Wood vs. Wood #337

 Last time it was an 8-0 drubbing by 1962. Will this be closer?

Jim Marshall's cap has the logo thoroughly blacked out. However, his inability to properly tuck in his collar allows just enough orange striping to be visible to show that this was a Giants uniform. A slugging first baseman with a decent batting eye but low batting average, he was better suited to today's game than the 1950s and 1960s. In parts of five seasons for five teams, he played in 410 games and hit .242 with 29 HR and 106 RBI. 1962 was the last of those seasons - he was purchased by the expansion Mets in the offseason and actually did well (.344 with 3 HR in 17 games) but was traded to the Pirates in May for Vinegar Bend Mizell. After the season, at the suggestion of the Pirates GM, he moved to Japan and became the first former American major leaguer to play there, hitting 78 HR over three seasons for the Chunichi Dragons. That theoretically freed up a '63 Pirates roster spot for Howie Goss, who was coming off a fine rookie season in 1962. However, in a move that probably frustrated the young fan who wrote "H. Goss" on the top of this card, Goss was traded to Houston right before opening day for Manny Mota. As a player, coach, manager and scout, Marshall had a 70-year career in baseball. He had managerial stints for the Cubs and A's, and was an American scout in Japan in the 1990s. In Japan he became friends with Ichiro Suzuki, advising the young star on his plans to play in the US. Suzuki's father had been a fan of the Dragons, and had a picture of Marshall in their home when Ichiro was growing up. Marshall died in 2025.

1986 was Don Sutton's first spring training as an Angel, and his influence is apparent on Darrell Miller's card, with the young catcher "Suttoning". Nice background with the stadium, the mountain, and possibly a palm tree. Miller played in parts of five seasons for the Angels. In 224 games the backup hit .241 with 8 HR and 35 RBI. After his playing career he became the Angels' Director of Community Relations, and later a scout. Since 2001 he has VP and Director of MLB's Urban Youth Academy in Compton, CA. In 2021 he became the first Black to be ordained as a Catholic Deacon in the Diocese of Orange, performing those duties at St. Juliana Falconieri Church in Fullerton, CA.