#82 Braves Rookie Stars - Santos Alomar / John Braun

Santos Alomar
Milwaukee Braves
Shortstop

Bats:  Both  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'9"  Weight:  140
Born:  October 19, 1943, Salinas, Puerto Rico
Signed:  Signed by the Milwaukee Braves as an amateur free agent before 1960 season.
Major League Teams:  Milwaukee Braves 1964-1965; Atlanta Braves 1966; New York Mets 1967; Chicago White Sox 1967-1969; California Angels 1969-1974; New York Yankees 1974-1976; Texas Rangers 1977-1978

John Paul Braun
Milwaukee Braves
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'5"  Weight:  218
Born:  December 26, 1939, Madison, WI
Signed:  Signed by the Milwaukee Braves as an amateur free agent, February 1, 1960
Major League Teams:  Milwaukee Braves 1964
Died:  June 10, 2011, Oceanside, CA (age 71)

Sandy Alomar played in nearly 1,500 games over his 15 year career before embarking on a long coaching career between 1986 and 2009.  Used sparingly over the fist four seasons of his big league career, Alomar got his first shot as an every day player with the White Sox in the late 1960s and the Angels in the early 1970s.  He went to the All-Star Game in 1970 and led the league in plate appearances in both 1970 and 1971 as the Angels' regular second baseman.  His longevity was most likely due to his versatility in the field, as he was able to play all infield and outfield positions.  An excellent bunter, Alomar was also speedy on the basepaths and accumulated 227 career stolen bases.  Over his career, he finished in the top ten for stolen bases six times and in the top ten for singles four times.  He finished his playing career as a reliable pinch hitter for the Yankees and Rangers in the mid-1970s.

Alomar was a long-time manager in both Puerto Rico and the minor leagues in between major league coaching stints with the Padres (1986-1990), Cubs (2000-2002), Rockies (2003-2004) and Mets (2005-2009).  He's the father of long-time catcher Sandy Alomar, Jr., who served as the interim manager for the Indians last season, and Hall of Fame second baseman Roberto Alomar. 

Countering Alomar's longevity in the game is John Braun.  In the second game of a double header against the Pirates on October 2, 1964, Braun entered the game in the 4th inning with the Pirates ahead, 5-0.  He relieved Clay Carroll (#461) and faced nine batters over two innings of work.  He allowed a pair of singles, a walk and struck out Roberto Clemente (#160) looking.  That was to be Braun's only big league appearance.  I can only assume an injury cut his career short as he'd only appear in four minor league games in 1965 before his playing days ended.

Building the Set
December 25, 2020 from Marco Island, FL - Card #191
This is one of 32 cards (mostly commons) I received from Jenna and our sons on Christmas morning, as I was asked to do some surrogate shopping on their behalf and I gladly obliged.  Hunting specifically for first series cards, this is one of 11 cards I added from eBay seller njlionsfan from Clinton, New Jersey.  Given this is Alomar's rookie card, it was a little pricier than the other cards purchased at $4.

The Card / Braves Team Set
This is Alomar's first of 15 straight appearances in Topps flagship sets.  It's also the last time Topps referred to the infielder as Santos, using his nickname for his next 14 cards.  At the time this card was issued, Alomar had appeared in 19 games for the Braves as a September call-up.  His .329 season with the Boise Braves came in 1962.

This is Braun's first and last baseball card.  The 3 cards listed for him at both the Trading Card Database and within the Beckett online database are this card, the O-Pee-Chee version of the card and a buyback version of the card inserted into packs of 2014 Topps Heritage.

1965 Season - Alomar
Alomar was the Braves' opening day second baseman but he was sent down to Atlanta in late June before receiving a September call-up.  With the big league club, Alomar appeared in 67 games, making 39 starts at shortstop and 19 starts at second base.  The regulars for the Braves at both those positions were Woody Woodward (#487) and Frank Bollling (#269), respectively.  Alomar hit .241 with 8 RBIs and 12 stolen bases.

With the Triple-A Atlanta Crackers, Alomar appeared in 66 games and hit .243 with a team-leading 14 stolen bases.

1965 Season - Braun
As mentioned above, Braun only pitched in four games during 1965, all for the Double-A Austin Braves.  He went 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA over only five innings of work.

1967 Topps #561

1970 Topps #29

1973 Topps #123

1976 Topps #629

1979 Topps #144

Other Notable Baseball Cards - Alomar
First Mainstream Card:  1965 Topps #82
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (15):  1965-1979
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2016 Topps Archives 65th Anniversary Edition #A65-SAS

85 - Alomar non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 1/2/21.

