1976 Topps #607 - Rich Hinton

• Rich Hinton was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 1969. He was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1965 but elected to attend the University of Arizona instead.
• Hinton was brought up to Chicago in July 1971. Rich pitched in 18 games (2 starts) and had a 3-4 record with a 4.44 ERA. After the 1971 season Hinton was traded to the New York Yankees for Jim Lyttle.
• Rich was up and down between New York and AAA Syracuse in 1972. Hinton went 1-0 with a 4.86 ERA in seven games (three starts) with the Yankees before he was sold to the Texas Rangers on September 7. Rich pitched in five games for Texas and was 0-1 with a 2.38 ERA.
• Hinton was traded to the Cleveland Indians during spring training in 1973. Rich spent the 1973 season in the minors and then was released during spring training in 1974. Rich signed with the White Sox and pitched in the minors during the 1974 season.
• Rich started the 1975 season in the minors and came back up to Chicago in late July. Hinton appeared in 15 games for the White Sox in 1975 and was 1-0 with a 4.82 ERA. After the 1975 season Rich was traded with a minor leaguer to the Cincinnati Reds for Clay Carroll.
• In 1976 Hinton was up and down between AAA Indianapolis and Cincinnati. Rich was 1-2 with a 7.64 ERA in 12 games for the Reds in 1976. Hinton didn't pitch in 1977 and became a free agent after the season.
• Hinton signed with the White Sox for a third time before the 1978 season. Rich started four games for AAA Iowa and went 2-6 with one save and had a 4.02 ERA in 29 games (4 starts) with the White Sox in 1978.
• Rich made four starts in Iowa again in 1979 and then was with the White Sox. Hinton pitched in 16 games (2 starts) for the White Sox and was 1-2 with a 6.05 ERA. On July 6 Hinton was traded to the Seattle Mariners on July 6 for Juan Bernhardt. Rich went 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA in 14 games for the Mariners to finish the 1979 season. Hinton retired after the 1979 season.
• Rich Hinton now lives in Sarasota, FL with his wife and six children. He has had a Green Builder business since 1991.

1976 Topps #606 - Milwaukee Brewers

• That isn't my handwriting on the card -- I took this one off of the Topps site. A couple months ago I decided that it would be easier to pull the cards that hadn't been scanned yet off of this site instead of scanning them myself.
• Alex Grammas was  hired to manage the Brewers before the 1976 season
• Grammas managed the club to 6th place finishes in 1976 (66-95) and in 1977 (67-95)
• Alex was fired as the  Milwaukee manager after the 1977 season.
• Grammas coached with Sparky Anderson in Cincinnati (1970-1975, 1978) and in Detroit (1980-1991)
• Team Record: 66-95 (6th in AL East - 32 games behind New York)
• Team Attendance: 1,012,164 (7th in AL)
• Team Batting: .246 (10th in AL)
• Team Home Runs: 88 (6th in AL)
• Team Stolen Bases: 62 (12th in AL)
• Team ERA: 3.64 (9th in AL)
• Team Fielding: .975 (10th in AL)
• Batting Leader: Sixto Lezcano - .285
• Home Run Leader: George Scott - 18
• RBI Leader: George Scott - 77
• Stolen Base Leader: Robin Yount - 16
• Victories Leader: Bill Travers - 15
• Losses Leader: Bill Travers - 16
• Strikeouts Leader: Jim Slaton - 138
• ERA Leader (starters): Bill Travers - 2.81
• ERA leader (relievers): Danny Frisella - 2.74
• Saves Leader: Danny Frisella - 9
• AL All Stars: Don Money (3B); Bill Travers (P)
• AL Gold Glove Awards: George Scott (1B)

1976 Topps #605 - Al Downing

• Al Downing was signed by the New York Yankees in 1961. Al pitched well for Class A Binghamton (9-1, 1.84 ERA) and was brought up to the Yankees in July. Downing pitched in five games for the Yankees and was 0-1 with an 8.00 ERA.
• Downing was in the minors for most of the 1962 season. Al pitched briefly for the Yankees in 1962 (0 runs in one inning pitched).
• Al's first full season was 1963. Downing was 13-5 with a 2.56 ERA in 22 starts during the regular season. Al started and lost game 2 of the 1963 World Series.
• Downing led the AL in walks (120) and in strikeouts (217) in 1964. Al had an 13-8 record with a 3.47 ERA in 35 starts in 1964. Downing started game 4 of the 1964 World Series and also made two relief appearances in that series.
• The Yankees' fortunes took a downward turn after 1964 but Downing had some good years for the club. In 1965 Al was 12-14 with a 3.40 ERA and in 1966 he was 10-11 with a 3.56 ERA.
• Downing went 14-10 with a 2.63 ERA in 1967. Al made the AL All Star team that year and pitched two scoreless innings (9th and 10th) in the game.
• Al had injury problems in 1968 and spent quite a bit of time on the disabled list. Downing was 3-3 with a 3.52 ERA in 13 starts in 1968.
• Downing started the 1969 season in the bullpen and was put back in the starting rotation in July. Al ended up going 7-5 with a 3.38 ERA in 30 games (15 starts) in 1969.
• After the 1969 season Downing was traded to the Oakland A's in a multi-player deal that sent Danny Cater to the Yankees.
• Al started the 1970 season with the A's and was 3-3 with a 3.95 ERA when he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers on June 12. Downing went 2-10 with a 3.34 ERA in 16 starts for the Brewers to finish the 1970 season.
• Before the 1971 season Downing was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Andy Kosco
• Downing won the Comeback Player of the Year in 1971 and also finished third in NL Cy Young Award voting. Al went 20-9 with a 2.68 ERA in  36 starts in 1971.
• Al didn't have as many victories in the next few seasons but was still a solid starter for the Dodgers. In 1972 Downing was 9-9 with a 2.98 ERA. Al was 9-9 again in 1973 with a 3.31 ERA.
• Downing had some injury problems in 1974 and pitched only once between late May and late July. Al went 5-6 with a 3.66 ERA in 21 games (16 starts) in 1974. Downing gained fame by giving up Henry Aaron's 715th home run on April 8. Downing pitched four scoreless innings in a relief appearance during the 1974 NLCS. Al started and lost game 3 of the 1974 World Series.
• Al didn't get as much work during the last 2 1/2 years of his career. Downing was 2-1 with a 2.89 ERA in 22 games (6 starts) in 1975 and was 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA in 17 games (3 starts) in 1976. Al pitched in 12 games in 1977 and was 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA. Downing was released on July 21.
• Liked to face: Ken Reitz (.000 in 18 AB); Joe Torre (.034 in 29 AB); Willie Stargell (.083 in 24 AB)
• Hated to face: Manny Sanguillen (.520 in 25 AB); Vic Power (.500 in 18 AB); Jim Wynn (.452 in 31 AB)
• Al now works in community service for the Dodgers. Here is Downing's TTM information. Here is an article about Al from August 2010.

