199 - Bert Blyleven

About This Player
Bert Blyleven pitched in 22 big league seasons with five different teams and two tenures with the Minnesota Twins for a total of 11 seasons. Though born in the Netherlands, Blyleven was raised in California. He was drafted by the Twins in the 3rd round of the 1969 amateur draft and made his Major League debut the following year at the age of 19.

Blyleven, known for his wicked curveball, had one of his finest seasons in 1973. He led the American League in shutouts, pitched his only 20-win season, and was named an All-Star. Blyleven also pitched the first two of his four career one-hit games that season.

Blyleven was selected to the All-Star team twice (1973 and 1985). He lead the American League three times in shutouts. He pitched on two World Series winning teams (1979 Pittsburgh Pirates and 1987 Minnesota Twins). Despite never having lead either league in strikeouts, Blyleven ended his career third all-time in strikeouts behind Nolan Ryan and Steve Carlton. (Blyleven currently ranks fifth.)

Blyleven was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011.  In the same season, the Minnesota Twins retired number #28 in his honor.

About This Card
The back of his Topps card calls Blyleven "one of the finest young pitchers in the American League." More than a fine pitcher, Blyleven would go on to complete a Hall of Fame career.

177 - Bill Plummer

About This Player
Bill Plummer spent ten seasons in the Major Leagues.  Plummer made his big league debut with the Cubs, but spent most of his playing career catching with the Cincinnati Reds and backing up Johnny Bench. Plummer was a member for five of Cincinnati's playoff teams, including their two World Series wins, but never played in the World Series.  

Despite being a .188 hitter, Plummer had some big moments. In 1974, Plummer slammed two home runs in one game against Philadelphia's Steve Carlton. 

For more information on Plummer's career with the Reds:

Sports Illustrated - July 18, 1977 - Few Things Come To Him Who Waits

Plummer spent his final season with the Seattle Mariners in 1978. Plummer stayed with the Mariners coaching and managing throughout the minor league system.  Plummer became manager of the Seattle Mariners in 1992, but was fired after one season.  

Afterward, Plummer continued to manage in both independent and minor league baseball.  He joined the Arizona Diamondback system in 2000 and was last coaching in 2013 with the Single-A Visalia Rawhide.

About This Card
Although Plummer debuted with the Cubs in 1968, he did not have an appearance on a Topps card until five years later.

364 - Rick Wise

About This Player
Rick Wise enjoyed 18 seasons in the Major Leagues as a pitcher with five different teams.  Wise made his big league debut at the age of 18 with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1964.  Wise developed into a solid starter for the Phillies during his seven seasons in Philadelphia.  His finest season occured in 1971 in which Wise pitched to a 17-14 record with a 2.88 ERA and a selection to the All-Star Game.  On June 23 of that season, Wise threw a no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds and also hit two home runs in that game; he became only the third no-hit pitcher to hit a home run in the same game.

In what turned out to be one of the most lopsided trades in Major League Baseball history, Wise was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for Steve Carlton in 1972.  The Cardinals owner, Gussie Busch, ordered the team to trade its star pitcher after a contract dispute; trading for Wise was the best deal the team could get.  Tim McCarver, who had caught for both Carlton in St. Louis and Wise in Philadelphia, called the trade at the time "a real good one for a real good one."  Wise would continue to pitch two solid seasons in St. Louis with a 32-28 record and a 3.24 ERA along with the start in the 1973 All-Star Game while Carlton would pitch another 15 seasons for Philadelphia on his way to 329 career wins, four Cy Young Awards and a selection to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Wise was traded prior to the 1974 season to the Boston Red Sox with whom he would spend four seasons.  He would have his only post-season experience which included a win in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series which ended with the famous walk-off home run from Carlton Fisk in the 12th inning.

In 1978, Wise was part of a trade to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for future Hall of Famer, Dennis Eckersley, thus, giving him the distinction of being traded for two future Hall of Famers.  After two seasons in Cleveland, Wise signed with the San Diego Padres and finished his final three seasons there.

