no. 727 - ray lamb

Who is the man: Ray Lamb pitched 35 games in relief for the Dodgers in 1970, going 6-1. He was traded to the Indians in December 1970.

Can ya dig it: Lamb looks drugged.

Right on: Thanks to the final series, we get to see Lamb in a real, live Indians uniform.

You see that cat Lamb is a bad mother: Lamb's first complete-game victory was a 7-hitter against the Yankees, a 2-1 win for last-place Cleveland in Yankee Stadium on May 14, 1971.

Shut your mouth: A Sports Illustrated archive says Lamb appeared in a movie as an extra during the 1970-71 offseason, but I can find no other mention of it.

No one understands him but his woman: Lamb is the last Dodgers player to wear the No. 42 before the Dodgers retired the number in honor of Jackie Robinson in 1972. Lamb wore the number in 1969.

(A word about the back): That write-up gets you up to date on Mr. Lamb right to the end.

no. 689 - frank baker

Who is the man: Frank Baker didn't receive a single major league at-bat in 1970. After debuting in 1969 and playing in 52 games, he played all of 1970 with Triple A Wichita.

Can ya dig it: Shucks, if the photo was zoomed out a bit we could get a better look at what I'm sure is a great old-school Pepsi ad.

Right on: Baker looks just a bit wary.

You see that cat Baker is a bad mother: Baker is a member of Franklin High School (Somerset, N.J.)'s football Hall of Fame.

Shut your mouth: Baker missed all of the 1967 and 1968 seasons to serve in the Vietnam War.

No one understands him but his woman: This is the second Frank Baker featured in the set. The first one, a shortstop, was featured back on card No. 213.

(My observation on the back): Baker looks wary on the back of his card, too. Probably trying to figure out why someone with zero 1970 stats is getting a card.

no. 612 - indians rookie stars

Who is the man: Ted Ford and Steve Mingori enjoyed their first appearances in major league games in 1970, while Lou Camilli first appeared in the majors in 1969. All three players were stars on the Triple A Wichita Aeros team in 1970.

Can ya dig it: Chief Wahoo is photo-bombing Ford's picture.

Right on: Camilli may have appeared in the major leagues first, but he's the only one of the three here to never receive his own solo Topps card.

You see these rookies are bad mothers: "Cleveland Indians" and "bad-ass" do not go together in the 1970s.

Shut your mouth: Camilli, who played sparingly for the Indians from 1969-72 once said, "They ought to change our name to the Cleveland Light Company. We don't have anything but utility men."

No one understands him but his woman: Steve Mingori was a Leap Year Day baby, born on Feb. 29, 1944. He is one of only 13 major leaguers to be born on Feb. 29.

(A word about the back): We have every possible batting preference on the back of this card. Bats right, bats left and bats both.

no. 597 - ken suarez

Who is the man: Ken Suarez spent the entire 1970 season with Triple A Wichita. Only in a 752-card set would he get a card.

Can ya dig it: I have no idea why Suarez is featuring an airbrushed cap. He had been with the Indians since 1968 and was featured in full Indians uniform on his 1970 Topps card.

Right on: I remember seeing this card when I was a kid. I was repulsed by the blacked-out cap. It looked like some sort of knock-off baseball card to me.

You see that cat Suarez is a bad mother: Suarez singled with one out in the ninth inning to break up a perfect game attempt by the Orioles' Jim Palmer in 1973.

Shut your mouth: Suarez is known for being the first player in Rangers history to file for salary arbitration. Five days after he filed, the Rangers traded him back to the Indians. Suarez filed a grievance with the Players Association asking that the traded be nullified. He refused to report to the Indians and retired instead.

No one understands him but his woman: Suarez made the U.S. baseball team for the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Baseball was a demonstration sport and in 1964 that meant just a single game. Suarez was on the team that beat an amateur squad from Japan, 6-2.

