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  

Happens to every guy sometimes this does

I recently completed a trade with JediJeff from 2 x 3 Heroes.  I had written a blog seeing if there was anyone out there who was interested in trading for some 2015 Topps to help me complete my set.  JediJeff contacted me and offered me some of the cards I needed. 

 

To work the trade, I sent cards to JediJeff from his White Sox team want list.  He wrote about those cards on his 2 x 3 Heroes blog entry titled "That Which I Covet"  He did a great job describing the cards I sent to him.  I was happy to trade these cards with JediJeff to help him get closer to completing his White Sox team sets.

JediJeff sent me a package of cards that I received this past week.   JediJeff passed on some of the Topps 2015 cards I needed plus some great A's cards.  

Yoda, as one of the most renowned and powerful Jedi Masters in galactic history says "Happens to every guy sometimes this does." 

Though I am no Jedi, Yodi's words have shown me, through my blog that I have happened to find sometimes, trades and have acquired new cards for my collection.

Some of the cards JediJeff sent to me include:

Topps 2015 Needs

These were the cards JediJeff sent me from my Topps 2015 want list.
  

Giancarlo Stanton Card #150

James Jones Card #494

Brandon Finnegan Card #154

Derek Holland Card #357

Michael Saunders Card #424

Albert Pujols Card #600

 

Giancarlo Stanton hit some long home run this pass season before his year ended on June 26 when he broke the hamate bone in his left hand on a swing and miss.   One of his long home runs was hit on May 12th, when a 467-foot blast cleared the left field stands at Dodger Stadium.   It was the fifth time that a ball had been hit out of Dodger Stadium.  On May 15th, 2015, Stanton hit a 474-foot home run to center field in Marlins Park. Then on May 30th, 2015, Stanton hit a 466-foot home run, the longest home run in the history of the Mets' home park, Citi Field.

 

A's Stars

 

JediJeff included cards of four players who, in 1989, helped the A's to their last World Series Championship.  

 

1997 Pinnacle Mark McGwire Card #188

1995 Emotion Rickey Henderson Card #71

1991 Fleer All Star Team Jose Canseco Card #6

1993 Leaf Rickey Henderson Card #291

1988 Topps UK Minis Dave Parker Card #55

1993 Topps Black Gold Mark McGwire Card #39

 

Jose Canceso, Rickey Henderson, Mark McGwire, and Dave Parker were members of the 1989 team that defeated the Giants during the 1989 World Series.  This series was postposed for ten day due to the Loma Prieta earthquake that struck the San Francisco/Oakland area. During the series, each of these players hit a home run during the four game sweep of the Giants.

 

Autograph Cards

 

JediJeff added a couple of autograph cards of A's pitchers who have pitched in the minor leagues for the A's.

 

2002 Select Rookie and Prospects Bert Snow Card #8

2014 Bowman Chrome Chris Kohler Card #BCAP-CK

 

Bert Snow was the A's 10th round draft pick in the 1998 MLB June Amateur Draft from Vanderbilt University.  The right handed pitcher spent six years in the minor leagues playing for affiliates of the A's.  Chris Kohler was the A's 3rd round selection in the 2013 MLB June Amateur Draft.  After sitting out 2014 due to an elbow injury, this season, Kohler pitched for the Vermont Lake Monsters of the New York-Pennsylvania League.  The 20 year-old left handed pitcher struck out 37 batters in 38.1 innings pitched. 

Home Town Heroes

 

JediJeff added a couple of cards from the 2013 Panini Home Town Heroes set.

2013 Panini Home Town Heroes Dwayne Murphy Card #110

2013 Panini Home Town Heroes Reggie Jackson Card #200

 



Reggie Jackson exploits on the baseball diamond are well documented and earned him a plaque in Cooperstown.  In 21 seasons, Jackson lead the American League in home runs on four different occasions.  He also was a four-time World Champion, winning the World Series twice with the A's and Yankees.  Dwayne Murphy played parts of nine season with the A's.  He was a Golden Glove center fielder, as he won the award six consecutive times, between 1980 through 1985.

 

Vintage Athletic

JediJeff included a Topps 1964 card of Jim Gentile.

