no. 718 - billy wynne

Who is the man: Billy Wynne appeared in 12 games for the White Sox in 1970 before being traded to the Angels in a six-player deal on Nov. 30.

Can ya dig it: Another comical airbrush with vertical lines.

Right on: This is the last of the six players in that trade to be shown from this set. All of them except Jay Johnstone featured an airbrushed hat. Johnstone isn't wearing a hat.

You see that Wynne is a bad mother: Wynne started 20 games for the White Sox in 1969. He went 7-7 in 128 2/3 innings.

Shut your mouth: Wynne was also involved in another large trade. He went from the Mets to the White Sox in a deal that landed New York two key Miracle Mets players, Tommie Agee and Al Weis.

No one understands him but his woman: Wynne's first major league victory came in Milwaukee's County Stadium -- against the Seattle Pilots. The White Sox played several home games in Milwaukee in 1968 and 1969 in an agreement to help Milwaukee's cause for a major league team to replace the Braves.

(A word about the back): Four of Wynne's eight major league wins were versus the Angels and he won none while with the Angels, appearing in just three games for them.

no. 717 - tommie aaron

Who is the man: Tommie Aaron was playing in his final major league season when this card was issued. He played in 25 games for the Braves in 1971, spending most of the year in the minors.

Can ya dig it: The Laughing Brave logo appears to be laughing at Aaron.

Right on: This is the final card of Aaron made during his career.

You see that cat Aaron is a bad mother: Aaron is part of the most successful home-run hitting brother combo with his older brother, Hank. Of  course, that's a goofy stat as Hank hit 755 of the 768 total.

Shut your mouth: Aaron, a seldom-used utility player, went 5-for-15 during his career against Juan Marichal.

No one understands him but his woman: The debate around Tommie Aaron was whether he received preferential treatment because of his brother or had to work harder because of his brother. The two were teammates for the length of Tommie's career.

(A word about the back): The two home runs mentioned in the write-up were the last two home runs Aaron hit during his career.

no. 716 - dave leonhard

Who is the man: Dave Leonhard worked the bullpen for the Orioles in 1970, struggling to a 5.08 earned run average.

Can ya dig it: We're way up in the high numbers now, meaning cards that are off-center or have other issues (this has some gum-staining, too) are more commonplace in my collection.

Right on: But look at that fantastic signature!

You see that cat Leonhard is a bad mother: Leonhard made an appearance in the 1971 World Series, pitching a scoreless inning of relief in Game 5.

Shut your mouth: Leonhard pitched several years of winter ball in Puerto Rico, but got into some hot water after the '71 season when an article about Leonhard's experiences in Puerto Rico played up his complaints about cockroaches and lice. He was booed for a period on the island, until his team and the newspaper smoothed things over.

No one understands him but his woman: Leonhard and his second wife, Doris, opened up a Christmas tree stand after his career and that turned into a owning a series of greenhouses and flower shops.

(My observation on the back): Leonhard's ERA in 1970 is listed as 5.14 here because his innings that year are rounded down from 28 1/3. Also 23 games and 28 innings sounds like a lot of one-batter-only outings ... or getting shelled a lot.

no. 715 - horace clarke

Who is the man: Horace Clarke totaled a career-high 686 at-bats -- tops in the league -- in 1970, producing 172 hits, the second-best of his career.

Can ya dig it: Those glasses are so big they seem like they're holding up his helmet.

Right on: Growing up where I do, I automatically assumed I knew all Yankees players throughout history. Then I was hit with people like Horace Clarke and Jerry Kenney when I started collecting early '70s cards and it opened up a wonderful new world.

You see that cat Clarke is a bad mother: Clarke's 151 career stolen bases ranks in the top 20 all-time for the Yankees.

Shut your mouth: Clarke was chosen as the symbol of one of the least productive eras in Yankees history, from 1966-74. The period of CBS ownership of the team became known as "The Horace Clarke Era".

No one understands him but his woman: Clarke wore his helmet in the field, explaining after his career "I had some really unusual things happen to me (on the field)."

