no. 746 - andy kosco

Who is the man: Andy Kosco spent the 1970 season with the Dodgers, his second year with the club. He fell off quite a bit from 1969, though, and was traded to the Brewers for Al Downing before the 1971 season.

Can ya dig it: This is a classic for Dodgers fans. Kosco's Dodger uniform is unmistakable. In fact everything about this card says "Dodgers" except for the wording at the top and an artist's paint brush.

Right on: I've debated putting this in my Dodgers binder.

You see that cat Kosco is a bad mother: Kosco went 3-for-10 for the Reds in the 1973 NLCS against the Mets. It was his second-to-last major league season and only postseason experience.

Shut your mouth: Kosco was upset when the Yankees traded him to the Dodgers for the 1969 season. "You cannot imagine the thrill it is to put on a Yankee uniform and play in Yankee Stadium. And you have to be around (Mickey) Mantle to appreciate what he is -- the most courageous man I have ever seen."

No one understands him but his woman: Kosco and his wife, Cathy, had five children. His two sons each made Triple A in baseball.

(A word about the back): Gil Hodges holds the Brooklyn-Los Angeles record for RBIs in a game with nine in 1950, so the back is referencing just the L.A. record. Ron Cey (The Penguin!) broke the RBI record Kosco tied by driving in eight runs against the Padres on July 31, 1974.

no. 721 - john morris

Who is the man: John Morris appeared in what was then a career-high 20 games in 1970 for the Brewers. He would surpass that with 43 appearances for Milwaukee in 1971.

Can ya dig it: This is Morris' first Topps card in which he's in full uniform. In the 1969 set, he's listed with the Pilots, wearing no hat and cropped so that those not paying attention would miss that he's wearing red pinstripes from his Phillies days ... in 1966!

Right on: Morris is 28 or 29 in this photo. He looks 42.

You see that cat Morris is a bad mother: Morris was the player to be named in a trade that helped the Phillies land Orioles relief specialist Dick Hall in 1967.

Shut your mouth: Despite appearing in 43 games in 1971, Morris does not have a card in the 1972 Topps set.

No one understands him but his woman: Morris is the most notable baseball player from Lewes, Delaware, a resort community on the Atlantic coast.

(A word about the back): Those are some pretty impressive starts for Morris in 1970. Unfortunately, a kidney infection derailed him for about a month and he was back in the bullpen for the rest of the season.

no. 698 - brewers

Who is the man: The Milwaukee Brewers finished in fourth place in the AL West in 1970, their first season as the Milwaukee Brewers. They jumped two places from the previous year, when they were the Seattle Pilots, even though they were just one game better than they were in 1969.

Can ya dig it: The Brewers are getting right into the spirit of being the "Brewers" by displaying a Miller High Life ad.

Right on: Having everyone on the team stand for the team photo is not usual procedure, but the Brewers did it a few times in their Topps team cards.

You see that cat Bristol is a bad mother: Manager Dave Bristol, in his first season, is in the second row, the fourth guy from the left.

Shut your mouth: Thanks to this handy key, I can identify the entire team. I'll spare you every name and just mention a few: Tommy Harper, the team's top hitter in 1970, is in the third row, the second guy from the right. To the left of Harper is the team's top pitcher in 1970, Marty Pattin. Famed Seattle Pilot Mike Hegan is the fourth guy from the right in the fourth row. Next to Hegan on the right is Terry Francona's dad, Tito. Slugger Dave May is in the top row, second guy in on the right.

Also, it's interesting to see the traveling secretary, Tom Ferguson, get such a prominent spot (he's the dude in the suit).

No one understands him but his woman: The guys in the letter jackets look like athletes from the local high school but they're actually clubhouse men, the equipment manager and the trainer.

(A word about the back): Harper and Pattin rewrote the franchise record book in 1970.

no. 671 - bill voss

Who is the man: Bill Voss played in 80 games for the Angels in 1970. He was dealt to the Brewers in January of 1971 in exchange for pitcher Gene Brabender, who was just featured five cards ago. At least Topps was able to get Voss in his proper uniform.

Can ya dig it: This is perhaps the best view yet of one of the Twin Buttes that is the backdrop for Tempe Diablo Stadium. It sits behind left field.

