no. 741 - skip guinn

Who is the man: Skip Guinn spent the whole 1970 season with Triple A Oklahoma City. He returned to the Astros in 1971 but for only four games, which would be his last games in the majors.

Can ya dig it: This and another card I'll show later were the two earliest super high numbers that I obtained for this set. I was a teenager when I got it. When I decided to put my '71 set in a binder, this card was lonely by itself in a page for a long time.

Right on: Final card of Guinn's career.

You see that cat Guinn is a bad mother: Guinn could strike people out. His career strikeout rate per nine innings is 9.8.

Shut your mouth: Guinn's given first name is Drannon.

No one understands him but his woman: Guinn was part of a trade between the Astros and Expos that was a "make-up" trade. Donn Clendenon declined to go from Montreal to Houston in a deal that brought Rusty Staub to Montreal. With the Astros threatening to scrap the deal, Montreal added Guinn and pitcher Jack Billingham plus the already-agreed-upon Jesus Alou and $100,000 to complete the trade.

 
(A word about the back): Guinn was part of the Astros in 1969 so the date of the acquisition in the last sentence is wrong.

no. 722 - astros

Who is the man: The Houston Astros in 1970 finished two games worse than they did the previous year yet moved up from fifth to fourth in the standings; the Braves had fallen on hard times, plummeting from first to fifth.

Can ya dig it: Jiminy, what a disaster this thing is. Not only are the high-numbered team cards a bear to find in solid shape, but there are so many weird things going on with the photo. No. 1, they couldn't even get all the guys in the frame! The top row is cropped off! Secondly, the rows are in disarray. There's a guy between rows two and three that seems to have started a row all by himself.

Right on: Digging the old guy on the right with the glasses.

You see that cat Walker is a bad mother: Manager Harry Walker is grinning away in the middle of the first row, fourth seated guy from the right.

Shut your mouth: No numbers on the front and I couldn't find another version of this photo with an ID key so I won't try to guess anyone here. Although I believe Joe Morgan is weirdly peaking out from behind a teammate as the second guy on the left in the second row.

No one understands him but his woman: It still amuses me that there is a clubhouse guy dressed all in white crouching down who is shown prominently on this card, yet players have their heads cut off.

(A word about the back): The yearly standings show zero winning seasons. The Astros' first winning year would be 1972 when they went 84-69.

no. 677 - jack di lauro

Who is the man: Jack DiLauro appeared in 42 games during his first year with Astros in 1970. Houston picked him up from the Mets in the Rule 5 draft during the offseason.

Can ya dig it: Kind of cool that DiLauro is shown at Shea Stadium, the pitcher's former home.

Right on: This is DiLauro's final Topps card. He has just two.

You see that cat DiLauro is a bad mother: DiLauro played on the 1969 Miracle Mets team, appearing in 23 games with a 2.40 ERA. He wasn't used during the postseason, however.

Shut your mouth: DiLauro was a veteran of six minor league seasons in the Tigers organization when he arrived with the Mets, but said he didn't get much of a chance with the team despite his status. He said he didn't feel comfortable around Mets manager Gil Hodges, mostly because Hodges never talked to any of the players.

No one understands him but his woman: When the Mets appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show after they upset the Orioles to win the '69 World Series, DiLauro did an impersonation of Sullivan. He is not identified in this video of the Mets collectively singing "You Gotta Have Heart," but as the camera pans out at the end, he appears to be the player on the bottom row dressed in a red shirt (the video is a hoot, by the way).

(A word about the back): The last line in the bio is a gut-punch. DiLauro wouldn't appear in the majors again after being sold to Hawaii.

no. 636 - denny lemaster

Who is the man: After a couple of fairly productive seasons for the lowly Astros, Denny Lemaster fell off in 1970, posting a 4.56 ERA. He wound up in the bullpen and it would be his last season as a starter.

Can ya dig it: Sharp corners, but way off-center and also diamond-cut.

Right on: The signature is very informative. I assumed his full name was Dennis, but it's Denver.

You see that cat Lemaster is a bad mother: Lemaster's most noted game is a matchup against Sandy Koufax on Aug. 9, 1966 while pitching for the Atlanta Braves. Lemaster took a no-hitter into the 8th inning until the Dodgers' Jim Lefebvre hit a home run to tie the game 1-1. But Eddie Mathews made Lemaster a winner by hitting a one-out homer off of Koufax in the bottom of the ninth.

