#581 N.L. Rookie Stars - Tony Perez / Kevin Collins / Dave Ricketts

Atanacio Perez
Cincinnati Reds
First Base

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  175
Born:  May 14, 1942, Camaguey, Cuba
Signed:  Signed by the Cincinnati Reds as an amateur free agent, March 12, 1960
Major League Teams:  Cincinnati Reds 1964-1976; Montreal Expos 1977-1979; Boston Red Sox 1980-1982; Philadelphia Phillies 1983; Cincinnati Reds 1984-1986
As a Manager:  Cincinnati Reds 1993; Florida Marlins 2001

Hall of Fame Induction:  2000

Kevin Michael Collins
New York Mets
Infield

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  180
Born:  August 4, 1946, Springfield, MA
Signed:  Signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent before 1964 season
Major League Teams:  New York Mets 1965, 1967-1969; Montreal Expos 1969; Detroit Tigers 1970-1971
Died:  February 20, 2016, Naples, FL (age 69)

David William Ricketts
St. Louis Cardinals
Catcher

Bats:  Both  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  190
Born:  July 12, 1935, Pottstown, PA
Signed:  Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent before 1957 season
Major League Teams:  St. Louis Cardinals 1963, 1965, 1967-1969; Pittsburgh Pirates 1970
Died:  July 13, 2008, St. Louis, MO (age 73)

1984 Fleer #636

As the first baseman for the Big Red Machine in the mid-1970s, and often cited as the team's leader, Tony Perez helped the Reds win back-to-back World Championships in 1975 and 1976.  Perez drove in over 100 runs in seven seasons between 1967 and 1980, and drove in at least 90 runs between 1967 and 1977.  He was a seven-time All-Star and the MVP of the 1967 game due to his game-winning home run in the 15th inning off Catfish Hunter (#526).  Nicknamed "Big Dog" or "Doggie," Perez helped propel Cincinnati to its first of four World Series throughout the 1970s with a career year in 1970.  He batted .317 that season with 40 home runs and 129 RBIs, with all three marks career bests.  His RBI tally of 954 in the 1970s was second for the decade behind his teammate Johnny Bench.

Perez was dealt to Montreal following the 1976 season, and he continued his steady hitting with the Expos and later the Red Sox between 1977 and 1982.  In 1983, he was reunited with his Big Red Machine teammates Pete Rose (#207) and Joe Morgan (#16), as all three helped the Phillies reach the World Series.  He spent the final three seasons of his playing career back in Cincinnati, playing for player-manager Rose and serving mainly as a successful pinch-hitter.  Perez retired with a lifetime .279 average, 2,732 hits, 505 doubles, 379 home runs and 1,652 RBIs.  

2001 Topps Archives #273

He was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1998 and had his #24 retired by the team in 2000.  Perez was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000.  He briefly managed in the majors with the Reds (1993) and Marlins (2001), and coached for the Reds between 1987 and 1992.  He served as a Special Assistant to the General Manager for the Marlins between 1993 and 2017.

Kevin Collins played in parts of six big league seasons, primarily with the Mets between 1965 and 1969.  An infielder, he was frequently shuttled between the minor and major leagues while with New York, appearing in 58 games for the team in 1968 while batting .201.  In June 1969, he was one of five players sent to Montreal for Donn Clendenon (#325), who would go on to win World Series MVP honors for the Mets.  Collins appeared in a career-high 68 games in 1969 between the Mets and Expos, getting occasional starts at second or third base.  His best season in the majors was also his last, as he batted .268 with the Tigers in 1971.  Collins collected 81 hits while batting .209 with six home runs and 34 RBIs in his 201 games in the majors.

Dave Ricketts was a back-up catcher for six seasons in the majors, mostly with the Cardinals.  He appeared a career-high 57 games for the pennant-winning Cardinals in 1967, making 16 starts.  Ricketts made three pinch-hitting appearances in the World Series, won by the Cardinals over the Red Sox in seven games.  He appeared in only 20 games for the Cardinals in 1968, but still served a valuable role as batting practice pitcher and bullpen catcher.  Ricketts was a lifetime .249 hitter with one home run, hit off Pirates reliever Dennis Ribant (#73) on September 4, 1967.  Following his playing days, Ricketts served as a long-time coach for the Pirates (1970-1973) and Cardinals (1974-1975, 1978-1991).  He'd win a second World Series ring with the Cardinals in 1982 as a member of their coaching staff.

