#255 Camilo Pascual - Minnesota Twins

Camilo Alberto Pascual
Minnesota Twins
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  170
Born:  January 20, 1934, La Habana, Cuba
Signed:  Signed by the Washington Senators as an amateur free agent before 1952 season
Major League Teams:  Washington Senators 1954-1960; Minnesota Twins 1961-1966; Washington Senators 1967-1969; Cincinnati Reds 1969; Los Angeles Dodgers 1970; Cleveland Indians 1971

If not for Camilo Pascual, the Senators/Twins teams of the late 1950s/early 1960s would have lost a lot more games than they actually did.  Pascual was a mainstay in those teams' pitching rotations, making at least 25 starts in 11 different seasons between 1956 and 1967.  He was named to seven All-Star teams and was a 20-game winner in 1962 and 1963.  Pascual led the A.L. in complete games in 1959, 1962 and 1963 and in shutouts in 1959, 1961 and 1962.  He struck out over 200 in a season four times, leading the league in that category in 1961, 1962 and 1963.  He finished in the top four in ERA in the A.L. in four different seasons.  Pascual holds the record for opening day strikeouts, having fanned 15 Red Sox on opening day in 1960.  Ted Williams described Pascual's overhand curveball as the "most feared curveball in the American League for 18 years."

The Twins, who had moved from Washington, traded Pascual to the expansion Washington Senators in December 1966, giving him the distinction of having pitched for both versions of the expansion Senators teams.

Over his career, Pascual pitched in 529 games and had a record of 174-170 with a 3.63 ERA.  His 2,167 career strikeouts currently ranks him 68th on the all-time list.  Following his playing career, Pascual served as Gene Mauch's (#489) pitching coach for the Twins between 1978 and 1980.  He also worked as a scout for the A's, Mets and Dodgers and he was the scout who recommended the A's sign Jose Canseco.  Pascual was inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame in 2012.

Some text for this post originally appeared on my 1956 Topps blog.

Building the Set
June 19, 2021 from Moorestown Mall Baseball Card Show - Card #323
Following our youngest son Ben's flawless performance of Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy at his piano recital, our family headed to the Moorestown Mall in New Jersey to browse a real live baseball card show.  Traditionally, I only venture into malls for baseball card shows and I can't honestly remember the last time, pre-pandemic, I had stepped foot into a mall.  The show was small, hosted by S&B Sports Promotions, with about a dozen tables and not much vintage to offer, but it was a sight for sore eyes.  It took us only about 15 minutes to scout the whole place out and I was lucky enough to find a friendly dealer with 1960s and 1970s Topps cards in great shape, in order and (best of all) reasonably priced.  I took my time going through his 1965 Topps commons, settling on 29 cards we needed and adding a card from the star pile to give us 30 new cards total.  I spent an even $100 (after a generous dealer discount) and this Pascual card was about $3.25.

The Card / Twins Team Set
Pascual already appeared in the set on the A.L. Strikeout Leaders card (#11).  And it appears as if Topps used a photo from the same session for both Pascual's 1965 and 1966 main flagship cards.  The cartoon on the back highlights one of three seasons Pascual led the league in shutouts.  I wonder why Topps didn't go with his league leading (and career high) eight shutouts in 1961 for the cartoon?  In 1964, his 14 complete games were second in the league behind Dean Chance's (#140) 15.  Pascual is in the harder to find 1965 Topps Transfers insert set, but he's not in the 1965 Topps Embossed insert set.

1965 Season
Ironically, Pascual had an off-year in 1965 after carrying the franchise for so many years as one of their most reliable pitchers.  He was shut down late in the summer for shoulder surgery.  In 27 starts, Pascual was 9-3 with a 3.35 ERA, serving as an often limited starting pitcher behind Mudcat Grant (#432), Jim Kaat (#62) and Jim Perry (#351).  Pascual made one World Series appearance, starting Game 3 in Los Angeles and lasting only five innings.  He took the loss in the game, allowing three runs on eight hits without a strikeout.  The Dodgers would win the series in seven games.

1955 Topps #84

1957 Topps #211

1962 Topps #230

1966 Topps #305

1970 Topps #254

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1955 Topps #84
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (16):  1955-1970
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1994 Topps Archives 1954 #255

137 - Pascual non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 8/31/21.