Right on: I'm happy to finally see a Brewers player who is not pictured in Yankee Stadium.

You see that cat Voss is a bad mother: Voss' first major league hit was a home run off of the Tigers' Denny McLain in 1965. He later hit a triple off of McLain in the same game.

Shut your mouth: Voss suffered a multitude of injuries and illnesses during his career. Angels manager Lefty Phillips once said of him, "Bill is a very valuable player to us, but he just doesn't have the stamina to play every day."

No one understands him but his woman: Voss was known for being small in stature. During one effort to gain weight, Voss' wife made him malted milks for breakfast and then again as a late-night snack.

(A word about the back): Voss is a Halloween baby.

no. 653 - russ snyder

Who is the man: Russ Snyder played his final major league season in 1970, joining his fourth major league team for one year with the Brewers.

Can ya dig it: Snyder's follow through on his swing is similar to the pose on his 1967 card.

Right on: This is the final card of Snyder issued during his career.

You see that cat Snyder is a bad mother: Snyder played for the World Series champion Orioles in 1966 and led the American League in hitting at the All-Star break that year with a .347 average. He finished the season at .306.

Shut your mouth: Orioles manager Hank Bauer said of Snyder: "Nobody notices him until he beats their brains out."

No one understands him but his woman: Snyder was an exceptional fielder but is all but forgotten. His diving catch ended the game that clinched the 1966 pennant for Baltimore.

 (A word about the back): The "two pinch-singles in one inning" is interesting. That is something that can no longer happen, only because official baseball records now credit a batter for only one pinch-hit appearance. If that player comes up again the same inning, he is considered batting for himself and is no longer a pinch-hitter.

no. 637 - dave bristol

Who is the man: Dave Bristol was in his second season as manager of the Brewers when this card appeared in packs. He took over the team when it was still the Seattle Pilots during that limbo period in early 1970 when the team didn't know whether they'd play in Seattle or Milwaukee.

Can ya dig it: This is the highest-numbered card that I received in that trade for my first 1971s when I was a young teen. I remember sorting those cards by number on the floor of my bedroom and placing the Bristol card way to the right of the other cards.

Right on: I do believe Bristol is stowing a chaw.

You see that cat Bristol is a bad mother: Bristol was the youngest manager in baseball when he took over the Cincinnati Reds' job in July of 1966. He was 33.

Shut your mouth: Bristol said he chewed tobacco because he was told a younger manager would look silly chewing bubble gum.

No one understands him but his woman: Bristol's 1977 Braves team lost 16 straight games. Owner Ted Turner put Bristol on a 10-day leave of absence in May and managed the team himself despite no baseball knowledge. After another loss, NL president Chub Feeney intervened and removed Turner, who eventually convinced Bristol to return and manage the rest of the season.

(A word about the back): All of Bristol's winning seasons in the majors came with the Reds, from 1966-69. He was then replaced by Sparky Anderson, and not only did Bristol never register another winning season, but he missed out on the Big Red Machine.

no. 604 - john gelnar

Who is the man: John Gelnar enjoyed the most productive season of his five-year career in 1970, appearing in a career-high 53 games for the Brewers, the most on the staff.

Can ya dig it: It's another Brewer in Yankee Stadium. We must've come across a dozen of these by now.

Right on: This is Gelnar's final card. He had only two solo cards for Topps (1970, 1971).

You see that cat Gelnar is a bad mother: Gelnar was the first relief pitcher in Milwaukee Brewers history. He came on in relief for starter Lew Krausse in the fourth inning against the Angels on April 7, 1970. Unfortunately, he didn't do so well, turning a 4-0 deficit into a 7-0 deficit in four batters.

Shut your mouth: Gelnar, who went 3-10 for the Pilots in 1969, is a figure in some stories in Jim Bouton's "Ball Four". In one anecdote, Gelnar was recounting a conversation on the mound with manager Joe Schultz. The Tigers had two men on base and Gelnar wondered about the next batter, Tom Matchick: "Any particular way you want me to pitch him, Joe?" Gelnar asked. "Nah, bleep him," Schultz said. "Give him some low smoke and we'll go and pound some Budweiser."

No one understands him but his woman: Gelnar helped the Royals get Lou Piniella away from the Pilots. Seattle traded Piniella for Gelnar and Steve Whitaker.