Shut your mouth: The left-handed Lemaster was often considered as the Braves' successor to Warren Spahn and was even referred to as the "Second Spahn" in the press.

No one understands him but his woman: When Lemaster returned home after the victory against Koufax, his wife was in labor. Their fourth child, a daughter, was born the next morning.

 (A word about the back): Lemaster's club record of 37 games started (which he shared with Larry Dierker) was broken by Jerry Reuss, who started 40 games for the Astros in 1973.

no. 602 - marty martinez

Who is the man: Marty Martinez suffered a down season in 1970 after a couple of semiproductive years with the Braves and Astros in 1968 and 1969. He'd be dealt to the Cardinals at the end of the 1971 season.

Can ya dig it: You can see by the signature that Martinez's actual first name is Orlando.

Right on: That Astros logo needs to come back, I don't care if no one plays in the Astrodome anymore.

You see that cat Martinez is a bad mother: Please note the "infield" position designation on Martinez's card. He played all over the infield, the outfield, even caught 30 games during his career. Oh, and he pitched in a game.

Shut your mouth: Martinez is known for scouting and signing future Mariners Edgar Martinez and Omar Vizquel.

No one understands him but his woman: Martinez managed one game for the Seattle Mariners. It was on May 9, 1986 against the Red Sox (a 4-2 loss). Seattle had fired manager Chuck Cottier the day before and hired Dick Williams. Martinez served as interim manager before Williams' arrival.

(A word about the back): The Braves picked up Martinez from the Twins in the Rule 5 draft. Twins president Calvin Griffith dismissed the loss of Martinez, causing Braves manager Billy Hitchcock to say, "All I know is we weren't the only club interested in drafting Martinez. I know of at least two other clubs who wanted to make him their first draft choice."

no. 583 - ron cook

Who is the man: Ron Cook was in the middle of his second season in the majors when this card was issued. Unfortunately, it would be his last as he injure his rotator cuff during winter ball after his rookie year.

Can ya dig it: That's quite the stare by Cook. Kind of a cross between intense concentration and terror.

Right on: Rookie card!

You see that cat Cook is a bad mother: Cook went 4-for-17 at the plate during his rookie season. Two of those hits were triples.

Shut your mouth: Cook claimed that he picked off Lou Brock twice at first base in the same game in 1970. I can find no mention of this in the baseball-reference stats of the games between the Astros and Cardinals in 1970. There is one pick-off by Cook cited, but it's on Joe Torre.

No one understands him but his woman: When you know that Cook started his pro career as a hitter, the triples thing makes sense. He batted exclusively with the Class A Binghamton Triplets in the Yankees' organization in 1966 and spent the '67 season in the minors as both a hitter and pitcher.

(A word about the back): It seems odd, during the very pitching-heavy period of the late 1960s that a 3.11 ERA would lead all pitchers in Double A ball in 1969.

no. 565 - jim wynn

Who is the man: Jim Wynn enjoyed another solid season as the Astros' slugger in 1970, hitting 27 home runs in 157 games played. But he was actually entering a string of inconsistency that would ultimately lead him to being traded to the Dodgers.

Can ya dig it: Wynn isn't exactly at home plate, or wearing a helmet, but otherwise, he looks pretty locked in to whatever is coming his way.

Right on: Very jealous of Astros fans who received many cards of Wynn as an Astro. All I've got of Wynn as a Dodger are cards I can count on one hand.

You see that cat Wynn is a bad mother: Wynn's most notable home run season came in 1967 when he hit 37, including several memorable shots (three in one game against the Giants, the longest  in Crosley Field history). He was in a race with Hank Aaron for the home run title until Aaron pulled away. Aaron paid Wynn a compliment when he mentioned that Wynn had to play in the spacious Astrodome.

Shut your mouth: Wynn initially didn't like his nickname, "The Toy Cannon," because he regarded it as another slight on his 5-9 height. But he later came around and his nickname was the title of his autobiography.

