As much as I enjoyed making the All Star sub-sets, I am going to take a break. So before I move onto 1966, 1967, 1971, 1972 and 1973 I am going to revisit some of my other running themes.
I haven't done a "Fan Favorite" list in a while. It is basically a personal top 5 list of some of my personal favorite players from a particular team.
In 1969 Topps published 2 different version of card #208 Donn Clendenon. One showing him on the Astros and one on the Expos. Both actually showed him in an airbrushed Pirates uniform.
With 1st baseman Al Oliver waiting in the wings, the Pirates left Clendenon unprotected in the 1968 expansion draft. He was picked up by the Expos who traded him to Houston for Jesus Alou and Rusty Staub. In the latter half of 1968 the Astros named former Pirate skipper Harry Walker manager. Clendenon was not fond of his former manager and decided he would retire rather than report to the Astros. The Expos kept Staub and Alou and compensated the Astros with 2 pitchers and $100,000.
Clendenon rejoined the Expos 10 games into the 1969 season then was traded to the Mets on June 15th. At that point the Mets were 11 1/2 games behind the Chicago Cubs. By the All Star break their lead had been cut to 4 1/2 games. Clendenon was credited for giving the Mets the spark they needed. The Mets were World Series champs and Donn Clendenon was the World Series MVP.
Nice card John. Clendenon looks like he's pitching from the stretch.
ReplyDeleteI think Donn is wearing a catcher's glove!
ReplyDelete