(A word about the back): Gelnar's first major league games were with the Pirates. His first strikeout victim was the Cubs' Billy Williams.

no. 579 - marty pattin

Who is the man: Marty Pattin enjoyed his most successful season to date in 1970, winning in double figures for the first time and pitching in 233-plus innings, striking out 161.

Can ya dig it: Half the pitchers during the 1970s look like they're doing the hokey pokey in their card photos. "You put your right hand in ..."

Right on: Look at all that advertising in the background that I wish I could read but I can't.

You see that cat Pattin is a bad mother: Pattin's 126 strikeouts for the Seattle Pilots in 1969 was good for second on the team. Only Gene Brabender with 139 had more.

Shut your mouth: Baseball-reference says Pattin's nickname is "Bulldog," but he is most often called "Duck," for his ability to imitate Donald Duck.

No one understands him but his woman: Pattin married his first wife, Vera (she died in 1996) when he was in college. The entire Eastern Illinois University baseball team came to the wedding and formed an arch with baseball bats for Pattin and his bride to walk under.

(A word about the back): The best part of playing for a two-year-old franchise is saying that you once held the all-time club record in several categories.

no. 516 - ted kubiak

Who is the man: Ted Kubiak was coming off by far the most productive season of his 10-year major league career when this card was issued. He appeared in 158 games, one of only four seasons in which he reached 100 games played, and the second most was 121 games.

Can ya dig it: I enjoy Kubiak's swooping T signature.

Right on: Kubiak was probably a member of the Cardinals by the time this card was pulled out of packs. He was traded by the Brewers at the end of July in 1971.

You see that cat Kubiak is a bad mother: Kubiak received three World Series rings as a reserve for the Oakland A's during their 1972-74 run of world championships.

Shut your mouth: Kubiak spent 21 seasons as a manager in the Cleveland Indians organization. During the late 1990s, he was in Watertown, N.Y., and managed the team our newspaper covered. There was a little friction involved between Kubiak and the paper. Nothing major. Kubiak just didn't like the way we were asking questions, I guess.

No one understands him but his woman: Kubiak spent almost his entire career as a utility player. When the Padres renewed Kubiak's contract by cutting his salary in 1977, he walked out of camp at age 34 and never played again.

(A word about the back): The club mark for triples that Kubiak tied was initially set by Mike Hegan, who had six triples for the Seattle Pilots in 1969.

no. 493 - dave may

Who is the man: Dave May was coming off his first full season in the majors when this card was issued. He was traded from the Orioles to the Brewers in June of 1970 and played in 100 games for Milwaukee.

Can ya dig it: This is a rather vibrant photo. I don't know if it's the reproduction of this card or if they're all like this. Sharp.

Right on: Good for Topps getting May in a Brewers uniform instead of him in some blacked-out Orioles cap.

You see that cat May is a bad mother: May is forever the trivia question, "who did the Braves get when they traded Hank Aaron?" That's pretty bad-ass. It's even on the back of his card.

Shut your mouth: When May was playing for the Rangers in 1977, he batted in a game in September against the Angels' Nolan Ryan. He swung at a Ryan pitch and lost a contact lens. While he and others looked for the lens, Ryan said, "Oh, just forget about it, you're going to strike out anyway." May asked the bat boy to get his glasses. He then drilled a Ryan pitch down the line for a double, scoring the decisive third run in a 3-2 victory. From second base, May hollered to Ryan, "Is that a strikeout?"

No one understands him but his woman: Orioles teammate Bobby Grich once called May "the greatest batting practice hitter ever."

(A word about the back): I know the Orioles were pretty good in 1969, but mentioning that someone was a team's "No. 1 lefty pinch-hitter" sounds like damning with faint praise.

no. 456 - bob meyer

Who is the man: Bob Meyer had closed out his career when this card was issued. He pitched in just 10 games for the Brewers in 1970 and was released by Milwaukee in March of 1971.

Can ya dig it: For this set it appears that Topps just lined up all the Brewers in Yankee Stadium and took their pictures.

Right on: This is Meyer's final card.

You see that cat Meyer is a bad mother: Meyer led the minor leagues in wild pitches several times. Between 1960-63 his yearly wild pitch totals were 11, 18, 13 and 11.

