could have translated into a more significant MLB career…..sometimes the support cast wasn’t there like his time with the first year Expos….highlight of his mound vocation was a strong effort in a Red Sox uniform during the 1967 World Series…..8 1/3 innings pitched giving up two earned runs….His local background added excitement to the Boston faithful in the fall classic….In minors since 1960 sometimes with impressive victory totals namely 18 wins for AAA Toronto in 1966….In addition had 17 wins in a season combining time in Class A and AA….Other locales in the record books include St Louis (his opponent in 1967 WS), and Yankees.....second year in pinstripes was limited by injuries that took half of the season….last stop for the 1972 Oakland A’s  was a  case of non support…in 8 games went 0-3 despite a 2.04 ERA….Excluded from post season action although he was reunited with skipper Dick Williams from 1967….Final MLB line was 11 wins, 26 losses….forged a post baseball career in the insurance industry and still participates in 1967 Red Sox reunions….hobby during playing day was bowling.....turned into a golfer after his playing days were over.

#124 Yankee Rookie Stars

Yankee Rookie Stars...none shown very bright all had a September call ups in 1971...most prestigious of the bunch was Rusty Torres who held some promise sporting a .385 BA and 1.115 OPS....burdened with struggles at the plate with an anemic career.212 batting average....did eked out part time MLB labor alternating with demotions to the bush leagues, last year being 1980........In 1972 the switch hitter couldn’t carry his promising  debut ...As a  full time Yankee flopped to .211 BA and a slugging average cut by over a half.....Discouraged Yankees trade Rusty to Cleveland who were looking to fill multiple vacancies in an outfield overhaul...another failed venture as his BA sank to .205 in 1973....Eventually Torres is shuffled to California then Chicago White Sox then finally the Royals....hit .266 with 11 homers with Pale Hose but at age 29 he was too aged to stick around....finished career in AAA and Mexican league.... Roger Hambright....No further future in MLB....had a 3-1 mark with Yankees in Sept 1971....prior had a decent AA season....from 1972 to 1974 found himself shuffling between AAA to AA....Entered into Mexican League thereafter....last professional season  was 1977 won 21 games south of the border....Lasting legacy was the Nickname “Stump” bestowed by Thurman Munson in Hambright’s brief time as a Yankee.... Alan Closter.....by 1972 was well traveled long time Yankee farmhand....A rule 5 draftee to Cleveland and soon found himself a Senator and then returned for his second Yankee stint...all within a few months in 1966....injury plagued career....his MLB career was 2 wins 2 losses all coming in 1971....had a brief unsuccessful call ups for NY in 1972 and Atlanta in 1973....kicked around in minors thereafter concluding in the 1975 season...fair numbers but too old to for a big league return.

#138 Mike Kekich

1972: 4^th starter for the Yankees but in the future he would not be known for on the field accomplishment but a reflection of changing relationship norms …popularly known as a “wife/life swap” with teammate Fritz Peterson but further analysis Kekich and Fritz wife were only together for a short while and never married….Kekich has a straight California lineage....Born in San Diego and signed by the Dodgers...spent parts of three seasons in the Dodgers class A affiliate in Santa Barbara in the years 1964 to 1967....1965: debuted and exclusively played for the LA Dodgers but only on a frugal basis...Became a true member of the Dodger roster in 1968....most spot starts kept ERA under 4 runs a game....traded to NYY straight up for Andy Kosco...1969 and 1970 took on swing man role, some starts some relief with mediocre effectiveness...lowered ERA and garnered himself as a starter in 1971....continued on that path into 1972....won 10 games in each season....then the aforementioned  controversy....career quickly stalled in 1973 suffering a significant decline in performance that was not reversed by a trade to the tribe....Released by Cleveland prior to 1974 season....went to be a vagabond signing with Texas laboring for their AAA Spokane club, took on an unsuccessful stint in Japan, then returned to Spokane and a Texas call up for handful of innings....Got hurt in a motorcycle accident and was released by Rangers.... After time off for rehabilitation signed by the fledgling Seattle Mariners which assigned him Mexican League Nuevo Laredo to keep active....As a Mariner, did not pitch particularly well (5.60 ERA) but was lucky enough go 5-4 on a 98 loss team....did not make to 1978, washing up on shores of San Jose PCL AAA team and then another stretch back in Spokane....tried being a player/manager in the short lived Inter-American AAA league which quickly folded....not willing to give up on baseball played 2 years in Mexico...a serviceable career that may have been derailed by being a tabloid sensation.

