Wednesday, June 7, 2017

no. 667 - pete ward


Who is the man: Pete Ward had wrapped up his major league career when this card was issued. He played his final season in 1970 with the Yankees.

Can ya dig it: This is Ward's only Topps card in a Yankees uniform. He's featured with the Yankees in the 1970 set but is airbrushed out of a White Sox uniform. (Why, oh why, did Topps interchange between "Yankees" and "Yanks" in the '70 set?)

Right on: The centering issue here is a common trait of this card. I have no desire to upgrade it though.

You see that cat Ward is a bad mother: Ward enjoyed a terrific rookie season in 1963, hitting 22 home runs, knocking in 84 and batting .295.

Shut your mouth: Ward was scheduled to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated in early June, 1965 and a cover was even created. But it was pulled very late in order to feature the famed fight between Sonny Liston and Cassius Clay.


No one understands him but his woman: Ward is often mistakenly called the Rookie of the Year for 1963, but he finished second in the voting to teammate, pitcher Gary Peters. The confusion comes because Ward was voted the top rookie that year by The Sporting News.


(A word about the back): Ward's birth year is now listed as 1937.

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