#349 Larry Miller - New York Mets

Larry Don Miller
New York Mets
Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  195
Born:  June 19, 1937, Topeka, KS
Signed:  Signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent before 1959 season
Major League Teams:  Los Angeles Dodgers 1964; New York Mets 1965-1966
Died:  March 21, 2018, Phoenix, AZ (age 80)

Larry Miller pitched in three minor league seasons in the Dodgers' system between 1959 and 1961, missed two full seasons while serving in the military and finally got the call to the majors in June 1964.  Inserted into the Dodgers' starting pitching rotation, Miller went 4-8 with a 4.18 ERA in 16 appearances, including 14 starts.  He pitched a complete game victory against the Phillies on August 2, 1964, a month before the Phillies endured their historic collapse.  Dealt to the Mets for outfielder Dick Smith (#579) following the season, Miller pitched in 32 games for the Mets, going a combined 1-6 with a 5.35 over parts of two seasons.  He last pitched in the majors in September 1966, and spent three more seasons in the Mets and Giants minor league system before retiring.

Miller was 5-14 lifetime with a 4.71 ERA and 93 strikeouts over 145 1/3 innings pitched.  In the minors, he was 58-51 over 284 appearances in parts of nine seasons.

Building the Set
March 6, 2022 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards - Babylon, NY) - Card #505

This is the 21st of 102 cards acquired for our set from the Baseball Card Sports Memorabilia Show, affectionately known as The Philly Show, held in the basement of the Valley Forge Casino Resort in King of Prussia in early March.  We went nuts and left the show needing only 12 more cards to complete our 1965 Topps set, and I wrote about the show in detail over at The Phillies Room.  Having wandered aimlessly among the dealer tables looking for binders with vintage commons, I decided to check to see if Uncle Dick's had refreshed their inventory following the December show, during which I had wiped out both their 1965 Topps binders.  Much to my pleasant surprise, they had.  This Miller card was $2 and was one of 49 commons purchased in my triumphant return to Uncle Dick's and his replenished neon green binders.

1969 Topps #323

Depending on my ability to compose five posts a week on the cards acquired at this show, I should be completely caught up on this blog by mid-October.  It's entirely feasible we complete our 1965 Topps set by the end of 2022, although nine of the remaining 12 cards needed are fairly expensive.

The Card / Mets Team Set
I mean no offense to Miller or his family, but I think I've found the most boring card in the entire 1965 Topps set.  This is Miller's rookie card, and I'm guessing he's wearing a Dodgers jersey here.  The back of the card explains his move from the Dodgers to the Mets.  Miller appeared in the 1969 Topps set with the Orioles which is a complete mystery, given he never pitched for the Orioles or any of their minor league affiliates.  Miller's last professional baseball action came in 1969 with the Triple-A Phoenix Giants, so I can only assume he went to spring training with the Orioles in 1969 but didn't make the club.

1965 Season
Miller began the season in the minors and joined the Mets throughout the summer, appearing in 28 games in June, July and August.  He was 1-4 with a 5.02 ERA in those 28 games, which included five starts.  With the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, Miller was 6-1 with a 2.59 ERA in ten appearances.

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1965 Topps #349
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (2):  1965, 1969
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1981 TCMA The 1960s II #373

9 - Miller non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 5/1/22.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

Previous Card:  #348 George Banks - Cleveland Indians

Next Card:  #350 Mickey Mantle - New York Yankees