#154 Jim Gantner, Brewers

 

 



Card Front: If you wanted to get the chicks in the 70's you needed to look like Jim here. The hair is a little longer and feathered, the small but "sexy" moustache, and make sure the ladies can see your eyes. One thing that I do miss from these days is the powder blue road uniforms that teams would wear. I think that the Brewers had one of the best road unis in these days. It never hurts when you put some empty seats in the background.

Card Back: Here is what the back of a young player's card looks like. Some time in the minors but a quick rise to the top. Jim was early in his long time with his hometown Brewers. I'm sure as a Wisconsin native, it was a dream come true for him to be drafted by his local team. It is always fun to go and research and find out more about these minor league clubs that you didn't know back then when we were kids.

Six degrees or less to Seattle: Jim was a career Brewer. During the 1979 season we see on this card, Jim would play with HOF'er Paul Molitor. In his next to last year, Paul would be in Minnesota in 1997, and one of his Twins teammates was Torii Hunter. Mr. Hunter would find his way to the 2013 version of the Detroit Tigers and would have Matt Tuiasosospo on the team with him. Matt spent part of three seasons in 2008-2010 with his hometown Mariners where his dad once played football for the Seahawks. Matt will be in Baltimore in 2015, and Torii and Paul Molitor have reunited in Minnesota for the Twins for the upcoming 2015 season.

Next Card: #155 Dwight Evans, Red Sox

#133 Bill Castro, Brewers

 

 

Card Front: Ahh, the classic let's get a posed picture while you are playing the Yankees in New York. While you might think this is a inter league game, the Brewers were originally in the American League. After coming to Milwaukee in 1970 after leaving Seattle high and dry, they stayed in the AL. To me this is the classic look I remember of the Brewers with the yellow front of the caps, and the interlocked MB to look like a glove.

 

Card Back: I guess Topps felt we didn't need to see all the good things Bill did in the minors. While they were happy to write out the highlights we got no stats. If Bill pitched in the modern day he would be considered too small to be a pitcher at 5'11" and 170 lbs. The Brewers saw something to sign him at 17 and have him in the majors by 21 years old.

 

Six degrees or less to Seattle: Bill would still wear powder blue on the road in 1982, but we would do it as a Kansas City Royal. Another of those Royals in '82 was Willie Wilson. Willie would eventually find himself in the pinstripes of Cubbie blue in Wrigley Field in 1994 with Jose Hernandez. Fast forward to 2005, and there is Jose playing with the Cleveland Indians with a very young Franklin Gutierrez. Franklin only saw the plate twice and was in seven games that year, but after the 2008 season he would come to Seattle in a three team trade. After many injuries and lost time, Franklin was let go after the 2013 season and is currently looking for work.

 

Next Card: #134 Alan Bannister, White Sox

#108 Eduardo Rodriguez, Brewers

Card Front: Here is Eduardo. If you kids didn't know, Eduardo is cool. Just look at the guy. To have an almost afro, wear a rubber jacket under your uniform, and do it all Milwaukee you must be a bad ass. I do find it odd that the way the sunshine off the blue in the Brewers uniform almost matches the purple banner below Eduardo's awesome profile shot.

Card Back: Little did us kids in 1979 know we were looking at Eduardo's entire career stats with the Brewers. In February of 1979 he was bought by the Royals to play in 1979 and retire at the age of 27. Relievers were used very differently in those days. I mean anywhere from 32 to 45 games and 105 to 143 innings, nowadays guys are pitching to a batter, or maybe one inning.

Six degrees or less to Seattle: While Eduardo spent only his 1979 season in Kansas City as a Royal, he did have Frank White in his infield. If you look to the 1989 version, Frank was still in the infield in Missouri, but now he had Bret Saberhagen on the mound. Later in his career, Bret would take the mound as a 1999 Boston Red Sox. Another of those Beantowners was Derek Lowe. Derek saw 12 games of service in Seattle before being dealt with Jason Varitek in 1997 for Heathcliff Slocumb.

