Final Card - Don Zimmer

Most people now remember Don Zimmer as the lovable, roly-poly coach for Joe Torre's Yankees, but he was an infielder for the Dodgers and others from 1954-1965. This is his final card as a player.

Zimmer was signed by Brooklyn in 1949, and after 5 ½ years in the minors he made his major-league debut in July 1954. (The serious beaning referred to on the back of his card led to brain surgery.  It was the event that caused MLB to adopt batting helmets.) He backed up Pee Wee Reese through the 1957 season, then finally landed the starting shortstop job in 1958, the team’s first season in Los Angeles.

Don's time as a regular was short-lived, as a young upstart named Maury Wills made his debut in June 1959, pushing Zimmer to the bench.

In April 1960, Don was traded to the Cubs for pitcher Ron Perranoski and infielder Johnny Goryl. What dumb luck! Zim started the first 19 games at 3rd base, but another rookie (Ron Santo) arrived in June to once again take a job away from Zimmer. This time though, he just moved across to 2nd base.

Zimmer was the Cubs' regular 2nd baseman in 1961, starting 108 games while collecting a career-high 512 plate appearances. He was also selected to both All-Star games that season. What was his reward for such a fine season? He was selected by the Mets in the October 1961 expansion draft. (The Cubs had rookie Ken Hubbs on deck for 2nd base, so Zim was expendable.)

Don only lasted 1 month in New York, and spent the rest of the '62 season with the Reds. He returned to the Dodgers before the 1963 season, but was sold to the Senators in late-June.

Don was the Nats' starting 3rd baseman for the remainder of that year, split the job with John Kennedy in 1964, and backed up Ken McMullen in 1965.

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After playing in Japan in 1966, Don began his managing career in 1967. He was a player/manager in 1967 for a Reds' farm team in 1967, before strictly managing the following season. He managed in the Padres' organization in '69 and '70, then skippered the San Diego club in '72 and '73.

Don was also the Red Sox’ manager from 1976-80, where the team won more than 90 games from 1977-79. The next stop was the Texas Rangers in ’81 and ’82.

He was hired by the Cubs before the 1988 season, but fired 37 games into the 1991 season. His final stop as manager was with the Yankees, filling in for Joe Torre for 36 games.

Between 1971 and 2014, when he wasn’t managing, he was coaching for the Red Sox, Cubs, Giants, Yankees, and Rays.

Zimmer passed away in June 2014 at age 83, in his 11th season as a Rays' coach.

Final Card - Ed Roebuck

Ed Roebuck pitched in 460 games during his 11 year career, but only 1 as a starting pitcher. He pitched 7 ½ seasons with the Dodgers, and parts of 2 seasons with the Senators before wrapping up his career with 2-plus seasons with the Phillies. Philadelphia released him after the 1965 season, then resigned him early in 1966, but too late for Topps to include him in the 1966 set.

Roebuck was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1949 and played 6 seasons in the minors, including the Dodgers’ AAA Montreal Royals from 1952-54, where some of his teammates were Tommy Lasorda, Jim Gilliam, Johnny Podres, Don Hoak, and Roberto Clemente. (Yes, Clemente once was a Dodgers’ farmhand, who the Pirates selected in the Rule 5 draft!) 

Roebuck made his major-league debut with Brooklyn in 1955, and led the staff with 12 saves as a 23-year-old rookie. He was a key member of their bullpen for the next 4 seasons, and pitched in the ’55 and ’56 World Series.

After spending the 1959 season in triple-A, he returned to the Dodgers the following year and pitched 116 innings over 58 games, compiling an 8-3 record. He was limited to 5 games in 1961, but bounced back in ’62 with another good season: a 10-2 record in 64 games (119 innings).

In July 1963 he was traded to the Senators for infielder Marv Breeding. Ed only lasted in Washington until the following April, when the Phillies purchased his contract to bolster their bullpen, which featured ace Jack Baldschun along with 18-year-old rookie Rick Wise, aging veterans Bobby Shantz and Johnny Klippstein, and organizational schmoes John Boozer and Dallas Green.

Roebuck compiled a 5-3 record with a 2.21 ERA and notched 12 saves in 1964, 2nd behind Baldschun's 21 saves. In 1965 Ed slipped to last-man-in-the-bullpen, behind Baldschun, newcomers Gary Wagner and Bo Belinsky, and ex-starter Art Mahaffey.

Ed was released after the 1965 season, but resigned with the Phils early in the 1966 season. After 6 games (totaling 6 innings) between mid-June and early-July the Phillies released him again, ending his major-league career. He played the remainder of '66 and 1967 with the Phillies' AAA team in San Diego.

After his playing career, Roebuck was a scout for the Dodgers, Phillies, Braves, Reds, Pirates, and Red Sox.

With this post, I have now featured every player (having a baseball card) who suited up for the Phillies between 1966 and 1970. 

Final Card - Casey Stengel

Here is the final card for long-time New York manager Casey Stengel (#135).

Casey hailed from Kansas City (hence the nickname “Casey”) and later was known as “The Old Perfessor”.

Stengel was an outfielder for the Dodgers, Pirates, Phillies, Giants, and Braves from 1912-1925. He was a regular in 1913-17, 1920, and 1924. In 1914 he hit .316 and led the NL with a .404 on-base percentage.

After retiring as a player, Casey managed the Brooklyn Dodgers (1934-36) and Boston Braves (1938-43), before moving on to the scene of his greatest triumphs.

Stengel managed the Yankees from 1949 to 1960. In those 12 seasons, the Yankees won the AL pennant TEN times and were World Champs 7 times (including 5 straight from 1949-53).

The Yankees fired him after losing the 1960 World Series to the Pirates, and he hooked on with the expansion Mets 2 years later (probably more for name recognition and ticket sales than anything else. He was 71 years old when the Mets hired him.)

Stengel retired as Mets manager in August 1965, after breaking a hip.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame (as a manager) in 1966, and passed away in 1975 at age 85.