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Nelson Kelley Briles
St. Louis Cardinals
Pitcher
Born: August 5, 1943, Dorris, CA
Signed: Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent before 1963 season
Major League Teams: St. Louis Cardinals 1965-1970; Pittsburgh Pirates 1971-1973; Kansas City Royals 1974-1975; Texas Rangers 1976-1977; Baltimore Orioles 1977-1978
Died: February 13, 2005, Orlando, FL (age 61)
Edward Wayne Spiezio
St. Louis Cardinals
Infield
Born: October 31, 1941, Joliet, IL
Signed: Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent before 1963 season
Major League Teams: St. Louis Cardinals 1964-1968; San Diego Padres 1969-1972; Chicago White Sox 1972
Nelson Briles pitched in parts of 14 major league seasons, winning World Series rings with the Cardinals in 1967 and the Pirates in 1971. Briles won at least 10 games in six different seasons, hitting his career high with 19 wins in the Year of the Pitcher, 1968. He surpassed the 200 innings pitched plateau in four different seasons, again hitting his career high in 1968 with 243 2/3 innings pitched. He appeared in five World Series games overall, going 2-1 with a 2.59 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 31 1/3 innings pitched. He pitched a complete game shutout against the Orioles in Game 5 of the 1971 World Series, allowing only two Orioles hits. Briles had a career record of 129-112 in 452 games and a 3.44 ERA. Known for his control, he struck out 1,163 and walked only 547 in 2,111 2/3 innings pitched. Following his playing days, Briles worked as a television broadcaster for the Pirates, Mariners and for the USA Network.
Ed Spiezio was a back-up infielder on the 1964 and 1967 World Champion Cardinals and later was the first third baseman in Padres franchise history. Spiezio was used primarily as either a defensive replacement at third base or as a pinch-hitter during his five seasons with the Cardinals. In one of the earliest trades in Padres history, he was acquired from the Cardinals with three other players on December 3, 1968 for pitcher Dave Giusti (#524). He was the opening day third baseman for the Padres, collecting the team's first hit, home run and run when he connected on April 8, 1969, against Astros' pitcher Don Wilson in the fifth inning of the team's home opener. Spiezio appeared in a career-high 121 games that season, batting .234 with 13 home runs and 43 RBIs. For his career, Spiezio batted .238 with 39 home runs and 174 RBIs, collecting 367 hits. His son, Scott Spiezio, played for 12 seasons in the majors with the Athletics, Angels, Mariners and Cardinals between 1996 and 2007. Scott Spiezio won two World Series rings himself, with the Angels in 2002 and with the Cardinals in 2006.
Building the Set
March 6, 2022 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards - Babylon, NY) - Card #513
The Card / Cardinals Team Set
This is the rookie card for both players. Topps used Spiezio's first name on the front of the card, and his middle name, and the name he went by, on the back of the card.
Other Notable Baseball Cards - Briles
First Mainstream Card: 1965 Topps #431
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (15): 1965-1979
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 2020 Topps Heritage 1971 World Series Highlights #WSH-4
68 - Briles non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 5/14/22.
Sources - Briles:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
Wikipedia
Other Notable Baseball Cards - Spiezio
First Mainstream Card: 1965 Topps #431
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7): 1965, 1967-1972
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1972 Topps #504
30 - Spiezio non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 5/14/22.
Sources - Spiezio:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
Wikipedia
Previous Card: #430 Gary Peters - Chicago White Sox
Building the Set
March 6, 2022 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards - Babylon, NY) - Card #513
This is the 29th 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 Rookie Stars card was $10 and was one of 49 commons, or in this case a semi-star, purchased in my triumphant return to Uncle Dick's and his replenished neon green binders.
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 / Cardinals Team Set
This is the rookie card for both players. Topps used Spiezio's first name on the front of the card, and his middle name, and the name he went by, on the back of the card.
1965 Season - Briles
As a result of the signing bonus he received in 1964, the Cardinals had to keep Briles on their roster for the entire 1965 season. He pitched fairly well, appearing in 37 games and making two starts, earning a record of 3-3 with a 3.50 ERA over 82 1/3 innings pitched. Briles also recorded four saves.
As a result of the signing bonus he received in 1964, the Cardinals had to keep Briles on their roster for the entire 1965 season. He pitched fairly well, appearing in 37 games and making two starts, earning a record of 3-3 with a 3.50 ERA over 82 1/3 innings pitched. Briles also recorded four saves.
1965 Season - Spiezio
Spiezio made the Cardinals' opening day roster, appearing in 10 games and batting just .167 before an early May demotion to the minor leagues. With the Triple-A Jacksonville Suns, he batted .221 in 116 games, playing 66 games at third base and 51 games in the outfield.
Spiezio made the Cardinals' opening day roster, appearing in 10 games and batting just .167 before an early May demotion to the minor leagues. With the Triple-A Jacksonville Suns, he batted .221 in 116 games, playing 66 games at third base and 51 games in the outfield.
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Other Notable Baseball Cards - Briles
First Mainstream Card: 1965 Topps #431
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (15): 1965-1979
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 2020 Topps Heritage 1971 World Series Highlights #WSH-4
68 - Briles non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 5/14/22.
Sources - Briles:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
Wikipedia
Other Notable Baseball Cards - Spiezio
First Mainstream Card: 1965 Topps #431
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7): 1965, 1967-1972
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1972 Topps #504
30 - Spiezio non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 5/14/22.
Sources - Spiezio:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
Wikipedia
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Next Card: #432 Jim Grant - Minnesota Twins
Briles was a reliever until late in the 1967 season, when he stepped into the starting rotation to replace Bob Gibson, who missed 6 weeks with a broken leg. When Gibson returned, Briles remained in the rotation.
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