Building the Set
December 3, 2022 from The Philly Show (America's Pastime - Fair Lawn, NJ) - Card #597
This was the third of four final cards acquired for our set at The Philly Show, the Philadelphia Sports Collectors Show, held within the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania.  We arrived at the show in a steady rain right after doors opened at 9am, secured our autograph tickets and started walking the floor prior to the arrival of most of the crowd.  My goal for the show was simple:  Find the last four cards needed to complete our 1965 Topps set.  I wrote a full summary of the show in this post over at The Phillies Room.

The first two cards needed to complete our set took a while to find, but I eventually added the Orlando Cepeda (#360) and the Gordy Coleman (#269) cards within the first hour of walking around.  With Cepeda and Coleman out of the way, I turned my attention to the Perez rookie card and the BIG final card needed for our set - Mickey Mantle (#350).  Perez came quickly, as I found a gorgeous version of the card for sale from dealer America's Pastime from Fair Lawn, New Jersey.  Again looking to bundle that card with another card needed for our 1969 Topps set, I set my sights on the Reggie Jackson rookie card.  What followed was my first of two successful negotiation sessions of the day, as I was able to add both cards for what I deemed to be extremely reasonable (and fair) price.  The Jackson card will find its way under the Christmas tree for Doug, so please keep that one quiet for now.  Three down, one to go.

The Card / Reds Team Set / Mets Team Set / Cardinals Team Set
For the set's seventh and final series, Topps must have realized it needed to squeeze a bunch more players onto its Rookie Stars cards but it was quickly running out of room within the checklist.  This is one of six cards in the high series featuring three players on one Rookie Stars card, and it's one of two such cards featuring players from multiple teams.  Its American League counterpart (#577) features Darold Knowles, Richie Scheinblum and Don Buschhorn.

This is the rookie card for all three players, and it's been reprinted in the 2001 Topps Archives (see above) and 2003 Topps Shoebox Collection sets, with Collins and Ricketts omitted.  Collins wouldn't appear on a Topps flagship card again until 1969.

1965 Season - Perez
Perez spent the season in a platoon at first base with Gordy Coleman (#289), making 66 starts overall to Coleman's 87.  In 104 games, Perez batted .260 with 12 home runs and 47 RBIs. 

Phillies Career - Perez
Perez was released by the Red Sox on November 1, 1982, and signed with the Phillies on January 31, 1983.  Rose had been with the club since 1979, helping the team win its first World Championship in 1980, and Morgan had been acquired from the Giants in mid-December 1982.  With the three former teammates reunited, and an aging core of veterans starting for the Phillies, the 1983 squad was dubbed the Wheeze Kids, playing off the Whiz Kids nickname for the 1950 team.  Perez, now 41 years old, was with the Phillies for only the one season, appearing in 91 games and batting .241 with six home runs and 43 RBIs.

He was the club's opening day first baseman, with Rose moving temporarily to right field.  Perez started 63 games in total at first base, and also made two starts at first during the 1983 World Series against the Orioles.  Overall he batted .273 (3 for 11) in the postseason, as the Phillies fell in five games.  Coming full circle, he was sold to the Reds on December 6, 1983.

1966 Topps #72

1970 Topps #380

1976 Topps #325

1983 Topps Traded #85T

2002 Topps #303

Other Notable Baseball Cards - Perez
First Mainstream Card:  1965 Topps #581
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (25):  1965-1986, 1993, 2002, 2010
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2022 Topps Heritage Then and Now #TAN-PT

1,014 - Perez non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 12/5/22.

Sources - Perez:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
National Baseball Hall of Fame
The Phillies Room
SABR
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

1965 Season - Collins
Collins was a September call-up, making his major league debut on September 1st and entering the game as pinch-hitter in the game's third inning.  He'd bat .174 (4 for 23) for the Mets in 11 games.

