1976 Topps #96 - Doug Bird

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  Doug Bird pitched for 11 seasons (mostly as a reliever) and had a record of 73-60 with a 3.99 ERA and 60 saves. Doug was drafted by the Kansas City Royals and started in their system as a 19-year-old in 1969. He progressed through the minors and debuted with the Royals in April 1973. He had a 4-4 record with a 2.99 ERA and 20 saves in 102.1 innings in his rookie season.

• Doug had similar seasons in 1974 and 1975, then was mostly a starter in 1976. He went 12-10 with a 3.37 ERA in 27 starts in '76. Bird went back to a swingman role in 1977, going 11-4 with a 3.88 ERA. He fell off in 1978 (6-6, 5.29) and was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1979 for Todd Cruz.

• He had an off-year in 1979 (2-0, 5.16 in 61 innings) and was released before the 1980 season. Doug was picked up by the New York Yankees on April 30, 1980 and spent part of the year pitching for AAA Columbus. He came back up to the Yankees at the end of the season and went 3-0 with a 2.66 ERA.

• Bird pitched well for the Yankees in 1981 (5-1, 2.70) but was traded to the Cubs as part of the Rick Reuschel trade on August 5. Doug became a starter again and was 4-5, 3.58 in 12 starts for the Cubs. Bird didn't have a good year in 1982 (9-14, 5.14) and was traded after the season to the Boston Red Sox for Chuck Rainey. He went 1-4 with a 6.65 ERA in 1983 and that was it.

• Here is a February 2003 Baseball Digest article about him looking back at his career.