About This Card
The bio on the back of the card references Wise as the second leading winner behind Bob Gibson in 1972.  The following year, Wise led the Cardinals staff in wins.  While Wise was certainly a solid starting pitcher during his two years in St. Louis, the Cardinals certainly did not get the return that the Phillies got with Carlton.

584 - Chris Arnold

About This Player
Chris Arnold enjoyed six seasons with the San Francisco Giants from 1971 through 1976 as a utility infielder and pinch hitter.  Though he only hit four home runs during this career, half of them were off of current Hall of Famers: one came in his third major league at bat, against Phil Niekro on September 10, 1971 and the other came against Steve Carlton on May 1, 1974.  Still, one of the other two was a pinch-hit grand slam with two out in the bottom of the 9th inning during a comeback victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 1, 1973.

After his career ended with the Giants in 1976, Arnold spent another three years in Japan with the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes.  Arnold currently runs a successful sports agency, Professional Sports International, out of his home in Denver.

About This Card
I picked up this card, along with a few other high-number cards, at a local card show.  Normally, the high-number cards would cost about $2-3 in Ex-NrMt condition, but, fortunately, I found a dealer who was very sympathetic to set builders and charged me $20 for 30 high-numbers.

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).

220 - Nolan Ryan

About This Player
Nolan Ryan pitched in 27 seasons, the most from any one player, with four different teams.  One of the most prolific players in baseball history, Ryan holds the record for career strikeouts (5,714 K's) and single season strikeouts (383 K's in 1973), as well as career walks (2,795 BB's) and is the all-time leader in no-hitters (seven total and three more than any other pitcher.)  Dubbed the "Ryan Express," Ryan had been selected to eight All-Star Games, including a start in 1979.  Ryan was also inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999 and is the only player to have his number retired by three teams.

Ryan made his Major League debut with the New York Mets in 1966.  Ryan earned a regular spot on the Mets' roster, but was used as a spot starter and reliever. Ryan was also a member of the 1969 Mets team that won the World Series and pitched 2-1/3 shutout innings in Game 3 for the save.  However, Ryan struggled during his time with the Mets and eventually requested a trade.

The California Angels traded for Ryan prior to the 1972 season.  Ryan was given an opportunity to start and he responded with an American League leading 329 strikeouts that year, the first right-handed pitcher to throw more than 300 strikeouts since Bob Feller did in 1946.  In 1973, Ryan broke Sandy Koufax's single-season record with 383 strikeouts.  He also threw his first two no-hitters that year.  Ryan would go on to pitch two more no-hitters and lead the American League four more times during his tenure with the Angels.

Ryan signed as a free agent with the Houston Astros in 1981.  That year, Ryan would throw his fifth no-hitter and lead the National League with a 1.69 ERA.  By the end of the 1982 season, Ryan and Phillies pitcher, Steve Carlton were both approaching Walter Johnson's all-time strikeout record.  (Ryan and Carlton sometimes passed each other in the race.)  Ryan would break the record on April 27, 1983 and Carlton would pass Johnson's mark two weeks later.  In 1987, Ryan would lead the National League again with a 2.76 ERA and lead for the first-time in the National League in strikeouts with 270 K's.  He would lead the NL again the next year with 228 K's.

Ryan joined the Texas Rangers in 1989 threw more than 300 strikeouts for the sixth time to lead the American League and would tally his 5,000 career strikeout (striking out A's outfielder, Rickey Henderson.)  In 1990, Ryan threw his sixth no-hitter and earned his 300th win.  In 1991, on the day that Rickey Henderson would break Lou Brock's all-time stolen base record, Ryan would throw the seventh no-hitter of his career.  Ryan would throw his last pitch on September 22, 1993 at the age of 46.

Ryan continues to remain active in Major League Baseball.  Ryan became the president of the Texas Rangers in 2008 and now shares ownership of the Texas Rangers.

About This Card
The back of the card regards Ryan as the "4th greatest strikeout hurler in modern baseball" citing his strikeout total in 1972 and the comparison with Feller, Koufax and Rube Wadell.

Nolan Ryan is one of two players from the 1973 set who appears in his regular-issue Topps card as late as 1994.  (Charlie Hough also appeared in the 1994 Topps set.)

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.