Sources:  
1956 Topps Blog

Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
Wikipedia

Previous Card:  #254 Roland Sheldon - New York Yankees

Next Card:  #256 Tito Francona - St. Louis Cardinals

#251 Billy Herman MG - Boston Red Sox

William Jennings Bryan Herman
Boston Red Sox
Manager

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  180
Born:  July 7, 1909, New Albany, IN
Acquired:  Purchased by the Chicago Cubs from Louisville (American Association) for $50,000, August 4, 1931
Major League Teams:  Chicago Cubs 1931-1941; Brooklyn Dodgers 1941-1943, 1946; Boston Braves 1946; Pittsburgh Pirates 1947
As a Manager:  Pittsburgh Pirates 1947; Boston Red Sox 1964-1966
Died:  September 5, 1992, West Palm Beach, FL (age 83)
Hall of Fame Induction:  1975

Named for the three-time Presidential candidate and long-time politician, Billy Herman was an All-Star second baseman for the Cubs throughout the 1930s and into the early 1940s.  He earned a spot on the All-Star Game roster ten times, including his career year of 1935 when he led the league with 227 hits and 57 doubles.  Herman helped his teams win four pennants (1932, 1935 and 1938 with the Cubs and 1941 with the Dodgers) but he was never a World Series winner as a player.  He missed all of the 1944 and 1945 seasons while serving during World War II and he'd play his final years with the Dodgers, Braves and Pirates.  Herman's managerial career began in 1947 as the player-manager for the Pirates, but his team struggled to a 61-92-2 record and seventh place in the National League.  A consistent and steady fielder, Herman led all second baseman in fielding percentage three times and finished in the top ten for the mark 12 times.  Over 1,922 games he collected 2,345 hits while batting .304.

1933 Goudey #227

Herman was a long-time coach, spending time with the Dodgers (1952-1957), Braves (1958-1959) and Red Sox (1960-1964) before being named the Red Sox manager at the end of the 1964 season, replacing the departing Johnny Pesky.  Herman's Red Sox lost 100 games in 1965 and they'd lose another 82 in 1966 under his watch until he was replaced by Pete Runnels for the final weeks of the season.  Herman would return to the coaching ranks with the Angels (1967) and Padres (1978-1979).  He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975 by the Veterans Committee.

Building the Set
June 19, 2021 from Moorestown Mall Baseball Card Show - Card #322
Following our youngest son Ben's flawless performance of Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy at his piano recital, our family headed to the Moorestown Mall in New Jersey to browse a real live baseball card show.  Traditionally, I only venture into malls for baseball card shows and I can't honestly remember the last time, pre-pandemic, I had stepped foot into a mall.  The show was small, hosted by S&B Sports Promotions, with about a dozen tables and not much vintage to offer, but it was a sight for sore eyes.  It took us only about 15 minutes to scout the whole place out and I was lucky enough to find a friendly dealer with 1960s and 1970s Topps cards in great shape, in order and (best of all) reasonably priced.  I took my time going through his 1965 Topps commons, settling on 29 cards we needed and adding a card from the star pile to give us 30 new cards total.  I spent an even $100 (after a generous dealer discount) and this Herman card was about $3.25.  Not bad for a vintage card of a Hall of Famer!

The Card / Red Sox Team Set
Most likely due to his status as a former All-Star, Herman appeared on three cards in Topps flagship sets in the early 1950s as a coach for the Dodgers.  How I wish Topps would bring back a random coach card every once in a while.  (Maybe Fanatics will?)  In any event, this is Herman's fifth appearance in a Topps flagship set and he'd have one more appearance in 1966.  Whoever wrote the back of the card must not have been aware of the 155 games Herman managed for the Pirates in 1947, or the two games he managed to close out the 1964 season, as it notes he's making his debut as a manager in 1965.

1965 Season
This was to be Herman's only full season at the helm for the Red Sox, and they went 62-100 under his watch.  His coaching staff consisted of Mace Brown (pitching), Billy Gardner (third base), Len Okrie (bullpen) and Runnels (first base).  Dick Williams would take over as manager of the Red Sox for their 1967 season, leading the club to an improbable (some would say impossible) World Series appearance.

