1968 Topps All-Star Rookie Team

Here they are - the Topps All-Star Rookie Team, selected "by the Youth of America" following the 1968 season and featured in the 1969 Topps set. 

I have completed the run of these up through 2016 Series one, at least all regular issue cards that bear the All-Star Rookie Trophy. 

The whole team is represented this time around, including a crowded middle infield, as you'll see in a moment.

 Left Handed Pitcher - Jerry Koosman
The dominance of the Rookie All-Star Roster by Metropolitans continues! It is well deserved for Koosman, who smashed several team records in 1968. Not just rookie records, either - Koosman had 7 shutouts (a team record), 178 Strikeouts (a team record), 19 wins (a team record), and an economic 2.08 ERA (you guessed it, a Mets Franchise record). Koosman had a fantastic career for the Mets, Twins, White Sox, and Phillies. He won 222 games in his career, and struck out over 2,500 batters. He was a 20 game winner for the Mets in 1976 and then again for his home state Twins in 1979. He was born in the small town of Appleton, MN, which has a population of just over 1,300 people as of 2013. Kooz was yet another 1960s Topps Rookie All-Star to play a major role in the 1969 Miracle Mets squad. He recorded 6 more shutouts and had a sparkling 17-6 record in the World Series season. His only NLCS start that year was a rocky one, but he more than made up for it in the World Series, with a 2.04 ERA over a pair of starts, both of which the Mets won.

Jerry Koosman's Rookie Card is shared with some clown named "Nolan" in the 1968 Topps Set, card #177 

Catcher - Johnny Bench
Hall of Famer
Another big time player with small town beginnings, Johnny Bench was born in the hamlet of Binger, Oklahoma which today has a population under 700. Johnny was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1968 at the tender age of 20. He would play a further 16 seasons after that first year, all for the Cincinnati Reds. The grind of catching eventually forced Bench to move primarily to the corner infield positions. Bench is a 14-time All-Star Selection, retired with the most home runs all-time for catchers, and developed a well-deserved reputation as an excellent fielder behind the plate, winning 10 Gold Gloves. Bench was the NL MVP in 1970 and 1972, and of course was a big part of the Reds' two world championship teams in 1975 and 76. He was the World Series MVP in 1976, hitting .533 in the 4 games including a pair of homers.  

 As you can see, he was well established as a top prospect even before his 1968 Rookie Season as the Minor League Player of the Year in 1967. Johnny was voted to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1989, named on over 96% of all ballots cast. He was named as Catcher on MLB's All-Century Team, and the MLB All-Time Team.
Johnny's Rookie Card is also in the 1968 Topps Set - Card # 247 shared with Ron Tompkins, who played in exactly 0 games for the Reds. 

 Third Baseman - Bobby Cox
Hall of Fame (as Manager)
Rookie Card
Oh, you didn't know? Bobby Cox could pick it! Well, until his knees betrayed him, anyway. He originally signed with the Dodgers, and spent time in the Braves minor league organization (put a pin in that one), before coming to the New York Yankees and making his Major League debut for the Bronx Bombers. Unlike Bench, Cox was already 27 when he broke into the bigs, having amassed over 1,000 base hits throughout his time in the Minors. His final Major league game came in 1969, but not long after that he started a new climb through the ranks, this time as a coach. He was on the 1977 Yankees staff, then became the manager of the Atlanta Braves in 1978. He spent the early 80s north of the border as manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, leading the team to the post season in 1985. With that success, he returned to Atlanta as the team's General Manager, building a team that he would eventually take over as manager in 1990. That team finished in last place in the NL, but he turned the team into a perennial World Series contender. Cox was 4-time Manager of the Year, and reached a record 16 postseasons, 15 of them Division Titles. He also was known for his fiery temperment and general ornery-ness, and has the Major League record for most ejections.
  

Outfield - Del Unser
Rookie Card
Unser carved out a long career in the majors due to timely hitting and a reputation for being a guy that had a serious motor. Unser was a triples machine as a young player - he had 15 triples in his first two seasons, leading the AL in 1969 in the most exciting play in baseball.  The son of a former major league catcher, Unser understood what would endear him to his teammates, fans, and coaches to keep him in the lineup - maximum effort! As an older player, he became a clutch pinch hitter. In one stretch, he hit three pinch hit homers in three appearances. He became a World Series champion at the age of 35 with the Phillies in 1980, hitting .455 in his only taste of postseason action. He even got the start in game 4 of the Fall Classic, though the Phils dropped that game. Unser had 1,344 hits over 15 major league seasons.

