Billl Davis: rookie of the years
 

Had fun picking these up from eBay over the last few months.

I recognized the name as having appeared on a number of these cards, but I wouldn't have guess he was on 5 consecutive. I checked and he saw action in 20 games for the Tribe in 65, 23 in 66 and 31 for the Padres in 69.

His mom was our school nurse at Elliot Elementary in Richfield when I was in grade school in the mid-1960s.

Guess I have yet to look at all of his cards together at once, but it appears that the image on the 67 and 68 cards the same, albeit cropped differently. Then the image on the 66 and 69 are the same with the 69 airbrushed.

Wow, 5 consecutive Rookie Stars has to be a record for one guy.
He never really got out of the starting gate, as his career ended in 1969 with 105 at bats over 3 seasons.

the 5 multi player rookie cards IS a record for any player

Rich

Without a doubt.

This chain has prompted me to do something I've wanted to for some time - a quick look at all the players featured on multi-player rookie cards in the vintage era, 1962-1982...how many were they on, how many had 'gap' years, how many individual cards did they wind up appearing on, how many never saw action in a single MLB game, what team had the most,etc.

This is from "The Mistake Manual" by Ralph Nozaki. Hope it is a help.

Mike

Attachment 587350

Bill Davis PC - 1963-69 Cleveland Indians Postcards
 

I’m still slowly chipping away at my “First Cleveland Card” collection. I’m trying to find a card of each player in a CLE uni, and trying to find each player solo if at all possible. Thankfully there is a Bill Davis PC in the 1963-69 Cleveland Indians Postcard Set. Supposedly, there is a 2nd pose from this set (entirely possible), but haven’t seen it. I don’t know of any other solo cards of Bill Davis, apart from those in this PC set.

And it looks like Topps used the same picture for Wally 7 years apart. Great info I always thought Piniella had the biggest span from 64 to 69 but Wolf blows that away.

The back of his 70 card shows Wolf had pitched in 248 minor league games to that point. That has to be a record for a guy appearing on a rookie card? I dare anyone to top it.

Peter, I'll take you up on your dare, assuming you DON'T count a card issued when a player was in the minors many years before he made it to the majors as being his RC. I am referring to Joseph John "Oyster Joe" Martina, who began his pro career in 1910 at age 20 with Savannah of the South Atlantic League. A T210-1 baseball card of Martina was issued in 1910 - see pics below. From 1910 through 1923, Martina pitched in 577 minor league games. After 14 years in the minors, Martina finally made it to the majors in 1924 with the Washington Senators at age 34, where he appeared in 25 games with a W-L record of 6-8 and a 4.67 ERA. He appeared in one 1924 World Series game and pitched one scoreless inning. His major league RC appears in the 1924 Diaz Cigarettes set (see pics below - please ignore the McGrew card), and I believe this is the only contemporary card issued of Martina as a major leaguer. Martina was a World Series winner in his only year in the majors! Martina pitched another 7 years in the minors, his last year being 1931 at age 41. He pitched in 764 games over his entire 21-year minor league career. https://www.baseball-reference.com/r...d=martin020joh

Davis rookie
 

Topps kept saying every year " I got a good feeling about this guy, he's gonna make it "

Val thanks, very interesting. Leads to another question, who was the oldest player to make a major league debut, and no, I am not counting Satchel Paige.

Ken Takahashi with the Mets? Oldest one I can think of

Not even top 10.

Damn, I surprised there’s 10+ non negro league guys older than 40. I have no idea then

Hmmm ... I think my list must not count him because he played in a major league equivalent. So depending on definition you're right. My list appears to be guys who played in the minors before debuting. The oldest was 37.

Ah. I would guess Jim Morris then? I remember his debut was a big deal but I’m not sure he was that old. Probably on the list.

4th

After being awed at this, I had to go get 'em.

Goes well with my 1971 (the Andersons) Rookie Stars - three unrelated players with the same last name on the same rookie card...almost as cool as Bill Davis, the prolific rookie.

Actually... Brock Davis was on Topps Rookie Stars cards in 1963... and then again in 1971.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/p...livodi01.shtml

Diomedes Olivo?

Davis's career reminds me of another one:

https://beckett-www.s3.amazonaws.com...is-feature.jpg

"I'm too old for this $h*t. Why the hell am I back in A ball?"

Or what economists say about Brazil: it is the country of the future, and always will be.