Topps 1964 Jim Gentile Card #196

 

Jim Gentile was acquired by the Kansas City Athletics during November 1963 from the Orioles in a trade for Norm Siebern.  In the 1964 season, the A's finished in tenth place in the American League and Gentile was their regular first baseman.  Gentile had 28 home runs and 71 RBI during the season, second on the club in both categories to the A's starting right fielder, Rocky Colavito, who lead the team with 34 home runs and 102 RBI.  After being replaced at first base at the beginning of the 1965 season by Ken "The Hawk" Harrelson, Gentile was traded to the Astros in June.  Before leaving for Houston, Gentile played in 38 games for the A's and hit 10 home runs in 118 at bats.         



Grading first trade - Straight A's

Back in March, I started writing a blog about baseball cards.  One of my earliest blogs was an offer to trade some Topps 1971 baseball cards.  Recently, Jeremy, a reader of my blog, contact me and wanted to make a trade.  He was interested in six of the cards.  This was going to be my first trade.  In exchange for the 1971 cards, I told him to send me cards that I may be interested in.

 

He did great as received a pack of A's cards.  I've been a A's fan since I was eight years old.  My first year of collecting baseball cards was in 1968, the year that the A's moved from Kansas City to Oakland.   During their first season in Oakland, my family went to visit friends who lived in Berkeley.  During that trip, I attended my first major league game.   

 

I remember the game.  My mom took me and my siblings, with the family friends, as we were part of a crowd of 5,811 who attended a June night game at Oakland Coliseum.   We sat in the right field bleacher as "Catfish" Hunter pitched a completed game 5 - 3 victory over the Orioles.  I can remember it as if it was yesterday, that in the bottom of the seventh inning, Floyd Robinson's pinch hit double plated two runs to break a 3 - 3 tie.  Hunter shut down the Orioles in the 8th and 9th innings in the A's victory.

Topps 1968 Floyd Robinson Card #404

 

While I attended the game, I am sure that I had some of my baseball cards with me, as I wouldn't left home without them.  Those Topps 1968 beauties.

 

The A's, later became known as the "Mustache Gang", went on to win three consecutive World Series in 1972, 1973, and 1974.  Following those three championship seasons, keeping with a tradition established during the decade of 1910 by then owner/manager Connie Mack, A's owner Charlie Finley let his star players go.  Players from those 1970 championship teams were either traded or become free agents.  The first player to go was Hunter.  In 1974, after a contract violation by Finley, for his failure to pay Hunter $50,000, Hunter won an arbitration hearing in December that voided his contract, and he was allowed to leave as a free agent.  Hunter went on to sign with the Yankees for five years for a then record $3.35 million. 

Topps 1968 Jim Hunter Card #385

 

Soon thereafter, free agency came to baseball.  Finley felt that due to low attendance, he would be unable to pay the players that had won the three World Series.  So during spring training of 1976, in anticipation of losing Reggie Jackson and Ken Holtzman as free agents, Finley traded them to the Orioles in a deal that included young outfielder named Don Baylor.  After the 1976 season, Sal Bando, Rollie Fingers, Bert Campaneris, Gene Tenace, and Joe Rudi all played out their contracts and signed with other teams.  In December 1976, manager Chuck Tanner was traded to the Pirates for catcher Manny Sanguillen.  During spring training 1977, the A's received six players from the Pirates in a traded that included All Star second baseman Phil Garner.  Then in March of 1978, after leading the American League in losses with 19 during the 1977 season, Vida Blue was traded to the Giants for seven players. 

 

During 1977, the A's the finished in 7th place in the American League Western Division.  Then in 1978, they finished in 6th place, and in 1979 they again finished in 7th place.

 

Finley sold the A's in August of 1980, only after hiring Billy Martin to manage the team.  Martin, who had attended Berkeley High School, and after graduating in 1946, had played with Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League.  Martin returned to the East Bay and lead the A's to a second place finish during the 1980 season.  Then during the strike marred 1981 season, behind skipper Martin, the A's had the best record of all teams in the American League Western Division.  Due to the strike, there was a Division Series played where the A's defeated the Royals three games to none.  The A's missed out on returning to the World Series as they loss in the American League Championship series to the Yankees.      

 

In 1982, Martin left as manager of the A's and they failed to make the playoff again until the late 80s.  They returned to post season play after making trades, acquiring Carney Lansford, Dennis Eckersley, Bob Welch, Rickey Henderson, and Dave Parker, and bringing in free agents, signing  Dave Henderson, Dave Stewart, Don Baylor, and Mike Moore.  In addition, the A's developed players who won the American League Rookie of the Year Award in three consecutive years.  Beginning in 1986, Mark McGwire was Rookie of the Year, followed in 1987 by Jose Canseco, and then in 1988, Walt Weiss won the award.  The A's returned to prominence and made it back to the World Series in three consecutive seasons.  The A's loss to the Dodgers in the 1988 World Series, defeated the Giants in 1989, and loss to the Reds in the 1990 World Series.

