Sunday, October 2, 2016

Ebay Pickup - Some 1963 Fleer

Recently I've been watching ebay auctions of 1963 Fleer cards.  I have a few cards from the set but was looking to add some more of these cards to my collection.  Finally, this week I was the top bid on an auction that included 47 cards.  I was able to acquired these cards for less than two dollars a piece.

History of the 1963 Fleer set  
 
1963 Fleer is a 67-card set and was Fleer's attempt to break into the active-player baseball card market.  Since Topps had a monopoly on the marketing of baseball cards of current players with or without a confectionery product, each pack of Fleer cards included a sugarless cherry cookie.  The scarce card of set is Joe Adcock (card #46) which had been replaced by the unnumbered checklist card during the final press run.  Fleer had intended to include multiple series to this set; however, Topps sued Fleer to prevent future releases. 

Here are a few of the Fleer cards I got.

These two guys who had great 1962 season
 
Fleer 1963 Tommy Davis Card #40
Fleer 1963 Ralph Terry Card #26
 
Tommy Davis manned left field for the 1962 Dodgers.  That year, Davis topped the Major Leagues with 153 RBI, the highest total recorded since 1938 when Red Sox outfielder Jimmie Fox batted in 175 runs.  Davis' total was not exceeded again until the 1998 when Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa drove in 158 runs.
 
In 1962, Ralph Terry finished the year with 23 wins and 12 losses for the World Champion Yankees.  His win total was tops in the American League and the highest total for any Yankee right-hander since George Pipgras had  24 wins in 1928.  Terry capped his season, pitching a shutout in game seven of the World Series, as the Yankees beat the Giants 1 - 0.
 
These two guys who had not so great 1962 season

Fleer 1963 Roger Craig Card #47
Fleer 1963 Al Jackson Card #48
 
In 1962, Roger Craig and Al Jackson played for the Mets, the team's first year in the National League.  The Mets finished the season with 40 wins and 120 losses, the most losses recorded by any team since 1899 when the Cleveland Spiders finished in 12th place in the National League with a record of 20 wins and 134 losses.
 
Roger Craig was the only Met pitcher to win 10 games in 1962, finishing the year with 10 wins and 24 losses.  Craig's 24 losses was the highest total recorded in the Major Leagues since 1935 when Ben Cantwell loss 25 games for the Boston Braves.  Since 1962, no pitcher has matched Craig's 24 loss total.  Denny McLain's 22 losses for the Washington Senators is the highest total recorded since 1962.
 
As a member of the 1962 Mets, Al Jackson had a record of eight wins and twenty losses.  Half of Jackson's victories were shutouts.  His four shutouts was the second highest total in the major league during that year, and the Mets only shutouts for the 1962 season. 
 
Craig and Jackson were the first pair of twenty game loser on the same team since the 1936 Phillies Bucky Walter (21 losses) and Joe Bowman (20 losses).      
 
 A Couple of Cardinal All-Star and Gold Glove Infielders

Fleer 1963 Bill White Card #63
Fleer 1963 Ken Boyer Card #60
  
Bill White and Ken Boyer played together with the Cardinals from 1959 through 1965.  During this time, White was named to five All-Star teams and Boyer was named to six All-Star teams.   Beginning in 1960, White won six consecutive Gold Glove Awards as a first baseman and during that same time, Boyer won four Gold Glove Awards at third base.
 
As members of the 1964 Cardinals, White and Boyer lead the team to their first National League pennant and World Championship since 1944.  That year, Boyer was the League's Most Valuable Player and White finished third in the MVP voting.
 
Young Athletic Infielder

Fleer 1963 Dick Howser Card #15
 
Dick Howser made his Major League debut as a Kansas City Athletic on April 11, 1961.  That year. as the Athletics starting shortstop, he lead the team in games played (158), runs (108), hits (171), and stolen bases (37), which was the second highest total in the Major League, behind only White Sox shortstop Luis Aparicio's 53 steals.  During that season, Howser made the American League All-Star team and finished second in the League's Rookie of the Year voting, to Red Sox hurler, Don Schwall. 
 
However, in 1962, Howser broke his wrist, which limited him to only 83 games. Then in May 1963, in a deal that netted the Athletics $100,000, Howser was traded to the Indians.  He finished his career in 1968 as a member of the Yankees.
 