1952 Topps #394

1954 Topps #86

1955 Topps #19

1960 Topps #456

1966 Topps #37

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1933 Goudey #227
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (6):  1952, 1954-1955, 1960, 1965-1966
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2018 Panini Diamond Kings #35

292 - Herman non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 8/31/21.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
National Baseball Hall of Fame
SABR
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

Previous Card:  #250 Willie Mays - San Francisco Giants

Next Card:  #252 Pete Richert - Washington Senators

#247 Wally Moon - Los Angeles Dodgers

Wallace Wade Moon
Los Angeles Dodgers
Outfield

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  169
Born:  April 3, 1930, Bay, AR
Signed:  Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent before 1950 season
Major League Teams:  St. Louis Cardinals 1954-1958; Los Angeles Dodgers 1959-1965
Died:  February 9, 2018, Bryan, TX (age 87)

One of the most recognizable players from the '50s and early '60s, Wally Moon was a steady hitting outfielder who made two All-Star teams and won a pair of World Series rings with the 1959 and 1965 Dodgers.  He was the N.L. Rookie of the Year in 1954 and won a Gold Glove in 1960.  Moon spent his entire 12-year big league career in the National League playing for the Cardinals and the Dodgers, compiling a lifetime batting average of .289.

As a rookie in 1954, Moon had the unenviable task of replacing fan favorite and long-time Cardinal Enos Slaughter, who had been traded to the Yankees on April 11th.  Moon delivered with an award winning rookie season, hitting .304 with 12 home runs and 76 RBIs.  In 1959, Moon's 19 home runs and league leading 11 triples helped guide the Dodgers to an eventual World Series Championship.  He led the league with a .434 on base percentage in 1961 while hitting a career high .328.  He retired as an active player following the 1965 season, but he'd come back to the Majors in 1969 as the first hitting coach of the expansion San Diego Padres.  In 1,457 career games, Moon batted .289 with 1,399 hits, 142 home runs and 661 RBIs.

Some text for this post originally appeared on my 1956 Topps blog.

Building the Set
June 19, 2021 from Moorestown Mall Baseball Card Show - Card #321
Following our youngest son Ben's flawless performance of Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy at his piano recital, our family headed to the Moorestown Mall in New Jersey to browse a real live baseball card show.  Traditionally, I only venture into malls for baseball card shows and I can't honestly remember the last time, pre-pandemic, I had stepped foot into a mall.  The show was small, hosted by S&B Sports Promotions, with about a dozen tables and not much vintage to offer, but it was a sight for sore eyes.  It took us only about 15 minutes to scout the whole place out and I was lucky enough to find a friendly dealer with 1960s and 1970s Topps cards in great shape, in order and (best of all) reasonably priced.  I took my time going through his 1965 Topps commons, settling on 29 cards we needed and adding a card from the star pile to give us 30 new cards total.  I spent an even $100 (after a generous dealer discount) and this Moon card was about $3.25.

Our older son Doug spent the spring playing in our local Little League for the Dodgers, his first time suiting up and wearing Dodger blue.  And while I'm still trying to get him to get a haircut, at least I don't need to worry about him developing a mono brow at this point.

The Card / Dodgers Team Set
Moon was released by the Dodgers a week after the conclusion of the 1965 World Series, so he didn't receive a card in the 1966 Topps set.  This is his career-capper and his final Topps flagship appearance.  The back of the card highlights his Rookie of the Year win in 1954, and the home run he hit in his first Major League at-bat.  Moon was batting second for the Cardinals on opening day 1954, and he gave his club a quick 1-0 lead when he homered off the Cubs' Paul Minner.  The Cubs would go on to trounce the Cardinals in that game, 13-4.

1965 Season
This was Moon's final season in the majors, and he was used primarily as a pinch-hitter for Walter Alston's (#217) Dodgers.  Moon appeared in 53 games, batting .202 with a home run and 11 RBIs, and he made 34 appearances as pinch-hitter going 5 for 25 (an even .200) in that role.  The final at-bat of his career came during Game 6 of the World Series when he pinch-hit for pitcher Howie Reed (#544) in the eighth inning.  Facing the Twins' Mudcat Grant (#432), Moon grounded out to second.  The Dodgers would win the decisive Game 7 the following day, which really isn't a bad way to go out at all.

1954 Topps #137

1957 Topps #65

1959 Topps #530

1961 Topps #325

1964 Topps #353

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1954 Topps #137
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (12):  1954-1965
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2017 Topps Archives Snapshots #AS-WM

99 - Moon non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 8/29/21.