1965 Season - Ricketts
Ricketts bounced around a bit during the season, spending time with three different AAA teams in Indianapolis (White Sox affiliate), Toledo (Yankees affiliate) and Jacksonville (Cardinals affiliate).  He'd play in 11 games for the Cardinals in early April and mid-August through the end of the season, making eight starts behind the plate.  Ricketts batted .241 (7 for 29) in his limited action in St. Louis.

1969 Topps #127

1970 Topps #707

1971 Topps #553

Other Notable Baseball Cards - Collins
First Mainstream Card:  1965 Topps #581
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (4):  1965, 1969-1971
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1971 Topps #553

16 - Collins non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 12/6/22.

Sources - Collins:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

Other Notable Baseball Cards - Ricketts
First Mainstream Card:  1965 Topps #581
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (6):  1965, 1967-1970, 1973
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1990 Topps TV St. Louis Cardinals #4

34 - Ricketts non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 12/6/22.

Sources - Ricketts:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

1967 Topps #589

1968 Topps #46

1969 Topps #232

1970 Topps #626

1973 Topps #517

Previous Card:  #580 Jimmie Hall - Minnesota Twins

Next Card:  #582 Bob Schmidt - New York Yankees

#470 Yogi Berra - New York Mets

Lawrence Peter Berra
New York Mets
Catcher-Coach

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'7"  Weight:  185
Born:  May 12, 1925, St. Louis, MO
Signed:  Signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent before 1943 season
Major League Teams:  New York Yankees 1946-1963, New York Mets 1965
As a Manager:  New York Yankees 1964; New York Mets 1972-1975; New York Yankees 1984-1985
Hall of Fame Induction:  1972
Died:  September 22, 2015, West Caldwell, NJ (age 90)

1982 Donruss #387

One of the best, if not the best, catchers of his era, Yogi Berra was an All-Star every year between 1948 and 1962, won MVP honors in 1951, 1954 and 1955, and was a key component in bringing 10 World Championship titles to the Yankees.  Berra is one of the most recognizable and beloved baseball figures in history.

Signed by the Yankees in 1943, Berra didn't make his debut until 1946 as he was serving in the Navy during World War II.  He earned a Purple Heart taking part in the Normandy landings.  At the end of the war, Berra quickly established himself as one of the best power hitters and defensive catchers in the majors.  Over 19 seasons, he hit .285 with 2,150 hits, 358 home runs and 1,430 RBIs.  Upon his retirement, he held the records for most plate appearances (8,359), hits, home runs, runs (1,175) and RBIs among all catchers.

Following his playing days, Berra didn't stray far from baseball, keeping busy with both the Yankees and the Mets.  He briefly managed the Yankees in 1964 before moving to the Mets as a coach between 1965 and 1971, and then as manager between 1972 and 1975.  He returned to the Yankees as a coach between 1976 and 1983, and again as manager in 1984 and 1985.  His final coaching job came with the Astros between 1986 and 1989.  The Yankees retired Berra's #8 in 1972, the same year he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.  Berra and Johnny Bench were named as catchers on MLB's All-Century team in 1999.

The Donruss card above is the first card of Berra's I ever owned, and I remember thinking to myself when I pulled it from a pack back then, "Is this a real person?"

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

Building the Set
April 25, 2022 from Los Angeles, CA - Card #587
Nearly two months passed between us adding 102 cards at the March Philly Show, and the next card added to the set, this iconic Berra card.  I placed opening bids on several Greg Morris Cards auctions on eBay at some point in mid-April and walked away.  Greg Morris Cards seemingly has a set break every other week, and the prices on some of the auctions often get out of control in my opinion.  But as I often do, I probably bid on 10 or 15 cards at the auctions' outset and then walked away until the auctions concluded.  This Berra was the only one of the cards I bid on that made it through to me at what I thought was a relatively low bid.  Once the card arrived in late April, we were down to needing just 11 more cards for the set.

In April 2022 we were attending our first Phillies games of the season.  Doug was busy with high school baseball and Ben had started to run track for his middle school.  Ben celebrated his 12th birthday, complete with a new ping pong table.  There was quite a lot going on, but I was thankful for all of it.

