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Beginning in 1956 and going all the way through to 1981, with a one year absence in 1969, Topps included team cards in its flagship sets.
Building the Set
July 31, 2021 from Los Angeles, CA - Card #341
By late July, we were down to needing 18 more cards to complete our set's third series, including three big star cards - Pete Rose (#207), Billy Williams (#220) and Willie Mays (#250). We had spent an enjoyable day on the beach in Ocean City, New Jersey, staying at the condo my in-laws rent once a summer during the last week of July. After a dinner of Mike's Seafood and ice cream from A La Mode, we settled in to watch that night's Phillies game, and as has been the case for a lot of games this past season, it was not an enjoyable game. In fact, the Braves blew them out 15-3 and infielder Ronald Torreyes was called upon to finish out the game for the Phillies on the mound. The Phillies poor play gave me some extra time to browse eBay, searching specifically for some of the remaining cards needed for the third series.
July 31, 2021 from Los Angeles, CA - Card #341
By late July, we were down to needing 18 more cards to complete our set's third series, including three big star cards - Pete Rose (#207), Billy Williams (#220) and Willie Mays (#250). We had spent an enjoyable day on the beach in Ocean City, New Jersey, staying at the condo my in-laws rent once a summer during the last week of July. After a dinner of Mike's Seafood and ice cream from A La Mode, we settled in to watch that night's Phillies game, and as has been the case for a lot of games this past season, it was not an enjoyable game. In fact, the Braves blew them out 15-3 and infielder Ronald Torreyes was called upon to finish out the game for the Phillies on the mound. The Phillies poor play gave me some extra time to browse eBay, searching specifically for some of the remaining cards needed for the third series.
First, I won an auction for the Williams card and then I bid on a bunch (20 or so) of cards up for auction from Greg Morris Cards, winning only three of them. This Pirates team card was one of the three cards won with a winning bid of $9.50.
The photo used for this team card was only used twice, in 1965 and 1966, which is a rarity for Topps. The photo was taken in early 1964 and Roberto Clemente (#160) is seated at the far right on the ground in the front row. Traveling secretary Bob Rice is the shorter gentleman in the back in the suit jacket and that's Al McBean (#25) in the back row on the far right wearing his warm-up jacket. I believe the photo would have been taken earlier in the season as both Tom Parsons (#308) and Smoky Burgess (#198) are featured. Parsons was traded to the Colt .45s in June only to be returned to the Pirates in September. He was then sold to the Mets that same month. Burgess was claimed by the White Sox off waivers on September 12, 1964.
The logo Topps uses for the Pirates cards in the set hadn't been the team's primary logo since 1957. The team adopted the cartoonish pirate as its primary logo for the 1958 season, and that logo is shown above and with each of my posts for any Pirates card.
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1965 Season
Manager Harry Walker (#438) guided the team to a 90-72-1 record and a third place finish in the National League behind the Dodgers and Giants. The Pirates were in first place briefly in April before settling in for the duration of the season behind the frontrunners. Clemente paced the offense with a .329 batting average to go along with 10 home runs and 65 RBIs. Left fielder Willie Stargell (#377) led the club in home runs (27) and RBIs (107), while first baseman Donn Clendenon (#325) (.301 average, 14 home runs, 96 RBIs) had a great year at the plate too. Bob Veale (#195) was again the ace of the pitching staff, going 17-12 with a 2.84 ERA and 276 strikeouts. Vern Law (#515) was a 17-game winner too and closer McBean earned 19 saves.
For each team card featured, I'll be building a checklist of cards that could have been included in a 1965 Topps update set. I'm trying to come up with six potential cards for each team, and I fell short of that mark for the Pirates given how well-represented they already are in the set and their lack of many transactions throughout the season. The first three selections listed below make sense while the final two are a stretch.
- Del Crandall - The back-up catcher appears in the set's first series (#68) with the Giants. He had been acquired by the Pirates in February for Bob Burda and Bob Priddy (#482).
- Jose Pagan - Infielder Pagan appears in the set's final series (#575) also with the Giants, but the Pirates had acquired him on May 22nd for Dick Schofield (#218).
- Frank Carpin - Carpin made 39 relief appearances for the Pirates and he'd receive his one and only Topps card in the 1966 set.
- Johnny Pesky - A long-time fixture of the Red Sox organization, Pesky served as the Pirates first base coach from 1965 through 1967.
- Don Money - Future Phillie and Brewer Don Money was signed by the Pirates as an amateur free agent on June 20th. He'd make his big league debut with the Phillies in 1968.
Baseball Reference
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