#158 Jerry Kenney

If there was ever a sustained low point for the Yankees before the free agent era, it was the latter half of the 1960’s....Mickey Mantle was ailing and nearing the end of the line calling it quits March 1^st 1969....Jerry and teammate Bobby Murcer were both tabbed as the rays of hope for the franchise....both brought youth and promise and were fresh from coming off a military hiatus in 1968....As is well known Murcer wound up Mantle’s eventual CF replacement but initially he was inserted at 3^rdbase... Jerry was the first real heir apparent to the Mantle's NY Centerfield....On May 13^th Kenny deployed at 3^rd and Murcer to the outfield mostly right...stayed that way for the rest of the season....Kenny’s rookie season was highlighted good speed and a .256 BA....liability: light hitting....a poor 1970 season demonstrated Jerry not even the the answer to the 1967 vacancy left by Clete Boyer....1971 nevertheless retained Yankee employment platooning 3^rd base spot with Danny Cater....rebounded with a .262 average....1972;  lost time as Yankees were trying new avenues at 3^rd....relegated mostly to SS....trade to Cleveland for 1973 resulted in a handful of plate appearences and his outright release one month into the season....returned to Yankee minor league system....never made a return call to the majors....stopped playing baseball 1978....hometown Beloit Wisconsin.

#203 Ron Blomberg

Answer to trivia question, first MLB Designated Hitter ever April 1973…..drew a walk against Luis Tiant and drove in a run....Perceived as a liability with a glove with 13 errors in part time work 1972….DH rule could not have been implemented at a better time….Teemed with talent at the plate….a gift not easily acquired….unfortunate career with injuries, small at first, then season cancelling later on, he never reached stardom or qualified for batting crown during his playing days ….excellent half season in 1971 with a .311 BA, turned in .329 BA in the DH inaugural year….hard times hit 1975 with reduced playing….followed by a two year long injury that took out 1976 and 1977 seasons save for one game…picked up as free agent by White Sox but .231 BA dispelled any comeback rumors….Jewish helped to import baseball to Israel by becoming a manager in that country’s professional league.

#237 New York Yankees Team Card

Storied franchise....winners beyond compare in all major professional sports..... but conversely the most hated team too...like them or not the list of accolades go on and on....The issue for the Yankees is not WS wins (as it stands now 27)....it’s achieving dynasty status;   when a team is in the largest, richest, media capital of the world one would not expect less....quality is measured by repeated winning; back to back WS wins three times....repeat champions three times....three, four, five consecutive wins strings achieved once....established 1901 in the American League in the guise of the Baltimore Orioles...two years there and team moved to NYC having side skirted the efforts of the NL Giants to be NY....Ironically shared the Polo Grounds with Giants until the advent of Yankee Stadium....Once establishing residency in the Bronx the franchise flourishes.... Rarely has the franchise fared poorly; only 4 last place finishes in 115 seasons....The 1972 squad was somewhere in the middle...a team rebounding from a poor to very mediocre at best late 60's....The early 1970's introduced Thurman Munson, a desperately needed backstop and relief in Sparky Lyle... then George Steinbrener came into the picture....improvement would be soon in the form of new established free agency....with deep pockets mistakes were easily dismissed...while others suffered substantially....as for the back side record they remain mostly intact identical to legends that made them....Don Mattingly has taken over the team’s mark for hits and doubles as of 1986.....pitching the mark for games and win % has been overtaken many times over...Ron Giudry’s strikeout mark 248 in 1978 is now the franchise’s top spot....volumes can be and have been spoken about the aggregate.  