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

Other Notable Baseball Cards - Braun
First Mainstream Card:  1965 Topps #82
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (1):  1965
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1965 Topps #82

3 - Braun non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 1/2/21.

Sources - Braun:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
The Trading Card Database

Previous Card:  #81 Don Buford - Chicago White Sox

Next Card:  #83 George Thomas - Detroit Tigers

#42 Earl Wilson - Boston Red Sox

Earl Lawrence Wilson
Boston Red Sox
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'3"  Weight:  216
Born:  October 2, 1934, Ponchatoula, LA
Signed:  Signed by the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent, May 11, 1953
Major League Teams:  Boston Red Sox 1959-1960, 1962-1966; Detroit Tigers 1966-1970; San Diego Padres 1970
Died:  April 23, 2005, Southfield, MI (age 70)

An above average starting pitcher in the mid to late-1960s, Earl Wilson won 22 games with the Tigers in 1967 and helped that club win a World Series title in 1968.  Wilson began his career with the Red Sox and was their first black pitcher when he debuted in 1959.  On June 26, 1962, Wilson threw a no-hitter against the Angels and hit a home run in the winning effort.  He struggled somewhat with occasional wildness, leading the league in both walks and wild pitches in 1963.  Wilson was dealt to the Tigers on June 14, 1966, after a racist incident occurred that he was told by Boston management to "forget about."

With the Tigers, he found his greatest success, including his 1967 season when he led the league in wins.  In 1968, he supported a pitching rotation that also included Denny McLain (#236) and Mickey Lolich (#335) on the way to winning the World Series.  Wilson finished his career with a 121-109 record and a 3.69 ERA over 338 games pitched.  Originally a catcher, he was also an accomplished hitter, batting .195 for his career with 35 home runs - 33 as a pitcher and 2 as a pinch-hitter.  Only Wes Ferrell (38), Bob Lemon (37), Warren Spahn (#205) (35) and Red Ruffing (34) have hit more home runs as a pitcher.

Building the Set
December 25, 2020 from Marco Island, FL - Card #190
This is one of 32 cards (mostly commons) I received from Jenna and our sons on Christmas morning, as I was asked to do some surrogate shopping on their behalf and I gladly obliged.  Hunting specifically for first series cards, this is one of 11 cards I added from eBay seller njlionsfan from Clinton, New Jersey.  This Wilson card was only $2.

The Card / Red Sox Team Set
If the player in the dugout behind Wilson had just turned his back a little more, we'd be able to identify him by his uniform number.  I'll take a wild guess and say that's pitcher Dave Morehead (#434), who wore #23 with the Red Sox beginning in 1963.  I'm noticing more and more with the write-ups on the backs of these cards that Topps really focuses on the player's minor league highlights and especially their early minor league highlights.  Wilson had won at least 11 games for the Red Sox in 1962, 1963 and 1964, but it's his 10 wins with the 1959 Minneapolis Millers that gets the attention.  At least the cartoon highlights his no-hitter from 1962.

1965 Season
As the most used starting pitcher for the Red Sox, Wilson went 13-14 in 36 starts with a 3.98 ERA.  He threw 8 complete games, including one shutout.  He led the Red Sox staff in wins, innings pitched (230 2/3) and strikeouts (164).  Only Bill Monbouquette (#142), who started 35 games, had a better ERA at 3.70.  Wilson hit two home runs in his start on August 16th against the White Sox, but still lost the game 5-4.  He struck out a season high 13 Senators on August 25th.

1960 Topps #249

1963 Topps #76

1967 Topps #305

1968 Topps #160

1971 Topps #301

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1960 Topps #249
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (11):  1960-1961, 1963-1971
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2001 Fleer Boston Red Sox 100th Anniversary #50

74 - Wilson non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 1/1/21.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database

Previous Card:  #41 White Sox Rookie Stars

Next Card:  #43 Mike Shannon - St. Louis Cardinals

#73 Dennis Ribant - New York Mets

Dennis Joseph Ribant
New York Mets
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  165
Born:  September 20, 1941, Detroit, MI
Signed:  Signed by the Milwaukee Braves as an amateur free agent before 1961 season
Major League Teams:  New York Mets 1964-1966; Pittsburgh Pirates 1967; Detroit Tigers 1968; Chicago White Sox 1968; St. Louis Cardinals 1969; Cincinnati Reds 1969

Dennis Ribant pitched for six different teams over a big league career that spanned six seasons.  His best season came in 1966 when he went 11-9 with a 3.20 ERA for the Mets, finishing the year with the highest WAR (3.5) on a club that lost 95 games.  Ribant has the distinction of being the first full-time starting pitcher in Mets history to finish a season with a winning record.  He also pitched in 14 games for his home-town Tigers in 1968, the year they won the World Series in seven games over the Cardinals.  Ribant was traded to the White Sox on July 26, 1968 and never got the chance to appear in the postseason.  He last appeared in the majors in 1969 and spent the last four seasons of his professional career pitching in the minor league systems of the Pirates, Padres and Phillies between 1970 and 1973.