Sources:  
1956 Topps Blog

Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database

Previous Card:  #246 Tom Butters - Pittsburgh Pirates

Next Card:  #248 Gus Triandos - Philadelphia Phillies

#243 Reds Rookie Stars - Ted Davidson / Tommy Helms

Thomas Eugene Davidson
Cincinnati Reds
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  192
Born:  October 4, 1939, Las Vegas, NV
Signed:  Signed by the Cincinnati Reds as an amateur free agent before 1960 season
Major League Teams:  Cincinnati Reds 1965-1968; Atlanta Braves 1968
Died:  September 1, 2006, Bullhead City, AZ (age 66)

Tommy Vann Helms
Cincinnati Reds
Shortstop

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  165
Born:  May 5, 1941, Charlotte, NC
Signed:  Signed by the Cincinnati Reds as an amateur free agent before 1959 season
Major League Teams:  Cincinnati Reds 1964-1971; Houston Astros 1972-1975; Pittsburgh Pirates 1976-1977; Boston Red Sox 1977
As a Manager:  Cincinnati Reds 1988, 1989

I didn't find a lot about Ted Davidson when researching for this post, but I did find an interesting fact and a horrifying fact.  First, the interesting fact is that Davidson received his "Ted" nickname based on his initials.  And next, from the horrifying department, Davidson was shot and nearly killed by his estranged wife in March 1967.  He was coming off a career year out of the Reds' bullpen, having appeared in 54 games and going 5-4 with a 3.90 ERA and four saves.  His wife shot him outside a bar in Tampa following an argument, and while Davidson recovered from his wounds he was never the same pitcher.  In 114 career games, he went 11-7 with a 3.69 ERA and five saves.

After brief appearances with the Reds in 1964 and 1965, Tommy Helms won the every day third base job and won National League Rookie of the Year honors in 1966.  He'd go to the All-Star Game in 1967 and 1968 and win Gold Gloves at second base in 1970 and 1971.  Helms reached the World Series with the Reds in 1970, but his team lost to the Orioles in five games.  He was one of the key players swapped to Houston in November 1971 that brought Joe Morgan (#16) and several other key members of the future Big Red Machine to Cincinnati.  Helms was an above average defender, leading the league in double plays turned three times and fielding percentage among second basemen three times.  In 1,435 career games, he accumulated 1,342 hits while batting .269.

Helms served as a major league coach with the Rangers (1981-1982) and the Reds (1983-1989).  He twice stepped in as interim manager for the Reds, going 12-15 when Pete Rose (#207) was suspended in 1988 for pushing umpire Dave Pallone.  Helms stepped in again in 1989 following the accusations against Rose for betting on baseball.  He guided the Reds to a 16-21 record and was replaced by Lou Piniella following the season. 

Building the Set
June 19, 2021 from Moorestown Mall Baseball Card Show - Card #320
Following our youngest son Ben's flawless performance of Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy at his piano recital, our family headed to the Moorestown Mall in New Jersey to browse a real live baseball card show.  Traditionally, I only venture into malls for baseball card shows and I can't honestly remember the last time, pre-pandemic, I had stepped foot into a mall.  The show was small, hosted by S&B Sports Promotions, with about a dozen tables and not much vintage to offer, but it was a sight for sore eyes.  It took us only about 15 minutes to scout the whole place out and I was lucky enough to find a friendly dealer with 1960s and 1970s Topps cards in great shape, in order and (best of all) reasonably priced.  I took my time going through his 1965 Topps commons, settling on 29 cards we needed and adding a card from the star pile to give us 30 new cards total.  I spent an even $100 (after a generous dealer discount) and this Reds Rookie Stars card was about $3.25.

The Card / Reds Team Set
Given the write-up on the back, and the fact that Davidson didn't debut with the Reds until the end of July, does that mean the set's third series didn't come out until that late in the summer?  I was a bit surprised that neither his 1967 or 1968 Topps cards made mention of the shooting incident in 1967.

Helms repeated on a Rookie Stars card in 1966, appearing with Dick Simpson (#374), before he earned his first solo card, complete with All-Star Rookie trophy, in 1967.

1965 Season - Davidson
Davidson began the season with the Triple-A San Diego Padres, where he went 6-5 with a 3.62 ERA over 35 appearances and 92 innings pitched.  He made his big league debut on July 24th against the Astros, and he'd appear in 24 games for the Reds, making one start.  Davidson's rookie campaign was impressive as he finished with a 4-3 record and a 2.23 ERA over 68 2/3 innings pitched.

