1976 Topps #337 - Bud Harrelson

• Bud Harrelson was a major league shortstop from 1965-1980. He had the vast majority of his success with the New York Mets. Harrelson was signed by the Mets in 1963. He played in the minors from 1963-1966 and never hit above .251. Bud had a September call-up in 1965 (.108 in 37 AB) and was called up for good in mid August 1966. He batted .222 in 99 AB in 1966.

• Harrelson became the regular shortstop for the Mets in 1967. He played in 151 games and batted .254. In 1968 Bud missed almost a month (mid-May to mid-June) and played in 111 games, batting .219. He was a classic "good field / no hit" shortstop, but he was a valuable part of the Mets ballclub.

• Harrelson had another 3-week gap in his season in 1969 from late June to mid July. He played in 123 games and batted .248. He didn't do much with the stick in the postseason (.182 in the NLCS and .176 in the World Series). Bud Harrelson: The Game I'll Never Forget - January 1983 Baseball Digest.

• Bud's two best seasons were probably 1970 and 1971. In 1970 he made the NL All Star team and was 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored in the game. Harrelson batted .243 in 157 games. Mets Fans Are Happy Bud Harrelson Has Finally Arrived - May 1970 Baseball Digest. Bud was the starting shortstop for the NL All Stars in 1971 and was 0 for 2 in the game. He won the Gold Glove and batted .252 in 143 games in 1971.

• Harrelson missed almost the entire month of August in 1972. Bud batted .215 in 111 games. Harrelson missed five weeks of the 1973 season (early June to early July) and batted .258 in 106 games. He batted .167 in the NLCS but is best known for a fight with Pete Rose in game 3. It started when the Reds were 2-hit by Jon Matlack in game 2. Harrelson said after the game that Matlack made the Reds look like Harrelson was hitting for them. Before game 3 Joe Morgan came up to Harrleson and said that Pete wasn't happy with the quote. In the top of the 5th inning with the Mets leading 9-2 Rose singled. Morgan hit a grounder to Jon Milner. Milner threw to Harrelson at second base. Rose slid into Harrelson with his hands up high. Harrelson went after Rose and the benches cleared. It took a while for order to be restored. In the next inning the fans threw objects at Rose in left field and Reds manager Sparky Anderson pulled his team off of the field. Several Mets (including Willie Mays and manager Yogi Berra) went out to left field to calm the fans and prevent a forfeit to the Reds. Here is a story about the fight. The Mets went on to win the series and Harrelson batted .25o in the 1973 World Series.

• In 1974 Bud played in 106 games and batted .227. Bud Harrelson: Quiet Leader of the Mets - January 1974 Baseball Digest. He missed a huge chunk of the 1975 season -- he didn't play from May 26 to September 1. Harrelson batted .219 in 34 games in 1975. Bud batted .234 in 118 games in 1976. He slumped to .178 in 107 games in 1977. During spring training in 1978 Bud was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for Fred Andrews and cash.

• Harrelson spent two seasons with the Phillies as a backup infielder. In 1978 he played in 71 games and batted .214 in 103 at bats. Bud played in 53 games in 1979 and batted .282 in 71 at bats. He was released by the Phillies at the end of spring training in 1980. In early May Harrelson signed with the Texas Rangers and batted .272 in 87 games. Harrelson retired after the 1980 season.

• Bud managed the Mets after Davey Johnson was fired in May 1990. Harrelson finished the 1990 season and managed the Mets for most of the 1991 season before he was fired with a week to go in the '91 season. Harrelson is now a co-owner, vice president, and first base coach for the unaffiliated Long Island Ducks baseball team.

• Liked to face: Tom Griffin (.448 in 29 AB); Dock Ellis (.395 in 38 AB); Dave Giusti (.341 in 41 AB)
• Hated to face: Alan Foster (.095 in 21 AB); Mike McCormick (.127 in 28 AB); Ron Bryant (.115 in 26 AB)