‘Same Card, Different Paths’ – Card #6
1973 Topps - Card #615 – AKA – ‘The Mike Schmidt Rookie Card’
Ron Cey – A 6-time All-star, Ron Cey was a solid contributor to the dominant Dodger teams of the mid-to-late 1970′s. Cey offered a great blend of contact and power hitting along with a knack for driving in timely runs. In 1981, Cey won the World Series MVP award as he helped his Dodgers team with the championship. In that series, Cey hit .350 while collecting 7 hits and driving in 6 runs in 6 games.
John Hilton – No information found…
Mike Schmidt – The top third baseman of the 1970′s and 1980′s, Schmidt was a perennial All-star and top MVP candidate every season. A member of the 500 home run club and Baseball’s Hall of Fame, Schmidt will go down as one of the greatest power hitters of all-time and the game’s most well-rounded third baseman in the history of the sport.
** on a side note, if Ron Cey’s rookie card featured any other player that debuted in the 1973 season besides Mike Schmidt, the card would certainly be known as the ‘Ron Cey Rookie Card’.
John Hilton = Dave Hilton
Dave Hilton played with the Padres from 1972 to 1975 and was a career .213 hitter. He had a whopping 6 home runs in a total of 161 career games.
In 1976 he was purchased by the Toronto Blue Jays from the Padres, but never played at the major league level again (at least not in the US). He actually has a 1977 Topps card that pictures him in his Blue Jays uniform.
As a minor leaguer, he made 3 AAA all-star games and won 3 silver gloves. He also won 2 Pacific Coast League championships.
After that, he headed off to Japan and played with the Yakult Swallows and won a world series with them.
When you add up all of the games he’s played in, it’s around 3,000.
Wait, there’s more. He’s also coached for 6 major league teams: A’s, Giants, Braves, Phillies, Angels, & Twins.
LOL… not bad for some guy who’s wedged between two all-stars on the famous 1973 “Mike Schmidt” rookie card.
P.S. Yes, I was that bored!
Definitely one of the most informative comments ever left on this blog. Thanks for the education!!!
Cey’s rookie card is from the 1972 set. The ’73 card was his second-year card. Thanks to Schmidt, I’m still trying to get both of the Cey cards!
I’m only about 60 cards from completing this set. This will VERY likely be the last card I pick up. Big bucks.