In 1981, Howser returned to Kansas City, when he was named manager of the Royals.  In 1985, in the I-70 Showdown, Howser lead the Royals to their first World Championship when they defeated the Cardinals four games to three.  The Royals bounced back from three game to one game deficit to win the last three games of the series to secure the championship.  The Royals next World Championship didn't happen again for 30 seasons, when they won last year's World Series.  
 
As the manager of the defending American League champions, Howser managed the 1986 All-Star game. During the game it was noted that he messed up signals when he changed pitchers, and later Howser admitted he felt sick before the game. This would be the last game he would manage, as he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and underwent surgery.  Howser attempted a brief comeback during spring training of 1987, but he quickly found he was physically too weak and abandoned the attempt in late February. Three months later, Howser passed away.
 
On July 3, 1987, Howser's number 10 became the first number retired by the Kansas City Royals.  Later that year, the Dick Howser Trophy was established as college baseball's equivalent of college football's Heisman Trophy.  
 
Veteran Outfielder

Fleer 1963 Jimmy Piersall Card #29
 
 
Jimmy Piersall, a two-time All-Star, played parts of 17 seasons in the major leagues as a member of the Red Sox (1950, 1952-1959), Indians (1959-1961), Senators (1962-1963), Mets (1963), and Angels (1963-67).  On June 10, 1953, Piersall set a Red Sox team record for hits in a 9 inning game, with 6.  He was selected to the American League All-Star team in 1954 and 1956. In 1956, Piersall played in 156 games, posted a league-leading 40 doubles, scored 91 runs, drove in 87 runs, and had a .293 batting average. The following year, he hit 19 home runs and scored 103 runs. In 1958 he won his first Gold Glove Award and then won a second Gold Glove Award while playing centerfield for the 1961 Indians.
 
On June 23, 1963, as a member of the Mets, while facing Phillies right hander Dallas Green, Piersall hit the 100th home run of his career. He ran backwards as he made his way around the bases.   
 
In 1955, author Al Hirshberg first published a book about Piersall's career, as the story centered around Piersall's 1952 season, when he suffered a nervous breakdown and spent seven weeks in a mental institution.  In 1957, the book was made into a movie, whose cast included Anthony Hopkins and Karl Madden. 
 
On September 17, 2010, Jimmy Piersall was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame. 

Sunday, September 25, 2016

P-Tom deals some Metal Universe

Recently, I was reading over P-Tom's blog, Waiting 'til Next Year, when I saw that he listed 1997 Metal Universe on his Set Needs page.  I remember that nineteen years ago, I and my girlfriend at that time really like the Metal Universe cards, and had worked on completing the set. I knew that I had some duplicate stashed somewhere if I could find them.

Eureka, I found them and there were some of the cards that P-Tom needed.  We worked a deal for a stack of about a dozen Metal Universe cards.  P-Tom said he thought that he had some Metal Universe duplicates and that he would try to help me out in my search.  He wasn't sure how many he had and he also offered me some Giant and Athletic cards to complete the deal.

P-Tom wrote this blog about the cards sent to him.


P-Tom's cards arrive just the other day.  P-Tom sent me a great stack of cards.
 
Some of the cards include:

1997 Metal Universe
P-Tom sent a couple of 1997 Metal Universe cards from my want list.

1997 Metal Universe Gregg Jefferies Card #201

1997 Metal Universe Brian McRae Card #12

After acquiring these two cards from P-Tom, I need 19 more Metal Universe cards to complete the set.
 
P-Tom has also included the Metal Universe cards I need on his Metal Universe Cards want list page.
 
 
If anyone has any of these Metal Universe for trade, please let us know.

Topps 2016 Series One
 
I received a couple of former speedy Athletics from the Topps 2016 set.
 


Topps 2016 Billy Burns Card #224
 
Topps 2016 Card Coco Crisp #111

Billy Burns and Coco Crisp didn't make it through this season with the A's.  Burns was traded to the Royals in July and Crisp was sent to the Indians in August. 
 
Burns finished last season with 26 steals, which tied him with Royals Jarrod Dyson for third place in the American League.  Burns who played in only 125 games and didn't appear in his first game until the beginning of May. 
 
2016 was Crisp seventh season with the A's.  In 2011, he tied with Yankee outfielder Brett Gardner to lead the American League in stolen bases when he swiped 49 bases.  Crisp return to the Indians will give him another chance at postseason play.
 