April 11, 2022 - Doug at the plate

April 8, 2022 - Home Opener

April 21, 2022 - Ben on the track

The Card / Mets Team Set
This is such a strange card when you fully consider the circumstances during which it was issued.  It's also the third and final player-coach card in the set, joining Warren Spahn (#205) and Nellie Fox (#485).  Berra had managed the Yankees in 1964 to the World Series, and he was dismissed following the team's loss to the Cardinals in seven games.  The Mets signed him as a player-coach on April 27, 1965, meaning Topps had to rush to get this card into packs within the set's sixth series.  Berra is clearly in Yankee pinstripes here, and the back of the card shows his full career statistics while with the Bronx Bombers.  There's a final line included for 1964, telling collectors he had been the "N.Y. Mgr." and therefore "DID NOT PLAY."  This was Berra's last appearance in a Topps flagship set until he appeared on a card in the 1973 Topps set as the Mets' manager.

1965 Season
Berra made four cameo appearances with the Mets as a player, pinch-hitting twice and catching two full and final games on May 4th against the Phillies and May 9th against the Braves.  He caught Al Jackson's (#381) complete game victory in the start against the Phillies, going 2 for 3 at the plate.  Berra was again behind the plate for Jackson's start on May 9th, but the pitcher didn't escape the third inning, allowing five runs on nine hits.  Tom Parsons (#308) was the last pitcher to throw to Berra in the ninth inning of the 8-2 loss.  He batted .222 (2 for 9) in his brief return as a player before settling in to a full time coach's job.

1948 Bowman #6

1952 Topps #191

1961 Topps #425

1974 Topps #179

1987 Topps #531

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1948 Bowman #6
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (21):  1951-1965, 1973-1975, 1984-1985, 1987
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2022 Topps Now #746

2,212 - Berra non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 10/10/22.

Sources:  
1956 Topps Blog

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

Previous Card:  #469 Don Nottebart - Houston Astros

Next Card:  #471 Billy Hoeft - Detroit Tigers

#449 Mets Rookie Stars - Jerry Hinsley / Gary Kroll

Jerry Dean Hinsley
New York Mets
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right Height:  5'11"  Weight:  165
Born:  April 9, 1945, Hugo, OK
Signed:  Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent before 1963 season
Major League Teams:  New York Mets 1964, 1967

Gary Melvin Kroll
New York Mets
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'6"  Weight:  220
Born:  July 8, 1941, Culver City, CA
Signed:  Signed by the Philadelphia Phillies as an amateur free agent, June 5, 1959
Major League Teams:  Philadelphia Phillies 1964; New York Mets 1964-1965; Houston Astros 1966; Cleveland Indians 1969

Jerry Hinsley appeared in 11 games for the Mets in 1964 and 1967, pitching to an 0-2 record with a 7.08 ERA over 20 1/3 innings pitched.  He spent eight seasons in the minors, playing professionally through the 1971 season.  Hinsley pitched in a career high 143 innings in 1968 for the Double-A Memphis Blues, the Mets' Texas League affiliate, where he was 9-12 with a 3.59 ERA in 24 starts.

Gary Kroll pitched in parts of four seasons in the majors with the Phillies, Mets, Astros and Indians.  After 5 1/2 seasons in the Phillies minor league system, he made his big league debut on July 26, 1964.  He'd pitch in just one more game for the Phillies before a trade in early August sent him to the Mets in exchange for Frank Thomas (#123).  Kroll spent all of 1965 on the Mets' staff, and he was dealt again following the season, this time to the Astros.  He would appear in 10 games for the Astros in 1966 and he'd see his last major league action with 19 relief appearances for the Indians in 1969.  In 71 major league games, Kroll was 6-7 with a 4.24 ERA in 159 1/3 innings pitched.

Building the Set
March 6, 2022 from The Philly Show (Sports Cards Plus - Cooper City, FL) - Card #580

This is the 96th 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.  After our 51 card haul from Uncle Dick's, and with more card spending budget still in place, I set out to find another dealer with a binder of 1965 Topps cards with reasonable prices.  I had purchased cards from Sports Cards Plus before, finding the last few cards needed for our 1971 Topps set from this dealer back in December 2019.