1965 Season - Helms
Helms appeared in 21 games for the Reds, with most of those appearances coming as a September call-up.  He batted .381 (16 for 42) with six RBIs and earned himself a longer look in spring training 1966.  With the Padres, Helms appeared in 96 games and batted .319 as their regular shortstop.

1966 Topps #89

1967 Topps #519

1968 Topps #48

Other Notable Baseball Cards - Davidson
First Mainstream Card:  1965 Topps #243
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (4):  1965-1968
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1968 Topps #48

16 - Davidson non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 8/29/21.

Sources - Davidson:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
The Trading Card Database
Wikipedia

Other Notable Baseball Cards - Helms
First Mainstream Card:  1965 Topps #243
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (15):  1965-1978, 1990
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1990 Topps #110

90 - Helms non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 8/29/21.

Sources - Helms:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
Wikipedia

1967 Topps #505

1970 Topps #159

1976 Topps #583

1978 Topps #618

1990 Topps #110

Previous Card:  #242 George Brunet - Los Angeles Angels

Next Card:  #244 Lindy McDaniel - Chicago Cubs

#241 Mack Jones - Milwaukee Braves

Mack F. Jones
Milwaukee Braves
Outfield

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  180
Born:  November 6, 1938, Atlanta, GA
Signed:  Signed by the Milwaukee Braves as an amateur free agent before 1958 season
Major League Teams:  Milwaukee Braves 1961-1963, 1965; Atlanta Braves 1966-1967; Cincinnati Reds 1968; Montreal Expos 1969-1971
Died:  June 8, 2004, Atlanta, GA (age 65)

Mack Jones spent the first three seasons of his big league career as a back-up outfielder for the Braves before getting the chance to start every day as their regular center fielder in 1965.  He enjoyed a career year that season, batting .262 with 31 home runs and 75 RBIs.  That was the same season the Braves set a National League record by having six players with at least 20 home runs including Jones, Hank Aaron (#170), Eddie Mathews (#500), Joe Torre (#200), Felipe Alou (#383) and Gene Oliver (#106).  Jones played two more seasons with the Braves after they relocated to his hometown of Atlanta.  Following a year with the Reds in 1968, Jones was selected by the Expos as the fourth overall pick in the expansion draft.  He was the first left fielder in Expos team history, sharing the outfield on opening day 1969 with Don Hahn in center field and Rusty Staub (#321) in right field.  Jones, Staub and third baseman Coco Laboy were the top sluggers for the Expos in their inaugural year, as Jones was second on the team in home runs (22) behind Staub.  The popular Jones was released by the Expos on July 8, 1971 after a prolonged slump.

Jones collected 778 hits, 133 home runs and 415 RBIs over 1,002 career games while batting .252.  Prior to his break-out season in 1965, he was loaned by the Braves to the Detroit Tigers' Triple-A team in Syracuse.  With the Syracuse Chiefs in 1964, Jones had one of the best Triple-A single-season performances ever (.317, 39 home runs 102 RBIs) and his big season led to his induction into the Syracuse Wall of Fame in 2000 and posthumously into the International League Hall of Fame in 2013.

Building the Set
June 19, 2021 from Moorestown Mall Baseball Card Show - Card #319
Following our youngest son Ben's flawless performance of Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy at his piano recital, our family headed to the Moorestown Mall in New Jersey to browse a real live baseball card show.  Traditionally, I only venture into malls for baseball card shows and I can't honestly remember the last time, pre-pandemic, I had stepped foot into a mall.  The show was small, hosted by S&B Sports Promotions, with about a dozen tables and not much vintage to offer, but it was a sight for sore eyes.  It took us only about 15 minutes to scout the whole place out and I was lucky enough to find a friendly dealer with 1960s and 1970s Topps cards in great shape, in order and (best of all) reasonably priced.  I took my time going through his 1965 Topps commons, settling on 29 cards we needed and adding a card from the star pile to give us 30 new cards total.  I spent an even $100 (after a generous dealer discount) and this Jones card was about $2.

The Card / Braves Team Set
I love that Jones has his glove crammed into his back pocket here.  With his year spent in the minors, Jones didn't receive a Topps card in 1964 and this marks his return to the flagship set after a year off.  The back of the card highlights his 1964 season.  Jones made his big league debut on July 13, 1961 against the Cardinals and went 4 for 5 with a double, a run scored and an RBI.  He led off the game with a single off future Hall of Famer Bob Gibson (#320).  He then doubled off Gibson in the second, and singled off reliever Bob Miller (#98) in the fourth and sixth innings.