That's enough A's history.  Getting back to the trade of baseball cards which was why I was writing this blog.  What I got in the trade were cards of A's players from the mid and late 1980s. 

 

Some of the cards I received in the trade:

Topps 1986 Dusty Baker Card #645, Mike Davis Card #165, Dave Kingman, Card #410, Jackie Moore Card #591, and Dwayne Murphy Card #8

 

None of the A's shown above from the Topps 1986 set were a part of the A's teams that played in the 1988, 1989, or 1990 World Series.  Mike Davis was with the Dodgers during the 1988 series.  During Game One of that series, Davis came up as a pinch hitter with two outs in the bottom of the 9th inning as the Dodgers trailed the A's 4 - 3.  He faced A's relief ace Dennis Eckersley and walked.   One batter later, Dodger pinch hitter Kirk Gibson homered to win the game 5 - 4.  This homer essentially ended the 1988 World Series, as the Dodgers defeated the A's four games to one. 

 

 

Topps 1987 Carney Lansford Card #678, Dave Stewart Card #14, Mickey Tettleton Card #649, Bruce Bochte Card #496, and Alfredo Griffin Card #111 

 

In December 1982, Carney Lansford was traded to the A's, from the Red Sox, for outfielder Tony Armas.  Lansford played third base for each of the A's World Series teams.  He played ten seasons with the A's.  His best season was in 1989 when hit batted .336.  He retired as an Athletic in 1992.  In May 1986, the A's pulled Dave Stewart off the scrap heap as they signed him after he was released by the Phillies.   Stewart came home as he was a graduate of Oakland's St. Elizabeth High School.  During the 1985 season, while pitching with the Rangers and Phillies, Stewart had a record of 0 - 6 with an ERA of 5.46 and had started the 1986 season with the Phillies and had appeared in four games with no decisions and an ERA of 6.57.  Stewart completed the 1986 season with the A's and then starting in 1987, while pitching in Oakland, he won over 20 games in each of the next four season.

 

Topps 1989 Don Baylor Card #673, Dave Parker Card #475, Dennis Eckersley Card #370, Terry Steinbach Card #725, and Dave Henderson Card #527



These players were all on the A's 1989 World Series Championship team.  In April 1987, the A's traded three minor league players to the Cubs for Eckersley.  It was thought that Eckersley's career was near its end, but with the A's, he became a MVP relief pitcher and finished with a plaque in the Hall of Fame. 

Topps 1988 Tony Phillips Card # 673, Score 1990 Bashers Blast Giants Card #702, and Rickey Henderson Card #10

The Score card of prodigal son, Rickey Henderson, shows him possibly attempting to steal another base.  Henderson graduated from Technical High School in Oakland in 1976 and was draft by the A's in June of that year and signed with the team in July 1976.  During his career, Henderson played with nine teams, including four stints with the A's, as he batted leadoff for the 1989 World Series Championship team.  Henderson retired as the all-time Major League leader in run scored and stolen bases.    

Baseball Fathers and Sons: Part IV, 1972 Reds

Which team had the most players who were either a father or son of a player who also played in the major leagues?

In my review, I found the team with the most players that were either a father or son of a major leaguer were the 1972 and 1973 Cincinnati Reds.

Each of these teams had six fathers that would have a son who would later play in the major leagues and one son whose father played in the majors.  This blog is about the 1972 National League Champion, Cincinnati Reds.

1972 Cincinnati Reds

 

 

The 1972 Cincinnati Reds, managed by Sparky Anderson, won the National Western Division with a record of 95 wins and 59 losses.  They defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates three games to two in the National League Championship Series and then faced off in the World Series against the American League Champions, Oakland A's. 
 

After losing All Star outfielder Reggie Jackson due to an injury, sustained in game five of the American League Championship Series, the A's were an underdog to the National League Champion Reds.  The A's won the first game in Cincinnati when Gene Tenace set a World Series record (later match by Braves outfielder, Andrew Jones) by hitting home runs in his first two World Series at bats.  The A's also won game two in Cincinnati and after a game four win, they took a three games to one lead in the series.