(A word about the back): The write-up is a little confusing, but Suarez's first hit in professional baseball was indeed a grand slam. It helps take your mind off all those zeroes in the stats.

no. 584 - indians

Who is the man: The Cleveland Indians barely avoided a second straight last-place finish in 1970, edging out the Washington Senators. Still, it was a long way from their third-place finish in the 10-team American League in 1968.

Can ya dig it: That's a different perspective for the team photo. I'm not sure where the team is posing, but you can see the scoreboard in what must be Municipal Stadium in the background.

Right on: The photo artfully crops out what I'm certain was advertising at the top of the scoreboard.

You see that cat Dark is a bad mother: Manager Alvin Dark, I believe, is seated in the first row directly between the two fellows seated on the ground.

Shut your mouth: It's too difficult identifying the players on what was essentially a group of unknowns (save for Sam McDowell). I'd love to know where Tony Horton is, though. Horton, whose final season was in 1970, didn't appear on any Topps cards during his seven years in the majors.

No one understands him but his woman: Not quite a leisure suit on the guy at right, but an excellent homage to late '60s/early '70s business wear.

(A word about the back): The 20-loss season by Luis Tiant was still fresh in Indians fans minds when they turned over this card.

no. 552 - buddy bradford

Who is the man: Buddy Bradford split his 1970 season between the White Sox and the Indians. He would be back with the White Sox by 1972 and then return to the White Sox again in 1975.

Can ya dig it: That's a great scene. The whole photo says, "going to work."

Right on: This is one of those first 1971s that I had in my collection. It's one of the few semi-high numbers I owned. I don't think it's the highest number I had back then, but we'll see.

You see that cat Bradford is a bad mother: Bradford led all of baseball in batting the first month of the 1969 season, hitting .420.

Shut your mouth: Bradford and four neighborhood kids from the same block in Pacoima, Calif., all ended up playing professional baseball. Two of them, Bradford and Gary Matthews, made the majors.

No one understands him but his woman: Bradford's last season of pro ball was spent playing for the Kintetsu Buffaloes in Japan in 1977.

 (A word about the back): Does anyone today get into 107 games if they bat .193? I guess maybe if they hit 25 home runs.

no. 539 - larry brown

Who is the man: Larry Brown's starting days were coming to an end when this card was issued. The Indians went with a younger Jack Heidemann over the veteran Brown at shortstop in 1970, and after appearing in more than 100 games six straight years, he appeared in just 72 in 1970.

Can ya dig it: He looks like Bobby Valentine to me.

Right on: You can't beat the classic posed shot in Yankee Stadium.

You see that cat Brown is a bad mother: Although Brown didn't hit a lot, he was one of the steadiest shortstops in Indians history. He fielded his position well and at the plate didn't strike out much and finished in the top 10 in intentional walks in 1968.

Shut your mouth: When I was coming back to the hobby in 2004, I would frequent an antique/jewelry shop where a dealer displayed a bunch of vintage cards. I was there primarily to complete my 1975 Topps set, but there were other random vintage cards around, too. In a box of cheapies, I discovered a bunch of different cards of Larry Brown. I had never heard of the guy before that moment. Larry Brown to me was a basketball coach. And I wondered what kind of fixation this dealer had with this new Larry Brown.

No one understands him but his woman: Brown's older brother, Dick, played for the Indians from 1957-59. I guess that made it  convenient for mom. From 57-59 and from 63-70, Cleveland was always a destination to watch the kids play.

(A word about the back): Going all the way back to 1959 to find some complimentary stats.

no. 510 - ken harrelson

Who is the man: Ken Harrelson was entering his final season when this card was issued. He played in just 17 games in 1970 after breaking his leg sliding into second base during a spring training game.

Can ya dig it: This is the Hawk's final card.

Right on: This card was practically shedding as I was scanning it. I think it's time for an upgrade.