Shut your mouth: Meyer pitched for three different teams in 1964, the Yankees, Angels and A's.

No one understands him but his woman: Meyer is often cited for pitching a one-hitter and losing. It came on Sept. 12, 1964 when he was pitching for the Kansas City A's. He gave up only a double to the Orioles, but that runner came around to score on a pair of sacrifices. Meanwhile, Orioles starter Frank Bertania also pitched a one-hitter, except he didn't allow any runs.

(A word about the back): I don't know if that Sept. 12, 1964 game remains tied for the AL record for fewest hits in a nine-inning game, but I do know why it isn't the major league record. During Sandy Koufax's perfect game in 1965 against the Cubs, Chicago starter Bob Hendley surrendered just one hit.

no. 433 - skip lockwood

Who is the man: Skip Lockwood had completed his first season with the Milwaukee Brewers when this card first appeared in packs. He started 26 games in 1970, winning five, with a 4.29 ERA.

Can ya dig it: Lockwood is wearing glasses for the first time on his baseball cards. They won't appear again on a Topps card until the 1978 set, although he is donning glasses on his '76 SSPC card and a couple other oddball issues.

Right on: You can see there that Skip is actually "Claude". Skip's dad was named Claude, too.

You see that cat Lockwood is a bad mother: Lockwood came into his own when he converted to relief pitching around the 1974 season. He saved 19 games for the Mets in 1976, which was second-best in the National League (behind Rawly Eastwick's 26).

Shut your mouth: Lockwood began his career as a third baseman. In fact, on his first card, a four-player rookie card in the 1965 Topps set, his position is listed as "infield".

No one understands him but his woman: Lockwood's wife, Kathleen, wrote a book that was published in 2010, called "Major League Bride," which recounts the life of a major league wife through travel, trades and injuries. In fact, she left a comment on my 1975 Topps blog.

 (A word about the back): The Hearst Sandlot Classic was an annual game played first at the Polo Grounds and then at Yankee Stadium. Backed by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, the game lasted from 1946 to 1965, although similar sandlot games continued until 1970.

no. 415 - mike hegan

Who is the man: Mike Hegan enjoyed, by far, his most active year of his 12-year major league career in 1970. He played in 148 games with 476 at-bats, batting .244. His second-highest yearly game total was 112 in 1973.

Can ya dig it: Hegan appears in this first base pose a lot on his cards. Out of his 10 solo Topps cards, he's posing with glove outstretched three times (1968, 1971 and 1976).

Right on: The vast majority of the '71 Brewers photos are taken in Yankee Stadium. I'll have to go back and see exactly how many.

You see that cat Hegan is a bad mother: Hegan was the only Seattle Pilot named to an All-Star Game. But he was injured and didn't play, and teammate Don Mincher took Hegan's place.

Shut your mouth: Hegan was a longtime broadcaster after his playing career ended, most notably for the Indians. His broadcasting career actually began when he was a player. While playing for the Oakland A's, one of Oakland's announcers was ill. Hegan replaced him and announced the game for three innings, and then put his uniform back on to join the A's in the dugout.

No one understands him but his woman: It's appropriate that Hegan is posing in Yankee Stadium, as he was the last batter to come to the plate in 1973 before Yankee Stadium was closed for a couple years for renovations.

(A word about the back): Those franchise marks are low-hanging fruit when the franchise is just two years old.

no. 372 - lew krausse

Who is the man: Lew Krausse won 13 games in his first season with the Brewers in 1970. It would be the second-best win total of his 12-year career. But he lost 18 games in 1970, too.

Can ya dig it: Krausse is not even looking at where that pitch is going.

Right on: Lew's working on a chaw.

You see that cat Krausse is a bad mother: Krausse pitched a three-hit shutout for the Kansas City A's against the L.A. Angels in his major league debut as an 18-year-old in 1961. He hadn't even pitched in the minors at that point and was straight out of high school.

Shut your mouth: Krausse was a victim of one of Moe Drabowsky's many pranks. Drabowsky, an Oriole and a former teammate of Krausse's with the A's, called the bullpen during a game and told the coach to get Krausse warming up. So Krausse started warming. Then Drabowsky called again and told the coach to sit Krausse down. So Krausse did. Drabowsky repeated the same calls. Then on the third go-round, he asked the coach to put Krausse on the phone. When Krausse got on the line, Drabowsky asked him, "(Are you) warm, Lew?" Krausse recognized the voice right away.