The Reds come back with two wins, including a 8 - 1 victory in game six, to tie the Series at three games a piece, that set up a decisive seventh game.  The A's game seven 3-2 victory gave them the World Series victory four games to three, winning their first World Championship since 1930, then as the Philadelphia A's.  The series was close as six of the games were decided by a run. 

Sorry, I think I said this was suppose to be a blog about the Reds. 

The 1972 Reds were lead into the World Series by Pete Rose, who topped the team with a .307 batting average.  Catcher Johnny Bench, the 1972 National League Most Valuable Player, lead the team with 40 home runs and 125 RBI.  Gary Nolan had a team high 15 wins and finished with the staff best ERA of 1.99.  Clay Carroll was the top relief pitcher, appearing in 65 games with 37 saves.  Second Baseman, Second Baseman Joe Morgan, with Johnny Bench, started the All Star game.  Clay Carroll and Gary Nolan were also on the team, although they did not appear in the game.

During the National League Championship Series, Pete Rose lead the team with a .450 batting with 9 hits in 5 games.  Joe Morgan paced the Reds with two homers and Bobby Tolan lead the team with 4 RBI. Tom Hall, Ross Grimsley, and Clay Carroll won games during the series as Grimsley and Don Gullett each pitched a team high nine innings.

The World Series was not highlighted by a great offensive output by either the A's or the Reds, as each team had only 46 hits.  During the seven game series, the Reds scored 21 runs and the A's scored only 16 runs.  Each team had a .209 batting average for the series. 

Hal McRae was the top hitter for the Reds with a .444 batting average (4 hits in 9 at bats) with Tony Perez batting .435 (10 hits in 23 at bats).  Johnny Bench, Denis Menke, and Pete Rose hit home runs in the series and Bobby Tolan topped the team with six RBI. 

Ross Grimsley won two games for the Reds and Jack Billingham's win in the game three was the Reds other victory .  Billingham pitched 13.2 innings during the series without giving up an earned run.  Billingham's eight inning effort in game three help propel the Reds to 1 -0 victory.  Tony Perez scored the lone run of the game after leading off the 7th inning with a single.  Perez was sacrificed to second on Denis Menke's bunt and scored on Cesar Geronimo's one out single to center filed. 

One of Grimsley victories came in the Reds 5 - 4 victory in game five.  Grimsley recorded the last out of the 8th inning and the first out of the 9th inning and Billingham got the save, retiring Bert Campaneris on a game ending double play. 

The 1972 Reds had one major league son and six major league fathers. 

This is the list of the players.

Son	Father
Ross Grimsley, Jr.	Ross Grimsley, Sr.

Fathers	Sons
Pedro Borbon	Pedro Borbon
Julian Javier	Stan Javier
Hal McRae	Brian McRae
Tony Perez	Eduardo Perez
Pete Rose, Sr.	Pete Rose, Jr.
Ed Sprague, Sr.	Ed Sprague, Jr.

 

The Grimsleys: 

 

Ross Grimsley Sr. 1977 Ted Fritsch One Year Wonder #4 & Ross Grimsley Jr. Topps 1972 # 99

In 1972, during just his second year in the major leagues, Ross Grimsley, Jr., was second on the Reds, with 14 wins.  In game 4 of the League Championship Series, against the Pirates, Grimsley pitched a complete game two-hitter in the Reds 7 - 1 victory.  The only run the Pirates scored was a 7th inning Roberto Clemente home run.  During the World Series, he pitched in four games.  He was the starting pitcher and game two loser in the Reds 2 -1 loss as he pitched the first five innings.  He gave up both of the A's runs, a Jim "Catfish" Hunter run scoring single in the 2nd inning and a 3rd inning Joe Rudi home run.  Later in the Series, Grimsley appeared in relief in games five, six, and seven and was the winning pitcher in the Reds games five and six victories.  

 

Ross Grimsley Sr.  pitched only one year in the major leagues, for the 1951 White Sox.  He appeared in seven games with no decisions.