1989 Bowman
1989 Bowman Card Mark McGwire Card #197

1989 Bowman Card Dennis Eckersley Card #190
 
Dennis Eckersley and Mark McGwire were mainstays for the 1988 American League Champion A's who loss to the Dodgers in the World Series.  Eckersley will be remember as the pitcher who gave up the game one two-run home run by Kirk Gibson giving the Dodgers a 5 - 4 win.  McGwire's game three 9th inning home run was the game winner in the only game that the A's won during that series, a 2 - 1 victory.  
 
A couple of Stadium Club cards 

1999 Stadium Club Eric Chavez Card #166
2001 Stadium Club Barry Zito Card # 175

Eric Chavez and Barry Zito were part of A's teams that won four American League Western Division Championships from 2000 through 2006.

Some young Athletic stars

1998 Collector's Choice Star Quest Ben Grieve Card #SQ15
2000 Pacific Paramount Ben Grieve Card # 169
Upper Deck Black Diamond Ben Grieve Card #62
2000 Skybox Ben Grieve Card #112
Fleer Tradition Ben Grieve Card #177

1995 Bowman Jason Giambi Card #13
2000 Topps Stars Jason Giambi Card #54
2002 Topps Ten Jason Giambi Card #67
 
Ben Grieve was the American League Rookie of the Year in  1998 and Jason Giambi won the 2000 American League Most Valuable Player award. 
 
A's Prospects
 
1998 Upper Deck Destination Stardom Ryan Christenson Card #DS32
1996 Topps Mark Bellhorn Card #22
1998 Leaf Rookie and Stars Blake Stein Card #301

2000 Bowman Chrome Jason Hart Card #159
2000 Bowman Chrome Mario Encarnacion Card #320
2001 Bowman Jose Ortiz Card #392
 
Giant Prospects

1996 Upper Deck Jay Canizaro Card #247
1999 Sports Illustrated Giant 2000 #54
1997 Upper Deck Jacob Cruz Card #232
 
A couple Studio Heritage Series
 
1992 Studio Heritage Series Jose Canseco Card #BC-4
1993 Studio Heritage Mark McGwire Series Card #4
 
The Heritage Series was an insert in the Donruss Studio product in the early 90s.  The card are portraits of current day players in their teams old uniforms.  These are cards of a couple young Athletic stars, Jose Canseco in a 1929 Philadelphia A's uniform and Mark McGwire in a 1910 Philadelphia A's uniform.
 
Some Barry Bonds
 
1998 Collector's Choice Star Quest Barry Bonds Card #SQ39
2000 Upper Deck Ovation Barry Bonds Card #25
 
P-Tom included a couple cards of beloved Giant and current Marlin hitting coach, Barry Bonds.
 
Home Run Champ Inserts

1993 Upper Deck SP Platinum Power Mark McGwire Card #PP13
2001 Fleer Focus Diamond Vision Barry Bonds Card #10 
 
These two insert cards were received.  Mark McGwire broke Roger Maris single season home run record in 1998 and Barry Bonds exceeded McGwire's total in 2001. 
 
P-Tom, thank you for these cards.

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Nachos Grande Deal

Recently, I sent a short stack of 2015 Stadium Club baseball cards to Chris of Nachos Grande.  He returned some 2016 Allen & Ginter cards in trade.
 
He wrote this blog about the deal.
 
Trade with Nachos Grande

Some of the cards that Chris sent to me include:
 
A couple of Cubs who are helping the team as their fans hope that the Cubs will win their first World Series since 1908.

2016 Allen & Ginter Anthony Rizzo Card #260 
 
Anthony Rizzo is having another great season with the Cubs.  In 2016, he made third All-Star team and currently for the National League he is tied for eighth in home runs (with 29) and third in RBI (with 98).
  
2016 Allen & Ginter Jason Heyward Card #156 
 
Jason Hayward joined the Cubs this past off season as a free agent signee. He has struggled at the plate this year (his batting average is .223) but his outfield defense (while playing both rightfield and centerfield) has solidified the team's defense as he has over 250 chances for the season with only two errors.
 
A couple of Giants whose play has helped keep the Giants (barely) in a pennant race with the Dodgers and to be one of the two teams in the National League play-in game. 
 
2016 Allen & Ginter Brandon Crawford Card #171 
 
Brandon Crawford has played in 141 of the Giants 144 game, tops for the team, and his 79 RBI also leads the team.  Crawford's 12 home runs, ties him for second on the Giants, with Buster Posey, behind team leader Brandon Belt's 15 home runs. 