You see that cat Harrelson is a bad mother: At the height of Harrelson's popularity while playing for the Red Sox, a local band called the Val Perry Trio created a song called "Don't Walk The Hawk."

Shut your mouth: I am one of the many who can't take Harrelson's broadcasting. His outspokenness doesn't bother me, but he is the biggest broadcasting homer that I have ever heard (and I listened to Phil Rizzuto for many years), and that not only turns me off, but I find it painful to listen to -- I feel embarrassed for the whole scene and I have to change the channel.

No one understands him but his woman: Harrelson had to be convinced by commissioner Bowie Kuhn to report to Cleveland after he was dealt to the Indians by the Red Sox. A shocked Harrelson retired rather than go to the Indians, creating mass confusion among the two teams and the five other players involved in the deal.

(A word about the back): Harrelson gets a card number ending in a zero despite his lost 1970 season. Topps apparently was still rewarding Harrelson for his 1968 and 1969 seasons.

no. 479 - dennis higgins

Who is the man: Dennis Higgins spent his first and only season with the Indians in 1970. He was traded from the Senators in December 1969. But by the middle of 1971, Higgins was already a St. Louis Cardinal.

Can ya dig it: For the second straight card, we have someone in a catcher's crouch in the background.

Right on: "Dennis Higgins" sounds like someone who would try to sell me a car.

You see that cat Higgins is a bad mother: Higgins was the closer for the Senators in 1969, the year that first-year manager Ted Williams led the team to an unexpected fourth-place finish. Higgins saved 16 games.

Shut your mouth: In 1998, members of the 1969 Senators club reunited in Washington, including Higgins and a wheelchair-bound Williams. Higgins presented a ball to Williams and asked if he would sign it. Williams did and then asked Higgins, 59 at the time, "What's the most difficult pitch to hit?" Higgins responded, "the slider." Williams smiled, "I knew you'd remember."

No one understands him but his woman: Higgins closed out the Senators' season-opening game against the Yankees in 1969 in Washington. He threw a scoreless ninth inning. It was part of 5 1/3 scoreless innings by Senators relievers. But the Yankees had scored eight runs in the first four innings and won 8-4.

(A word about the back): These parenthetical phrases that have nothing to do with the rest of the sentence are hurting me. "A veteran of American Legion ball, Dennis had 11 Saves out of the Tribe bullpen, 1970." So we just jumped about 15 years in a single sentence.

no. 454 - mike paul

Who is the man: Mike Paul endured a disappointing 1970 season, winning just two games, after showing promise in his first two years with the Indians.

Can ya dig it: This is one of the first 1971 action cards that I ever owned. That version was more beat up than this one.

Right on: They sure left a lot in the photo. You can barely see Paul's face. But the shot provides atmosphere. I like it.

You see that cat Paul is a bad mother: After Paul's major league career ended in 1974, he went to the Mexican League, where he played for seven years. He did quite well and was one of the more popular American players. In 1980, he went 20-5 for Juarez.

Shut your mouth: In comparing the Mexican game with the MLB game for a New York Times article, Paul said Mexican players weren't as strong and powerful as American players. "They're always bunting," he said. "They'll squeeze for a run in the first inning. They get the bat on the ball. It ticks you off as a pitcher, but that's their game."

No one understands him but his woman: When Paul pitched in relief for the Rangers in 1973, manager Whitey Herzog called Paul and fellow reliever Lloyd Allen "the arson squad."

(A word about the back): The bio mentions the Metropolitan League and the University of Arizona, but obviously, Arizona didn't play in the Metropolitan League. The first part of the bio is referring to Paul's time with Cerritos College, a junior college in California, which played in the Metropolitan League in the 1960s.

no. 429 - chuck hinton

Who is the man: Chuck Hinton achieved the highest single-season batting average of his 11-year MLB career in 1970, batting .318 in 195 at-bats for the Indians.

Can ya dig it: Chief Wahoo and Yankee Stadium are on full display in this photo.

