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In 1962, for some reason, the Topps card company produced different versions of cards for various players. These cards of New York Yankees’ relief pitcher Hal Reniff are examples. On the left is a “portrait” version, while the card on the right is a green-tinted “pitching pose” version. Reniff pitched for the Yanks from 1961 until 1967, then wrapped up his career with the Mets. Nicknamed “Porky”, Reniff was a reliever in an era when pitchers coming out of the bullpen were mostly considered “mop-up” guys. He pitched in the World Series for the Yanks in 1963 and ’64, and despite the fact that his team lost both times (to the Dodgers and Cardinals), he did not give up an earned run in his appearances.

1980 O-pee-chee hockey card of NHL Hall of Famer Mark Messier. Messier started his career in the old World Hockey Association and eventually wound up in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers, where he played second fiddle to Wayne Gretzky on 4 Stanley Cup winning teams. Messier eventually established himself as one of the NHL’s greatest players on his own, winning another Cup in Edmonton after Gretzky was traded, and then winning again as captain of the New York Rangers in 1994.  “Moose” won the Hart Trophy as league MVP twice in his career, and also won a Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 1984.

1961 Fleer football card, from www.CheckOutMyCards.com , of former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Don Meredith. Meredith played for the Cowboys for 9 seasons, and after splitting time at the position with Eddie LeBaron became the full time starter in 1963. He then led coach Tom Landry’s team into a winning era that lasted for decades, as the Cowboys grew to be known as “America’s Team”. He retired to take a job as an analyst for Monday Night Football when it began airing in 1970, and was nicknamed “Dandy Don”, teaming with Howard Cosell to make the MNF telecasts entertaining. Meredith also dabbled in acting and was known for his Lipton Tea commercials. 

1986 Fleer basketball card of former pro basketball player Charles Barkley. Known as “The Round Mound of Rebound” in his playing days for his combination of hefty body type and domination of the boards, he was not the prototype power forward, being only 6’4. Still, he was one of the game’s dominant players who could rebound, score and create opportunities for teammates.  “Sir Charles” was an 11-time NBA All Star, league MVP in 1993 and a member of the NBA’s 50th Anniversary team. He also played on the U.S. Olympic “Dream Team”  that won gold medals in 1992 and 1996. His NBA career was split between the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets, and he was elected to the basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. Barkley currently is an outspoken televison studio analyst for NBA telecasts.

From www.CheckOutMyCards.com , a 1962 Topps baseball card of Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson. Gibson, who helped the St. Louis Cardinals win 2 World Series titles in the 1960s, is arguably the greatest righthanded pitcher in major league history. He played 17 seasons, was a 9-time All Star and won 2 Cy Young Awards as the best major league pitcher in an era when the award was not given to a picher in both leagues. Gibson’s 1968 season performance highlighted “The Year of The Pitcher”, as he was 22-9 (one of the 9 losses was a 1-0 game in which opposing hurler Gaylord Perry threw a no-hitter), had a 1.12 ERA, pitched 47 consecutive scoreless innings, and opposing hitters batted .184 against him for the season. He won both the Cy Young and National League MVP Awards that year, and his performance is widely cited as the reason baseball lowered the pitcher’s mound by 5 inches the following season to try to get more offense in the game. Gibson adjusted well to the new mound height – he won 20 games, threw 4 shutouts and had 28 complete games in ’69.

1973 Topps hockey card of former NHL winger Bill Goldsworthy, who played 14 seasons for 4 different pro hockey teams, most notably the NHL’s Minnesota North Stars. Goldsworthy’s best NHL season was in 1974, when he scored 48 goals for the Stars. He also served as team captain for 2 seasons. Goldsworthy died of complications from AIDS in 1996, and was the first known professional hockey player to have the disease.

In a recent post about the flurry of questionable hits to the head in the NFL, I quoted Mike Ditka suggesting that the league go back to playing without face masks on their helmets, because “these pretty boys playing today won’t want to mess up their faces and risk losing endorsements”. This 1958 Topps football card, from www.CheckOutMyCards.com , is a card of the last player to play without a face mask in the league, flanker back Tommy McDonald. He played 12 years in the NFL, mostly with the Philadelphia Eagles, and was on the Eagles’ 1960 championship team. McDonald also played for the Falcons, Rams, Cowboys and Browns before retiring in 1968. Known for his exuberance and enthusiasm for the game, he was a six time Pro Bowler and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998. McDonald also is an artist, and a portrait he painted of Joe DiMaggio sold at auction for $4,000.

In honor of Halloween, this 1975 Topps basketball card, from www.CheckOutMyCards.com , of former Houston Rockets guard Mike Newlin, wearing his Geico caveman Halloween costume. Actually, that isn’t a costume…it’s the way athletes looked in the 1970s. Newlin was a decent NBA player, playing 11 seasons with the Rockets, New Jersey Nets and New York Knicks. His best season was in 1980-81, when he averaged over 20 points a game with the Nets.

1970 Topps baseball card of former major league pitcher Nolan Ryan. Ryan is currently in the headlines as a majority owner of the surprising Texas Rangers, who advanced to the first World Series in franchise history over the weekend. Ryan broke into the majors with the New York Mets in 1966, and his playing career spanned 27 seasons. He was part of The Amazin’ Mets 1969 World Series winning team early in his career, although he battled blister problems on his throwing hand that limited his appearances. Ryan threw more no-hitters – seven – than any pitcher in major league history, and also tossed 12 one-hitters. “The Ryan Express”, one of the hardest throwing right-handers ever,  is baseball’s all-time career strikeout leader. Ryan also spent time with the California Angels, Houston Astros and the Rangers, and despite the quality of his stuff, had a career won-loss record that was just above .500, and never won a Cy Young Award. He was an eight-time All Star, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999.

1982 O-pee-chee hockey card of former NHL defenseman Barry Melrose. Melrose had a mediocre career in pro hockey, playing for the Cincinnati Stingers of the old WHA, then moving on to the Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings. His playing career amounted to 300 games, in which he totaled 10 goals and 728 penalty minutes. Melrose had some success as an NHL head coach, with his four years at the helm of the Los Angeles Kings being his best. He led the Kings, with Wayne Gretzky on the roster, to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1993, losing to Montreal. Melrose is probably most recognizable for his current job as a hockey analyst for ESPN.