No one understand him but his woman: Krausse was part of a huge flap between A's owner Charlie Finley and the team in the late '60s. Krausse was fined by the A's for his rowdy behavior on a plane trip, an action that contributed to the firing of manager Alvin Dark. The A's issued a protest statement over Krausse's fine and when Finley found out that Dark knew about the plan to issue the statement, he was fired. A's player Ken Harrelson was also released over the matter and picked up by the Red Sox.

(A word about the back): It's interesting to see a cash amount related to a signing on a baseball card. That doesn't seem to be too common.

no. 353 - carl taylor

Who is the man: Topps claims Carl Taylor is a Brewer, because he was traded from the Cardinals to the Brewers in late October 1970. But Taylor never played for the Brewers. He was dealt from Milwaukee to Kansas City in February 1971. So when kids pulled this card, it was not only out-of-date, it was an untruth. Carl Taylor never played "catcher-of" for the Brewers.

Can ya dig it: This is one of those awful '71 photos that doesn't give the faintest clue that the man pictured is a ballplayer. He looks like he's waiting for the subway.

Right on: We get a good look at a concrete post, so Topps can feature Taylor's facsimile without writing it on his face.

You see that cat Taylor is a bad mother: Taylor hit an amazing .348 in 104 games for the Pirates in 1969, which was the same average as the National League's batting leader that year, Pete Rose. Taylor didn't have enough at-bats for the title though.

Shut your mouth: Taylor is one of 28 players to hit an "ultimate grand slam," which is defined as delivering a game-winning grand slam while three runs down in the game's final at-bat, although this writer doesn't like the term very much.

No one understands him but his woman: Taylor is listed as a catcher on his card, but he hadn't played any games at catcher since 1968.

(A word about the back): "A versatile man"? Make it "a versatile player" or else I don't know what we're talking about here.

no. 334 - roberto pena

Who is the man: Roberto Pena was entering his final season in the major leagues in 1971. He was acquired by the Brewers early in the 1970 season.

Can ya dig it: Pena looks like a tough guy in all of his previous cards. So it's nice that they got him to smile for once.

Right on: Last card of his career!

You see that cat Pena is a bad mother: Pena hit the only inside-the-park grand slam in the history of County Stadium, the Brewers' home park from 1970-2000. It happened on May 30, 1970 against the Tigers when Al Kaline and Jim Northrup collided while trying to field an innocent fly ball. Kaline swallowed his tongue on the play and was hospitalized for the night.

Shut your mouth: Pena died from accidental alcohol poisoning at age 45.

No one understands him but his woman: Pena is the first position player with his surname to make the major leagues. He would be followed by the likes of Wily Mo Pena, Tony Pena (three times), Geronimo Pena, Carlos Pena and pitcher Alejandro Pena. The first Pena in the majors was pitcher Orlando Pena.

(A word about the back): Possibly the first time I've seen hit by pitches listed as a league leading stat for a minor league player. Also, the Sophomore League lasted from 1958-61 and featured the Albuquerque Dukes for two of the years. They were a Class D farm team of the Kansas City A's at the time.

no. 309 - dick ellsworth

Who is the man: Dick Ellsworth pitched in 14 games for the Brewers after he was purchased from the Indians in August of 1970. His final major league season was in 1971.

Can ya dig it: I think it's fairly nifty that Topps produced a card of Ellsworth as a Brewer given his brief time with the club in 1970.

Right on: Final card of his career.

You see this cat Ellsworth is a bad mother: Ellsworth won 22 games for the Cubs in 1963, one year after he lost 20 games.

Shut your mouth: Three days after Ellsworth signed a contract with the Cubs right out of high school, Chicago manager Bob Scheffing decided to put him on the mound in the team's annual charity game against the White Sox. Ellsworth was supposed to pitch only an inning or two, but ended up throwing a complete-game four-hit shutout. "(Ellsworth is) ready to help us right now," Scheffing said after the game. "Can't say anything else until someone scores a run off him, can I?"