#259 Sparky Lyle

No player from 1971 I can think of is more influential to today’s game than he…I look at two phases come to light; first his early years with Boston averaging an inning each game he appears then in 1972  record setting number of saves with the Yankees…put together it’s possible Sparky’s first true closer…at the time the top reliever completed usually closer to two innings per outing….his acquisition by the Yankees was the first in a line of imports that eventually resulted in two WS wins….over the years Sparky holds court in the Yankee pen…1975 decidedly an off year with 6 saves….bounced  back with vengeance in 1976 leading the AL in saves with a somewhat small figure of 23….In 1977, Sparky was able add 3 more saves to his total but more importantly he’s the first reliever to win AL Cy Young…it was the end of his prominence as George Steinbremer imports Goose Gossage and Rawley Eastwick, effectively putting Lyle is a secondary role….a trade to Texas for 1979 resulted in moderate improvement but was becoming evidently clear time was catching up to him…his worst season to date came in 1980 with a 4.49 ERA….only redeemer was late trade to the Phillies…improved and appeared in two scoreless inning in the NLCS….continued to hang on in Philly for the most of two more seasons in middle relief….career ended with White Sox late 1982…career line was 238 saves…37^th on the all time list….has written two books on baseball both based on his Bronx Zoo time.  

#263 Felipe Alou

Dominican hero, a trailblazer….not the first MLB player from the country but the first to be born and raised from there….debut with the recently moved  San Francisco Giants…held his own but playing was gradually acquired…production increased accordingly….reached his prime in 1961 received all star nod in 1962….around this time was accompanied by brothers Matty and Jesus…Felipe was a different player; stronger more power (3xs more) than his siblings combined….was traded to Braves before 1964 season…one bright spot for the few Milwaukee fans who knew of the move to Atlanta….upon arrival south, embarked on his career year, taking advantage of the close confines of Atlanta Stadium….led NL in runs, total bases, and hits, second in BA….chipped in 31 of the Braves 207 home runs… evolved into a line drive style hitter and reprised himself as one of the top NL hitters, leading the circuit in 1968…. never found the offensive numbers again but remained a regular for several years….handed around returning to the bay area with Oakland, then Yankees a year after….skills started diminish in 1973….placed on waivers and picked up by the Expos…finished as player with 3 at bats in Milwaukee, 1974…returned baseball as manager a couple years later….moving up and down different levels of ball….all within  the Montreal chain…got his big league chance 1992 as the franchise was moving up….Skippered one of best teams never to have made the playoffs 1994 Montreal Expos….won manager of the year award in the season of no champion….subsequent  years were not as kind…reached 100 win with Giants in 2003…managed 3 more years….Very respected figure in baseball world….fathered 11 children.

#287 Jim Hardin

One and one half year wonder out of the gate 1967-68….coasted to stick around for five more years with limited effectiveness…aloof and sometimes distant from teammates…oh so good in 68, went 17-8 with five weeks left in season..Ran out of gas and only won one game thereafter giving Jim 18 wins….Indicative of his career too….Could not get untracked in 1969 and 1970….Won 6 games each year and totally eclipsed by Bird Hill Ace peers….trade to mid-year 1971 Yankees was highly unproductive..Released and was taken off the retread pile by the Braves….Was able to reach 5 victories with 2 losses in last season...his 4.50 ERA indicate record was buoyed by Atlanta run support….Died in plane crash 1991…it was said about the tragedy that Hardin fought the controls of the plane to avoid crashing into children playing on a baseball diamond. 

