Vintage backgrounds: 1969 Topps Brant Alyea

 There's lots going on with the background of Brant Alyea's card. A catcher and an infielder can be seen on the spring training diamond to Alyea's left, while on the right #42 watches the action. #42 was Hall-of-Famer Nellie Fox, in his first season as a Senators first base and hitting coach. Fox had been brought on by former White Sox teammate Jim Lemon. When Lemon was fired Washington was preparing to name Fox as manager, but after the city's NFL team hired Vince Lombardi as coach, the owner wanted to bring on a big-name baseball manager, hence the team's hiring of Ted Williams instead. Fox went with the team to Texas 1971. When Williams resigned he recommended that Fox replace him, but Billy Martin got the job instead. In 1975 Bill Veeck was in the process of acquiring the White Sox and planned to hire Fox to manage the team, but Fox passed away from cancer at the age of 47 before the sale was completed.