Settling in, we found 37 cards needed for our set with an average price per card working out to around $6.  The lot, including this Rookie Stars card, consisted mostly of semi-stars and team cards.  After paying for this mini haul, we were officially 13 cards away from a complete set, with one more purchase coming to end the day.

The Card / Mets Team Set
Hinsley shared a Rookie Stars card in the 1964 Topps set along with pitcher Bill Wakefield (#167), and this is his second (and final) Topps flagship set appearance.  The back of the card mentions Hinsley being selected by the Mets in the annual rule 5 draft from the Pirates, which is a less interesting way of saying they "smoked him out."  This is Kroll's rookie card, and it's impressive to me Topps was able to get a picture of him in a Mets uniform as quickly as they did.  He shows up again in the 1966 Topps set, now on the Astros, but still wearing a Mets jersey.  (Or is that a Phillies jersey?)

1965 Season - Hinsley
Still just 20 years old, Hinsley spent all of 1965 in the minor leagues, splitting time between the Double-A Williamsport Mets and the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons.  In 26 starts between the two levels, he was 8-12 with a 4.95 ERA in 129 innings pitched.  He'd spend all of 1966 and most of 1967 pitching in the Mets' minor leagues before a September call-up saw him appear in two games in late 1967.

1965 Season - Kroll
Kroll appeared in 32 games overall for the Mets, making 11 starts.  He was 6-6 with a 4.45 ERA with one save.  His lone career complete game came on April 18th against the Giants, in a game shortened to seven innings, I'm assuming because of rain.  Kroll allowed four hits in that outing while striking out eight.  On January 6, 1966, Kroll was dealt to Houston for outfielder John Weekly and cash.

Phillies Career - Kroll

Kroll's Phillies career was limited to two appearances and three innings during the historically painful season of 1964.  He pitched a pair of innings on July 26th, allowing a run on three hits in a 6-1 loss to the Cardinals.  He'd appear again on August 2nd, pitching a scoreless inning against the Dodgers and striking out Jim Gilliam.  With the Phillies needing a first baseman, Kroll, Wayne Graham and cash were sent to the Mets on August 7th for Thomas.

1964 Topps #576

1966 Topps #548

Other Notable Baseball Cards - Hinsley
First Mainstream Card:  1964 Topps #576
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (2):  1964-1965
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1965 Topps #449

5 - Hinsley non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 10/2/22.

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

Other Notable Baseball Cards - Kroll
First Mainstream Card:  1965 Topps #449
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (2):  1965-1966
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2015 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-GK

9 - Kroll non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 10/2/22.

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

Previous Card:  #448 Lee Stange - Cleveland Indians

Next Card:  #450 Elston Howard - New York Yankees

#511 Ron Locke - New York Mets

Ronald Thomas Locke
New York Mets
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Left  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  168
Born:  April 4, 1942, Wakefield, RI
Signed:  Signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent before 1963 season
Major League Teams:  New York Mets 1964

Ron Locked pitched professionally for eight seasons, appearing in 25 games for the Mets in 1964 in his lone stint in the majors.  He made three starts to go along with 22 relief appearances, going 1-2 overall with a 3.48 ERA in 41 1/3 innings pitched.  Locke's longest big league outing came on August 2, 1964 against the Colt .45s, when he pitched seven innings giving up a pair of runs on five hits to earn his first and only big league win.  He pitched in the minor league systems of the Mets, Phillies, Reds and Braves through the 1970 season before retiring from baseball.

Building the Set
March 6, 2022 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards - Babylon, NY) - Card #524

This is the 40th 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 Locke card was $4 and was one of 49 commons purchased in my triumphant return to Uncle Dick's and his replenished neon green binders.

1964 Topps #556

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
Locke's rookie card appears as a high number in the 1964 Topps set, and he shares a Rookie Stars card with fellow Mets pitching prospect Steve Dillon.  This is Locke's first and last solo mainstream baseball card, and the 1964 New York World's Fair patch is front and center on his sleeve.  The cartoon on the back of the card shows Locke in his offseason shipyard activity, which has to be a first on a Topps baseball card.  His minor league success and his lone win against Houston in 1964 are also highlighted.