 First Baseman - Gary Holman
Rookie Card
Holman hit .294 for the Senators in 1968. You might be saying, so what? Well, the AL batting champion that season was Carl Yastrzemski, who hit .301 - Holman would have been 2nd in the league in hitting. I say "would have been" because he only played in 74 games, and did not qualify for the leaderboards. He was a member of the 1963 College championship USC Trojans, and was originally signed by the LA Dodgers. The Senators picked him up in 1964 and he spent a few years working his way up to the major leagues. Holman split time in 1968 and 1969 between the Senators and their AAA affiliate. He did not play beyond the 1969 season.

 Right Handed Pitcher - Stan Bahnsen
What Jerry Koosman was to the Mets in the National League, Stan Bahnsen was to the Yankees in the AL. Tall and thin, the "Bahnsen Burner" was the AL Rookie of the Year, striking out 162 batters and tallying an ERA+ of 140. He won 17 Games for the Yankees in 1968, and was immediately the team's 2nd best starter. He was part of a trio of starters in Chuck Tanner's White Sox rotation in the 1970s (along with Wilbur Wood and Tom Bradley) that Tanner trotted out as much as possible. In three seasons, Bahnsen started 130 games for the Sox. He later converted to reliever, and was a key man in the Expos bullpen in the late 1970s.
Stan's Rookie Card was in the 1967 Topps Set - Card #93, shared with Bobby Murcer.

 Second Baseman - Ken Boswell
Rookie Card
Boswell, like Gary Holman, earned the Topps All-Star Rookie nod despite playing in just 75 games. He would make up for it in 1969, playing in over 100 games as the Mets primary 2nd Baseman. He was platooned for much of his career, and played in just 1 World Series game for the Miracle Mets. He played 11 major league seasons in all - 7 with the Mets, and the final four as a Houston Astro. He would return to the World Series in 1973 with the Mets, this time falling to the Oakland A's. Boswell became a valuable utility player in Houston, appearing all over the infield and corner outfield.

Outfield - Dave Marshall
Rookie Card
Dave Marshall. Played in 76 games in 1968 - hit .264 in limited duty. He was a bit player in 7 seasons total for the Giants, Mets, and Padres. He never played in the post season, and was used as a pinch hitter for the Mets and Padres to close out his career. But hey, TOPPS ALL-STAR ROOKIE! Can't take that away from him.

 Shortstop - Hector Torres
Rookie Card
Here comes a regular! Torres was the primary Shortstop for the Astros in 1968. He had career highs in base hits and pretty much everything else. After his rookie year, his hitting fell off a cliff and he was replaced by Denis Menke. He played for both Canadian teams, retiring after 91 games with the expansion Blue Jays in 1977. He was a career .216 hitter over 9 seasons, a prototypical light hitting reserve middle infielder.

 Second Second Baseman - Dave Nelson
Rookie Card
HEY! Wait a minute. Ken Boswell was the Topps All-Star Rookie 2nd Baseman. What gives? I guess the Youth of America could not decide between Boswell's 74 base hits and Nelson's 23 steals. The steals, which would be a hallmark of Nelson's game throughout his career, are actually quite impressive when you consider Nelson only had 44 hits in 1968. Maybe the Youth of America wanted us to combine the two players to make some kind of Frankenstein's Monster.

(DavKen NelBowson had 118 Hits, 11 doubles, 7 Triples, 4 Homers, and 30 Steals. Not Bad!)

Nelson was an All-Star in 1973 with the Rangers, having moved with the team from Washington. He even scored the last run at RFK Stadium for the Senators. Dave Nelson is well known as a radio broadcaster and T.V. Analyst, having worked in Kansas City and more recently in Milwaukee, where he is the pregame analyst. He was a coach and roving instructor for several big league teams following his playing days.

Outfield - Bobby Bonds

Rookie Card

His son may have become more famous, but Bobby Bonds was no slouch. He was Baseball's first 30/30 man, hitting 32 long balls and stealing 45 bases in 1969. He also led the league in runs scored with 120 that season. His rookie year was just a half season but he started his career with a Grand Slam for his first major league hit. Bonds was a 3 time All-Star, and finished his career with over 300 doubles, 300 Homers, 450 Stolen Bases, and 1,000 RBI. His potential was clear in 1968 - he forced his way onto the Giants' roster by hitting .370 and slugging .616 in his first 60 games in AAA. Bonds covered the outfield well, and earned 3 Gold Gloves in his career. 

