Recap: I’m going through all of the notable and somewhat notable players and managers of the 1970’s and I’m basically making like it’s an all-encompassing 1970’s throwback baseball card set. For the “card front”, I’m sharing my favorite 1970’s card of that guy. I’m also including a card back’s worth of information and thoughts about him and his cardboard.
DON MINCHER
1970 Kellogg’s #75
Played 1960 – 1972
1970’s Teams: A’s, Senators, Rangers
1970’s Highlights:
Lead the 1970 A’s with 27 homers, 4 more than Reggie Jackson; started at 1st base in first ever Rangers game; His last Major League appearance came with the A’s in the 1972 World Series
Career Highlights:
Was an All-Star in 1967 and 1969; Was the Seattle Pilots first pick in the 1968 expansion draft and hit 25 homers for the team; Was the GM of the Huntsville Stars in the 1980s, became a team owner, and eventually became president of the Southern League up through his retirement in 2011
Fun Stuff:
Mincher was the only player to play for the original Senators, the “new” Senators and for he two teams that each team became after moving: The Twins and Senators; Hit a home run in his first World Series at-bat (1965)
MINNIE MIÑOSO
1977 Topps #262
Played 1946 – 1980
1970’s Teams: White Sox
1970’s Highlights:
On September 12, 1976 when he was 53 years old he got a hit, a single off of the Angels’ Sid Monge. At the time he was named the oldest player to hit safely but that was based on an incorrect birthdate (1922 instead of 1925)
Career Highlights:
Was a 7-time All-Star and a 3-time Gold Glove; Finished 2nd to Gil McDougald in 1951 AL Rookie of the Year voting even though he batted .326, scored 112 runs, drove in 76 and lead the league with 14 triples and 31 stolen bases; Lead the AL in hits in 1960, and led the league in stolen bases and triples multiple times during the Fifties; In 1956 he set a White Sox single season mark with 23 HBP and also holds the team’s career mark with 145 HBP
Card Stuff:
Before appearing in the 1977 Topps “Record Breakers” subset, his last major baseball card was in 1964 Topps
GREG MINTON
1978 Topps #312
Played 1975 – 1990
1970’s Teams: Giants
1970’s Highlights:
I’ll admit; Minton’s success came largely in the 1980s, but he’s included here mainly for his infamous 1978 card which used a colorized black and white photo; Prior to this card, he’d pitched in just 16 Major League games, only two of which were in 1977
Career Highlights:
In 1982 he was named an All-Star, got 30 saves and 10 wins with a 1.83 ERA and finished a distant 6th in NL Cy Young voting; Held a record (since broken) for most games pitched in a season without allowing a home run (68 games in 1980); Finished 2nd in the league in saves in 1981 and 1982, and 3rd in 1983
Fun Stuff:
A shortstop with a live arm in high school, he’d never pitched before being drafted by the Royals, who converted him during his first instructional league; Got a reputation as a flake for stunts like stealing the team bus
GEORGE MITTERWALD
1972 Topps #302
Played 1966 – 1977
1970’s Teams: Twins, Cubs
1970’s Highlights:
Starting catcher for the Twins in three seasons; In his 5th game with the Cubs (after a December 1973 trade) he went 4-for-4 with a walk, double, three home runs (one a grand slam) and 8 RBI… A Cubs catcher would not have 3 homers again until Dioner Navarro in 2013; Went 4-for-8 with 2 runs and 2 RBI against the Orioles in the 1970 ALCS; On 9/3/71 he hit a walk-off homer off of eventual Cy Young winner Vida Blue to give the Twins a 2-1 win over Oakland
Fun Stuff:
His nickname was “Baron von Mitterwald”
Card Stuff:
His first two card, both “Rookie Stars” cards, had to shorten his first name to “GEO.” to get his name to fit