Father

 

Player: Ross Albert Grimsley, Sr.
Birth Day: June 4, 1922			Birth Place: Americus, KS
Position: Pitcher
Years in Major Leagues: 1 year, 1951
Team: White Sox
Debut: Sept. 3, 1951 with White Sox			Final Game:Sept. 30, 1951 with White Sox
Career Totals
Games	Wins	Losses	Strikeouts	Walks	ERA
7	0	0	8	10	3.86

 

Son

 

Player: Ross Albert  Grimsley, Jr.
Birth Day: January 7, 1950			Birth Place: Topeka, KS
Position: Pitcher
Years in Major Leagues: 11 years, 1971 - 1980, 1982
Teams: Orioles, Reds, Expos, and Indians
Debut: May 16, 1971 with Reds			Final Game: Sept. 24, 1981 with Orioles
Career Totals
Games	Wins	Losses	Strikeouts	Walks	ERA
345	124	99	750	608	3.81





 

 

The Borbons: 

 

Pedro Borbon 1978 O Pee Chee #99 & Pedro Borbon Bowman 1993 #226

In 1972, Pedro Borbon (father) had the second most appearance as a Reds reliever, pitching in 62 games.  He finished the season with a record of eight wins and three losses with 11 saves.  In the League Championship Series, he appeared in three games including in relief of starter Don Gullett, during the fifth game. The Reds won game five 4 - 3, when George Foster scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the 9th inning.   Borbon pitched in six games during the World Series.  His lone decision during the series was a loss in game seven.  He entered the game in the 6th inning with the scored tied at one, and gave up back to back run scoring doubles to Gene Tenace and Sal Bando which lifted the A's to a 3 - 1 lead in their 3 - 2 victory.  During his career with the Reds, Borbon, also pitched in the post season during the 1973, 1975, and 1976 seasons and was a part of the 1975 and 1976 Big Red Machine World Championship teams. 

 

Pedro Borbon (son) best year in the major leagues was 2001 while pitching for the Blue Jays.  He appeared in 71 games, finishing the year with 2 wins and 4 losses.  His only post season appearances came with the 1995 Braves when he pitched in one game, and one inning, in the League Championship Series against the Rockies and then pitched in one World Series game, one inning, against the Indians.

Father

 

Player: Pedro (Rodriguez) Borbon
Birth Day: Dec. 2, 1946			Birth Place: Mao, Dominican Republic
Position: Pitcher
Years in Major Leagues: 12 years
Teams: Reds, Angels, Giants, and Cardinals
Debut: April 9, 1969 with Cardinals			Final Game: August 15, 1980
Career Totals
Games	Wins	Losses	Strikeouts	Walks	ERA
593	69	39	409	334	3.52

Son

Player: Pedro Felix (Marte) Borbon
Birth Day: November 15, 1967			Birth Place: Mao, Dominican Republic
Position: Picher
Years in Major Leagues: 9 years
Teams: Blue Jays, Braves, Dodgers, Astros, and Cards
Debut: October 2, 1992			Final Game: August 15, 2003
Career Totals
Games	Wins	Losses	Strikeouts	Walks	ERA
368	16	16	224	158	4.68

 

The Javiers:

Julian Javier Topps 1964 #446 & Stan Javier Fleer Ultra 1999 #160

 

Julian Javier served as a reserve infielder for the Reds during the 1972 season.  After playing a dozen years with the Cardinals, Javier was traded to the Reds during spring training for pitcher Tony Cloninger.  He played in 40 games in 1972 batting .209 (19 hits in 91 at bats) with 2 home runs and 12 RBI.  Javier did not play in the League Championship Series, however, did appear as a pinch hitter in four of the 1972 World Series games.  He did not get a hit in two World Series at bats.  Javier also appeared in the 1964, 1967, and 1968 World Series with the Cardinals, winning World Championships in 1964 and 1967.  Javier ended his career appearing in 19 World Series games, batting .333 (18 hits in 54 at bats) with 1 home run and 7 RBI. 

 

Stan Javier best season was in 1990 when he split time with the A's and Dodgers.  He started the season with the A's and the May 13 trade for Willie Randolph sent him to the Dodgers.  While with the Dodgers, Javier played in 104 games, batting .304 with 3 home runs and 24 RBI.  During his career, Javier played in the post season during six different seasons, ending his with a post season batting average of .253 (19 hits in 75 at bats) with 1 home run and 8 RBI.  He was on the A's 1989 World Series Championship team.

