Playing career, in brief: Freisleben pitched six seasons in the majors for three teams, mostly San Diego. A decent pitcher for some mediocre teams, in 202 games (121 starts) he went 34-60 with a 4.30 ERA.
Post-playing career, in brief: He worked for many years as a fishing guide in Galveston Bay, though it appears he is now retired.
My collection: I have 9 of his cards, from 1974 to 1980. I would be interested in trading for 1977 San Diego Padres Littlefield Special Events Schedules #NNO.
Playing career, in brief: Alan Foster was a highly touted Dodgers pitching prospect, who had a 1.95 ERA over seven games in 1967 and 1968. However, he failed to live up to those expectations as part of the starting rotation in 1969 and 1970, going 13-22 with ERAs well over 4.00. He was traded to Cleveland after 1970 for Alex Johnson, but had little success for them or his next team, the Angels. Traded again in 1973, he finally found success with the Cardinals, going 13-9 with a 3.14 ERA. However he had another down year in '74, and spent '75 and '76, his last major league seasons, in the Padres bullpen. Overall in 217 games (148 starts) he went 48-63 with a 3.74 ERA.
Post-playing career, in brief: He seems to have kept a low profile since his baseball career ended. Anyone know where Alan Foster is now?
My collection: I have 13 of his cards, from 1968 to 1977. I would be interested in trading for 1971 Dell Today's Team Stamps #NNO.
Playing career, in brief: Rich Folkers pitched parts of seven seasons for the Mets, Cardinals, Padres and Brewers. In 195 games, mostly in relief, he went 19-23 with seven saves and a 4.11 ERA.
Post-playing career, in brief: After his playing career he was a college and minor league pitching coach. He is now retired.
My collection: I have seven of his cards, from 1973 to 1977. I would be interested in trading for 1971 Topps #648.
Playing career, in brief: Wes Westrum played 11 years in the major leagues as a catcher for the New York Giants, from 1947 to 1957. In 919 games he hit .217 with 96 HR and 315 RBI.
Post playing career, in brief: When the Giants moved to San Francisco in 1958, Westrum retired from playing and became a coach. He managed parts of five seasons for the Mets and Giants, but never had a winning record. After the Giants fired him as manager he had a long career as a scout for the Braves. He died in 2002.
My collection: I have three cards of Westrum as a player, from 1955 to 1957. I would be interested in trading for 1952 Topps #75 and 1954 Topps #180.
Playing career, in brief: Speed played parts of three seasons for the Giants and Indians. In 113 games he hit .207 with 0 HR and 6 RBI. Speed's speed wasn't much of a factor - he was thrown out on 5 of 9 base stealing attempts.
Post playing career, in brief: Speed kept a low profile after his playing career, though his son played minor league ball in the late 1990s.
My collection: I have two of his cards - this one, and 1979 Topps. I would be interested in trading for 1980 TCMA Richmond Braves #14.
Playing career, in brief: Bobby Murcer was the best player on the Yankees in the early 1970s. A five-time All Star, he was a high-average, good-power outfielder. He was traded to the Giants before the 1975 season, and over the next few years was not as good in the National League as he was with the Yankees. He returned to the Yankees in 1979, just missing their two championship years, and was a reliable bat off the bench until his retirement in 1983. Perhaps his most famous moment was driving in all six runs in a walk-off, come-from-behind victory the day after the funeral of his good friend Thurman Munson, 47 years ago this week. Overall in 1,908 games he hit .277 with 252 HR and 1,043 RBI.
Post playing career, in brief: One of the most popular Yankees of his era, Murcer was a beloved member of the announcing team for the Yankees for over 20 years, with a folksy, humble manner. He died of cancer at the age of 62 in 2008.
My collection: I have 35 of his cards, from 1966 to 1983. I would be interested in trading for 1969 MLB Photostamps #NNO.
Post playing career, in brief:
Playing career, in brief: Joshua was a big prospect for the Dodgers who never came close to living up to his potential with the team. He had a little more success with the Giants and Brewers, but did not stay with either team for long. Overall in 822 games, he hit .273 with 30 HR, 184 RBI and 55 SB.
Post-playing career, in brief: Joshua had a long career as a minor league hitting coach for the Dodgers and Cubs, managed the Taiwan national baseball team from 2014-2017, and is now a youth baseball coach in Michigan.