For his career, Ribant was 24-29 with a 3.87 ERA over 149 games.  He struck out 241 batters over 518 2/3 innings.

Building the Set
December 25, 2020 from Marco Island, FL - Card #189
This is one of 32 cards (mostly commons) I received from Jenna and our sons on Christmas morning, as I was asked to do some surrogate shopping on their behalf and I gladly obliged.  Hunting specifically for first series cards, this is one of 11 cards I added from eBay seller njlionsfan from Clinton, New Jersey.  This Ribant card was only $2.

The Card / Mets Team Set
Ribant made his big league debut on August 9, 1964 with the Mets and appeared in 14 games for the club over the final months of the season.  This is his rookie card.  The write-up with the cartoon on the back of the card is incorrect as Ribant's fist start came on August 12th and he lasted six innings in a 5-4 loss to the Pirates.  His second start came on August 17th, and that was the game he pitched a shutout.  Ribant struck out 10 Pirates batters and held the line-up to four hits.  Originally drafted by the Braves, he was traded to the Mets on August 8, 1964, the day before his debut, with cash for Frank Lary (#127).

1965 Season
Ribant spent most of the season with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, appearing in 21 games (15 starts) and going 3-12 with a 3.88 ERA.  He was up with the Mets in April and May and again as a September call-up.  With the Mets, he went 1-3 with a 3.82 ERA over 19 games, making only one start.

Phillies Connection
Ribant's last stop in the minor leagues was with the Eugene Emeralds, the Phillies top farm team in 1973 in the Pacific Coast League.  Under manager Jim Bunning (#20), Ribant appeared in only 10 games with no record and a 7.36 ERA.  His short-term teammates included future Phillies Alan Bannister, Mike Rogodzinski and Larry Christenson.

1966 Topps #241

1967 Topps #527

1968 Topps #326

1969 Topps #463

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1965 Topps #73
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (5):  1965-1969
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1981 TCMA The 1960s II #443

20 - Ribant non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 1/1/21.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database

Previous Card:  #72 Tony Gonzalez - Philadelphia Phillies

Next Card:  #74 Red Sox Rookie Stars

#71 John O'Donoghue - Kansas City Athletics

John Eugene O'Donoghue
Kansas City Athletics
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'4"  Weight:  203
Born:  October 7, 1939, Kansas City, MO
Signed:  Signed by the Kansas City Athletics as an amateur free agent before 1959 season
Major League Teams:  Kansas City Athletics 1963-1965; Cleveland Indians 1966-1967; Baltimore Orioles 1968; Seattle Pilots 1969; Milwaukee Brewers 1970; Montreal Expos 1970-1971

John O'Donoghue appeared in parts of nine major league seasons, beginning his career as a starting pitcher and finishing it as a reliever.  He was an All-Star in 1965, a season in which he finished with a 9-18 record for an Athletics team that lost 103 games.  His best season came during the Pilots' only year of existence, as O'Donoghue was a key member for that team's surprisingly strong bullpen.  With the Pilots, he appeared in 55 games, pitching to a 2.96 ERA over 70 innings and recording 6 saves.  Only reliever Diego Segui (#197) had more appearances for the Pilots than O'Donoghue with 66.  In 257 career games, O'Donoghue had a record of 39-55 with a 4.07 ERA and 10 saves.  

He'd later serve as a pitching coach in the Orioles' organization in the early 1990s.  His son, also John O'Donoghue, appeared in 11 games for the 1993 Orioles.

Building the Set
December 25, 2020 from Marco Island, FL - Card #188
This is one of 32 cards (mostly commons) I received from Jenna and our sons on Christmas morning, as I was asked to do some surrogate shopping on their behalf and I gladly obliged.  Hunting specifically for first series cards, this is one of 11 cards I added from eBay seller njlionsfan from Clinton, New Jersey.  This O'Donoghue card was only $2.

