1977 Hostess #29 - Bobby Murcer

• As the back of this card indicates, Bobby Murcer had been traded to the Chicago Cubs for Bill Madlock before the 1977 season. Three other players were involved in the deal, but the main trade was Murcer/Madlock.
• The Cubs were having difficulty signing Madlock, and the Giants were having a hard time signing Murcer.
• The Giants had acquired Murcer from the New York Yankees for Bobby Bonds after the 1974 season. Both players had off-years in 1974.
• Murcer represented the Giants in the 1975 All Star Game. He went 0 for 2 in the game.
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1977 Topps Stickers

• I haven't posted on this blog in a few months. I'll be posting a few trades and pickups in the next few days. Sorry it took a while to get to the posts!
• I was going through the commons bin at  my favorite baseball card score (Batter's Box in Phoenix, AZ) and managed to find both of the Giants that were included in the 1977 Topps Stickers set.
• The Montefusco is supposed to be a short print, but I got it for 50 cents.
• It looks like the "N" on Ferguson's jersey is backwards. Is it really backwards or is it just the way the jersey is folding in this picture?
• By the way, the Montefusco sticker was on my "Top 9" list on the right side. One card knocked off the list! :)

1976 SSPC Giants - Part 4

1977 Topps Giants - Part 3 (outfielders)

L Willie Crawford (#642) didn't play for the Giants in 1977. He had been traded to the Giants after the 1976 season but before he could play with them Willie was traded with Rob Sperring to the Houston Astros for Rob Andrews and cash.


Jack Clark (#488) batted .252 with 13 HR and 51 RBI in his first full season.

Gary Thomasson (#496) batted .256 with 17 HR and 71 RBI in 145 games.

Larry Herndon (#397) played in 49 games and batted .239 in 109 at bats. He didn't play after June 18.

Bobby Murcer (#40) didn't play for the Giants in 1977. Before the season he was traded to the Chicago Cubs with Steve Ontiveros and an minor leaguer for Bill Madlock and Rob Sperring.

Others who played OF for the Giants but who didn't get a 1977 Topps Giants card:

Terry Whitfield (.285 with 7 HR in 326 AB)

Randy Elliott (.240 with 7 HR in 167 AB)

1976 Topps Giants - Part 3 (outfielders)

• Von Joshua (#82) played in 62 games, batting .263 in 156 AB as the starting center fielder for the first two months of the season. He was sold to the Milwaukee Brewers on June 2.

• Gary Matthews (#133) batted .279 with 20 HR and 84 RBI. Matthews, Larry Herndon, and Bobby Murcer were the starting outfielders and they all tied for the team lead in stolen bases with 12. Gary left the Giants and signed with the Atlanta Braves after the 1976 season.
  
  
  

• Bobby Murcer (#470) was the starting right fielder and batted .259 with a team-leading 23 HR and 90 RBI. He was traded to the Chicago Cubs after the season as part of the deal that brought Bill Madlock to the Giants.
  
  
  
  

• Glenn Adams (#389) was one of those Phoenix Giants who did great in the minors but didn't do as well in the majors. In 1976 Adams batted .243 in 74 AB and was sold to the Minnesota Twins after the season. In eight seasons in the minors Glenn had a lifetime .311 batting average, including a .352 mark for Phoenix in 1974 and a .330 average for AAA Syracuse in 1982.
  
  
  
  
  

• Gary Thomasson (#261) batted .259 with 8 HR and 38 RBI in 368 at bats as a backup outfielder and first baseman. He started with the Giants in 1972 and played with them through the 1977 season. Gary was one of the several players traded to the Oakland A's for Vida Blue before the 1978 season.

Others who played OF in 1976 but didn't receive Topps Giants cards:

• Larry Herndon - starting CF after Von Joshua's departure (.288 in 337 AB)
• Jack Clark (.225 in 102 AB as a 20-year-old rookie)

1977 Burger Chef Giants

I don't remember this issue. Burger Chef wasn't in Arizona. I picked this set up off of eBay a few weeks ago for a buck or two.

The backs had Burger Chef cartoon characters.
Here are the rest of the Giants in the set:

1975 Topps Giants Part 3

Gary Matthews led the Giants with 12 home runs and batted .280 in 116 games as the Giants' LF.

Garry Maddox batted .135 in 17 games before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for Willie Montanez. Garry won one of his many Gold Gloves in 1975.

Bobby Murcer batted .298 and led the Giants in RBI with 91. He also walked 91 times and had an on base percentage of .396 and was the Giants' representative to the All Star game.

Dave Kingman did not play for the Giants in 1975. He was sold to the New York Mets on February 28 for $150,000.

Gary Thomasson batted .227 in 114 games as the Giants' fourth outfielder.

Other players who played OF for the Giants who did not get a 1975 Topps Giants card:

• Von Joshua was picked up on waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers before the season. He became the starting CF and led the Giants with a .318 average in 129 games.

• Glenn Adams batted .300 in 90 at bats. He had a huge season for AAA Phoenix in 1974 (.352, 13 HR, 105 RBI) and spent most of the 1975 season on the SF Giants bench as a pinch hitter. He's one of the guys I remember the most from the Phoenix Giants.

• Jake Brown batted .209 in 43 at bats as a pinch hitter / outfielder.

• Jack Clark batted .235 in 8 games as a September call-up.

• Horace Speed batted .133 in 17 games. He was sent back down to Phoenix after the Giants picked up Von Joshua.