I Love The 80s : 1981 California Angels

Just a quick refresher - this is a series of posts on a 1980's Frankenset. Each page features a different team, with 9 of my personal favorite cards from that year's team. You might find players repeated, you'll definitely see brands repeated, but hopefully you'll agree that there are some interesting selections from the 1980s!

Shifting gears from North of the Border to Sunny California, here are the cards of the 1981 California Angels. The Angels finished 6th in the AL West in 1980, and did not fare much better in 1981. They managed to grind out a winning record pre-strike, but the second half saw the Halos fade with a record ten games below .500.  

 Rod Carew led the offense, with contributions from DH Jason Thompson and Bobby Grich. The rotation in 1980 was led by Frank Tanana the 26 year old lefty ace. The following year saw the rotation undergoing a near complete overhaul as Tanana left the team that drafted him for the Boston Red Sox as the main prize in the Fred Lynn trade. The Halos had to depend on 20 year old phenom Mike Witt and 34 year old crafty veteran Ken Forsch. Andy Hassler was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise shaky bullpen.

The Cards:
Fleer #283 Freddie Patek - The 3-time All-Star closed out his career with the Angels in 1980 and 81. He played about half the 1980 season as the Angels primary shortstop, splitting time with the even older Bert Campaneris. A key member of the Royals playoff teams in the late 70s, he just missed the 1980 Royals' World Series appearance.

Topps #639 Carney Lansford - Moving from California to Boston in the same off-season as Tanana, Lansford may have proved the argument that a player's home park can make a guy look completely different. Carew didn't seem to struggle in any venue, but Lansford hit .261 for the Halos in 1980. Moving east to Fenway (along with another season of maturation as a major league hitter), Lansford tore the cover off the ball and won his first and only batting title in 1981. He did hit for some power with California, coming in second on the team with 15 round trippers in '80. Lansford may be best known for being the glue that held the flashy Oakland A's offense together at the end of the 80s. His 1989 playoffs were tremendous and a main reason why the team steamrolled to their only World Series title.

Drake's Big Hitters #2 Rod Carew - Carew was featured in last week's 1967 Topps Rookie All-Star Team post. In 1980, he hit .331 with a .396 on base percentage. Carew continued his climb up the all-time hitting charts in '81, rapping out 111 hits in the strike shortened campaign.

Donruss #171 Frank Tanana - In 1980, Tanana was a year removed from three straight All-Star appearances, A career record of 91-66 with an ERA of 2.93. As the defacto Ace of the Angels staff, Tanana struggled to win games and to strikeout batters. The arm woes suffered in 1979 seemed to be lingering and he was unable to regain his status as a fireballer in the mold of a left-handed Nolan Ryan. He was able to change his approach later in life and became a fixture in the Tigers rotation in the mid 80s and into the 90s.

 Fleer #268 Rod Carew -  This shot of Carew with the mountains in the background is one of my favorite cards of Carew of all time.

Topps  #263 Brian Downing - Downing is one of those very good major league players that tend to fall out of the conversation when talking about the greatest of all time. Downing wasn't as good a catcher as contemporaries like Bob Boone, or as good a hitter as guys like Reggie or even Don Baylor once Downing shifted to being primarily a DH. But Downing was a very good hitter for a very long time. He had a late start, too - used mostly in a backup or utility role in 1980 and 1981, he started a string of solid offensive seasons throughout the 80s, finishing his career with 2,099 hits, 275 homers, and over 1,000 RBI. Downing also had an exceptional eye at the plate, finishing his career with an OBP of .370 despite regularly hitting in the .250s and .260s.

Fleer # 290 Andy Hassler -  Andy was one of the Angels closers in 1980, finishing with 10 saves. Along with Mark Clear, Hassler anchored the back end of the bullpen, arguably as the better half. The lefty debuted with the Angels way back in 1971 as a 19 year old. He bounced around the league over the decade of the 70s, with stops in Kansas City, New York, Pittsburgh, and Boston before finding his way back to the Halos in 1980. The came over in June after having his contract purchased from the Pirates. Hassler followed up his much anticipated return with a solid 1981 as well.