No one understands him but his woman: Wynn has been married three times. He was stabbed in the stomach by his first wife, Ruth, during an argument on their wedding anniversary in December 1970. Wynn brought an unloaded shotgun into the argument and his wife a 4-inch steak knife. Wynn didn't press charges, later saying it was his fault.

(A word about the back): I know I've complained about this once before on a different card, but the start of this write-up is the most tortured opening I've read on a baseball card.

no. 540 - larry dierker

Who is the man: Larry Dierker's 1970 season wasn't quite as impressive as his 1969 season, but he was still enjoying the pinnacle of his career as he entered the '71 season.

Can ya dig it: Dierker is just 23 years old in this photo, assuming it was taken in 1970. Otherwise he's even younger.

Right on: Just an outstanding signature there. If I collected autographs, I would have to limit it to old-time players. Current players' signatures are inadequate.

You see that cat Dierker is a bad mother: Dierker is the first pitcher to win 20 games in a season for the Astros. He did it in 1969.

Shut your mouth: In 2003, Dierker, who also managed and broadcasted for the Astros, wrote an entertaining book called "This Ain't Brain Surgery: How To Win the Pennant Without Losing Your Mind," which recounted his random experiences in major league baseball.

No one understands him but his woman: Dierker was the first player to pitch in the Astrodome. The first "official" game in the Astrodome was April 9, 1965, an exhibition game between the Astros and the Yankees in which Turk Farrell started for Houston. But before that, after the Astros returned from spring training, there was an exhibition game between the Astros and their Triple A team in the dome. Dierker started that game.

 (A word about the back): Dierker was called up the Astros in the summer of 1964, making him the most recent 17-year-old to appear on an major league roster. His first appearance, on his 18th birthday, lasted 2 2/3 innings. He struck out Jim Ray Hart and Willie Mays to end a two-on, no-out situation in the first. Then he gave up a home run to Orlando Cepeda to lead off the second.

no. 484 - don wilson

Who is the man: Don Wilson was coming off a bit of a rocky season when this card arrived. A bout with tendinitis in his elbow at the start of the year put him on the disabled list. After striking out 235 batters in 225 innings in 1969, he managed just 94 in 184 innings in 1970.

Can ya dig it: Wilson appears to be unfazed by the photographer taking his picture.

Right on: I just mentioned on the 1985 blog that I so love the old Astros Astrodome logo.

You see that cat Wilson is a bad mother: Wilson had thrown two no-hitters by the time he was 23 years old.

Shut your mouth: Wilson told reporters after his second no-hitter, against the Reds, that he received extra motivation during the game from Reds manager Dave Bristol taunting him from the dugout, calling him "gutless."

No one understands him but his woman: There is much speculation about Wilson's premature death and whether it was a suicide or not. In January 1975, he was found in his car in the garage of their home with the motor running, and his death, caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, was ruled accidental. Wilson's wife, Bernice, found Wilson unresponsive in the car. Police reported that she had an injured jaw, and her stories about how she received the injury changed, although she was sedated during most of her statements, having also suffered effects of carbon monoxide poisoning. She later quit cooperating with authorities and there is speculation that a domestic dispute between the two happened before the discovery of Wilson's body.

(A word about the back): Wilson's club record for strikeouts was broken by J.R. Richard nine years later when he struck out 303 batters. Richard then broke his own record with 313 whiffs in 1979.

no. 471 - tom griffin

Who is the man: Tom Griffin endured a doozy of a sophomore slump in 1970. One year after striking out 200 batters in his rookie year, he fell to a 5.64 ERA and a 3-13 mark, fanning a mere 72.

Can ya dig it: In the distance, I think I see a white school bus. When I was a kid, I was fascinated with school buses that were not painted school-bus yellow. White school buses, green school buses, blue school buses, they were all great. (If that is not a school bus, please don't be a joy ruiner and keep it to yourself).

Right on: Are those bats on the ground behind Griffin or kindling?

You see that cat Griffin is a bad mother: Two hundred whiffs in your rookie year. It doesn't get much more bad-ass than that.

Shut your mouth: Griffin led the league in hit batters in back-to-back seasons, doing so in 1980 and 1981 while with the Giants.

No one understands him but his woman: Griffin was selected by the Astros in the first major league draft held in January. He was the fourth overall pick in January 1966, one of only 3 future major leaguers picked in the first round.