#303 Joe Pepitone #304 Joe Pepitone-In Action

Groomed to be the next legendary Yankee....known for his 1960’s New York days, just like another Joe of NY Jets football fame....Pepitone never reached the stardom, notoriety, and controversy of Namath....although Namath was never shot in abdomen like Pepitone was....came on like gangbusters in second year of 1963 leading the Bronx Bombers....reached 100 RBIs in 1964 and hit a grand slam in the WS....future looked bright but the following years in NY were uneven...sometimes showing good power (31 HRs 1966) sometimes a disappointment (13, 1967) far off from Mickey’s body of work....BA did not deviate far from .250....Mostly a 1^st baseman but had forays in Centerfield....unusal...NYY not foreseeing a major upgrade in output swapped Joe to Houston for Curt Belfrey for 1970....bad deal on both sides.....Joe free form style clashed badly with traditionalist Harry Walker (although production did not decline) refused to play.... trade to Chicago Cubs was a god send for two reasons....catalyst for playoff drive and could manage his chain of local hair stylist shops....Stuck around Wrigley-ville for 1971....had best BA of .307 about 50 point over career average....1972 Joe was stopped cold by injuries mid seasons....never fully recovered....bizarre comeback attempt in 1973....started in Chicago, then a month  Atlanta, released and tried his luck in Japan for few games....totally alienated (might have been a worst situation than Houston).... laid low for a few years....resurfaced in 1976 AAA Hawaii, baseball answers to a pseudo-retirement home....another ill fated adventure but at least it was a paid vacation trip for the three time all star and two time gold glovers....I like to think that’s how Joe looked at it.

#325 Mel Stottlemyre

Ace of the Bronx Bombers at the time........On par with the best of his MLB contemporaries but under looked unfortunately because it was at the nadir of Yankee franchise....odd given that his base of operation was media New York....Mel’s Yankee story begins by being pressed into service to replace an ailing Whitey Ford in 1964....prior he was blowing away IL AAA competition with 13 wins and league best 1.42 ERA....continued to  roll with a 9-2 record and a WS start....Excellent follow up at 20-9 1965 the silver lining as the Yankee juggernaut was exiled to an unfamiliar second division.... record was nearly reversed in 1966 as Mel went 12-20 and the Yanks finished last...Mel eventually regained his touch, putting back to back 20 win seasons 1968-69....Mel gave way to other NYY hurlers in next 4 years but he remained a consistent force...end essentially came with a midseason 1974 torn rotator cuff injury, a devastating injury ...had two sons who reached the bigs....a career of highest standards....especially racking up an solid 154 complete games and 40 shutouts which still ranks in the top 50 of all time...one team career....long time coach after playing days over.   

#340 Roy White

Yankee through and through....MLB career born out of the their dark years mid 1960's....dedicated solid service rewarded with WS rings at the tail end of Yankee only career....very good at most aspects of the game, switch hitting, fielding, speed, power, quiet leadership....advanced the runners well...only asterisk was a weak arm...eventually gave way to more colorful NYY characters.....farm hand and reserve until 1968...that  campaign claimed regular status and was hands down the Yankee’s leading hitter....White and NY faithful were eventually helped out by reinforcements in Murcer, Munson, and crew of the Bronx Zoo....held serve to rank 1-2 in club BA in most years.... like Frank Howard never hit .300 but came Oh So Close in 1970 with .294 clip....which was also his career year with 24 home runs and 94 RBIs..... led the AL in runs 1976, very impressive given it was his 12th campaign....After his Yankee run end in 1979, spurned offers from other club and took to Japan....probably the best all-around American player to appear in the Nippon Pro League to that time...Did very well there too....bottom line:  6650 Yankee at bats, 160 home runs,.271 BA, and scored 964 runs.....Steady and healthy record.

#387 Horace Clarke

His name identified with the Yankees as their years of dominance were ending...was the feeling at the time, and still lingers to this day....Case in point:  ”When the Yankees Were on the Fritz:  The Horace Clarke Era” is the title of a book written by Fritz Peterson...such comparisons were unfair because the Yankees had so many holes in their lineup at the time that put them in unfamiliar second tier status...Third base position in the time after Clete Boyer and before Craig Nettles, Catcher in the time after Elston Howard and before Thurman Munson, Right field at various periods were more to blame....in the prime of his career, attributes were durability, excellent strikeout and stolen base ratios...debuted in 1965 and was up and down with the big club and farm system....firmly established as a part time shortstop 1966....took over as the regular 2^nd baseman thereafter from 1967 to 1973...best year 1969 when he hit .285...took a backseat in 1973 with the acquisition of Sandy Alomar....hitting dropped and sold to Padres two months into the season....no resurgence occurred, hit only .189 and released immediately after the season....consistent  and durable player....Led AL in at bats two years running.