Fleer Star Stickers #122 Don Baylor - The 1979 MVP had a rough year in 1980. At age 31, he played in just 90 games, and hit just 5 home runs a year removed from 36. Baylor followed that up with a disappointing 1981 as well, and some may have written him off at that point. He would go on to hit another 150 career homers, and became a mercenary of sorts, called in to be the big middle of the order bat on several playoff contenders, including a short stint with the 1987 Minnesota Twins, just in time to hit a home run in the World Series. He played in the World Series in 1986, 1987, and 1988 with three different AL teams. Not a bad way to close out a career!

Donruss #174 Joe Rudi -  Rudi was finishing up a 4 year stint in the California Angels' outfield in 1980. Better known for his thrilling run as the sparkplug in the Oakland offense during their 1970s three-peat, he came to the Angels in 1977 after becoming too costly for the frugal Charlie O. Finley. Along with Campaneris, Carew, and Freddie Patek on the team the 1980 Angels had a wealth of experience to help the young players coming up.

       Any requests for the next 1981 team to cover?

A Regal Triple Break from a Super Trader

Matthew from Bob Walk the Plank recently did a Transatlantic Triple Break of 2016 Diamond Kings. Here's the good stuff that came my way:

 The Artist's Proof cards are numbered to 99

 Speaking of Royal-ty, here's Big Brett and Baby Brett - 2 of the 3 George Brett Cards in the stack

 "Memorable Feats" is a good looking insert.

 Matt always tosses in a couple extra hits - here's a really fancy parallel from 2015 Topps. The Silver Frame is serial numbered to 20.

Wow! A Pair of Hall of Famers! Bert is the Twins' T.V. Analyst, and Paul is the Twins current manager. He's technically on a winning streak, as the Twins have won 2 games in a row for just the 2nd time this season.... Yikes! Both of these are numbered to 25 and feature a pretty slick gold ink autograph.

Thanks as always Matt - another great triple break in the books!

I Love the 80s : 1981 Montreal Expos

It's gonna be sad to talk about the Expos during this series on 1980s cardboard - I really hope that the Expos can come back some day. In 1980, the Expos finished second in the NL East with a 90-72 record. They were led by a very fleet of foot outfield, a Hall of Fame Catcher in his prime, and a rotation that blended youth and experience. 

 In 1981, the Expos made the postseason and defeated the defending champion Phillies in the Divisional series, but lost to eventual 1981 World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers in a very hard fought NLCS. Here are my favorite cards of Expos in 1981. Quick story on Ron LeFlore - I realize that is a White Sox card, but I wanted to include another card with the Expos' home uniform, and this was one of the better examples.

The Cards:

Donruss # 89 Larry Parrish - Parrish was the regular 3rd Baseman for the Expos in 1980 and 1981, missing significant time after being hit by a pitch on his wrist.

Fleer #148 Ellis Valentine - Valentine's 22 homers in 1980 marked the third straight season of 20+ homers, and he was just 26 years old. He ended up being traded to the Mets during the first half of the 1981 season for pitching help.

Fleer Star Stickers #123 Andre Dawson -  The Hawk had a bit of a down year in 1980 compared to his 1978 Rookie of the Year campaign, but he still won his first silver slugger award and first Gold Glove. They would be the first of many for the Hall of Famer. 1981 would mark his first All-Star appearance.

O-Pee-Chee #6 Gary Carter - The Kid pretty much killed it in 1980 and 81. He won his first of 3 straight Gold Gloves behind the plate, finished 2nd the MVP balloting (his highest finish), and enjoyed a pair of All-Star appearances. The Hall of Famer was the on field leader of the team.

Topps Traded #816 Tim Raines - I decided to use this Topps card instead the O-P-C card with three Expos rookies on it.

O-Pee-Chee #244 Ellis Valentine - The modified facemask that Ellis wore on his helmet makes this one of my favorite cards of the decade.

Fleer #143 Steve Rogers - Rogers was the Expos Ace in 1980 and 1981, and was a life-long Montreal Expo. He led the National League in complete games in 1980 and finished 5th in the Cy Young voting. He would go on to lead the league in ERA in 1982, and finished his 13 year career in 1985.

Donruss # 538 Tim Raines -  Rock. His career was just getting started in 80/81 - playing in just 15 games for the Expos in 1980, but he was the Minor League Player of the Year. In 1981, he took over Left Field for the Expos and stole 71 bases in just 88 games. He would go on to steal at least 70 in his first 6 full seasons. He should be in the Hall of Fame, hopefully that will be fixed next year.