Right on: Final card of his career -- 1971 would be Hinton's last season.

You see that cat Hinton is a bad mother: Hinton led the Washington Senators in stolen bases all four years he played for them, from 1961-64.

Shut your mouth: Hinton was hit in the ear by a pitch from the Yankees' Ralph Terry in 1963. He was carried from the field and hospitalized, but returned to play eight days later.

No one understands him but his woman: Hinton came up with idea for the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association in 1982 after playing in a Super Bowl golf tournament sponsored by the NFL Alumni Assocation.

(A word about the back): 1970 was the first season that Hinton didn't steal a base. He didn't steal one in 1971 either. That's probably how he knew he was done.

no. 397 - alvin dark

Who is the man: Alvin Dark was entering his fourth and what would be final season as manager for the Cleveland Indians in 1971. He was fired 103 games into the 1971 season.

Can ya dig it: I really like the red caps the Indians wore in the 1960s/early '70s.

Right on: The photo is such a tight crop on Dark's head that you can barely make out the famed Yankee Stadium frieze.

You see that cat Dark is a bad mother: Dark took two teams to the World Series. His 1962 Giants lost the Series to the Yankees, but his 1974 A's won it all against the Dodgers.

Shut your mouth: Dark lost his managing job with the Giants in 1964 after a controversial newspaper interview in which he accused his players of making "dumb plays." Dark said he was referring specifically to baserunning errors by Orlando Cepeda and Jesus Alou. But since the Giants featured a great number of minority players on the roster then, Dark was accused of blanketing the team as dumb and of being racist.

No one understands him but his woman: Dark worked for A's owner Charlie Finley on two separate occasions, causing some of his players to question his intelligence/sanity.

(A word about the back): This is the second straight manager card that mentions only his playing career.

no. 375 - steve hargan

Who is the man: Steve Hargan was one of the best pitchers in baseball the final two months of the 1970 season. He went 10-1 with eight complete games during that span and approached the 1971 season as the Indians' Opening Day starter. Quite a turnaround for someone who spent the first half of 1970 in the minors, with the Indians hoping they could unload him on somebody.

Can ya dig it: I have been fascinated with this card since I was youngster. Why on earth are Hargan's eyes so big? What did he spot? Or is he just goofing around and the photo made it in the set anyway? Strange, strange photo.

Right on: That's a nice view of the way ballparks looked back then. They're fun to sit in -- you can appreciate how much you are a part of history.

You see that cat Hargan is a bad mother: Hargan, in his first full season in 1966, made a relief appearance in the seventh inning of a 4-4 game against the Angels. He proceeded to pitch the next 10 innings without allowing a run. The Indians won in 17 innings.

Shut your mouth: Hargan received national attention in 1966 after pitching his first career shutout, which was against Boston. The media found out that Hargan went to see a hypnotist two days before his shutout in order to try to quit smoking.

No one understands him but his woman: Hargan was the oldest pitcher on the first Toronto Blue Jays pitching roster in 1977. He was 34.

(A word about the back): That All-Star Game selection was the only one of Hargan's 12-year career.

no. 347 - ted uhlaender

Who is the man: Ted Uhlaender had completed his first season with the Indians in 1970, after being traded from the Twins in a big six-player deal that sent Graig Nettles to the Indians and Luis Tiant to the Twins.

Can ya dig it: That does not appear to be an actual bat that Uhlaender has in his hands. Some sort of weighted, on-deck deal, I'm guessing.

Right on: Uhlaender is wearing a chaw in his cheek, which he is also featuring on some of his other cards, most notably his 1968 Topps card, which was one of the first '68s I ever saw ("what weird names players had back then," I remember thinking).

You see that cat Uhlaender is a bad mother: Uhlaender hit .283 in 1968. That was good enough for FIFTH in the American League that year. In 2014, .283 in the AL would get you 44th place. So that story I read last year about how much the offense was struggling is bunk.