Father

Player: Manual Julian (Liranzo) Javier
Birth Day: August 9, 1936			Birth Place: San Francisco de Macoris,  Dominican Republic
Position: Second Base
Years in Major Leagues: 13 years
Teams: Cardinals and Reds
Debut: May 28, 1960 with Cardinals			Final Game: October 1, 1972
Career Totals
Games	At Bats	Hits	Home Runs	RBI	Batting Ave.
1,622	5,722	1,469	78	506	.257

 Son

Player: Stanley Julian Antonio (Negrin) Javier
Birth Day: January 9, 1964			Birth Place: San Francisco de Macoris,  Dominican Republic
Position: Outfielder
Years in Major Leagues: 17 years, 1984 - 2001
Teams: A's, Giants, Dodgers, Mariners, Phillies, Angels, Yankees, Astros
Debut: April 15, 1984 with Yankees			Final Game: October 6, 2001 with Mariners
Career Totals
Games	At Bats	Hits	Home Runs	RBI	Batting Ave.
1,763	5,047	1,358	57	503	.269

 

  

The McRaes:

 

Hal McRae Topps 1973 #28 & Brian McRae Score Gold Rush 1994 #19

Hal McRae played in 61 games for the 1972 Reds.  He batted (27 hits in 97 at bats) with 5 home runs and 26 RBI.  During the Championship Series against the Pirates, McRae's lone appearance was pinch hitting for Clay Carroll in the 9th inning of game five and he was at the plate when George Foster scored the winning run on Bob Moose's wild pitch in the Reds 4 - 3 victory.  During the World Series, McRae was the Reds top hitter with a .444 batting average with 4 hits in 9 at bats.  He started games four and six in right field.  In game six, he lead off the 5th inning and doubled off A's starter Vida Blue.  Later in the inning, he scored on Dave Concepcion's sacrifice fly to give the Reds a 2 to 1 lead in their 8 - 1 victory.  

 

In addition to appearing in the 1972 post season with the Reds, McRae also played in the 1970 League Championship and World Series for them.  Later in his career, he appeared in the post season with the Royals.  McRae played in seven American League Championship Series during the 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1984, and 1985 seasons, and he played in the 1980 and 1985 World Series, winning the World Championship with the Royals in 1985. 

Brian McRae best season was playing with the 1996 Cubs.  That year in appeared in 157 games, and batted .276 (172 hits in 624 at bats) with 17 home runs and 66 RBI.  Brian never appeared in any post season games.

Father

Player: Harold Abraham McRae
Birth Day: Jul 10, 1945			Birth Place: Avon Park, FL
Position: Designated Hitter and Outfielder
Years in Major Leagues: 19 years, 1968 - 1987
Teams: Reds and Royals
Debut: July 11, 1968 with Reds			Final Game: July 17, 1987 with Royals
Career Totals
Games	At Bats	Hits	Home Runs	RBI	Batting Ave.
2,084	7,2188	2,091	191	1,097	.290

 Son

Player: Brian Wesley McRae
Birth Day: August 27, 1967			Birth Place: Bradenton, FL
Position: Outfielder
Years in Major Leagues: 10 years
Teams: Royals, Cubs, Mets, Blue Jays and Rockies
Debut: August 7, 1990 with Royals			Final Game: October 3, 1999 with Blue Jays
Career Totals
Games	At Bats	Hits	Home Runs	RBI	Batting Ave.
1,354	5,114	1,336	103	532	.261

 
The Perezes:

 

Tony Perez Topps 1972 #80 & Eduardo Perez 2006 Upper Deck Special F/X Red #584

In 1972, Tony Perez appeared in 136 games for the Reds.  He batted .283 (146 hits in 515 at bats) with 21 home runs and 90 RBI.  He finished second on the team, to Johnny Bench, in home runs and RBI.  In the League Championship Series, Perez batted .200, with four hits.  In the 9th inning of game five, the Reds entered the inning trailing the Pirates 3 - 2.  After Johnny Bench lead off the inning with a home run, Perez singled to center.  He was replaced by pinch runner, George Foster, who went on to score the game winning run on a wild pitch in the 4 - 3 victory that put the Reds in the World Series.

During the World Series, Perez batted .435 leading the Reds with ten hits, getting a hit in each of the seven games.  In game seven, the Reds entered the bottom of the 5th inning trailing A's starter, John "Blue Moon" Odom, 1 - 0.   Perez lead off the inning with a double to left field, and he later scored on Hal McRae's sacrifice fly, to tie the game at one.

In his career, Perez appeared in 6 League Championship Series and 5 World Series.  He played in 47 post season games, 42 of those with the Reds, and ended with a batting average of .238 (41 hits in 172 at bats) with six home runs and 25 RBI.  Three of his home runs came in the Reds 1975 World Series victory over the Red Sox.