Donruss # 576 Ron LeFlore - It would be hard to imagine it, but Raines' stolen base totals were actually a drastic reduction from the totals of the 1980 Expos Left Fielder, Ron LeFlore. He stole 97 bases in 1980 for Montreal. He came to the majors with Detroit and then Tigers Manager Billy Martin gave the 26 year old a chance at redemption. LeFlore had a checkered past, but his talent on the field was never in doubt. LeFlore took the opportunity and despite a late start he ran with it. By the time he stole 97 bases for the Expos, he was already 32 years old. With the speedy Raines coming up and seemingly no place for LeFlore in the Expos Outfield, he was allowed to test free agency. He returned to the AL and played his final two seasons for the White Sox.

1967 Topps All-Star Rookie Team: Get Your Heart Checked!

Here they are - the Topps All-Star Rookie Team, selected "by the Youth of America" following the 1967 season and featured in the 1968 Topps set. 

I have completed the run of these up through 2016 Series one, at least all regular issue cards that bear the All-Star Rookie Trophy. 

Dick Hughes RHP, Rich Nye LHP, and Rick Monday OF were members of the team in 1967, but their 1968 Topps cards did not feature the trophy.

  Right Handed Pitcher - Tom Seaver
Hall of Famer
The Franchise is probably the greatest pitcher to be named to the Topps All-Star Rookie Team. He was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1967, and quickly became the Ace of the young Mets rotation that blossomed in 1969, winning the World Series. He began to assault the record books of the Mets immediately upon making the team:

 Seaver's career continued to deliver in the 70s and into the 80s, including a no-hitter in 1978, 5 strikeout titles, 3 Cy Young Awards, and 12 All-Star Appearances. He was the Opening Day starter 16 times, striking out over 3,600 batters in his career. He recorded 61 Career Shutouts - for comparison, the active leader in the majors is Clayton Kershaw with 14 (ahem, 15 after last night) . "Tom Terrific" was about as close to a unanimous Hall of Fame Selection as a player can get, named on 98.8% of all ballots. Until this year's election of Ken Griffey, Jr., no player had a higher percentage of votes. Seaver also has the rare distinction of winning two games in the same day. He finished a game suspended the previous night, then started the regularly scheduled game on May 9th, 1984. His 300th win came in New York, as a member of the Chicago White Sox, in August of 1985.
Tom's Rookie Card is the last one Mark Hoyle needs to complete his 1967 Topps Set.

 Outfield - Reggie Smith
Reggie was not a Hall of Famer like the guys before and after him on this list, but his career was still a productive one. He compiled over 2,000 career hits and was a doubles machine - racking up 363 two baggers in 17 major league seasons. He also belted 314 career home runs, scored over 1,000 runs, and drove in over 1,000 more. He made 7 All-Star teams between the Red Sox, Cardinals, and the Dodgers, and even picked up a Gold Glove in 1968. Hey- do you like advanced stats? Reggie's career OPS+ was 137, meaning that he hit 37% better than the league average over his career. The only switch hitter with a higher career OPS+ ? Why, that would be Mickey Mantle. You prefer anecdotes? Hall of Famer Don Sutton said that Smith was a more valuable player for the 1978 Dodgers than Steve Garvey, which may have contributed to a heated wrestling match between Garvey and Sutton in the clubhouse in L.A. Reggie would be quoted as saying his least favorite word was "potential" - a word the media used to describe heights that he did not reach in his career. His overall body of work was solid, and he contributed to some the strongest teams in the 60s and 70s. He was a member of the World Champion Dodgers in 1981, albeit as a bit player at this point, appearing in just two World Series games, and just 41 regular season games. The championship was icing on the cake for a great career.
Reggie's Rookie is #314 in the 1967 Topps set.