The Card / Athletics Team Set
O'Donoghue appeared on a Rookie Stars card in the 1964 Topps set with infielder George Williams, and this is his first solo card.  It was also his last card with the Athletics, as he was traded to the Indians on April 6, 1966 and Topps updated his team designation for his 1966 late series appearance.  Flipping to the back, the heart-breaking loss referenced came on September 29, 1963.  The Athletics lost 2-1 to the Indians on an unearned run scored in the fifth inning as a result of a Tommie Reynolds (#333) error.  I'm not sure that qualifies as heart-breaking, but admittedly Topps didn't have a lot to go with here.  Segui makes another appearance in the O'Donoghue story, as the two pitchers ahead of O'Donoghue as "active hurlers" for the 1964 Athletics were Segui and Orlando Pena (#311).

1965 Season
As mentioned above, O'Donoghue went 9-18 over 30 starts to go with a 3.95 ERA.  Only Fred Talbot (#58), with 33, starting more games for the woeful Athletics team.  O'Donoghue did not appear in the All-Star Game, held at Minnesota's Metropolitan Stadium.

1964 Topps #388

1966 Topps #501

1967 Topps #127

1970 Topps #441

1971 Topps #743

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1964 Topps #388
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7):  1964-1968, 1970-1971
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1994 Fleer ProCards #2428

35 - O'Donoghue non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 1/1/21.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
The Trading Card Database
Wikipedia

Previous Card:  #70 Bill Skowron - Chicago White Sox

Next Card:  #72 Tony Gonzalez - Philadelphia Phillies

#64 Lou Burdette - Chicago Cubs

Selva Lewis Burdette
Chicago Cubs
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  180
Born:  November 22, 1926, Nitro, WV
Signed:  Signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent, April 6, 1947
Major League Teams:  New York Yankees 1950; Boston Braves 1951-1952; Milwaukee Braves 1953-1963; St. Louis Cardinals 1963-1964; Chicago Cubs 1964-1965; Philadelphia Phillies 1965; California Angels 1966-1967
Died:  February 6, 2007, Winter Garden, FL (age 80)

Lew Burdette, or Lou Burdette depending on the year of his Topps card, spent an impressive 18 years in the major leagues and was the World Series MVP in 1957 with the Braves.  Relying on pinpoint control, Burdette was one of the more dominant pitchers in the National League between 1956 and 1959, going to the All-Star Game twice, winning at least 20 games twice and winning the league's ERA title in 1956 with a 2.70 mark.  Atop the Braves starting pitching rotation with Warren Spahn (#205) and Bob Buhl (#264), Burdette was a key factor in the only World Series title in Milwaukee Braves history.  The Braves downed the Yankees in seven games, with Burdette going 3-0 with 3 complete games, including two shutouts, with a 0.67 ERA and 25 strikeouts over 27 innings pitched.  He pitched a no-hitter against the Phillies on August 18, 1960, missing a perfect game only because he had hit Tony Gonzalez (#72) with a pitch in the fifth inning.

After leaving the Braves in 1963, Burdette shifted to mostly relief pitching and at 39-years-old was one of the American League's top relievers in 1969 with the Angels.  For his career, Burdette went 203-144 with a 3.66 ERA with 158 complete games and 33 shutouts.  He had 1,074 strikeouts to just 628 walks, and his career average of 1.84 walks per nine innings puts him fifth on the list of pitchers with that low a mark and at least 3,000 innings pitched since 1920.  He briefly served as the Braves' pitching coach in 1972 and 1973.  Burdette was elected to the Braves Hall of Fame in 2001.

Building the Set
December 25, 2020 from Marco Island, FL - Card #187
This is one of 32 cards (mostly commons) I received from Jenna and our sons on Christmas morning, as I was asked to do some surrogate shopping on their behalf and I gladly obliged.  Hunting specifically for first series cards, this is one of 11 cards I added from eBay seller njlionsfan from Clinton, New Jersey.  This Burdette card was only $2.50.

The Card / Cubs Team Set
Burdette had an exclusive contract with Bowman, and his first Topps appearance didn't come until 1956.  Topps seemed genuinely confused by his first name, going with "Lew" in 1956 and 1957 before switching over to "Lou" for all of his cards through 1967.  He's back to "Lew" on the Braves Field Leaders card in the 1973 Topps set.  Burdette is wearing a Cardinals jersey here, as this photo seems to be from the same session that yielded the photo used for his 1964 Topps card.  He was traded from the Cardinals to the Cubs on June 2, 1964.  As is the case with all veterans in the set, the many years of statistics leave no room for a cartoon on the back.