1965 Season
In the Braves' final season in Milwaukee, Jones returned from his one-year stint in Syracuse and was the opening day left fielder for the Braves.  As mentioned above, it was a career year for Jones and he shifted over to become the team's everyday center fielder in May.  Jones started 109 games in center and 15 games in left field, the most games started in the outfield for the Braves other than Hank Aaron.

1962 Topps #186

1963 Topps #137

1967 Topps #435

1969 Topps #625

1971 Topps #142

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1962 Topps #186
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (9):  1962-1963, 1965-1971
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1978 TCMA The 1960s I #277

56 - Jones non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 8/29/21.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

Previous Card:  #240 Bob Bruce - Houston Astros

Next Card:  #242 George Brunet - Los Angeles Angels

#237 Bernie Allen - Minnesota Twins

Bernard Keith Allen
Minnesota Twins
Second Base

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  175
Born:  April 16, 1939, East Liverpool, OH
Signed:  Signed by the Minnesota Twins as an amateur free agent before 1961 season
Major League Teams:  Minnesota Twins 1962-1966; Washington Senators 1967-1971; New York Yankees 1972-1973; Montreal Expos 1973

Bernie Allen was a two-sport star at Purdue University, twice being named the team MVP of the Boilermakers baseball team and serving as the quarterback for the football team and winning MVP honors there as well.  Allen's big league baseball career began in 1962 with the Twins after only half a season in the minor leagues the year before.  Allen peaked statistically his rookie season, reaching his career highs in the three triple crown categories with a .269 average, 12 home runs and 64 RBIs.  He finished third in the American League Rookie of the Year voting and was named the second baseman on the 1962 Topps All-Star Rookie Team.  Allen settled in after that as a reliable second baseman for the Twins and later the expansion Senators.  He led all second baseman in fielding percentage in 1968 with a .991 mark.

Allen transitioned to a back-up role later in his career, wrapping up his 12-years in the big leagues with the Yankees and Expos.  In 1,139 career games, Allen batted .239 with 815 hits.  Allen was inducted into the Purdue Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame in 1999.

Building the Set
June 19, 2021 from Moorestown Mall Baseball Card Show - Card #318
Following our youngest son Ben's flawless performance of Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy at his piano recital, our family headed to the Moorestown Mall in New Jersey to browse a real live baseball card show.  Traditionally, I only venture into malls for baseball card shows and I can't honestly remember the last time, pre-pandemic, I had stepped foot into a mall.  The show was small, hosted by S&B Sports Promotions, with about a dozen tables and not much vintage to offer, but it was a sight for sore eyes.  It took us only about 15 minutes to scout the whole place out and I was lucky enough to find a friendly dealer with 1960s and 1970s Topps cards in great shape, in order and (best of all) reasonably priced.  I took my time going through his 1965 Topps commons, settling on 29 cards we needed and adding a card from the star pile to give us 30 new cards total.  I spent an even $100 (after a generous dealer discount) and this Allen card was about $2.

The Card / Twins Team Set
Allen is shown here demonstrating his bunting technique.  The back of the card highlights his college football ties and the fact that Allen returned to Purdue to help coach football in the winter.

1965 Season
On June 13, 1964, Allen was fielding a throw at second base when the Senators' Don Zimmer (#233) collided into him, tearing ligaments in his knee.  Allen tried to battle back later that summer, but ultimately had to have surgery in October during which he was told he'd probably never play baseball again.  He worked his way back however, and was activated from the disabled list in June 1965.  He'd appear in only 19 games for the Twins, batting .231, before the club demoted him to the Triple-A Denver Bears.  With the Bears, Allen further rehabbed his repaired knee, appearing in 41 games and batting .246.  After one more season with the Twins, Allen was dealt to the Senators on December 3, 1966 with pitcher Camilo Pascual (#255) for pitcher Ron Kline (#56).

1962 Topps #596

1963 Topps #427

1968 Topps #548

1971 Topps #427

1973 Topps #293

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1962 Topps #596
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (12):  1962-1973
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1973 Topps #293

56 - Allen non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 8/25/21.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

Previous Card:  #236 Dennis McLain - Detroit Tigers

Next Card:  #238 Joe Moeller - Los Angeles Dodgers