no. 569 - ivan murrell

Who is the man: Ivan Murrell was coming off the most productive season of his 10-year major league career when this card was issued. He'd appear in 100 games only one more time, in 1971.

Can ya dig it: This is another one of the semi-high numbers that I owned among the first '71s in my collection.

Right on: Murrell looks like quite the slugger there. He was tied for fifth on the team with 12 home runs in 1970.

You see that cat Murrell is a bad mother: Murrell hit .325 for Triple A Oklahoma City when he was in the Astros' chain in 1967. That led to the Padres selecting him in the 1968 expansion draft with their 20th pick.

Shut your mouth: Murrell, a native Panama, was an accomplished boxer and soccer player, but claimed baseball was tougher than both of those in a 1969 article. "Baseball looks easy, but I find it tougher than soccer and boxing."

No one understands him but his woman: Murrell became well-known for helping out youth players after his playing career. He coached and ran camps and was the helpful type, whether it was giving kids a ride across town for a game or raising money for players to go to the Caribbean. At gae 63, he died from stomach cancer two days after being diagnosed.

(A word about the back): You're looking at career-highs in games played, runs, hits, home runs and RBIs for Murrell in 1970.