(A word about the back): The two home runs Griffin hit in 1969 were the first of 10 he hit during his career.

no. 447 - cesar geronimo

Who is the man: Cesar Geronimo spent much of the 1970 season with the Astros' minor league team in Columbus, Ga. But he did manage 37 at-bats (in 47 games) with Houston.

Can ya dig it: My goodness, that's an epic bunting pose. He looks like he's going to bunt the cameraman off his feet. If there's such a thing as a bad-ass bunting pose, this is it.

Right on: This is not only Geronimo's rookie card but his only Topps card as a Houston Astro. He was traded after the '71 season in the Reds' big steal of a deal that also brought Joe Morgan and Jack Billingham to Cincinnati.

You see that cat Geronimo is a bad mother: Well, other than the fact his last name is "Geronimo," he won four straight Gold Gloves for the Reds.

Shut your mouth: Geronimo's foul liner in the first game of the 1972 NLCS led to the ejection of Reds manager Sparky Anderson. With two out and a runner on first in the fourth inning, Geronimo drilled a shot that hit first base umpire Ken Burkhardt, who immediately signaled foul. Anderson ran out of the dugout and argued with Burkhardt, kicking dirt on the ump, and was ejected.

No one understands him but his woman: Geronimo's home run in the eighth inning of Game 6 of the 1975 World Series chased starter Luis Tiant and gave the Reds a seemingly insurmountable lead of 6-3. But Bernie Carbo's three-run homer in the bottom of the inning tied the game and led to Carlton Fisk's famous game-winner in the 12th.

(A word about the back): I was surprised to see that Geronimo played in the Yankees' farm system. I never knew that.

no. 425 - doug rader

Who is the man: Doug Rader was coming off one of his most productive power seasons (career-high 25 home runs) and his first Gold Glove season when this card was released.

Can ya dig it: I think Rader is harboring some tobacco.

Right on: The pitcher is in front of you, Doug, not over at third base. Then again, he's batting from behind the on-deck circle, so I'd be confused where to look, too.

You see that cat Rader is a bad mother: Rader won five straight Gold Gloves at third base between 1970-74.

Shut your mouth: Rader was a notoriously unpopular manager for both the Rangers and Angels. When he was let go by the Angels, outfielder Devon White said: "I was happy when Doug got fired, I'm not going to lie."

No one understands him but his woman: Rader in a famed TV interview with former major leaguer Jim Bouton, advised Little Leaguers to eat the bubble gum in their baseball card packs, but also to eat the cards, too. "They should only eat the cards of the good ballplayers. Say you got a kid who's 5-foot-1. Let him eat a Willie McCovey card. Willie's 6-4. The kid may grow. You never can tell."

(A word about the back): Rader's .333 batting average in his first season came in 47 games and 162 at-bats.

no. 404 - astros rookie stars

Who is the man: Buddy Harris and Roger Metzger both spent the great majority of the 1970 season in the minor leagues, Harris in the Astros organization and Metzger in the Cubs organization. Harris pitched in two games with the Astros and Metzger had two at-bats with the Cubs.

Can ya dig it: Metzger features that blacked-out cap 1971 Topps loved so much. But the blue bill says he's wearing a Cubs cap.

Right on: Topps correctly predicted Metzger as a rookie star. After he was traded to Houston for Hector Torres, Metzger proceeded to play in 150 games in 1971 and lead the National League with 11 triples. OK, his on-base percentage was .294.

You see these rookies are bad mothers: You just saw Metzger's OBP, no they ain't.

Shut your mouth: Buddy's real first name is "Walter".

No one understands him but his woman: After Metzger's playing career ended, he became a high school math teacher.

(A word about the back): Harris posted some mean ERA and strikeout totals in the minors, but he didn't play in the majors beyond 20 games in 1971. This is his only Topps card.

no. 381 - fred gladding

Who is the man: Fred Gladding remained one of the top relief pitchers in the National League in 1970. After saving an NL-best 29 games in 1969 for the Astros, he saved 18 in 1970.

Can ya dig it: I wonder how comfortable it was wearing a windbreaker under a uniform jersey?

Right on: Gladding looks a lot older than his 34 years in this photo. I just watched video of him being interviewed in 2012 and except for a few extra pounds and less hair, he looks the same.