Blog related to the team: I still wonder what would have happened if the Pilots would have never been taken off to Milwaukee by the now commissioner to become the Brewers? One guy I'm sure that couldn't care less is also a Brew Crew fan. While we have heard much from him in a long time, I'm hoping we can maybe rile him out of hibernation, and give us some new posts. When I first started reading blogs, one of the regulars was Sharpe Since 92. He has only given us one post this year, but maybe we can get him back since I used to really enjoy his work.

Next Card: #109 Joel Youngblood, Mets

#95 Robin Yount, Brewers

Card Front: Nothing like a young skinny Robin in his road Blues in Oakland in a photo from 1978. He definitely doesn't looked like the grizzled veteran that he was at the end of his HOF career. How can you not love the intertwined MB that the Brewers used to have for the caps?

Card Back: All the makings of a long productive 3000+ hit career. What makes me love it more is that Yount was one of those guys that did it all while playing for only one team, and not bouncing around trying to hang on. Playing outfield briefly in 1976 would only be a foreshadowing to where Robin would play later in his career.

Six Degrees or less to Seattle: Robin spent 20 seasons playing in Wisconsin. During the strike shortened season of 1981, another Brewer would Frank DiPino. Fast forward to the 1993 version of the Kansas City Royals to find Frank playing with Rico Rossy. Rico would spend another five years in the minors only to make a short 37 game appearance with the Mariners during the 1998 season.

Blog related to the team: Where are the guys or gals that collect Brewers cards and blog? I would think with big names like Prince and Braun there would be more than two. One I did find that is mostly news based is The Brewers Bar.

Next Card: #96 Cleveland Indians, Jeff Torborg

#51 Ray Fosse, Brewers

Card Front: Ray is looking rough and tumble in his photo time at Yankee Stadium. Yes boys and girls the Brewers used to be an AL team. We all know that his career was never the same after that fateful 1970 All Star game. While I give him style points for the stache, the big winner is the two tone hat with the "MB" logo of old.

Card Back: I like how a guy who didn't even play in 1978 gets a card with his new team. As you can see the '70 All Star game was his undoing, his stats were never the same after it. I like that they mention his scoring a run in that game. I guess going to the A's was a good thing because Ray did win rings with them.

Six degrees or less to Seattle: Yes Ray did play a handful of games for the inaugural Mariners in 1977. As a part of the 1976 Indians Ray was teamed with John Lowenstein. John would move on to Baltimore and play with Eddie Murray in 1984. Eddie was a part of the 1993 New York Mets(I don't remember that) along side a young Josias Manzanillo. Josias was with the Mariners in 1997 until a Manny Ramirez comebacker hit him where it counts without a cup.

Blog related to the team: The Brew Crew has their fans even without their big boy first baseman. One great blogger lives even farther North and out of the way than me. The man that loves his Brewers is in Alaska, but you might know Mark as the cynicalbuddha. He is the sole proprietor of the great Collector's Crack. He is a man that knows his TTM's, loves vintage, and is always working on a great Top 100, so go give him a look.

Next Card: #52 Randy Lerch, Phillies

#24 Paul Molitor, Brewers

Card Front: A very young picture of a future Hall of Famer. Who knew he was a SS, I remember some time at 3B but mostly DH. While this isn't considered his RC, it is his first solo card. You have to love the pinstripes and the white front of the old Brewers unis. Is County Stadium still standing or did it get torn down?

Card Back: Topps doesn't tell us he was originally drafted by the Card in the 28th round in 1974. The 3 years at Minnesota would raise him to the 3rd pick in 1977 and a summer with the Burlington Bees in A ball. That was all it took for Paul to start his long career. How about the walk off homer by Maz in 1960. 

Six degrees or less to Seattle: While Paul was a Mariner killer in his career, he is linked to newer Mariners too. As Paul was winding down with his hometown Twins in 1998, he would teach to former Mariner farmhand David Ortiz. In 2007 when the Sox won their second championship, Papi reamed with Wily Mo Pena. Last year, Wily Mo spent a short stay in the Emerald City.

Blog related to the team: I think you all know who the first Brewers link goes to. One of the big dogs of blogging is Bill of Thorzul Will Rule. He has posts that will make you laugh, some that will teach, and plenty of great group breaks. He should be on the blogger's Rushmore with Night Owl, and DayF, Big Daddy J, and Play at the Plate.

Next Card: #25 Steve Carlton, Phillies