Who is the man: Bob Tillman had completed his final season in the big leagues when this card was released. He was traded to the Brewers in December of 1970 but never played for Milwaukee as he was released less than two months after he was traded.
Can ya dig it: This is Tillman's final card.
Right on: Dugout shots are always cool. Bat rack shots are always cool. Player-holding-bat-on-top-step-of-dugout shots are always cool. This is a cool card.
You see this cat Tillman is a bad mother: Tillman caught two no-hitters during his career, by the Red Sox's Earl Wilson and Dave Morehead.
Shut your mouth: Tillman struggled to hit for much his career and had particular trouble with the curve ball. Boston writer Larry Claflin once wrote: "The curve ball to Tillman is what television is to movie theaters."
No one understands him but his woman: When Dick Williams took over as Red Sox manager that was the end of Tillman. During a game in May, Tillman tried to throw out the Tigers' Al Kaline on a steal attempt. The throw caromed off the head of relief pitcher John Wyatt and into the on-deck circle, allowing Kaline to take third. Kaline would later score the winning run -- the first run Wyatt had allowed all year. Williams benched Tillman for the next 38 games and the Red Sox sold him to the Yankees three months later.
(A word about the back): This is where the single line of stats in '71 Topps comes up short. You could have seen Tillman's complete major league stats for his whole career had '71 Topps been like most of the previous Topps sets up until then.
Must have this card. That story about Al Kaline is funny, but sad.
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