1965 Season
Despite having some success in the majors in 1964, Locke spent all of 1965 in the minor leagues.  Between Double-A Williamsport and Triple-A Buffalo, he was 10-9 with a 3.07 ERA in 26 games, including 24 starts.  Locke threw six complete games with Williamsport, including two shutouts.

Phillies Connection
His Baseball Reference statistics show Locke as having pitched nine games for the Macon Peaches in 1966, then the Phillies Double-A affiliate in the Southern League, managed by former catcher Andy Seminick.  Locke was 6-3 with a 2.25 ERA for the Peaches and he'd find his way back to the Mets organization for the 1967 season.

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1964 Topps #556
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (2):  1964-1965
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1965 Topps #511

4 - Locke non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 5/29/22.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

Previous Card:  #510 Ernie Banks - Chicago Cubs

Next Card:  #512 Cap Peterson - San Francisco Giants

#381 Al Jackson - New York Mets

Alvin Neill Jackson
New York Mets
Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  169
Born:  December 26, 1935, Waco, TX
Signed:  Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent before 1955 season
Major League Teams:  Pittsburgh Pirates 1959, 1961; New York Mets 1962-1965; St. Louis Cardinals 1966-1967; New York Mets 1968-1969; Cincinnati Reds 1969
Died:  August 19, 2019, Port St. Lucie, FL (age 83)

Pitcher Al Jackson appeared in 11 games for the Pirates in 1959 and 1961, but he'd get his first regular taste of the big leagues with the expansion Mets in 1962.  Taken as the 22nd pick in the 1961 expansion draft, Jackson was the third starting pitcher for the Mets to start their inaugural 1962 season behind Roger Craig (#411) and Sherman Jones.  He'd lose 20 games, but had a respectable 4.40 ERA in 36 appearances, including 33 starts.  Jackson would be a mainstay in those early Mets pitching rotations, starting at least 31 games in each of the franchise's first four seasons.  His best season statistically came after leaving the Mets, when he went 13-15 for the Cardinals in 1966, pitching to a 2.51 ERA in 36 appearances.  He'd return to the Mets for the 1968 season and was briefly a member of the Amazing 1969 team before being sold to the Reds that June.  

Jackson retired following the 1969 season with a career record of 67-99, a 3.98 ERA and 738 strikeouts in 303 appearances.  His 43 wins with the Mets briefly sat atop the team's all-time leaders list until surpassed by Tom Seaver.  He coached at the minor and major league level until the early 2000s, working in the majors with the Red Sox (1977-1979), Orioles (1989-1991) and Mets (1999-2000).  Jackson was inducted posthumously into the New York Mets Hall of Fame in 2021.

Building the Set
March 6, 2022 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards - Babylon, NY) - Card #509

This is the 25th 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 Jackson card was $4 and was one of 49 commons 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 / Mets Team Set
The one-hitter referenced in the cartoon on the back came on June 22, 1962 against the Colt .45s.  Other than a first inning hit from Joey Amalfitano (#402), Houston was held hitless by Jackson for the rest of the game.  Topps acknowledges in its write-up that Jackson was a very good pitcher on a very bad team, receiving little to no run support from the expansion club.

1965 Season
In their fourth consecutive season of losing well over 100 games, Al Jackson went 8-20 with a 4.34 ERA for the Mets, and only Jack Fisher (#93), with 36, made more starts than Jackson's 31.  On July 21st, Jackson took a no-hitter into the eighth inning against the Pirates, but Willie Stargell (#377) singled to left with one out to end the bid.  On October 20th, Jackson along with Charley Smith (#22) were traded to the Cardinals for former National League MVP Ken Boyer (#100).

1962 Topps #464

1963 Topps #111

1967 Topps #195

1968 Topps #503

1970 Topps #443

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1962 Topps #464
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (9):  1962-1970
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2008 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-AJ

47 - Jackson non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 5/7/22.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

Previous Card:  #380 Rocky Colavito - Cleveland Indians

Next Card:  #382 J.C. Martin - Chicago White Sox