1962 Topps #107 - Mike McCormick

• I already featured the 1962 Giants in another entry, but this one deserves its own entry.
• I got this card and three 1969 Topps cards in a trade with Gritz 76 of Project '62 on Zistle. Zistle has a good trade feature now. It would be nice to see more members put vintage cards on their want lists and trade lists.
• Mike McCormick was a mainstay of the Giants rotation in two stints with the Giants.
• Mike came up with the Giants in 1956 and stayed with them through the 1962 season. He was an NL All Star in 1960 and in 1961. 
• McCormick was traded to the Baltimore Orioles after the 1962 season and pitched for them in 1963 and in 1964. Mike pitched for the Washington Senators in 1965 and in 1966 and then was traded back to the Giants.
• McCormick had a great bounce-back season in 1967. He led the NL with 22 wins and won the NL Cy Young Award
• Mike stayed with the Giants until the  middle of the 1970 season. He pitched for the New York Yankees in 1970 and for the Kansas City Royals in 1971.
• McCormick was released by the Royals in June 1971. He pitched in the minors in 1972 and in 1973 but didn't get back to the  majors.

1962 Topps Giants - Part 5 (more pitchers)

#155 Stu Miller

• Stu Miller was the main relief ace for the Giants in 1962. He went 5-8 with a 4.12 ERA and had 19 saves in 59 games. He appeared in two games in the World Series and didn't allow any runs in 1 1/3 innings pitched.

#33 Don Larsen

• Don Larsen was 5-4 with 11 saves and a 4.38 ERA in 49 games. Larsen pitched in three games in the World Series and was credited with the win in game 4. Larsen was the pitcher of record when Tom Haller hit a grand slam to put the Giants ahead for good. Don had a 3.86 ERA in 2 1/3 innings in the series.

#71 Dick LeMay

• Dick LeMay pitched in nine games and was 0-1 with one save and a 7.71 ERA. He spent most of the season with AAA Tacoma.

#199 Gaylord Perry

• Gaylord Perry was 3-1 with a 5.23 ERA in 13 games (7 starts). He started the season (which was his rookie season) with the Giants, was sent to Tacoma in June, and returned to pitch in four September games. Perry didn't appear in the World Series.

#329 Bob Bolin

• Bob Bolin was 7-3 with five saves and a 3.62 ERA in 41 games (5 starts). Bolin pitched in two games in the World Series and had a 6.75 ERA in 2 2/3 innings.

#578 Jim Duffalo

• Jim Duffalo was 1-2 with a 3.64 ERA in 24 games (2 starts). He didn't appear in the World Series.

Others who pitched for the Giants in 1962 but didn't receive a 1962 Topps Giants card:

• Bob Garibaldi (0-0, 1 save, 5.11 ERA in nine games)

1962 Topps Giants - Part 4 (pitchers)

# 429 Billy O'Dell

• Billy O'Dell was 19-14 with a 3.53 ERA in 43 games (39 starts). He started and lost game 1 of the World Series and earned the save in game 4. O'Dell also pitched the 8th and 9th innings of game 7.

#538 Jack Sanford

• Jack Sanford led the Giants with 24 wins. He was 24-7 with a 3.43 ERA in 38 starts. Sanford started three games in the World Series -- he won game 2 and took the loss in games 5 and 7.

#505 Juan Marichal

• Juan Marichal was 18-11 with a 3.36 ERA in 36 starts and earned the save in his only relief appearance. Juan started game 4 and had a 2-0 lead after four innings. He struck out attempting to bunt and injured his hand in the top of the 5th. He was replaced by Bobby Bolin in the bottom of the inning.

#260 Billy Pierce

• Billy Pierce was 16-6 with a 3.49 ERA in 30 games (23 starts). He started two games in the World Series. Billy took the loss in game 3 and was the winning pitcher in game 6.

#107 Mike McCormick

• Mike McCormick was 5-5 with a 5.38 ERA in 28 games (15 starts). He wasn't used in the World Series.

1962 Topps Giants - Part 3 (outfielders)

#300 Willie Mays

• Willie Mays had one of his best seasons in 1962. He batted .304 with 49 HR and 141 RBI. He scored 130 runs and led the Giants in just about every offensive category. Willie went 7 for 28 (.250) in the World Series and was on second base representing the winning run when Willie McCovey hit the series-ending line drive in game 7. Mays went 0 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base in the first 1962 All Star Game and 2 for 2 in the second All Star Game.

#395 Willie Mays All Star

#133 Felipe Alou

• Felipe Alou batted .316 with 25 HR and 98 RBI in 154 games as the starting right fielder in 1962. He hit a sacrifice fly in his only at bat in the first 1962 All Star Game. Alou went 7 for 26 (.269) in the World Series.

#413 Matty Alou

• Matty Alou was a backup outfielder for the Giants in 1962. He batted .292 in 78 games. Matty went 4 for 12 (.333) in the World Series. He was on first base representing the tying run with two out in the bottom of the 9th in game 7 and was stopped at third when Willie Mays hit a double. Mays later said that he would have tried to score on the play. Matty was stranded at third and the Giants lost.