#409 Frank Baker

Groomed as heir apparent to Yankee Gene Michael’s shortstop spot…never materialized….fielding appeared to be there but not the bat ….couldn’t even match Gene’s banjo numbers….A career closely aligned with that of Tom Shopay ....Both started in the Yankees chain then becoming fixtures in Baltimore farm system.....a couple of September call ups for the Orioles to finish out his career.... played at the same time as another Frank Baker who was an Cleveland Indian outfielder in 1969 and 1971....played against each other in 2 games....neither player should be confused with Frank “home run”  Baker the dead ball slugger who had a whopping 96 career homers and a place in the Hall of Fame....Cleveland Frank had 4 home runs and this Frank 3.

#441-442 Thurman Munson

The Yankee icon for  the entire 1970’s....a life tragically cut short in a plane crash...it remains one of the most shocking and sudden deaths in baseball history......excellent player tough competitor wrapped up in a blue collar, Joe Lunchpail exterior....mentioned in line with great Yankee backstops, Dickey, Berra, Elston Howard, and most recently Posada....not in HOF but his locker is on display...ROY 1970....his appearance escalated the NYY franchise from distant also ran to first division status .....a model of consistency....Prime years were 1975-77....averaged 103 RBIs and a .308 BA ....Took MVP honors 1976...needless to say a fine collection of all star game appearances and handful of gold gloves...Although the fourth selection in 1967 draft Munson far exceeded expectations based on very limited minor league playing time....never had a bad post season...in fact his game seem to improve in every World Series appearence...his legend and memorial does not fade and continues to this day....292 career BA.

#467 Steve Kline

Enjoyed two seasons of prominence in the Big Apple....1971 and 1972 won 12 and 16 games respectively for Ying Yangs (a less than complimentary adolescent term for the Yankees)....Drafted in 1966 by NYY.....climbed up the organization’s chain....pressed into the NYY starting rotation on the heal of an impressive 8-2 record at Syracuse....decent account for himself with a 6-6 record with big club...most impressive of his 1971 season was 15 complete games....the year the Yankees did not have a bullpen...Arm troubles developed in 1973 and immediately lost effectiveness...fell to 4-7 record... a moderately good start early 1974 prompted Yankees to trade him to Indians where his ERA soared....Took 1975 off to recover...started a AAA comeback in 1976 in Toledo...was able to briefly re-surface for a month with the Atlanta Braves in 1977 earning his only career save.

#513 Lindy McDaniel

For the most part a career reliever, and for the most part a good one....a long  time veteran 21 seasons from 1955 to 1975....grew up in a deeply religious family in the Bible Belt...signed on by the Cardinals as a bonus baby right before he turned 20...according to the rules, had to be a Cardinal without benefit of minor league experience....worked way into starting rotation 1957 and was joined by brother Von midseason gaining noteriety...Lindy won 15 games....both brothers came up short in 1958 and both were sent to minor (Von never to return to MLB)....Lindy returns 1959 reinvented as a bullpen specialist....Very effective in 1960 leading NL in win pct and saves, getting AS nod and #3 in Cy Young voting...rare for closer....after two off seasons shipped to Cubs and returned to prominence during 1963....led league in saves and games finished....after two more seasons in Chi town, joined the Giants for 1966....after slow start in 1968 traded midseason to Yankees starting a six year relationship....alternated being the team’s top relief specialist with Jack Aker....Best season was 1970 with 29 saves where he and Jack Aker were best right handed bullpen in baseball….worst season was the following year with  5.01 ERA and 4 saves....performance prompted Yanks to acquire Sparky Lyle...in a support role was able to come back  for two fine seasons....Entering 19^th season was traded to KC for outfielder and future NY icon Lou Pinella....finished 6-5 in two seasons...never appeared in the post season.