2016 Allen & Ginter Jeff Samardzija Card #167 
 
Jeff Samardzija was a free agent signee for the Giants this past off season.  He has joined with Madison Bumgarner, and Johnny Cueto as the top three hurlers in the Giants starting rotation.  Samardzija, with 29 starts, joins Cueto, who also has 29 starts (tying them for second in the National League) as Bumgarner is tied for the league lead with 30 starts (tied with National's Max Scherzer). 
 
Jason Velander has returned to his old form and is having a great season helping the Tigers stay in the race as an entry in the American League play-in game.  The Tigers currently trail the Blue Jays and Orioles by two games to make the play-in game.

2016 Allen & Ginter Justin Verlander Card #4 
 
Verlander currently has 14 wins.  He has pitched 200 innings, currently ranked third in the American League as Red Sox David Price leads the league with 205 innings pitched.  Verlander has struck out 216 batters, a total that is second in the league, trailing only Rays Chris Archer, who has 217 strikeouts.
 
Adam Jones is in his ninth season as the Orioles starting centerfielder.  The Orioles are currently tied for second with the Blue Jays, in the American League Eastern Division, two games behind the Red Sox.  Currently, the Orioles join the Blue Jays as the two American League play-in teams.  Jones is in the news this week with USA Today's Bob Nightengale article.
 

2016 Allen & Ginter Adam Jones Card #88 
 
For the season, Jones has hit 27 home run, ranking him fourth on the Orioles, who lead the American League with 231 home runs. Jones joins four other Orioles who have hit more than 24 home runs. 
 
Thanks for the trade, Chris!

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Reds No. 14

At a card show earlier this spring I pull an All-Star Classics Box Score card from a dime box.  The card was for the 1975 All-Star game.  I liked the card because it pictured Cardinal great Lou Brock and I figured that I would add the it to my collection of Lou Brock cards.

2005 UD All-Star Classics Box Scores Card #ASB-8
 
I had never seen a card like this and research found that it was an insert in the 2005 UD All-Star Classics set.  The front of the card has the box score from the 1975 All-Star game.  The game was played in Milwaukee County Stadium.  (The next All-Star game in Milwaukee was the infamous 7 - 7 tie at Miller Park that lead to Commissioner Bud Selig's decision to award home field advantage to the World Series to the champion of the league that won the All-Star game).  
 
The National League won the 1975 game 6 - 3.  It was the National League's 13th win in 14 All-Star games in a time when they dominated the All-Star game as they won 19 of 20 All-Star games between 1963 and 1982.  (Good thing for the American League that home field advantage for the World Series wasn't decided by the winner of those years All-Star game).
 
In reviewing the box score on the card the leadoff batter for the National League was noted as Reds No. 14.  All the other players from the game's box score are identified but name except for one, Reds No. 14.
 

 
 
Reds No. 14 had two hits in four at-bats as he played the entire game except for the bottom of the ninth inning when he was replaced in left field by Expo 1975 Rookie of the Year and future Hall of Fame catcher, Gary Carter. 
 
Why couldn't the name of Reds No. 14 be used on this card.  It goes back to the claim made by Major League baseball that Reds No. 14 bet on major league baseball games. 
 
The August 23, 1989 agreement Reds No. 14 made with then Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti, reads:
 
Therefore, the Commissioner, recognizing the benefits to Baseball from a resolution of this matter, orders and directs that Peter Edward Rose be subject to the following disciplinary sanctions, and Peter Edward Rose, recognizing the sole and exclusive authority of the Commissioner and that it is in his interest to resolve this matter without further proceedings, agrees to accept the following disciplinary sanctions imposed by the Commissioner.

Peter Edward Rose is hereby declared permanently ineligible in accordance with Major League Rule 21 and placed on the Ineligible List.
 
Major League Rule 21 states: "Any player, umpire, or club or league official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any ballgame game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform shall be declared permanently ineligible."
 
I guess if you are on the Major League baseball's ineligible list you can't have your name listed on any baseball card when permission for the issuance of the card is granted Major League Baseball Properties, Inc.  That permission is normally mentioned in the tiny print on the bottom of a baseball card and that permission was granted for the 2005 UD All-Star Classics Box Scores Card.
 
I remembered that Reds No. 14's son, Pete Rose Jr. had a baseball card in the 1998 Topps set.
 
1998 Topps Pete Rose Jr. Card #240 
 
I figured that card might mention Pete Rose Jr's father by name.  Nope, not the case.  The card only mentions that Pete Jr. copied his dad's crouch in his first AB.  Topps received permission from Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. to print this card. 
   
