486 - Danny Ozark MGR

About This Manager
Danny Ozark spent eight seasons as a Major League manager and seven of them with the Philadelphia Phillies from 1973 to 1979.  Before arriving to the big leagues, Ozark spent 19 seasons in the Dodgers' minor league system.  Ozark joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1965 as a coach on Walter Alson's staff and served for eight seasons until he was hired to manage the Phillies.

Ozark was hired by the Phillies in 1973 and took over a team that was in last place the previous season.  Ozark led the team to a last place finish in 1973, but improved the ball club in the following years.  Ozark led the Phillies team that included Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton in 1976 to a club record 101 wins and to three straight first place finishes in the National League East from 1976 to 1978.  However, the Phillies would lose in three straight NLCS to the Los Angeles Dodgers.  The Phillies acquired Pete Rose for the 1979 season, but a disappointing record led to Ozark's dismissal on August 31 of that year.

Ozark would again become a Major League manager in 1984 taking over the Giants after Frank Robinson's dismissal.

Ozark died in 2009 at the age of 85.

About This Card
In addition to Danny Ozark, this card also features C.B. Beringer (career minor league pitcher), Bill DeMars (who played briefly for the A's and Browns), Ray Rippelmeyer (who played briefly for the Senators) and Bobby Wine (former Phillies and Expos shortstop for 12 seasons).

326 - Darrell Brandon

About This Player
Darrell G. "Bucky" Brandon enjoyed seven seasons in the Major Leagues.  Brandon was originally signed by the Pirates in 1959 as an outfielder, but struggled and was later released.  He tried out of the Houston Colt .45's in 1962 as a pitcher and earned a place in their minor league system. 

Brandon was later traded to the Red Sox in 1966.  He earned a roster spot as a reliever out of Spring Training and made his Major League debut that year.  Brandon remained on the big league roster and would start occasionally throughout 1966 and 1967.  In 1968, however, Brandon would struggle and be sent down to the minors.  Brandon was later selected by Seattle Pilots in the expansion draft in 1969 and traded mid-season to the Twins who later released him after the end of the season.

Brandon would return to the Majors with the Phillies in 1971 primarily as a reliever and would remain on the big league roster throughout the 1971 and 1972 seasons.  However, Brandon would play most of his 1973 season and all of his 1974 season in the minors.  Brandon's final big league game would be played in 1973.

For more information:
The Baseball Biography Project: Bucky Brandon

About This Card
Although his Topps cards always labeled him as "Darrell Brandon", he was better known as "Bucky Brandon" throughout his big league career. 

"When I was in class D ball," Brandon explained, "there was this little Indian kid from California on the team, and he had buck teeth. He had "Bucky" carved into his glove, and I ended up buying it from him. A few years later, when I went to spring training with Houston, I had it with me. It was really beaten up, so the guys on the team gave me a hard time about it and started calling me "Bucky."- Bucky Brandon, The 1967 Impossible Dream Red Sox: Pandemonium On The Field

 

271 - Tom Hutton

About This Player
Tom Hutton played in 12 big leagues seasons and six of them with the Philadelphia Phillies.  Hutton spent seven years in the Dodgers' minor league system, where he was a two-time minor league MVP, with brief call ups in 1966 and 1969.  Hutton was later traded to the Phillies for Larry Hisle and moved straight to the Major League roster in 1972.  Hutton was a reserve first baseman, emergency outfielder and left-handed pinch hitter, although he might be best known for his uncanny ability to hit off of perennial Cy Young Award winner and Hall of Famer, Tom Seaver; in 62 plate appearances against Seaver, Hutton hit .320 with three home runs, 11 RBI and 11 walks.  After six seasons, Hutton played half of a season with the Blue Jays and finished his last four seasons with the Expos.

Hutton went into broadcasting after his playing career ended and currently works at the Florida Marlins' color analyst.

About This Card
Hutton is seen here in a fairly new Veterans Stadium.  The Phillies played their first game in Veterans Stadium in 1971 and would play there for 33 seasons before moving to their current ballpark, Citizens Bank Park.

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.