#480 Harvey Kuenn

• Harvey Kuenn was the starting left fielder for the Giants. In 130 games Harvey batted .304 with 10 HR and 68 RBI. Kuenn went 1 for 12 (.083) in the World Series.

#544 Willie McCovey

• Willie McCovey played LF and 1B for the Giants in 1962. He batted .293 with 20 HR and 54 RBI in 229 at bats. Willie went 3 for 15 (.200) in the World Series and hit the line drive with runners on 2nd and 3rd that Bobby Richardson caught to end the series.

Others who played OF for the Giants in 1962 but didn't receive a 1962 Topps Giants card:

• Bob Nieman (.300 in 30 AB)
• Carl Boles (.375 in 24 AB)
• Manny Mota (.176 in 74 AB as an infielder and outfielder)

1962 Topps Giants - Part 2 (infielders)

#9 Jim Davenport batted .297 with 14 HR and 58 RBI in 1962.

#40 Orlando Cepeda batted .306 with 35 HR and 114 RBI in 1962. He was the starting first baseman in the two All Star Games in 1962 (0 for 3 with an RBI in the first game and 0 for 1 with a BB in the second game). Cepeda batted .158 in 19 AB in the 1962 World Series.

#188 Chuck Hiller batted .276 in 161 games. Hiller batted .269 in 26 AB in the 1962 World Series.

Ernie Bowman batted .190 in 42 AB in 1962. 

#390 Orlando Cepeda All Star. Cepeda was an NL All Star from 1959-1964 and again in 1967.

#401 Roger Maris/Orlando Cepeda

#565 Jose Pagan batted .259 in 164 games in 1962. Jose finished 11th in NL MVP voting and batted .368 in 19 AB in the 1962 World Series.

The Giants' infield was very durable in 1962 and didn't need much help. The following players also played infield in 1962 but didn't get a 1962 Topps card:

• Manny Mota (.176 in 74 AB as an infielder and outfielder)
• Cap Peterson (.167 in 7 AB)
• Dick Phillips (.000 in 3 AB)

.

1962 Topps Giants - Part 1

#226 San Francisco Giants

• Team Record: 103-62 (1st in NL -- won a 3-game playoff with Los Angeles)
• Attendance: 1,592,594 (2nd in NL)
• Team Batting: .278 (1st in NL)
• Team Home Runs: 204 (1st in NL)
• Team ERA: 3.79 (6th in NL)
• Team Fielding: .977 (3rd in NL)
• Home Run Leader: Willie Mays (49)
• RBI Leader: Wille Mays (141)
• Stolen Base Leader: Willie Mays (18)
• Victories Leader: Jack Sanford (24)
• Losses Leader: Billy O'Dell (14)
• Saves Leader: Stu Miller (19)
• ERA Leader (starters): Juan  Marichal (3.36)
• ERA Leader (relievers): Bobby Bolin (3.62)
• NL Leaders: Willie Mays (home runs - 49)
• Gold Gloves: Willie Mays (OF)
• NL All Stars: Orlando Cepeda (starting 1B); Willie Mays (starting CF); Jim Davenport (3B); Juan Marichal (P)
• The 1962 Giants were one of the few teams that appeared in the World Series since the Giants moved to San Francisco in 1958. The Giants did it mostly with offense, finishing first in the NL in batting average and home runs. Willie Mays had a great season and was barely beat out by Maury Wills for the MVP award. The Giants and Dodgers finished the season tied for 1st place. The Giants won a 3-game playoff to advance to the World Series. The New York Yankees won the series in seven games. The Giants had runners on second and third in the bottom of the 9th inning but Willie McCovey lined out to Bobby Richardson to end the game and the series.

#322 Alvin Dark

• Alvin Dark retired as a player after the 1960 season and was hired to manage the Giants. The Giants finished 3rd in 1961, 1st in 1962, and 4th in 1963 and 1964. Alvin was let go by the Giants after the 1964 season after owner Horace Stoneham learned of an extramarital affair. Dark also managed the KC Athletics for almost two seasons (1966 and most of 1967) and the Cleveland Indians for almost four seasons (1968-1971). Alvin came back to the A's in 1974 and they won a World Championship. The A's won the AL West in 1975 under Dark's leadership but he was fired after the A's lost in the ALCS. Dark managed the last 113 games of the 1977 season for the San Diego Padres.

#247 Joe Pignitano

• Joe Pignitano batted .200 in five at bats for the Giants in 1962. He was sold to the New York Mets on July 13 and finished his major league playing career with the Mets in '62. Joe played in two more seasons in the minors but didn't make it back to the majors.

#356 Tom Haller 

• Tom Haller shared time behind the plate with Ed Bailey. Haller batted .261 with 18 HR and 55 RBI in 99 games. Tom batted .286 with one HR in 14 at bats in the 1962 World Series.

#377 Johnny Orsino

• Johnny Orsino batted .271 in 48 at bats for the Giants in 1962. He batted .327 in 43 games for AAA Tacoma in 1962. Orsino was traded to the Baltimore Orioles after the 1962 season.

#459 Ed Bailey

• Ed Bailey batted .232 with 17 HR and 45 RBI in 1962. He batted .071 in 14 AB in the 1962 World Series.

.