203 - World Series Game 1

About This World Series Game
The 1972 World Series matched the Cincinnati Reds against the Oakland A's.  The Reds would play in their second World Series in three years and the A's would play in the World Series for the first time since moving to Oakland. 

With the series opening at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, the A's would get off to a good start.  Unexpectedly, A's catcher Gene Tenace hit home runs in the second inning and in the fifth inning and drive in all three runs to give the A's a 3-2 victory.  Tenace was the first player ever to hit home runs in his first two plate appearances in a World Series; the feat was later matched by Andruw Jones of the Braves in 1996.

About This Card
The photograph shows Gene Tenace scoring after his first home run in the second inning with George Hendrick waiting to congratulate him at the plate.  Reds catcher, Johnny Bench looks on.

111- Dave Nelson

About This Player
Dave Nelson played ten seasons in the Major Leagues with three different teams.  Nelson made his big league debut with the Indians in 1968.  He spent two seasons in Cleveland before he was traded to the Washington Senators in 1970.  Nelson soon became the team's starting third baseman and moved with the team when they became the Texas Rangers.  Nelson's finest season came in 1973 in which he started at 2nd base, hit for a .286 batting average with 165 hits and earned his only All-Star selection.  Nelson was later traded to the Royals in 1976 and played his final two seasons in Kansas City.

Nelson is currently as pregame analyst for the Milwaukee Brewers on Fox Sports Wisconsin.

About This Card
This photograph shows Dave Nelson after sliding into second base, even if he only appears in the background of the shot.  With Dave Hamilton at the pitcher's mound and Ted Kubiak covering second, we can do some photo matching to trace this game back to July 30, 1972.  In the second game of a doubleheader, Nelson hit 3 for 5 with three singles, two runs and two RBIs.  Nelson also stole 2nd base twice off of Hamilton and catcher Gene Tenace and shown on the card is one of those two steals.  The Rangers won the game 4-2.

201 - A.L. Playoffs

About This Playoff Series
The 1972 American League Championship game paired the Detroit Tigers against the Oakland A's.  In a five-game series, the first two games were played in Oakland Colosseum and the final three at Tiger Stadium.  This series remained close for both teams as the A's won the first two games in Oakland and the Tigers won the next two in Detroit.

Game 5 would prove to play as tight as the previous four games in the series.  The Tigers would score in the 1st inning as Dick McAuliffe came home on a groundout from Bill Freehan.  A's would tie the game in the 2nd inning as Reggie Jackson would score on a double steal.  However, an injury suffered when Jackson collided at home with Tigers' catcher, Freehan, would cost him to miss the World Series.  The A's would score again in the 4th as George Hendrick, Jackson's replacement in center field, came home on a Gene Tenace single.  A's starter, Blue Moon Odom, would continue to persevere and pitch through the 5th inning while Vida Blue would finish the rest of the game and earn the save.  The A's would win 2-1 and go on to their first World Series since the team was in Philadelphia 41 years before.

About This Card
The photograph shows Hendrick scoring from home in the top of the 4th inning under Freehan's tag.  Hendrick reached first on an error from McAuliffe.  He tagged up to second from a sacrifice fly from Sal Bando.  With two outs, Tenace hit a line drive to left field to allow Hendrick to score.