You see that cat Gladding is a bad mother: Gladding was the first pitcher in the National League to be recognized officially as a season save leader, as the save wasn't made an official stat until 1969. (Ron Perranoski for the Twins was the first official AL save leader).

Shut your mouth: Gladding was traded for Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews in 1967. Mathews was at the end of his career and would play in 67 games over 1967-68 for the Tigers. Meanwhile, Gladding did well for the Astros, but missed out on the Tigers' World Series championship  in 1968.

No one understands him but his woman: Gladding was the Tigers pitching coach when Mark Fidrych came up with Detroit in 1976. In the video I watched, he recalls Reggie Jackson jawing at Fidrych before the famous Monday night nationally televised game on June 28, telling Fidrych he was going to take him into the upper deck. But Jackson didn't play in that game.

(A word about the back): I see Gladding was still wearing those horned-rim glasses, which were on their way out of fashion in the early '70s.

no. 371 - jack hiatt

Who is the man: Jack Hiatt played for two teams in 1970. Neither of them were the Astros. He was purchased by Houston from the Cubs in December, 1970.

Can ya dig it: Hiatt is wearing a Giants uniform. He last played for San Francisco in 1969. He then played for the Expos and the Cubs, so Topps just went back to a stock photo of Hiatt from his Giants days and blacked out the logo on the helmet.

Right on: Those airbrush blotches are so, so bad.

You see that cat Hiatt is a bad mother: Hiatt was king for a game in 1969. Against his future team, the Astros, he hit two home runs and drove in seven runs. Four of those RBIs came on a game-ending grand slam in the 13th inning.

Shut your mouth: Former Dodgers/Pirates/Rockies manager Jim Tracy credits Hiatt for extending Tracy's playing career. Hiatt was Tracy's manager in the Cubs organization. "Had he not stood up for me after 1977, they would have released me," Tracy said.

No one understands him but his woman: Hiatt was the last out in Don Drysdale's fifth straight shutout during his record streak of 58 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings. In the 9th inning of that game, Drysdale loaded the bases against the Giants. He then hit Dick Dietz with a pitch, but the umpire ruled Dietz didn't try to get out of the way. Dietz followed with a shallow fly out. Ty Cline then grounded to first and the first baseman threw to home to force out Nate Oliver. With two outs and runners on second and third, Hiatt popped out to first.

(A word about the back): I think the write-up on the back is a little bit muddled. Hiatt didn't hit two pinch-hit grand slams versus the Pirates in 1967. He hit one pinch-hit grand slam versus the Pirates on July 31, 1967. The other pinch grand slam of his career was in the 1969 game against the Astros. So he had two for his career, not two in one year against the same team.

no. 337 - jesus alou

Who is the man: Jesus Alou had just completed his second season with the Astros when this card was created, spending time as Houston's primary right fielder.

Can ya dig it: I don't know what going on in the background with those two guys in the dugout. The one on the left is obviously a pitcher with his right arm protected. The Astros had a lot of pitchers with uniform numbers in the 40s in 1970, so I'm guessing this is Larry Dierker (49), but it could be Jack Billingham (42), Ken Forsch (43), Buddy Harris (46) or a couple others.

Right on: What a stance. If I batted like that, I'd fall over.

You see this cat Alou is a bad mother: Out of the three Alou brothers, all quite talented, Jesus was considered to have the most talent of all.

Shut your mouth: Jim Bouton said Alou was one of the "most sensitive, nicest men I've ever met. He'd walk a mile out of his way to drop a coin in some beggar's cup."

No one understands him but his woman: When Alou first came up with the Giants, a San Francisco paper asked readers for ideas on what to call Alou because they couldn't possibly call him "Jesus" in stories.

(A word about the back): The writeup doesn't mention that his .667 batting average included all of three at-bats in four games in 1959.

no. 312 - harry walker

Who is the man: Harry Walker was entering his fourth season as the Astros' manager in 1971. He managed them to a fourth-place finish in 1970 with a 79-83 mark.

Can ya dig it: Nothing says "manager" quite like hands on hips.

Right on: Confession time: I had no idea that Harry Walker and Dixie Walker were brothers until I researched for this post. It's amazing what escapes me.

