Mets purchases

In my last post I mentioned that I started off looking at cards from Burbank Sportscards while trying to find a Mets card for my Opening Day project.

Here is the card that brought me there:

1998 Pacific Online - Red #491

This card completed my 1998 page. Other than a team set photocard, this Pacific Online set seems to be the only one to show Spehr as a New York Met. While doing an eBay search for his card, I came across this parallel from Burbank. It is nice to finish off that page.

While on their site, I also took a quick look at their Mets cards and picked up two more for my binder.

L-R: 1964 Topps #235; 1966 Topps #360

I grew up listening to radio broadcasts of the Expos. If someone started getting hit by pitch a lot, immediately the radio guys would start talking about Ron Hunt, who at the time was the single-season and career leader for hit by pitch in modern baseball.

A funny thing is that in any league I played in, I tended to lead my team in hit by pitches. I wasn't afraid of the ball, and would gladly take a free trip to first base. I would often twist my body to look like I was trying to get out of the way of the pitch but end up taking it somewhere safe. I was once called on it by an opposing catcher but the ump didn't believe him.

In another online search I was looking for a Dave Kingman Mets card to complete my 1975 page. He was with the Giants in the 1975 Topps set.

I found a very good price on the 22 card 1975 SSPC New York Mets team set.

1975 SSPC New York Mets #9 - Dave Kingman

It was nice to finish the 1975 page, and to get a Kingman card from 1975 to put in it.

I also decided to substitute out a recent Tom Seaver card that had been holding a place in the 1975 page for the following SSPC card.

1975 SSPC New York Mets #12 - Tom Seaver

Seaver with a bat! Awesome!

1975 SSPC New York Mets #19 - Yogi Berra

Yogi started the 1975 season as the manager of the Mets. The back of the card makes note of the fact that he was replaced as Mets manager by Roy McMillan in August 1975.

1975 SSPC New York Mets #7 - Rusty Staub

I'm not going allow Le Grand Orange to share a scan with another card. Actually, I'm going to use his card back scan to show an example of what they look like.

RIP, Rusty.

Here is the rest of the set.

L: 1975 SSPC New York Mets #1 - John Milner

R: 1975 SSPC New York Mets #2 - Henry Webb

L: 1975 SSPC New York Mets #3 - Tom Hall

R: 1975 SSPC New York Mets #4 - Del Unser

Unser was part of the trade after the 1974 season that sent Tug McGraw to the Phillies.

L:1975 SSPC New York Mets #5 - Wayne Garrett

R: 1975 SSPC New York Mets #6 - Jesus Alou

L: 1975 SSPC New York Mets #8 - John Stearns

R: 1975 SSPC New York Mets #10 - Ed Kranepool

John Stearns was another player that the Mets received in the Tug McGraw trade.

Ed Kranepool was the last of the 1962 Mets to play in the Majors. He started as a September call-up at age 17, and retired after the 1979 season having played 1853 games for the Mets. He is still the team leader in games played, having played 270 more games than David Wright.

L: 1975 SSPC New York Mets #11 - Cleon Jones

R: 1975 SSPC New York Mets #13 - George Stone

Cleon Jones' card back notes that he was released in August 1975.

L: 1975 SSPC New York Mets #14 - Jerry Koosman

R: 1975 SSPC New York Mets #15 - Bob Apodaca

Above, we saw that Ed Kranepool was the last of the 1962 Mets to play for the team. Obviously that makes him the last of the 1969 Miracle Mets as well. The second-last of the Miracle Mets to play for the team was Jerry Koosman, who was traded to the Twins in December 1978. Sadly, I don't own a Jerry Koosman rookie card.

L: 1975 SSPC New York Mets #16 - Felix Millan

R: 1975 SSPC New York Mets #17 - Gene Clines

I love how Millan is choking up on the bat.

Before buying this team set, I had previously only owned this Gene Clines card. It was given to me by Night Owl. I love the card, and typing this I don't know why I'm not using this card in my Opening Day project. I think that I may have to replace the 1975 O-Pee-Chee card with this one. Let me know what you think in the comments.

L: 1975 SSPC New York Mets #18 - Mike Phillips

R: 1975 SSPC New York Mets #20 - Joe Torre

The Mets gave Joe Torre his managing start, making him a player-manager in 1977. After only 18 days, and 2 at-bats, he retired as a player to manage full time.

L: 1975 SSPC New York Mets #21 - Jon Matlack

R: 1975 SSPC New York Mets #22 - Ricky Baldwin

Jon Matlack was a Mets All-Star in 1975, and shared the game's MVP award with Bill Madlock that year.

A great team set that I'm happy to have found while searching for a Dave Kingman card.