(A word about the back): Clarke and Joe Mauer are the only two batters to break up as many as three no-hitters in the ninth inning, but Clarke's feat happened all within one month!

no. 714 - dick williams

Who is the man: Dick Williams spent the 1970 season as a coach with the Expos. He was hired by Oakland owner Charlie Finley to lead a bunch of hard-headed talents for the 1971 season. The A's would win 101 games in Williams' first year.

Can ya dig it: One of the most memorable painted caps in any baseball card set. That hat is straight out of "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?"

Right on: You can see the hint of Red Sox lettering on Williams' jersey. Williams managed the Red Sox until 1969.

You see that cat Williams is a bad mother: Williams led three teams -- the Red Sox, the A's and the Padres -- to the World Series. Only one other manager can say that.

Shut your mouth: Williams looked at the Oakland A's as 25 versions of himself and said the animosity they held for the team's owner, Finley, worked in his favor. "It's impossible for even baseball players to truly hate two of their bosses at once," Williams said.

No one understands him but his woman: Williams was married to his wife, Norma, for 57 years. They died 28 days apart in 2011.

(A word about the back): Williams was on the verge of his second AL Manager of the Year award when this card was issued.

no. 713 - mike marshall

Who is the man: Mike Marshall arrived in 1970 with the team on which he'd build his reputation. He was traded from Houston to Montreal in June of that year.

Can ya dig it: It appears that Marshall is wearing a Detroit Tigers jersey. Marshall last played for the Tigers in 1967.

Right on: The "b" on the airbrushed cap looks quite puny. And it looks like the artist missed a spot around the left neck area.

You see that cat Marshall is a bad mother: Marshall set the major league record by appearing in a still amazing 106 games in relief in 1974. He pitched 208 1/3 relief innings and won the Cy Young Award.

Shut your mouth: During his career, Marshall refused to sign autographs because he thought kids shouldn't look up to players as heroes. I also read somewhere a long time ago that he refused to pose for baseball card photographs midway through his career and that's why you saw nothing but action shots of him from 1975 onward (and why his cards always looked bitchin').

No one understands him but his woman: Marshall, whose advanced knowledge of the science of kinesiology and his support for unconventional pitching methods is well-known, last worked for a major league organization in 1981.

(A word about the back): Marshall spent his first six seasons in pro baseball as shortstop. He hit .280 in 2,026 at-bats in the minor leagues during those years.

no. 712: jose martinez

Who is the man: Jose Martinez played in the final 19 games of his major league career in 1970.

Can ya dig it: Don't you think the two guys behind Martinez should be facing him? He's the star of the show here!

Right on: This is the second of just two Topps cards of Martinez. The other is in the 1970 Topps set. That card was No. 8, while this is No. 712. It makes me wonder if this is the widest disparity between card numbers for someone who had just two Topps cards.

You see that cat Martinez is a bad mother: Martinez reached the majors after nine years in the minor leagues. He hit .268 as a bench player for the Pirates in 1969.

Shut your mouth: Royals general manager Dayton Moore remembered Martinez fondly after his death in 2014. Moore said during spring training when both Martinez and Moore were with the Braves, Martinez would cook fish late at night and tell stories.

No one understands him but his woman: Martinez worked for 20 years as a special assistant to the general manager with Atlanta. He'd work with getting foreign-born minor leagues acclimated to baseball in the U.S.

(A word about the back): That's interesting. Martinez played third, second and shortstop in 1970, so three different gloves then.

no. 711 - larry stahl

Who is the man: Larry Stahl split the 1970 season between the Padres and the team's Triple A team in Salt Lake City.

Can ya dig it: The tarp is on the field and there is some sort of object on the mound.

Right on: It's another day at Shea.

You see that cat Stahl is a bad mother: Stahl went 2-for-4 for the Reds during the 1973 NLCS against the Mets. He appeared in four of the five games as a pinch-hitter each time.

Shut your mouth: Stahl was the batter who received a walk with two outs in the ninth inning, breaking up the perfect game bid by the Cubs' Milt Pappas in 1972. Umpire Bruce Froemming called a controversial ball four against Pappas, which upset Pappas for years. "I called Bruce Froemming every name you could think of," said Pappas, who did get his no-hitter one batter later.