Farewell Sparky

1978 Topps #401

I was saddened to read about the passing of Sparky Anderson today. Sparky seemed like a good guy and he will be missed.

A few Sparky Anderson quotes:

• "People who live in the past generally are afraid to compete in the present. I've got my faults, but living in the past is not one of them. There's no future in it."
• "Baseball is a simple game. If you have good players and if you keep them in the right frame of mind then the manager is a success."
• "The great thing about baseball is when you're done, you'll only tell your grandchildren the good things. If they ask me about 1989, I'll tell them I had amnesia."

A 1977 interview with Sparky Anderson:

1976 Topps #604 - Joe Lovitto

• Joe Lovitto played for the Texas Rangers from 1972-1975. Joe was the first round pick (second overall) of the Washington Senators in 1969. Lovitto played in the minors from 1969-1971 and played well enough to earn a shot at the major league club in spring training in 1972.
• Lovitto was the starting center fielder for much of the 1972 season and batted .224 in 117 games. He had a run-in with Texas manager Ted Williams during the season.
• Joe started the 1973 season with the Rangers but suffered a leg injury in June. After some time off Lovitto played in AAA for the rest of the 1973 season. Joe ended up batting .136 in 44 at bats for the Rangers in '73.
• Joe started 73 games in center field in 1974. Lovitto played in a total of 113 games and batted .223 in 283 at bats.
• In 1975 Lovitto played sparingly. He batted .208 in 50 games. 
• After the 1975 season the Rangers traded Joe to the New York Mets for Gene Clines. Lovitto didn't make the Mets ballclub in 1976 and was cut during spring training
• Joe Lovitto died of cancer after battling it for eight years at the age of 50 on May 19, 2001.

A video tribute to Joe Lovitto:

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1976 Topps #603 - Jim Holt

• Jim Holt played in parts of nine seasons from 1968-1976. Holt was signed  by the Kansas City A's in 1965. Jim played in the A's organization from 1965-1967 and then was taken by the  Minnesota Twins in the Rule 5 draft.
• Holt had to stay on the Twins' roster for the entire 1968 season and batted .208 in 106 at bats. Jim was in the minors for most of the 1969 season. Holt went 5 for 14 (.357) for the Twins at the end of the 1969 season.
• Jim played a lot in left field and center field for the Twins for most of the 1970 season. Holt batted .266 in 142 games during the regular season and went 0 for 5 in three games in the 1970 NLCS.
• Holt was a fourth outfielder and occasional first baseman in 1971 and batted .259 in 126 games.
• Jim was in AAA for most of the 1972 season. He came back to Minnesota in September and went 12 for 27 (.444) in ten games.
• Holt's best season was in 1973 when he batted .297 in 132 games. 
• In 1974 Jim started with the Twins (.254 in 79 games) as a backup first baseman and outfielder. On August 19 Holt was traded to the Oakland A's for Pat Bourque. Jim batted .143 in 42 at bats for the A's at the end of the 1974 season. Holt went 0 for 1 with a walk in the 1974 ALCS and went 2 for 3 in four games in the 1974 World Series
• Jim spent a little bit of time in AAA Tucson in 1975. He played in 106 games for the A's in 1975, mostly as a pinch hitter and defensive replacement, and batted .220 in 123 at bats. Jim was 1 for 3 in three games as a pinch hitter in the 1975 ALCS.
• Holt was in Tucson for  most of the 1976 season and batted .337 in 96 games. Jim was 2 for 7 (.286) in four games for the A's at the end of the 1976 season. Jim retired after the 1976 season.

1976 Topps #602 - Doug Konieczny

• Doug Konieczny pitched in parts of five seasons for the Houston Astros from 1973-1977. Doug was the first round (4th overall) pick of the Astros in 1971 and earned a promotion to Houston after going 12-12 with a 2.66 ERA for AA Columbus in 1973. Konieczny started two games for the Astros in 1973 and was 0-1 with a 5.54 ERA.
• Doug started the 1974 season with Houston but he struggled (0-3, 7.63 ERA in six games) and was sent to AAA Denver in May.
• Konieczny was with the Astros for the entire 1975 season. Doug was 6-13 with a 4.47 ERA in 29 starts for Houston in '75.
• Doug pitched for AAA Memphis for the entire 1976 season. 
• Koneiczny started four games for the Astros in April 1977 (1-1, 6.00 ERA) and missed the rest of the season with an injury. Doug pitched in three games in Class A in 1978 before calling it a career.