You see this cat Walker is a bad mother: Walker drove in the winning run in Game 7 of the 1946 World Series, the one in which Enos Slaughter beat the throw by Johnny Pesky to home plate.

Shut your mouth: Walker was known for his ability to talk. In "Ball Four," Jim Bouton defends Walker from teammates who complained about how much Walker talked by pointing out that what Walker said often had substance.

No one understands him but his woman: Walker is the only National League player to win a batting title in a season in which he played for two teams. He was traded from the Cardinals to the Phillies in early May 1947 and proceeded to win the batting crown that year with a .363 average.

(A word about the back): Walker was 5-for-15 in 1955 when he was a player-manager.

no. 291 - george culver

Who is the man: In 1971, George Culver was preparing to enter his first full season with the Astros after coming over from the Cardinals in a mid-season trade in 1970.

Can ya dig it: That is a nice look at the old Astrodome logo. This is the logo that I associate with the Astros. No other one will do.

Right on: Those stadium levels seem to go on for miles in this photo.

You see this cat Culver is a bad mother: Culver pitched a no-hitter against the Phillies while playing for the Reds in 1968. It was the second game of a doubleheader and the Phillies did manage a run in the game, on a throwing error, a ground out and a sacrifice fly.

Shut your mouth: Culver pitched his last year of pro ball in Japan in 1975. He says that he was supposed to get paid for two years, but the team let him go after one and claimed the deal was two one-year contracts, not a two-year contract. Culver was stunned, saying "this was totally out of character for Japanese. Japan is the only place where you can lay your wallet in the middle of your bed in your hotel room and with money laying all over the place and the Japanese people will walk right into your room and not touch a thing."

No one understands him but his woman: Bill James considered the list of everyone who threw a major league no-hitter and how likely it was for that pitcher to throw a no-hitter. He calculated that Culver was one of the 10 least likely to throw a no-hitter.

(A word about the back): 1968 was really Culver's only season of full-time starting. Excluding 1968, Culver started only 29 games in nine years in the majors.

no. 264 - joe morgan

Who is the man: Joe Morgan managed one of his better seasons with the Astros in 1970, setting what was then career highs for runs, doubles and runs batted in. He was voted an All-Star for the second time in his career.

Can ya dig it: This is a very different card, especially by card standards of the day. There are three people in this photo and you can't see the faces of any of them.

Right on: First card of Series 3. You will see 41 more action cards in the set (excluding the World Series subset), all of them in Series 3 and 4.

You see this cat Morgan is a bad mother: The first player I ever knew to win back-to-back MVP awards. That left an impression.

Shut your mouth: I think I screamed this at the TV for Morgan more than any other national broadcaster.

No one understands him but his woman: The fact that Morgan is anti-"Moneyball," yet was one of the most "Moneyball" players of all-time is the most fascinating "generations clashing" baseball story of the present day. Writer Joe Posnanski's contention that Morgan's disagreement with Bill James-style baseball analysis is rooted in "us versus them" "they didn't play baseball" beliefs is spot-on and sad.

(A word about the back): Look at all that talk about walks. The man knew how to get on base.

no. 242 - jim ray

Who is the man: Jim Ray was becoming a key member of the Astros bullpen when this card was issued. He had just completed his third full season with Houston and appeared in 52 games, all but two in relief.

Can ya dig it: Ladies and gentlemen, this is the first 1971 Topps card I ever saw or owned that did not come from the gutter. As you can tell, it's pretty well worn and I need to upgrade. I wish I knew how I acquired it, but that story is lost forever.

Right on: Ray seems absolutely hypnotized by what's going on in front of him.

You see this cat Ray is a bad mother: Ray struck out 115 batters in 115 innings pitched in 1969. That'll get people's attention.

Shut your mouth: Depending on where you read, Ray's nickname was either "Ray Gun" or "Sting" (as in "sting ray"). I like "sting." That's a fantastic nickname.

No one understands him but his woman: Do a search for Jim Ray and mostly what you come up with are references and stories about Jim Ray Hart, who played at the same time as Ray. Seems everyone wants to talk about players with three names.

(A word about the back): Ray achieved that .800 win percentage with an 8-2 mark in 1969.