Eduardo Perez best season was with the 1997 Reds.  That season in 97 games, Perez batted .253 (75 hits in 297 at bats) with 16 home runs and 52 RBI.  In 2002, while playing for the Cardinals, Perez appeared in his only post season.  He played in the National League Divisional Series against the Diamondbacks, and the National League Championship Series against the Giants.  He played in four games with one hit in five at bats.  In game two in the League Championship Series, Perez entered the game in the 8th inning as a pinch hitter and hit a home run, the only Cardinal run in a 4 - 1 loss to the Giants. 

 

Father

Player: Tony (Atanasio Rigal) Perez
Birth Day: May 14, 1942			Birth Place: Camaguey, Cuba
Positions: First Base and Third Base
Years in Major Leagues: 23 years
Teams: Reds, Expos, Red Sox, and Phillies
Debut: July 26, 1964 with Reds			Final Game: October 5, 1986
Career Totals
Games	At Bats	Hits	Home Runs	RBI	Batting Ave.
2,777	9,778	2,732	379	1,652	.279

 Son

Player: Eduardo Atanacio Perez
Birth Day: Sept. 11, 1969			Birth Place: Cincinnati, OH
Position: First Base and Outfielder
Years in Major Leagues: 13 years
Teams: Cardinals, Reds, Angels, Devil Rays, Indians, and Mariners
Debut: July 27, 1993 with Angels			Final Game: September 29, 2006 with Mariners
Career Totals
Games	At Bats	Hits	Home Runs	RBI	Batting Ave.
754	1,800	445	79	294	.247

 

 

 

The Roses:

 

Pete Rose Topps 1975 Mini #320 & Pete Rose Jr.  Topps Chrome 1998 #240

 

Pete Rose Sr. was the starting left fielder for the 1972 Reds.  He played in 154 games with a batting average .307 and 198 base hits which were team highs.  His games played total and hits were tops in the National League.   Note that the start of 1972 season was delayed due to a players strike.  The strike erased the first week and a half of the season, and the Leagues decided not to makeup the missed games.

In the League Championship Series, Rose paced the Reds with a series high 9 base hits and batting average of .450.  In game five of the series, the Reds entered the bottom of the third inning trailing the Pirates 2 - 0.  Rose doubled to right field scoring Don Chaney with the Reds first run of the game.  During the World Series against the A's, Rose batted .214 (6 hits in 28 at bats) with one home run and two RBI.  In game five, played in Oakland, Rose lead off the game with a home run off A's starter, Jim "Catfish" Hunter.  Then with the scored tied at four in the 9th inning, Rose singled off A's reliever Rollie Fingers, that plated Cesar Geronimo with the game winning run.

During his career, Rose played in 67 post season games, finishing with a post season batting average of .321 (86 base hits in 268 at bats).  He played in six World Series including the 1970, 1972, 1975, and 1976 World Series with the Reds and the 1980 and 1983 World Series with the Phillies.  He won World Championships in 1975, 1976, and 1980 winning the series Most Valuable Player Award in 1975, in the Reds victory over the Red Sox.

Pete Rose Jr. recorded two career hits.  His first hit was a single in his major league debut on September 1 during the Reds 7-4 loss to the Royals.  Pete finished the year with the Reds, his only season in the major leagues, ending with a lifetime batting average of .143 (2 hits in 14 at bats). 

 

Father

Player: Peter Edward Rose, Sr.
Birth Day: April 14, 1941			Birth Place: Cincinnati, OH
Position: Second Base, Third Base, Outfield, First Base
Years in Major Leagues: 24 years, 1963 - 1986
Teams: Reds, Phillies, and Expos
Debut: April 18, 1963 with Reds			Final Game: August 17, 1986 with Reds
Career Totals
Games	At Bats	Hits	Home Runs	RBI	Batting Ave.
3,562	14,053	4,256	160	1,314	.303

 Son

Player: Peter Edward Rose, Jr.
Birth Day:  Nov. 16, 1969			Birth Place: Cincinnati, OH
Position: First Base and Third Base
Years in Major Leagues: One Year, 1997
Teams: Reds
Debut: Sept. 1, 1997 with Reds			Final Game: Sept. 28, 1997 with Reds
Career Totals
Games	At Bats	Hits	Home Runs	RBI	Batting Ave.
11	16	2	0	0	.143

 The Spragues:

Ed Sprague Topps 1969 #638 and Ed Sprague 1999 Pacific Paramount #188

Ed Sprague Sr.  was a relief pitcher for the 1972 Reds.  He appeared in 33 games and ended the season with three wins and three losses.  He did not appear in the National League Championship or the World Series.

