1976 Topps Card of the Year (Round 1, Group 5)

• The top four vote-getters from group 4 were Hank Aaron Record Breaker, Jerry Reuss, Jim Palmer, and Johnny Bench. Those cards will move on to the next round.

• Here are the competitors in group 5. Please vote for your four favorites from this group. The top four cards will move on to the next round.

Ken Henderson #464

Kurt Bevacqua Bazooka Bubble Blowing Championship #564

Lou Brock #10

Luis Tiant #130

Manny Sanguillen #220

Mickey Lolich #385

Mike Cuellar #285

Mike Marshall #465

1976 Topps Traded #385T - Mickey Lolich

• Mickey Lolich went to the Mets in a deal that sent Rusty Staub to the Detroit Tigers
• Lolich pitched for the Mets for one season (1976) and went 8-13 with a 3.22 ERA in 30 starts.
• Mickey retired after the 1976 season because he didn't want to be away from his family in Detroit.
• Lolich came back and pitched for two seasons (1978-1979) for the San Diego Padres.

1976 Topps #385 - Mickey Lolich

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  Mickey Lolich holds numerous pitching records for the Detroit Tigers. Lolich signed with the Detroit Tigers in 1958. He pitched in the minors until he was called up to the Tigers in 1963. Lolich appeared in 33 games (18 of them starts) in 1963 and was 5-9 with a 3.55 ERA.
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  Lolich was mostly a starter for the rest of his time in Detroit. In 1964 he was 18-9 with two saves and a  3.26 ERA. Mickey was 15-9 with a 3.44 ERA in 1965. Part Pitcher, Part Human - June 1965 Baseball Digest. Lolich had a rough year (for him) in 1966. Both his hits per 9 innings and walks per 9 innings increased by one. Mickey ended up 14-14 with a 4.77 ERA. Mickey bounced back in 1967 and led the AL with six shutouts. He was 14-13 with a 3.04 ERA.
• The 1968 season was "The Year of the Pitcher," but Mickey's regular season record didn't really differ much from his other seasons. He was 17-9 with a 3.19 ERA. Lolich really came through in the World Series -- he pitched three complete-game victories and was named the World Series MVP. He allowed a total of only five runs in those three games.
• Mickey was named to his first All Star team in 1969 (he wasn't used in the game) and went 19-11 with a 3.14 ERA. In 1970 Lolich led the AL in losses -- he went 14-19 with a 3.80 ERA.
• Lolich had his two best years in 1971 and 1972. In 1971 he led the AL in wins (25), games started (45), complete games (29) and strikeouts (308). Mickey was 25-14 with a 2.92 ERA, earned the save in the 1971 All Star Game, and finished second to Vida Blue in Cy Young Award balloting. Lolich was 22-14 with a 2.50 ERA in 1972, pitched two scoreless innings in the All Star Game, and finished third in AL Cy Young Award voting. Will the Cy Young Award Elude Lolich Again? - August 1972 Baseball Digest.
• Mickey was 16-15 with a 3.82 ERA in 1973. He led the AL in losses in 1974, going 16-21 with a 4.15 ERA and a league-leading 38 home runs allowed. In 1975 Lolich was 12-18 with a 3.78 ERA. Mickey Lolich: An Unsung Strikeout Leader - September 1975 Baseball Digest.
• After the 1975 season Mickey was traded with Billy Baldwin to the New York Mets for Rusty Staub and Bill Laxton. Lolich went 8-13 with the Mets in 1976 and he retired after the season.

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  Lolich opened a doughnut shop in suburban Detroit in 1977. Mickey also appeared as a security guard in the horror film "The Incredible Melting Man." He came back to baseball in 1978 and signed with the San Diego Padres. Mickey pitched in 20 games (2 starts) in 1978 and was 2-1 with a 1.56 ERA. In 1979 Lolich pitched in 27 games (5 starts) and was 0-2 with a 4.74 ERA. Lolich retired for good after the 1979 season. Mickey Lolich: He Was A Reliable, Durable Pitcher - February 1994 Baseball Digest

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  After his career Mickey ran his doughnut shop for several years and then sold the business and retired. He now does charity work and some coaching for the Tigers' fantasy camp in Florida.

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  Liked to face: Don Mincher (.118 in 34 AB); John Romano (.125 in 40 AB); Lou Brock (.000 in 14 AB)
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  Hated to face: Hector Lopez (.467 in 30 AB); Dick Allen (.452 in 31 AB); Cesar Tovar (.419 in 86 AB)

1976 Topps #3 - Mickey Lolich Record Breaker

When seeing these "record breaker" cards, I sometimes wondered how long the record would stand up.

"Most strikeouts by a left-handed pitcher" is a relatively obscure record. Mickey Lolich ended his career in 1979 with 2832 strikeouts. Since then only two pitchers have surpassed this record: Steve Carlton and Randy Johnson. I think Carlton passed Lolich sometime in 1980. Johnson passed Lefty sometime in 2004. So Lolich didn't keep his record for very long, but Carlton held on to the record for about 25 years. Lolich does still hold the AL record for most strikeouts by a left-hander.

Lots of interesting names on this card. I liked to look up stats on names on the backs of these cards to find out more about them. I had a McMillan Baseball Encyclopedia that got a lot of use during those hot Arizona summer days when I didn't feel like going outside to roast in 110 degree heat.

Rube Waddell was a great strikeout pitcher, but his career was pretty short. Lefty Grove was another great strikeout pitcher. I'm surprised he didn't have more strikeouts in his career.