My collection: I have nine of his cards, from 1971 to 1980. I would be interested in trading for 1976 Kelloggs #39.
Playing career, in brief: After brief appearances as an outfielder for the Giants in 1975 and 1976, Glenn Adams moved to the American League in 1977 with the Twins as a part-time DH and outfielder. He ended his career with a cup of coffee in Toronto in 1982. In eight major league seasons, he hit .280 with 34 HR and 225 RBI in 661 games.
Post-playing career, in brief: Adams was a minor league manager for many years but now appears to be retired.
My collection: I have 13 of his cards, from 1976 to 1983. I would be interested in trading for 1982 TCMA Syracuse Chiefs #19.
Playing career, in brief: Thomasson was a part-time outfielder for the Giants in the 1970s. In 1977 at the age of 25, he had what looked like a breakout season, hitting .256 with 17 HR and 71 RBI. The Giants sold high, packaging him to Oakland as part of the deal that brought Vida Blue to San Francisco. Thomasson struggled with the A's, and was traded to the Yankees midseason, where he was a little-used bench player. He ended his US career with the Dodgers, and signed a big contract to play for the Yomiuri Giants. He struggled mightily in Japan, nearly setting the league strikeout record before being benched.
Meanwhile, the Japanese artist Genpei Akasegawa developed a fascination with objects that were no longer in use but were still maintained, originally inspired by a staircase with no entranceway on the top, but was still regularly repaired. He published a popular book of photos of this "hyperart" - objects not intended to be art but still maintaining an artistic quality. The books showed images of objects that were "maintained in good condition, but with no purpose, to the point of becoming a work of art." A baseball fan, Akasegawa named these after the expensive but useless artifact languishing on the Yomiuri Giants bench - "Hyperart Thomasson". The concept was popular in the 1980s and regained popularity in the 2010s. According to one art blog, Messy Nessy, "On Instagram, there are over 3,000 posts alone under the Japanese “Tomasson” hashtag: トマソン".
Post playing career, in brief: Thomasson has kept a low profile since his baseball career. Anyone know what he is doing now?
My collection: I have 13 of his cards, from 1974 to 1981. I would be interested in trading for 1980 Los Angeles Dodgers Police SGA #NNO.
Playing career, in brief: A true utilityman, Thomas played in 1,630 games over 15 major league seasons, including over 300 games each at 2B, CF and SS. He played for six different teams, primarily the Dodgers, Padres and Giants, hitting .249 with 43 HR, 370 RBI and 140 SB.
Post playing career, in brief: Thomas had a lot of personal problems before and after his career, including cocaine-related arrests in 1989 and 1997. He seems to have turned his life around, and his Derrel Thomas Foundation provides mentorship programs to challenged youth.
My collection: I have 29 of his cards, from 1972 to 1986. I would be interested in trading for 1984 Stuart Expos #28.
Playing career, in brief: Speier came up with the Giants in 1971 and was an All-Star the next three seasons, mostly because of his defensive reputation. He never hit much, but stayed in the league until 1989. In 19 seasons for five teams, mostly the Giants and Expos, he hit .246 with 112 HR and 720 RBI.
Post-playing career, in brief: After his playing career he was a major league coach for seven different teams between 2000 and 2020. He appears to now be retired.
My collection: I have 54 of his cards, from 1972 to 1990. I would be interested in trading for 1974 Topps Stamps #NNO.
Playing career, in brief: Third baseman Steve Ontiveros played eight seasons in the major leagues for the Giants and Cubs. In 732 games he hit .274 with 24 HR and 224 RBI. He then played six seasons in Japan for the Seibu Lions, helping them win three Japan Series. In 1982 he was the series MVP.
Post-playing career, in brief: After his playing career ended Ontiveros remained in Japan, working in management for the Lions. He later returned to the US and worked for an advertising firm. He appears to now be retired.
My collection: I have four of his cards, from 1974 to 1980. I would be interested in trading for 1978 SSPC #250.
Playing career, in brief: The flamboyant Montanez was an outfielder with some good power, most notably leading the NL in doubles with the Phillies in 1972. He played for nine teams in 14 seasons, seven of those with the Phillies. In 1,632 major league games, he hit .275 with 139 HR and 802 RBI.
Post-playing career, in brief: After his playing career he returned to his native Puerto Rico where he was a scout and ran a baseball school.
My collection: I have 22 of his cards, from 1971 to 1982. I would be interested in trading for 1972 Topps #690.