Ed Sprague Jr.  best season was with the 1993 World Champion Blue Jays, who defeated the Phillies, four games to two.  He appeared in 150 games during the season, batted .260 (142 hits in 546 at bats) with 12 home runs and 73 RBI.  In addition to appearing in the post season with 1993 Blue Jays, he was also a part of their 1992 World Championship team.  In the 1992 World Series, against the Braves, during game two in the top of the 9th inning, Sprague pinch hit for Blue Jays reliever Duane Ward.  The Blue Jays entered the inning trailing 4 to 3.  Sprague's two run home run, off Braves reliever Jeff Reardon, plated Derek Bell and help the Blue Jays win the game 5 - 4.  After playing with the Blue Jays in 1992 and 1993, Sprague only other post season appearance was in 2001 with the Mariners when he appeared in one game in the League Championship Divisional Series against the Indians.  Sprague ended his post season career playing in 17 games with a .220 batting average (9 hits in 41 at bats) with one homer run and eight RBI.

Father

Player: Edward Nelson Sprague, Sr.
Birth Day: Sept. 16, 1945			Birth Place: Boston, MA
Position: Pitcher
Years in Major Leagues: 8 years, 1968 - 1976
Teams:, A's, Reds, Brewers, Cardinals
Debut: April 10, 1968 with A's			Final Game: June 5, 1976 with Cardinals
Career Totals
Games	Wins	Losses	Strikeouts	Walks	ERA
198	17	23	188	236	3.84

 Son

Player: Edward Nelson Sprague, Jr.
Birth Day: July 25, 1967			Birth Place: Castro Valley, CA
Positions: Third Base and Third Base
Years in Major Leagues: 11 years
Teams: Blue Jays, Pirates, Padres, Mariners, Red Sox, A's
Debut: May 7, 1991 with Blue Jays			Final Game: October 7, 2001 with Mariners
Career Totals
Games	At Bats	Hits	Home Runs	RBI	Batting Ave.
1,203	4,587	1,010	152	558	.247

1973 Cincinnati Reds

The 1973 Cincinnati Reds also had seven players who were either a father or son of a major league player.  Pedro Borbon, Ross Grimsley, Tony Perez, Pete Rose, and Ed Sprague returned to the 1973 Reds.  During the off season between the 1972 and 1973 seasons, Julian Javier retired and Hal McRae was traded to the Royals with pitcher Wayne Simpson for pitcher Roger Nelson and outfielder Richie Scheinblum.

 

1973 was Ken Griffey Sr. rookie season with the Reds.  Ken Sr. played nine seasons with the Reds and a total of 19 seasons in the major leagues with the Reds, Yankees, Braves, and Mariners.  His son, Ken Griffey Jr. later played 22 seasons in the major leagues for the Mariners, Reds, and White Sox.  Junior played in Cincinnati from 2000 to 2008.  In 1997, with the Mariners, Ken Jr. won the American League Most Valuable Player award.

 

Ken Griffey Sr. 1982 Topps #620 & Ken Griffey Jr. 2008 Topps Heritage #50 

The Griffeys made baseball history when playing for the Mariners.  On August 31, 1990, they became the first son and father to play on the same team at the same time. In Ken Senior's first game as a Mariner, the pair hit back-to-back singles in the first inning and both scored. On September 14, the pair hit back-to-back home runs in the top of the first inning off Angels pitcher Kirk McCaskill, becoming the first father-son duo to hit back-to-back home runs. They played a total of 51 games together before Griffey, Sr., retired in June 1991.  

 

On July 27, 1973, the Reds traded pitcher Ed Sprague to the Cardinals for infielder Ed Crosby.  Crosby played part of this season with the Reds, and spent six seasons in the major leagues with the Cardinals, Reds, and Indians. Bobby Crosby, Ed's son, Bobby played eight seasons in the major leagues for A's, Pirates, and Diamondbacks.  Bobby won the 2001 American League Rookie of the Year award while playing with the A's.

 

Ed Crosby 1976 Topps #457 & Bobby Crosby 2008 Topps Heritage #252