 
 
Reds No. 14 name is used on 2016 Donruss cards issued by Panini.  However, permission from Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. was not granted for these cards but instead Panini is Official Licensed product of Major League Players Association.
      
2016 Donruss Pete Rose Card #187A
 
 
2016 Donruss 1982 Pete Rose Card 82-46
 


Saturday, August 27, 2016

Night Owl Cards Moves

Recently I sent some Topps Archive, Gypsy Queen and Stadium Clubs cards to Greg of Night Owl Cards. 
 
Earlier this month, he wrote about those cards on his blog.
 
night owl cards blog

Night Owl blog is always an amusing read and I like to try to find time to read it and really enjoy it.  So I was happy to help him out with these cards.
 
This week, I received a package of cards from Night Owl.  I remember that last year, Greg and I completed a trade when I sent him a Topps 1972 Maury Wills In Action card that was on his Nebulous 9 list.  He wrote a great blog about his dealings in acquiring this card.

night owl cards blog for Maury Wills In Action card

With this current package received from Greg, he had remembered that I collected A's cards and sent many different cards that are additions to my collection.
 
Some of the cards he sent included:

A's Hall of Fame Pitchers

Night Owl sent a couple of Hall of Famers from the Upper Deck That's 70's set.

2001 Upper Deck Decade 1970's Catfish Hunter Card #5 and Rollie Fingers Card #7 

A Topps error card

Night Owl included a 2007 Topps Update card of Chris Denorfia.  Greg pointed out that this was an uncorrected error card as the name on the front of the card is Carlos Carrasco.

Front of 2007 Topps Update Chris Denorfia Card #40 (note listed as Carlos Carrasco)  
 
Back of 2007 Topps Update Chris Denorfia 

Topps Heritage cards

Night Owl also sent a couple 2008 Topps Heritage cards.  Ryan Sweeney and Sean Gallagher were new to the A's in the 2008 season as they both came from Chicago.  Sweeney was traded by the White Sox in a winter deal that sent outfielder Nick Swisher to Chicago and Gallagher was acquired in a July trade with the Cubs in a deal that the A's also received minor league catcher Josh Donaldson. 

2008 Topps Heritage Ryan Sweeney Card #512 and Sean Gallagher Card #544

Hall of Famer, Dennis Eckersley

Night Owl sent a couple cards of A's relief ace, Dennis Eckersley.

1995 Bazooka Dennis Eckersley Card #21 and 2016 Stadium Club Card #70 

Scratch Off Game card of Mark McGwire

A 1993 Triple Play Action Mark McGwire card was included in the package.  This card is an unused scratch off three inning game with Mark McGwire's pictured on the front of the card.

1993 Triple Play Action Mark McGwire Card #23
 
Inside the 1993 Triple Play Action Mark McGwire

First baseman, Dave Revering

The pack also had a 1981 Donruss Dave Revering Card #117.

Dave Revering was a top prospect for the Reds, when in 1977, he hit 29 home runs with 110 RBI for the Reds' Triple A affiliate Indianapolis Indians. In December 1977, the Reds announced a deal in which they would acquire pitcher Vida Blue from the A's for Revering and $1.75 million. However, commissioner Bowie Kuhn voided the deal as he felt that the trade wasn’t in the best, competitive interest of baseball.  The A's and Reds later work out a deal for Revering when in February 1978 he and cash was sent to Oakland for reliever Doug Bair.   The original trade was mentioned on the back of this card but says that only one million dollars was to be exchanged. 

1981 Donruss Dave Revering Card #117
 
Back of 1981 Donruss Dave Revering Card

1st Draft Pick, Rick Monday

I was happy to get the 2016 Topps Archives Rick Monday #1 Draft Pick card.  I have some of the Archive cards from this year but was bummed that I didn't have this Monday card.  Monday was the starting centerfielder for the A's during their first three seasons in Oakland (1968-70).  I liked this card as it pictured him in a Kansas City A's uniform, as he played parts of the 1966 and 1967 there.
 
Monday was the 1st player ever selected in the baseball amateur draft.  In 1965, Major League Baseball initiated an amateur player draft.  The Kansas City A's had the first pick of the draft and selected Monday, who was an Arizona State Sun Devil outfielder.
 
It looks like the picture used on the Archive card was taken at the same time as the photo that was used on Monday's Topps 1968 card. 

