Topps All-Star Misses: 1969 NL Outfield

 The 1969 Topps All Star outfield for the National League has some glaring omissions.  Notably Hank Aaron, whose card I had already used on this blog after his passing earlier this year.  I had also included that card in my second "pack" of physical cards.  Based on the simple criteria that the players either be starting All Star from the previous year (1968) or the current year (1969) Sporting News All Star selections, here are four players that could've been included in this subset.

Hank Aaron:

• 1968 MLB All Star game starter.
• 1969 MLB All Star game starter.
• 1969 Sporting News All Star selection.
• 12th in NL MVP voting 1968.
• 3rd in NL MVP voting 1969.
• Led NL in slugging and on-base percentage in 1969.
  

Willie Mays:

• 1968 MLB All Star game starter.
• Gold Glove Outfielder in 1968
• 13th in NL MVP voting 1968.

Cleon Jones:

• 1969 MLB All Star game starter.
• 1969 Sporting News All Star selection.
• 7th in NL MVP voting 1969.

Matty Alou:

• 1968 MLB All Star game reserve.
• 1969 MLB All Star game starter.
• 1969 Sporting News All Star selection.
• 11th in NL MVP voting 1968.
• 23rd in NL MVP voting 1969.

Who probably didn't merit inclusion in the 1970 Topps All-Star set, but was in it anyway?

Lou Brock:

Brock was not even an All Star reserve in 1968 or 1969.  He wasn't on the Sporting News All Star team either year. He was 6th in NL MVP voting in 1968, leading the NL in doubles, triples and of course stolen bases. In '69 he was the stolen base king again.  Without a doubt, he was a popular player and a future Hall of Famer.  But I still wonder why he got a cards while others didn't.

Honorable Mention, Pete Rose:

Another player who wasn't a 1968 Starter nor on the 1969 Sporting News All Star team. At least Rose was a reserve in the 1968 and '69 ASGs.  He was also on the Sporting News AS team in 1968.  His inclusion doesn't quite meet the criteria, but makes a bit more sense.  Nonetheless I have other issues with his card. First is that even him in the background? His head is obscured by the brim of his cap.  There are no discernable markings on his uniform. And is that guy in the stands behind him wearing a half black/half white suit?

Topps All-Star Misses: 1970 NL Outfield

 Getting back to the 1970 set, this time focusing on the NL Outfield.  Topps was close, in that 2 of their 3 were actually 1969 All-Star starters (Alou and Aaron).  But only one was named to the 1970 Sporting News All-Star roster (Aaron). That leaves me with 3 players who could have been included in this set.

Cleon Jones:

• 1969 starting All Star left fielder.
• Named to the 1969 Sporting News All Star roster.
• 7th place in MVP voting 1969

Bobby Tolan:

• Named to the 1970 Sporting News All Star roster.
• 16th place in MVP voting 1970
• Led the NL in Stolen Bases 1970.

Billy Williams:

• Named to the 1970 Sporting News All Star roster.
• 2nd place in MVP voting 1970
• Led the NL in Hits, Runs and Total Bases 1970.

Who probably didn't merit inclusion in the 1970 Topps All-Star set, but was in it anyway?

Pete Rose:

Rose was an All Star reserve in both 1969 and 1970.  Who can forget the role he played in the 1970 game? Not Ray Fosse, that's for sure. He also wasn't selected to the Sporting News All Star team either year.  Nobody can argue Rose's stardom. In fact he tied for the NL lead with Billy Williams in 1970 and had a Gold Glove in both 1969 and 1970. But still, probably didn't belong in this subset.

************************************************

 My latest project is making All Star Cards That Never Year for the years 1958-62 and 1968-70.  During those years Topps decision making on these cards was haphazard and a mystery to everybody but Topps. They were NOT based on the current season's "Sporting News All Stars" nor the previous season's ASG starters.  So I've made additional cards based on this criteria.   

What started as an idea for a small project, ballooned to over 150 cards so I'll be posting these in small doses.  I'll be breaking it down by year, league (NL or AL), and positions (battery, infield and outfield).