1965 Season / Phillies Career
Burdette began the season with the Cubs, appearing in 7 games (3 starts) and going 0-2 with a 5.31 ERA.  On May 30th he was sold to the Phillies.  His struggles continued with the Phillies who used him sparingly throughout the season.  He made 12 starts with mostly disastrous results, going 3-5 with a 6.99 ERA over 55 1/3 innings pitched.  As a reliever, he fared better, pitching to a 3.03 ERA over 14 appearances and 35 2/3 innings pitched.  The lone bright spot came on August 31st during the second game of a double header against the Giants.  Burdette pitched a complete game shutout, limiting the Giants to six hits.  Without a clear role in the Phillies long-term plans, he was released on October 13th and signed a month and a half later with the Angels.  Burdette never appeared as a Phillie on a baseball card.

1952 Bowman #244

1955 Bowman #70

1957 Topps #208

1964 Topps #523

1967 Topps #265

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1952 Bowman #244
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (13):  1956-1967, 1973
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2011 Topps 60 Relics #T60R-LB

134 - Burdette non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 12/30/20.

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

Previous Card:  #63 Ty Cline - Milwaukee Braves

Next Card:  #65 Tony Kubek - New York Yankees

#65 Tony Kubek - New York Yankees

Anthony Christopher Kubek
New York Yankees
Shortstop

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'3"  Weight:  190
Born:  October 12, 1935, Milwaukee, WI
Signed:  Signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent before 1954 season
Major League Teams:  New York Yankees 1957-1965

Shortstop Tony Kubek enjoyed a brief nine seasons with the Yankees, earning three All-Star Game berths and winning three World Series rings, before embarking on a Hall of Fame broadcast career.  Kubek was voted the A.L. Rookie of the Year in 1957 in a near unanimous vote.  He hit .297 that season playing as a super utility player for the Yankees at shortstop, third base, left field and center field.  He was an All-Star in 1958, 1959 and 1961 and played in 37 World Series games between 1957 and 1963.  His best personal season came in 1960 when he batted .273 with career highs in home runs (14) and RBIs (62).  Along with second baseman Bobby Richardson (#115), Kubek formed one of the top double play combinations of his era.  Kubek retired following the 1965 season due to a lingering back injury and in 1,092 career games, he batted .266 with 57 home runs and 373 RBIs.

Kubek immediately began his broadcasting career in 1966, working at NBC and calling their Game of the Week for 24 years.  He was ubiquitous as the color commentator for ALCS, World Series and All-Star Games throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s, where he was most often paired with Bob Costas.  He also served as an announcer for the Blue Jays beginning with their inaugural season in 1977 through 1989.  His final broadcasting job came back with his original team, the Yankees, for whom he called games for five seasons between 1990 and 1994.  Kubek was the recipient of the Hall of Fame's 2009 Ford C. Frick Award for his broadcasting excellence.

Building the Set
December 25, 2020 from Marco Island, FL - Card #186
This is one of 32 cards (mostly commons) I received from Jenna and our sons on Christmas morning, as I was asked to do some surrogate shopping on their behalf and I gladly obliged.  Hunting specifically for first series cards, this is one of 11 cards I added from eBay seller njlionsfan from Clinton, New Jersey.  This Kubek card was surprisingly cheap at $2.50.

The Card / Yankees Team Set
It's a shame Kubek didn't receive a card in the 1966 Topps set, as this is his final Topps flagship card and it doesn't contain his statistics from his final season.  His Rookie of the Year win is highlighted on the back.  It's interesting that Topps includes the extra line for 1962 noting Kubek was "in military service" as he did appear in 45 games that year.  It's almost as if Topps wanted to explain Kubek's low game tally for the season.  Kubek, at card #71, is one of 72 players featured within the 1965 Topps Embossed insert set and one of four Yankees in the set.

1965 Season
In his final season, Kubek appeared in 109 games and batted just .218 for a Yankees club that dropped to sixth place.  He was the club's opening day shortstop, but lost significant playing time to Phil Linz (#369) as the season progressed.  Kubek ended up starting 81 games at short to Linz's 70 and rookie Bobby Murcer received the other 11 starts as a September call-up.

He suffered a left shoulder injury early in the season that contributed to his struggles and led him to travel to the Mayo Clinic following the season for answers about his physical ailments.  It was there that his back injury was diagnosed as nerve damage at the top of his spinal column.  Not wanting to risk further injury, and possible paralysis, Kubek announced his retirement in January 1966 at the age of 29.

1957 Topps #312

1959 Topps #505

1961 Topps #265

1962 Topps #311

1964 Topps #415

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1957 Topps #312
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (9):  1957-1965
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2012 Panini Golden Age #73

199 - Kubek non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 12/29/20.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

Previous Card:  #64 Lou Burdette - Chicago Cubs

Next Card:  #66 Bill Rigney MG - Los Angeles Angels