2016 Topps Archives #1 Draft Pick Rick Monday Card #85DP-RM  

1968 Topps Rick Monday Card #282  

Sunday, August 21, 2016

Reusing photos

When determining which photograph to use on a baseball card, I would believe that the best picture available depicting the player would be selected.  At times, the same photograph has been used on more than one card.

Deron Johnson

Previous blogs have mentioned that Topps use of the same photograph on three different Deron Johnson rookie cards, in their 1959, 1960, and 1961 sets.
1959 Topps Deron Johnson Card #131
 

1960 Topps Deron Johnson Card #134

 1961 Topps Deron Johnson Card #68

Deron Johnson played 16 seasons in the Major Leagues as an infielder, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Yankees, Kansas City & Oakland Athletics, Phillies, Red Sox, Reds, White Sox, Braves, and Brewers.  He finished his career with a .244 batting average (1447 hits in 5941 at bats) and 245 home runs and 923 RBI.  In 1965, as a member of the Reds, Johnson topped the National League with 130 RBI.

Earl Wilson

Topps used the same photo for Earl Wilson's 1968, 1969, and 1970 cards.
1968 Topps Earl Wilson Card #305
 
1969 Topps Earl Wilson Card #160
 
1970 Topps Earl Wilson Card #95

Earl Wilson was a right-handed pitcher who played eleven seasons in the Major Leagues with the Red Sox, Tigers, and Padres.  On June 26, 1962, Wilson no hit the Los Angeles Angels, winning the game 2-0. He helped his own cause with a home run off Angel starting pitcher, Bo Belinsky.  Wilson finished his career with 121 wins and 109 losses and a 3.69 ERA with 1,452 strikeouts.  In 1967, while pitching for the Tigers, Wilson lead the American League with 22 victories.

Stan Musial 

The same photography that Topps used on Stan Musial's 1962 card was used as an insert photo on his 1963 card.  It also appears that Topps reused that same picture on their 1999 Hall of Fame Collection Insert card and their 2001 Topps Stars card.

1962 Topps Stan Musial Card #50

1963 Topps Stan Musial Card #250
 

1999 Topps Hall of Fame Collection Stan Musial Card #HOF3

2001 Topps Star Stan Musial Card #142


Stan Musial, nicknamed "Stan the Man", spent 22 seasons as an outfielder and first baseman for the Cardinals. He played from 1941 to 1944 and 1946 to 1963. He was a three-time National League Most Valuable Player and was named to 24 All-Star teams.  Widely considered as one of the games greatest hitters, Musial was inducted in to the Hall of Fame in 1969.
 
For his career, Musial batted .331 and when he retired he set National League records for career hits (3,630), RBI (1,951), games played (3,026), at bats (10,972), run scored (1,949) and doubles (725).  Most of these records where later broken by Pete Rose.  At his retirement, Musial's 475 home runs ranked second in National League history behind Mel Ott's 511.

Cole Hamels

This year, it appears that Topps has used the same photograph on Cole Hamels regular issued card and his Topps Finest card.
2016 Topps Cole Hamels Card #588
 
2016 Topps Finest Cole Hamels Card #23
 
You've gotta believe that today, Topps has many different photos to choose from when issuing cards.  I am kinda surprised to see that they reused what appears to be the same Hamels photograph.
 
Cole Hamels, a left-handed pitcher, is currently a member of the Texas Rangers.  He is in his 11th Major League season and a four-time All Star.  He previously pitched for the Phillies and as a member of the Phillies, they won the 2008 World Series, and Hamels was the Most Valuable Player of the series.  As of August 20, for the 2016 season, Hamels has 13 wins and four losses for the first-place Rangers. 

Cesar Geronimo

I have found where a same photograph of Cesar Geronimo was used on his Topps 1975 card and his 1976 Hostess card.  This is one time that I remember where the same picture was used by two different companies.  
 
1975 Topps Cesar Geronimo Card #41

 1976 Hostess Cesar Geronimo Card #150

Cesar Geronimo played 15 seasons in the Major Leagues for the Astros, Reds, and Royals.  While playing with the Reds in the 1970s, he was the starting centerfielder of the "Big Red Machine".  Geronimo was a four-time Gold Gloves winner (1974-1977) and was a member of two World Series Championship teams, in 1975 and 1976, while playing with the Reds. 
 
Geronimo finished his career with a .258 batting average (977 hits in 3780 at bats) with 51 home runs and 392 RBI.  In July 2008, he was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.