1975 Topps Set Card 206/660 – #531 – Cincinnati Reds Team Card

1975 Topps Set Card 206/660 – #531 – Cincinnati Reds Team Card

Progress: 206/660

Card Number:  531

Team:  Cincinnati Reds

Manager: Sparky Anderson

Notes From The 1975 Season:  The Cincinnati Reds were an offensive powerhouse in 1975.  Led by three future Hall of Famers and several other top-notch hitters, the Reds scored a ton of runs, 840 to be exact which was 254 more than their opposition.  The Reds had a record of 108-54 in 1975, winning their division by 20 games.  The dove into the playoffs full of steam and wound up winning the World Series 4 games to 3 over the Boston Red Sox.

Happy Birthday Willie Randolph!!!

Happy Birthday Willie Randolph!!!

Willie Randolph turns 60 years old today.

During his 18 year career as a player in major league baseball, Willie Randolph could be classified as an ‘Unsung Hero’ for the teams he played on. 13 of his 18 seasons were played as a member of the New York Yankees and it was very easy to be overshadowed by the many dominant personalities on their roster. But Randolph handled the pressure of playing in New York very well and excelled as a second baseman for the ‘Bronx Bombers’.

As a 6-time All-star, Randolph finished his career with a .276 batting average along with 271 stolen bases and ,1239 runs scored. He competed in 4 World Series match-ups and won the championship with the 1977 New York Yankees.

Happy Birthday Mr. Randolph!!!

1975 Topps Set Card 169/660 – #41 – Cesar Geronimo, Reds

1975 Topps Set Card 169/660 – #41 – Cesar Geronimo, Reds

Progress: 169/660

Player Name:  Cesar Geronimo

Team:  Cincinnati Reds

Position:  Outfield

Image Style:  Posed Batting

Years In The Major Leagues:  15 seasons, 1969-83

Notes From His 1975 Season:  Cesar Geronimo played in 148 games for the Reds in 1975.  He hit .257 for the team connecting for 129 hits in 557 at-bats.  Geronimo stole 13 bases for the club in ’75 while scoring 69 runs and driving in 53.  He won a Gold Glove Award with the team as well for his defensive excellence in the outfield.

Notes From Career:  An excellent defender, and speedy base-runner, Geronimo used his speed to anchor center field for the Reds while also providing a great source of run production while on offense.  During his 9 seasons in Cincinnati, Geronimo scored 404 runs while also stealing 72 bases.  He also won four consecutive Gold Glove awards from 1974-1977.  Geronimo won two World Series championships as part of ‘The Big Red Machine’.

1975 Topps Set Card 117/660 – #656 – Bill Plummer, Reds

1975 Topps Set Card 117/660 – #656 – Bill Plummer, Reds

Progress: 117/660

Player Name:  Bill Plummer

Team:  Cincinnati Reds

Position:  Catcher

Image Style:  Posed Batting

Years In The Major Leagues:  10 seasons, 1968, 1970-78

Notes From His 1975 Season:  Bill Plummer played in 65 games for the Reds in 1975.  He was primarily used as back-up catcher to Johnny Bench and as a pinch-hitter.  In 159 at-bats, Plummer collected just 29 hits – good for a .189 batting average.  Of his 29 hits, he connected for 7 doubles, 1 home run, and 22 singles.

Notes From Career:   Noted as a defensive specialist, Plummer was a great back-up player.  His solid play behind the plate kept him employed as a major league player for 10 seasons.  Offensively, Plummer struggled.  A career .188 hitter, he never had more than 38 hits in a season.  Bill Plummer was on the Reds’ roster for both the 1975 and 1976 World Series contests.  He did not see any playing time in either.

1975 Topps Set Card 81/660 – #396 – Fred Norman, Reds

1975 Topps Set Card 81/660 – #396 – Fred Norman, Reds

Progress: 81/660

Player Name:  Fred Norman

Card Number:  396

Team:  Cincinnati Reds

Position:  Pitcher

Image Style:  Posed Action

Years In The Major Leagues:  16 seasons, 1962-64, 1966-67, 1970-80

Notes From His 1975 Season:  Norman went 12-4 in 26 starts for the Reds in 1975.  He also had 2 complete games thrown during that season.  In 188 innings of work, Norman achieved an ERA of 3.73 with 119 strikeouts thrown while walking 84 batters.

Notes From Career:  A journey-man, Norman suited up for 7 teams during his 16 year major league career.  He has a lifetime record of 104-103 with 56 complete games, 15 shutouts, and 8 saves.  Norman was a member of the ‘Big Red Machine’ pitching staff and won World Series titles in both 1975 and 1976 with the club.

1975 Topps Set Card 16/660 – #369 – Merv Rettenmund, Reds

1975 Topps Set Card 16/660 – #369 – Merv Rettenmund, Reds

Progress: 16/660

Player Name:  Merv Rettenmund

Card Number: 369

Team:  Cincinnati Reds

Position:  Outfield

Image Style: Posed Batting

Years In The Major Leagues:  13 seasons, 1968-1980

Notes From His 1975 Season:  Rettenmund was a utility outfielder for the Reds in 1975.  He appeared in 93 games for the team and collected 226 plate appearances in that time.  He compiled a batting average of just .239 and an on-base percentage of .356.  Of his 45 hits on the year, he had 6 doubles, 1 triple, and 2 home runs.  He drove in 19 runs on the season while scoring 26 times.

Notes From Career:  Rettenmund won two World Series titles during his career – 1970 with Oakland and 1975 with Cincinnati.  He has 629 career hits and a lifetime batting average of .271.  Rettenmund was a solid fill-in guy for the outfield – he played 442 games in right field, 229 games in left field, and 155 games in center field.

1988 HEADLINE: Willie Stargell Elected To Baseball Hall Of Fame

1988 HEADLINE: Willie Stargell Elected To Baseball Hall Of Fame

An exceptional ball player, Willie Stargell was dynamic on offense.  He has a lifetime batting average of .282 with 2,232 hits.  His power numbers are solid as he smashed 475 home runs and 423 doubles.  He also scored 1,195 runs during his career while driving in an additional 1,540.

Stargell was a 6-time All-star and he won the MVP Award in 1979 at the age of 39.  Stargell was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988.  He also helped lead the Pirates to two World Series championships in 1971 & 1979.

Stargell was voted into the Hall of Fame on his first ballot.  He collected 352 of 427 votes cast, good for 82.4%.