454 - Tom Haller

About This Player
Tom Haller played 12 seasons as a  Major League catcher.  Haller was signed as an amateur free agent with the Giants and made his big league debut in 1961.  He split about equal catching time Ed Bailey for the next two years.  In the 1962 World Series, Haller started four games, which include a home run and three RBI, in the series loss to the Yankees.  After Bailey was traded in 1964, Haller was established as the team's primary catcher.  In 1966, Haller hit 27 home runs, a Giants record for catchers, and was also selected to his first All-Star Game.  Haller would be an All-Star again the following year.

After seven seasons with the Giants, Haller was traded to the Dodgers in 1968 and would be selected again as an All-Star.  As a Dodger, Haller would hit .285 in 1968 and .286 in 1970, his two highest batting averages, and lead the National League in sacrifice hits.  Haller, also known for his defensive proficiency, would also lead the league in caught steals.
After four seasons with the Dodgers, Haller was traded to the Tigers in 1972 and would serve as the backup to Bill Freehan.  In one game that season, Haller would start the game at catcher while his brother and American League umpire, Bill Haller, would call the game.

A capable defensive catcher, he ended his career with a respectable .992 fielding percentage, which at the time of his retirement, was second only to the .993 career record of Elston Howard.

After his playing career ended, Haller worked for the Giants as a coach and later became vice president of baseball operations.  He was named to the Giants' 25th anniversary team in 1982.  After a long illness, Haller died November 26, 2004 at the age of 67.

About This Card
Tom Haller, seen here with the Philadelphia Phillies, never played a game with the Philadelphia.  His contract was purchased by the Phillies after the 1972 season, but he was released in 1974.

619 - Billy Wilson

About This Player
Bill Wilson pitched in relief with the Philadelphia Phillies during his five Major League seasons.  Wilson made his big league debut in 1969.  However, throughout his career, Wilson had bounced in and out of the minors.  Wilson pitched his last Major League came in 1973.  Wilson did play a full season for the minor league Reading Phillies in 1974, but retired after the end of the season.

Wilson died on August 13, 1993.

About This Card
The backs of the 1973 Topps cards show the player's full name, which most Topps sets did not do.  The last Topps set to show a player's full name on the back was in 1974.

189 - Greg Luzinski

About This Player
Greg Luzinski enjoyed 15 seasons in the Major Leagues.

Luzinski, also known as "The Bull," was drafted in the first round of the 1968 draft and made his debut with the team in 1972.  He soon established his spot as the starting left fielder late in the 1973 season.  Luzinski earned four All-Star selections with the Phillies, with three of those starting in left field and one of those as the National League's top vote-getter.  He also finished 2nd in MVP voting twice.  Luzinski also received the Roberto Clemente Award in 1978.

The blog, Phillies Nation, regards Luzinski as number 17 on their listed of 100 Greatest Phillies.

For more information:
100 Greatest Phillies: 17 Greg Luzinski - Phillies Nation

After a poor 1980 season with the Phillies, his contract was sold to the Chicago White Sox, with whom Luzinski would become their regular designated hitter.  Luzinski played his final game in 1984.

In 1989, Luzinski was inducted into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame

For more information:
National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame

Still a Philadelphia fan favorite, Luzinski's popularity lives on at "Bull's Barbeque" in Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

About This Card
Although he was just starting his big league career, Topps captured Luzinski in, what soon came to be, his signature form.

444 - Ken Brett

About This Player
Ken Brett made his Major League debut in 1967 with the Boston Red Sox at the age of 19.  While he only pitched in one game during the regular season, Brett pitched in two games during the World Series and was recognized as the youngest pitcher in World Series history.  Brett would later continue his career as a journeyman pitcher playing for 10 different teams during his 14 year career, including an All-Star selection in 1974.

Ken is the brother of George Brett, who played 21 seasons for the Kansas City Royals and went on to be elected to the Hall of Fame.

Ken Brett passed away on November 18, 2003 from brain cancer.

About This Card
Brett was a member of the Phillies in 1973, but played for the Brewers in 1972.  As such, this card is one example of photos that Topps had airbrushed to match the current team.  While the outlining of the hat is awkward and the stripes from the jersey collar still remain (although matched to Phillies colors), in my opinion, this card is one of the better airbrushing examples from Topps cards at the time.