 Second Baseman - Rod Carew
Hall of Famer
Rod Carew didn't play baseball much as a teenager - he was born in Panama, and played sparingly with neighborhood kids. The family moved to New York and it wasn't until Rod was in high school that he once again picked up a bat. It turned out that he had a knack for hitting a baseball. Carew won 7 batting titles, won the AL MVP award in 1977, and was the 1967 AL Rookie of the Year. He never hit many home runs, but Carew managed to lead the league in Triples three times, averaged 200 hits and 29 doubles per year, and went to the All-Star game in all but one of his 19 seasons. The Hall of Famer reached the 3,000 hit plateau against his former team, the Twins, in 1985, his final major league season. This offseason, while taking in a round of golf, Rod suffered a heart attack. He has been making slow progress recovering, and likely will need a heart transplant to extend his life. He appeared at TwinsFest and urged everyone to talk to their doctor about their heart health. Carew was one of the game's greatest pure hitters.
Rod's rookie card is pesky high number #569 in the 1967 Topps Set

 Catcher - Dick Dietz
Dietz appeared in just 56 games in 1967. He, like many of other Topps All-Star Rookie Catchers, was the most promising of a thin group. It's rare for a catcher to excel in their rookie season, and they usually take some time to come into their own. For Dietz, that was 1970. Dietz crushed 22 homers and made his first and only All-Star appearance. In that game, Dietz was a reserve, and came into the game in the 7th inning replacing Johnny Bench. Dietz hit a home run that started a rally for the Senior Circuit. The comeback culminated in the unforgettable play at the plate with Pete Rose steamrolling Dietz's opposite number Ray Fosse. Dietz was the batter on deck when Rose scored the run. Dietz had another solid campaign in 1971, hitting 19 homers as the primary catcher for the playoff bound Giants. Dietz was released by the Giants following the 71 season (and the 72 players' Strike; Dietz was the Giants player Rep). The Dodgers picked him up, but he suffered a broken wrist which effectively ended his regular playing time. He appeared in his final major league game in 1973 as a member of the Atlanta Braves.
Dick's Rookie card was #341 in the 1967 Topps Set

 Third Baseman - Bobby Etheridge
Rookie Card
Bobby Etheridge played in just 40 games in 1967, and just 96 Major league games in his career. He managed 26 hits, with 1 home run. He spent most of the season behind Jim Ray Hart on the depth chart. He bounced around the minor leagues until 1973 and was out of baseball. Maybe Sal Bando would have been a better bet, but hindsight is 20/20...

 Outfield - Walt Williams
"No Neck" was short in stature, but he played big on the field. Built like he was hastily crammed into a suitcase*, Williams played the game like he was late for a flight. The reckless abandon on the field made him an instant fan favorite. While he hit for just a .240 average his rookie year, he rebounded and managed a career mark of .270, with a career high average of .304 in 1969. He had his best seasons in terms of average and on base percentage when given the chance to play regularly, which was a rare occurrence for Williams. Defensively, Williams was very very good, making just 19 errors in his career. He did not get the opportunity to play regularly in the States, finishing his career with stints in Venezuela, Mexico, and Japan. He also played in the short lived Senior Baseball League in 1989. Williams passed away in January of this year after a heart attack.
*(quote paraphrased from an unnamed scout, quoted in Williams' NY Times Obit)
Walt's Rookie Card was #598 in the 1967 Topps Set.

 Shortstop - Tim Cullen
Cullen had a career year in his first full season with the Senators in 1967. He had 95 hits, and a career high OBP of .306. His greatest success came as a bench player on the 1972 World Champion Oakland A's. Cullen has the dubious distinction of being traded back to his original team in one season - going from the Senators to the White Sox, then being traded back to Washington (for the same player, Ron Hansen). Both teams decided to have a do over on that one.
Tim's Rookie Card is #167 in the 1967 Topps Set

First Baseman - Lee May
Lee had a great rookie season with the Reds, and it was the start of a career that saw May playing for several teams in both leagues. May was prodigious slugger, though he hit only 12 homers in his first full season, he would go on to hit over 350 for his career. May, in addition to hitting a lot of homers, struck out at a high rate as well. May averaged 123 strikeouts per season - along with Reggie Jackson, Dave Kingman, and others, May ushered in a new era of  home run hitter in the 1970s. Striking out 100+ times in a season would be almost unheard of, but these players were also hitting more home runs on a consistent basis compared to the players of the previous generation. May was definitely consistent - he had 11 consecutive seasons of greater than 20 homers and 80 runs batted in. "The Big Bopper" had his highest total in 1971, hitting 39 big flies. May was a perfect fit in Baltimore, often providing the "3 Run Homer" that Orioles Manager Earl Weaver liked to wait for. His brother Carlos also played pro ball, and between the two of them they have hit the 6th most homers for a pair of brothers (even though most of those came from Lee).
Lee's Rookie Card is #424 in the 1966 Topps Set.