No one understands him but his woman: Ellsworth lost 22 games in 1966, setting franchise marks for most losses in a season by a left-hander, as well as most hits, runs and earned runs allowed.

(A word about the back): Two of Ellsworth's teammates on that high school team were future Reds pitcher Jim Maloney and future catcher and manager Pat Corrales.

no. 281 - danny walton

Who is the man: Danny Walton enjoyed the most productive season of his sporadic major league career in 1970, hitting 17 home runs in 117 games as a rookie. But he also struck out 126 times. He'd be dealt to the Yankees in June of 1971.

Can ya dig it: That scuffed-up helmet without a logo makes another appearance on a Danny Walton card. He's featured wearing the helmet in a head shot on his 1973 Topps card, probably a photo from the same session (my guess is that he's actually wearing a Seattle Pilots helmet).

Right on: I believe the Pilots ... er, Brewers are holding infield drills behind Walton. I can only hope Mr. Coach is holding a fungo bat.

You see this cat Walton is a bad mother: Walton was the 1969 Sporting News Minor League Player of the Year. Playing for Oklahoma City, he hit .332 with 25 home runs and 119 runs batted in.

Shut your mouth: Walton has just four Topps cards, even though his major league career started in 1968 and ended in 1980 (he was sent down to the minors at least seven separate times). The interesting thing to me is that on those cards, he is not wearing a legitimate cap with a logo in any of them. In 1970, he is not wearing a cap. In 1971 and 1973, he has the logo-less helmet I already mentioned. In 1978, he is wearing a clearly airbrushed Astros helmet (it's my theory that Walton is actually wearing an Albuquerque Dukes uniform and helmet, as he played for the Dodgers Triple A team in 1976 and 1977).

No one understands him but his woman: Walton tore up his knee during the 1970 season and never fully recovered, ruining a promising career in which he had his own fan club in the Brewers' left field bleachers.

 (A word about the back): That is pretty close to the photo that's on Walton's 1973 card. The only differences are that Walton has his mouth open in this photo and that someone airbrushed an "M" onto his helmet.

no. 260 - tommy harper

Who is the man: Tommy Harper enjoyed what was probably the best season of his 15-year career in 1970, hitting 31 home runs, stealing 38 bases and batting .296.

Can ya dig it: I do not dig the early Milwaukee Brewers uniforms.

Right on: Harper is before my time so I don't know what his batting stance was, but he appears to be leaning out over the plate a little here ... that is if there's actually a plate where he's standing.

You see this cat Harper is a bad mother: Harper's 73 stolen bases for the Seattle Pilots in 1969 remains the franchise record for the Pilots/Brewers.

Shut your mouth: Harper was fired from his coaching job by the Red Sox in 1985 after he spoke out against a team policy that permitted only white employees to be admitted to an Elks Lodge near the team's spring training camp. Harper filed and won a lawsuit against the team. Years later he returned to the Red Sox to work as a consultant.

No one understands him but his woman: Harper was the first and only player to record the season's first at-bat for the Pilots. They became the Brewers the next season.

(A word about the back): Of course, the write-up sounds more impressive than it is. The franchise had  been in existence for only two years. Still a very good season.

no. 236 - bob humphreys

Who is the man: Bob Humphreys was wrapping up his major league career with this card. He pitched in 28 games with the Brewers in 1970 after being released by the Senators in midseason.

Can ya dig it: Humphreys looks like a grumpus on most of his cards. This is as close to a smile as he showed on seven years of Topps cards.

Right on: Final card right here.

You see this cat Humphreys is a bad mother: Humphreys played for the World Series champion Cardinals in his first full season in the major leagues in 1964. He appeared in one game against the Yankees in that Series, pitching a 1-2-3 inning in the ninth in an 8-3 loss by the Cardinals in Game 6.

Shut your mouth: Humphreys said he learned how to throw a fastball and curve ball as a kid from a pamphlet put out by Wheaties. "There was no coaching," he said. "When I was in high school, we had a coach who was a Spanish teacher. He didn't know squat about baseball."

No one understands him but his woman: Humphreys was told in a 1963 major league evaluation, "you can't make it." He wrote that sentence down in his glove and used it as motivation at the start of a nine-year MLB career.

(A word about the back): "Bob had 3 saves for the Brewers in 1970." ... That's a hell of a lead.