Playing career, in brief: Infielder Bruce Miller played in parts of four seasons with the Giants. In 196 games he hit .288 with 1 HR and 51 RBI. In September of 1976 he punched the Giants' team statistician. The Giants released Miller after the incident, ending his pro baseball career.
Post-playing career, in brief: Miller was a long time teacher and baseball coach at North Side High School in Ft. Wayne, IN. He is now retired.
My collection: I have four of his cards, from 1975 to 1976. I would be interested in trading for 1976 Cramer Phoenix Giants #NNO.
Playing career, in brief: Rader had a fine rookie season with the Giants in 1972, hitting .259 with 6 HR and 41 RBI. The next season his averaged dipped to .229, and from then on was primarily a backup catcher. The Giants traded him to the Cardinals after the 1976 season, starting a string of four teams in four years, ending his career with Boston in 1980. Rader, who caught Ed Halicki's no-hitter in 1975, played in 846 games, hitting .257 with 30 HR and 235 RBI.
Post-playing career, in brief: After his playing career, Rader became a plumber, like his father and grandfather before him. He also worked in real estate, and appears to now be retired.
My collection: I have 12 of his cards, from 1972 to 1981. I would be interested in trading for 1976 Hostess #21.
Playing career, in brief: Marc Hill played parts of 14 seasons in the major leagues as a backup catcher, mostly for the Giants and White Sox. In 737 games he hit .223 with 34 HR and 198 RBI.
Post-playing career, in brief: Hill had a long career as a minor league manager. He died last year at the age of 73.
My collection: I have 19 of his cards, from 1975 to 1986. I would be interested in trading for 1979 San Francisco Giants Police SGA #NNO.
Playing career, in brief: Arnold was an unheralded middle infielder who played parts of six seasons with the Giants. In 273 games he hit .237 with 4 HR and 51 RBI. After his US career he played three seasons in Japan, displaying a power bat unseen even in the American minor leagues. Arnold whose minor league career high was eight home runs, hit double figures in HR all three seasons in Japan, hitting .274 with 43 HR and 174 RBI.
Post-playing career, in brief: After his playing career Arnold worked as an agent. He is now retired.
My collection: I have five of his cards, from 1972 to 1977. I would be interested in trading for 1977 Coke Phoenix Giants Premiums #NNO.
Playing career, in brief: Williams got into 31 games as a Met rookie in 1971. The local boy (born in Queens, grew up on Long Island) was back in the minors in early '72 when he was traded straight-up for Willie Mays. He was a regular in the Giants bullpen for several years. Overall in 268 games he went 23-22 with 4 saves and a 3.97 ERA.
Post-playing career, in brief: Williams was briefly a New York City cab driver before moving to Florida. He died in 2015.
My collection: I have eight of his cards, from 1972 to 1979. I would be interested in trading for 1972 New York Mets Long Island Mets Boosters Picture Pack #NNO.
Playing career, in brief: John Montefusco won the NL Rookie of the Year Award in 1975, going 15-9 with a 2.88 ERA. The following year he went 16-14 with a 2.84 ERA, leading the NL with 6.9 WAR. However, injuries hampered his effectiveness and he didn't live up to those first couple of outstanding seasons. In 298 games for four teams, he went 90-83 with a 3.54 ERA.
Post-playing career, in brief: John Montefusco won the NL Cy Young Award in 1975, going 15-9 with a 2.88 ERA. The following year he went 16-14 with a 2.84 ERA, leading the NL with 6.9 WAR. However, injuries hampered his effectiveness and he didn't live up to those first couple of outstanding seasons. In 298 games for four teams, he went 90-83 with a 3.54 ERA.
My collection: I have 32 of his cards, from 1976 to 1986. I would be interested in trading for 1976 Hostess #41.
Playing career, in brief: Gary Lavelle was an outstanding reliever who unfortunately spent most of his career with some bad SF Giants teams, denying him the chance for postseason success. A two-time all-star, he pitched in 745 games, going 80-77 with 136 saves and a 2.93 ERA.
Post-playing career, in brief: Lavelle had a long career as head baseball coach at Greenbrier Christian Academy in Virginia, winning over 500 games. At age 77 he is still active, as Assistant Pitching Coach at Bryant & Stratton College.
My collection: I have 32 of his cards, from 1975 to 1986. I would be interested in trading for 1978 Hostess #32.