No one understands him but his woman: Stahl's first appearance on a Topps card was a rookie stars card in the 1966 set while with the Kansas City A's. He didn't appear on another card until the 1969 Topps set despite playing in 124 games combined with the Mets in 1967 and 1968.

(A word about the back): Topps' habit of capitalizing extra base hits throughout much of the '70s is amusing to me.

no. 710 - sonny siebert

Who is the man: Sonny Siebert had completed his second season with the Red Sox in 1970, winning 15 games for Boston. His 1971 season would be even better.

Can ya dig it: Home plate is the over there, Sonny.

Right on: You can see why Siebert was called Sonny from the signature. Siebert's full first name is Wilifred.

You see that cat Siebert is a bad mother: While with the Indians, Siebert pitched a no-hitter against the Washington Senators on June 10, 1966.

Shut your mouth: Before leaving for the ballpark on the day he threw the no-hitter, Siebert's wife kidded him about several recent poor outings on the mound. Siebert said, "promise you'll get off my back and I'll pitch a no-hitter."

No one understands him but his woman: Siebert is the last American League pitcher to hit two home runs in a single game.

(A word about the back): That grounder that just got through the infield was hit by the Angels' Jay Johnstone to lead off the third inning during that July 31st game.

no. 709 rookie stars outfielders

What a card: Two of the three players on this card made their major league debuts in 1970. Tom Paciorek went 2-for-9 in eight games in his debut with the Dodgers. Don Baylor went 4-for-17, also in eight games, with the Orioles in his debut. Dusty Baker was making his third stint in the majors in 1970. He appeared in 13 games and batted .292 in 24 at-bats.

Can ya dig it: This is the most difficult of the high numbers to obtain. As you can see, mine is cut weirdly and contains a crease in the left corner. And if that's not enough, I still need a second one for my Dodgers collection.

Right on: OK, this is another variation on the rookie stars cards. Let's update the list:

Team-oriented, two-player
Team-oriented, three-player
National League, three-player
American League, three-player
Pitchers, three-player
American League pitchers, three-player
Outfielders, three-player

You see these rookies are bad mothers: Well, I hate to say it, but even though all three enjoyed solid MLB careers and the careers of Baker and Baylor were exceptional, they are not bad-ass. Not right now.

Shut your mouth: Baker's nickname of "Dusty" is so identified with him that few know his actual first name is "Johnnie". Paciorek's nickname of "Wimpy" is also well-known. Baylor's nickname was "Groove," which is new to me.

No one understands him but his woman: Baylor breaking his leg while catching a first pitch thrown by Vladimir Guerrero in 2014 is still one of the strangest on-field injuries I've seen. Baylor, down on one knee on his left leg, reached across his body to backhand Guerrero's throw and his right leg collapsed with a broken thigh bone.

(A word about the back): Sadly, the youngest of the three is no longer alive.

no. 708 - russ nagelson

Who is the man: Rusty Nagelson played in 45 games for the Indians and Tigers in 1970, the most playing time he'd enjoy in a single major league season.

Can ya dig it: That might be the most tilted background I've ever seen on a baseball card. The Yankee Stadium bleacher seats are at a 30 degree angle.

Right on: Nagelson's only solo card. He also appears on an Indians' two-player rookie card in the 1970 Topps set.

You see that cat Nagelson is a bad mother: Nagelson played on the 1966 Ohio State national champion baseball team. It's the last baseball team from the Big Ten to win an NCAA championship.

Shut your mouth: Nagelson was traded during the 1970 season for the player featured in the previous post, Fred Lasher. That's pretty neat.

No one understands him but his woman: When Nagelson was recruited by Ohio State, he was a star quarterback in high school. He wanted to be a quarterback at Ohio State. But Buckeyes football coach Woody Hayes said Nagelson would be a guard. Nagelson ended up playing baseball instead.

(A word about the back): Other major leaguers on that 1966 Ohio State team are Steve Arlin and Chuck Brinkman.