This interested me

[Rich Klein]

And probably NO ONE else -- but I was watching on MLB Network yesterday the replay of a July 12, 1969 game between the Phillies and the Cubs. Normal Saturday afternoon NBC game; nothing really stupdenous except it was nice to see a game I probably saw 40 years ago again.

But during the game; my ears picked up when I heard names I had no memory of -- and thanks to Retrosheet I was able to confirm my suspicions as to why I did not remember them.

Two different Phllies played in that game, who would never again play in a major league game after 1969 and with a quick search of the Beckett OPG; have no cards attributed to them (yet)

The players are Al Raffo (relief pitcher) and Rich Barry (reserve outfielder). I wonder how many other players you can name that you remember seeing that have NO cards at all (either during their playing career or as part of some larger such as 1990 Dodgers Target)

This needs to be players from the 60's-70's etc.

Rich

[proofer2]

I was (still am) a huge A's fan in the 70's and they had this speedster named Alan Lewis. Announcers coined him "The Panamanian Express". I vaguely remember being upset that Topps never had a card of him for me to collect.

Rick

[Chris Counts]

I remember Alan Lewis. It's amazing he never made it on a multi-player rookie card (I checked!), since he played for six seasons. I'm guessing he used up his rookie eligibility early, and Topps didn't deem him worthy of his card. A's owner Charley O. Finley was always trying to reinvent the game, and one of his ideas was a designated pinch runner. It's interesting to note that the A's let Lewis go when they signed track star Herb Washington for the '74 season. Washington got a ton of press, especially when he was picked off first base in the World Series that year. Lewis meanwhile, had a better track record (no pun intended!) as a base stealer, nabbing 44 to Washington's 31. Each was caught 17 times, proving that it takes more than speed to steal a base (see Maury Wills vs. Willie Davis) ...

[proofer2]

Yup, that's him. I'm surprised that he actually was around 6 seasons. You've got me interested a little more about this obscure character. I'm going to go do a little research.

[Rich Klein]

Who was not used as often but was also a pinch runner; has some SSPC cards from that era; but no Topps cards either.

Two great names to add to our list

Rich

[Wayne Grove]

Who was not used as often but was also a pinch runner; has some SSPC cards from that era; but no Topps cards either.

Two great names to add to our list

Rich

Rich, I think you mean Don Hopkins. He appeared in 82 games with the A's in 1975 but only had 6 AB while scoring 25 runs. Stole 21 bases and caught 9 times. He also appeared in the 1976 Tucson Toros Team Issue set that I did for them.

[Rich Klein]

That's exactly whp I meant --

That era of A's pinch runners was a fascinating bit of baseball history

Rich