Shut your mouth: Uhlaender was a catcher growing up. After getting to the majors, he was able to convince some the people back home in Texas that he was still a catcher. "We're close to the Mexican border and our newspapers are always early editions so they don't have boxscores," he told the Sporting News.

No one understands him but his woman: Uhlaender's daughter, Katie, is an Olympian in skeleton. She finished fourth in the Sochi Olympics last winter. Uhlaender's death in 2009 shattered, then inspired Katie. She wears her father's NLCS championship ring from the 1972 Reds around her neck, and I admit I get choked up when I see her talk baseball (she knows her stuff) and her father.

(A word about the back): That write-up is practically in a foreign language. "NA Class AAA-West" and "loops" all over the place.

no. 324 - graig nettles

Who is the man: Graig Nettles had just completed his breakout season in 1970, hitting 26 home runs in 157 games for the Indians.

Can ya dig it: A pretty cool action shot of Nettles in a stadium I should know, but I don't because I was 4 in 1970 and everything looks different. Topps revisited this Nettles pose when he was with the Yankees.

Right on: This is Nettles' first card in which he's wearing an Indians uniform. He's listed as an Indian in the 1970 Topps set, but he's really in a Twins uniform.

You see this cat Nettles is a bad mother: Grrrrr, something about Game 3 of the 1978 World Series, grrrrr.

Shut your mouth: Nettles badmouthed Yankees owner George Steinbrenner in the book "Balls," which was released before the 1984 season. It earned Nettles a trade to San Diego in March of that year.

No one understands him but his woman: I remember when Nettles contracted hepatitis in 1980 and had to miss a lot of the season. It was the first time I had heard of anyone getting hepatitis.

(A word about the back): Nine days late on posting this on his 70th birthday.

no. 294 - steve dunning

Who is the man: Steve Dunning was entering his second season with the Indians in 1971. He appeared in 19 games, 17 as a starter, for Cleveland in 1970.

Can ya dig it: Dunning appears to be trying very much to be a wax figure. I'd say he's doing a damn fine job.

Right on: Rookie card!

You see this cat Dunning is a bad mother: Dunning hit a grand slam home run against Oakland's Diego Segui on May 11, 1971. It would be the last grand slam hit by an American League pitcher for 37 years (Felix Hernandez hit the next one in 2008 against the Mets).

Shut your mouth: Dunning threw a one-hitter against the Senators in 1971, prompting manager Ted Williams to exclaim that Dunning's "going to be a pitcher someday." But Dunning would only be a journeyman after '71.

No one understand him but his woman: Dunning's last two Topps cards, in the 1973 and 1978 sets (that's right, they're cards five years apart) both feature him in airbrushed caps. The '78 card shows an airbrushed A's' cap. The '73 cap is more puzzling. Dunning is showed with the Indians, the only team he had played for up to that time, but the cap is an airbrushed Indians cap. I have no idea why.

 (A word about the back): Dunning was the No. 2 overall draft pick in 1970 and you can see by the fact that the "first year in pro ball" line matches the "first game in majors" line that the Indians called him up without a single game in the minors.

no. 275 - vada pinson

Who is the man: Vada Pinson had completed his first season for the Cleveland Indians when this card was released. He enjoyed a brief career resurgence with his 1970 season. It would temporarily delay what had become an annual tradition of Pinson getting traded in the offseason, which happened in 1968 and 1969 ... and again in 1971 and 1974.

Can ya dig it: One of the outstanding cards of the '71 set, as Topps rookie star Thurman Munson makes what would be several card cameos during his career.

Right on: This photo shows Pinson getting tagged out by Munson on a throw from center field by Bobby Murcer during the eighth inning of the first game of a doubleheader on June 24, 1970. But for a very detailed and awesome account of this game and card, you need to go here.

