204 - World Series Game 2

About This World Series Game
Jackie Robinson made his final public appearance before Game 2 of the 1972 World Series.  (He would pass away nine days later.)  In his speech, he expressed his desire to see a black manager of a Major League team, a barrier not yet broken at the time.

Game 2 became a close low-scoring match-up in which Catfish Hunter pitched eight strong innings and Rollie Fingers notched the save in the 2-1 win.  Joe Rudi was the hero of the game with a home run in the first inning off of Ross Grimsley and a game-saving catch against the left field wall in the ninth inning of a ball hit by Denis Menke.  The Reds futility showed with lead runners on in five innings but only scoring one run in the ninth.

This Fall Classic loss marked the Reds' seventh straight home loss in a World Series, including three losses in the 1961 World Series against the New York Yankees and two losses against the Baltimore Orioles in the 1970 World Series.

About This Card
The photograph shows a fielder's choice play in the bottom of the sixth inning.  With Dick Green playing second base and Mike Hegan manning first, Tony Perez grounded the ball which forced Johnny Bench out.  In this case, Perez beat the relay to first.

645 - Bob Locker

About This Player
Locker, known for his sinker ball, pitched in 576 games in his career and all of them in relief.  Locker made his big league debut with a Chicago White Sox bullpen that included knuckleballers Hoyt Wilhelm and Eddie Fisher.  Locker became the White Sox' most used reliever with a league leading 77 appearances with 20 saves and a career low 2.09 ERA in 1967.  He made 70 appearances with 10 saves in 1968.  Locker was traded in 1969 to the Seattle Pilots.  He moved with the team the following year when they became the Milwaukee Brewers and was traded in the middle of the season to the Oakland A's. 

Locker became a key piece in Oakland's bullpen quickly after his arrival.  He allowed no earned runs in his first seven innings with the A's.  On August 12, 1970, Locker pitched 5-and-2/3 scoreless innings in relief, the longest outing of his career.  He was a key member of the 1972 World Series team often pitching in the seventh and eighth innings to set up closer, Rollie Fingers.

After the 1972 World Series, Locker was traded to the Chicago Cubs.  Though pitching in the National League for the first time, Locker experienced one of his finest seasons earning 10 wins and 18 saves with a 2.54 ERA.  Because of a request Locker made to the Cubs' general manager, John Holland, he would only play one season with Chicago and then get traded back to Oakland where he planned to live and work after his baseball career.  Locker was traded back to the A's, but would sit out the entire 1974 season due to injury.  He was traded back to the Cubs in 1975.  After poor performances, he was released by the club.

An alumni from Iowa State University where he played baseball and basketball and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Geology, Locker was inducted into the ISU Hall of Fame in 2008.

About This Card
I'm really not sure what to make out of the picture on this card.  Locker was traded to the Cubs and, therefore, would need to be airbrushed into a Cubs uniform even to the point where his old uniform number was removed (although he did wear the same #36 in Chicago as he did in Oakland.)  Even the outfielder on the background needed to be airbrushed into a Cubs uniform.

274 - Darold Knowles

About This Player
Darold Knowles played in 16 big leagues seasons with seven different clubs.  Knowles was traded to the A's in 1971 and became the set-up man for Rollie Fingers.  Knowles missed the 1972 World Series because of an injured finger.  However, he pitched in all seven games of the World Series in 1973, the first pitcher to appear in all seven games of any World Series.

Knowles was also known for his defensive, leading the American League in range factor in 1972 and picking off runners at a rate of one per 24 innings; one of the highest rates in Major League history.

About This Card
Darold Knowles is shown sporting the mustache that became a signature trait for the 1972 Oakland A's.  The mustaches started when Reggie Jackson showed up to spring training that season sporting a mustache.  A's owner, Charlie Finley, did not like the mustache, but also did not want to confront Jackson.  Finley wanted the rest of the team to start growing mustache so that Jackson might feel less individualist and shave his off.  However, as other players started to follow Jackson's lead, Finley began to like the look and encourage the rest of the team, as well as manager, Dick Williams, to grow mustaches.  By Father's Day, all 25 players on the roster were sporting mustaches.

Knowles continued to sport the mustache after his days with the A's at least until he was photographed for his 1980 Topps card.

For more information:
Thirty Years Ago... Birth of the Mustache Gang