346 - Young Gaylord Perry

About This Player's Boyhood
The story on this card is just as much about Jim Perry as it is about Gaylord Perry.  In high school, Gaylord played third base while Jim pitched.  When Jim needed relief, Gaylord would pitch and Jim would play third.

In addition to high school, Gaylord and Jim played together with the Cleveland Indians in 1974 and 1975.

About This Card
If the 1972 Topps set was the 787-card full-featured baseball card set, then the 1973 Topps set was the basic 660-card minimalist alternative.  In addition to the basic design of the cards, the 1973 set cut down on some of the different subsets from the previous year.  Boyhood Photos of the Stars was one of the subsets that survived the cut.

66 - Victory Leaders

About These Players
Steve Carlton played 24 seasons in the Major Leagues and 15 seasons with the Phillies.  In his first season with the Phillies in 1972, Carlton lead the National League with 27 wins for his first time and earned his first Cy Young Award.  Gaylord Perry played 22 seasons in the Major Leagues and 4 seasons with the Indians.  In his first season with the Indians in 1972, Perry lead the American League with 24 wins for his second time and earned his first Cy Young Award.  Wilbur Wood played 17 seasons in the Major Leagues and 12 seasons with the White Sox.  Wood would also lead the American League with 24 wins for his first time and place second in Cy Young voting.

About This Card
Ten pitchers won 20 or more games in 1972.  In contrast, only three pitchers won 20 or more in 2010.

385 - Jim Perry

About This Player
Jim Perry pitched 17 seasons in the Major Leagues and ten with the Minnesota Twins.  Perry made his debut in 1959 with the Cleveland Indians and came in second in voting for American League Rookie of the Year.  Perry had his best years after being traded to the Twins in 1963.  In 1970, Perry pitched to an American League leading 24 wins, 3.04 ERA and a Cy Young Award.  Perry was a three-time All-Star and currently ranks 84th all time in wins.

Jim Perry is the brother of Gaylord Perry, who enjoyed a 22 year career and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991.

About This Card
Although Jim Perry appears as in a Twins uniform in the 1973 set, he was traded to the Detroit Tigers for Danny Fife and cash just before Opening Day that year.