You see this cat Pinson is a bad mother: Pinson led the league in hits twice, doubles twice and triples twice.

Shut your mouth: When Cincinnati sportswriter Earl Lawson wrote that Pinson would hit .350 "if he would only bunt once in awhile instead of going for homers," Pinson took a swing at Lawson.

No one understands him but his woman: Pinson was so quiet during his first major league spring training in 1958 that coach Jimmy Dykes spoke to him in gestures and broken English because he thought Pinson was Hispanic.

 

(A word about the back): Some very brief research tells me "Vada" means "famous ruler" and is German in origin. It also was most popular as a girl's name in the first half of the 20th century.

no. 252 - eddie leon

Who is the man: You're looking at your American League leader in sacrifice hits (a.k.a. bunts) for 1970. Eddie Leon had 23.

Can ya dig it: Leon appears to be fielding a grounder that's arriving from the general direction of the backstop. I've never seen that play in a major league game.

Right on: It's always cool when the American flag makes an appearance on a card.

You see that cat Leon is a bad mother: Leon was selected in the first or the second round of the major league amateur draft three times before he signed. He stiffed both the Twins and the Cubs before signing with the Indians.

Shut your mouth: Leon grew up in Tucson, Ariz., where the Indians played spring training games. His parents were big Indians fans. But Leon grew up a Yankee fan. It turns out he played for both teams.

No one understands him but his woman: The Indians moved Leon from shortstop to second base so they could keep him the lineup. But a back injury eventually cost him his starting job, and he spent the rest of his career playing behind infielders like Frank Duffy and Bucky Dent.

(A word about the back): I believe Topps is sending us a subliminal message in the photo. You probably can see the words "high life" over Leon's left shoulder.

no. 231 - indians rookie stars

Who is the man: Both Vince Colbert and John Lowenstein received their first "cup o' coffee" (they don't use that term enough anymore) in the majors in 1970. Lowenstein played in 17 games for the Indians. Colbert pitched in 23 games. I guess that's more than a cup of coffee, huh?

Can ya dig it: That's Lowenstein? I don't recognize him without the mustache, glasses and brillo-pad hair.

Right on: Another Yankee Stadium shot in the Lowenstein photo.

You these rookies are bad mothers: What they're bad at is convincing anyone they're bad-ass. Get lost, rookie.

Shut your mouth: It seems like a lot of these 1971 rookies became future broadcasters. Lowenstein was another one, working as an analyst for the Orioles for 10 years.

No one understands him but his woman: Colbert would receive just one solo card, in the 1972 set, and that was it. His last MLB season was 1972.

(A word about the back): Lowenstein was known for being a joker. I wouldn't be surprised at all if those Little League and Babe Ruth stats are made up.

no. 211 - phil hennigan

Who is the man: Phil Hennigan was entering his second full season in the major leagues with the release of this card. He pitched in 42 games in 1970 after a nine-game showing with the Indians in 1969.

Can ya dig it: This is another card I obtained in a trade as a teenager. I didn't know anything about Hennigan then, and I'm ashamed to say I didn't increase my knowledge about him any before I started this post. So let's learn together.

Right on: Hennigan is looking very stately there in Yankee Stadium. It's as if Bob Sheppard is announcing his name.

You see this cat Hennigan is a bad mother: The first major league batter Hennigan faced was the player on the card in the previous post, Rod Carew. Hennigan retired Carew on a fly ball.

Shut your mouth: Hennigan is quoted in the "Gigantic Book Of Baseball Quotations" thusly: "When I was in the majors, I worked on a nudist ball. It had nothing on it."

No one understands him but his woman: Hennigan's final card features a photo in which he is airbrushed into a Mets cap and is more of an advertisement for Pepsi.

Not the greatest way to go out.

(A word about the back): Hennigan pitched all but one of his 42 games in relief in 1970. In 1971, he was the Indians' top "fireman," to use the parlance of the time. He saved 14 games.