TASR: 1966 Topps #35 Ron Swoboda

Today we take at 1966 Outfield Topps Cup Selection Ron Swoboda 

Ron came up in 1965 and led NL Rookies in Home Runs with 19. The outfielder did not receive any ROY votes likely due to his .228 batting average. Regardless his 1.6 WAR placed him 5th among 1965 rookies and was good enough to earn Swoboda Cup Honors.

For the most part Ron Swoboda's career was top loaded. His 19 Home Runs in 1965 was 6 better than any other season he would haveIn fact by the end of May Swoboda had 11 dingers, a number he would only exceed once during his remaining career.

The highlight of Ron Swoboda's career was being a member of the 1969 Mets. He played 4 games for the Miracle Mets in the series which was against his Hometown Baltimore Orioles.

1966 Topps #35 Ron Swoboda

Ron Swoboda wore #14 throughout the rest of his career but only as a rookie with the Mets. Following the 1965 season he turned it over to newly acquired Third Baseman Ken Boyer. Fourteen was also worn by Miracle Mets manager Gil Hodges for whom the number is now retired. 

That is the entire history of the #14 for the Mets: Hodges (player), Swoboda, Boyer, Hodges (Manager) and retired.   

The patch on Swoboda's left sleeve notes the Worlds Fair hosted in New York.  The Worlds Fair opened in 1964 and ran through 65, the Mets wore the patch both years.

I also need to note it is nice to see the Yellow Font on the card which matches the colors of the cup trophy.    

 

Toon Time

1966 Topps #35 Ron Swoboda (b-side)

The franchise rookie Home Record referred to in the comic was previously held by Jim Hickman

Mets Rookie HR Record

Year	HR	Mets Rookie
1962	13	Jim Hickman
1965	19	Ron Swoboda
1983	26	Darryl Strawberry
2019	53	Pete Alonso

The evolution of the Mets Rookie Home Run record consists of four players including members of each of the franchises World Series teams in 1969 (Swoboda) and 1968 (Darryl Strawberry). Could Pete Alonso add his name to that list....

Ron Swoboda Index

Reserved for future Swoboda Content

Sources and Links

1966 All-Star Rookie Index

Baseball_ref

bleacher report

1965 Topps All-Star Rookie Cup Team (1966 Topps Set)

This is an index to postings related to the 1965 Topps All-Star Rookie Team which was honored with cards in the 1966 Topps set. The Set includes Futures Philles and Hall of Famers Joe Morgan and Tony Perez. There is also Pat Corrales who I plan to honor in a posting if I ever return to regular columns. Jose Cardenal is among the Future Phillies on this squad. 

1966 Topps #72 Tony Perez

72	TONY PEREZ HOF	Reds	1B
195	JOE MORGAN HOF	Astros	2B
376	PAUL SCHAAL	Angels	3B
298	RICO PETROCELLI	Red Sox	SS
35	RON SWOBODA	Mets	OF
460	CURT BLEFARY	Orioles	OF
505	JOSE CARDENAL	Angels	OF
137	PAT CORRALES (Phils/Cards)	Cardinals	C
78	FRANK LINZY	Giants	RHP
155	MARCELINO LOPEZ	Angels	LHP

SNUBS ? 

#93 Jim Lonborg Red Sox RHP (nope)

Sources and Links

All-Star Rookie Master Index

Baseball-Ref

1960s Topps All-Star Rookie Cup Tournament - Finals!!!

Our Final features two teams from the Middle 1960s. The challenger is the overall #4 seeded 1966 squad Oliva's Army led by fresh HOF inductee Tony Oliva. They will face #1 seeded team from 1965 captained by Joe Morgan. Both teams enter the final undefeated at 4-0. 

1960s Final Game 1:

Oliva's Army 1965 (4-0)	2 - 8 - 1
Little Joe's 1966 (4-0)	1 - 5 - 0
W: Wally Bunker (3-0)	L: Frank Linzy (2-1)
HR: None

 

Oliva's Army gets the upset in game 1, Wally Bunker moves to (3-0) as he shuts down Little Joe's on 5 hits and a single run. 

Game 2

Oliva's Army 1965 (5-0)	4 - 6 - 0
Little Joe's 1966 (4-1)	5 - 9 - 3
W: Marcelino Lopez (3-0)	L: Bill McCool (2-1)
HR: Joe Morgan 66 2 (2), Bert Campaneris 65 (1)

Little Joe's Even the series behind a pair of Home Runs from the Captain himself. 

Game 3

Oliva's Army 1965 (5-1)	0 - 6 - 3
Little Joe's 1966 (5-1)	1 - 11 - 1
W: Frank Linzy (3-1)	L: Wally Bunker (3-1)
HR: None

For the 2nd time in the final Frank Linzy and Wally Bunker square off in a pitchers battle. Linzy (3-1)  avenges his game 1 loss with a 6-hit shutout. The W gives Little Joe's a 2-1 advantage going into game 4. 

Game 4

Oliva's Army 1965 (5-2)	5 - 7 - 0
Little Joe's 1966 (6-1)	6 - 7 - 0
W: Marcelino Lopez (4-0)	L: Bill McCool (2-2)
HR: Tony Perez 66 2 (3 ,4), Bert Campaneris 65 (2),

 

Little Joe's capture the 1960s Tournament with a 6-5 victory over Oliva's Army.

Tony Perez hits a pair of Home Runs to run his tournament total to 4 and takes home MVP Honors

1966 Topps Tony Perez

Marcelino Lopez goes through the tournament undefeated with 4 victories. 

Final Standings - All-Star Rookie Tournament 1960s

	Final Standings	W	L
1	Little Joe's 1966	7	1
2	Oliva's Army 1965	5	3
3	Charlie's Hustlers 1964	2	3
4	Team Boog 1963	4	4
5	Team Mad Hits 1968	1	2
6	Team Davey J 1967	1	2
7	Team Torre 1962	2	2
8	Bench No Drips 1969	0	2
9	Santos Squad 1961	1	2
10	Team McCovey 1960	0	2

Biggest Surprise 1963 Team Boog seeded 7th finished 4th

Biggest Disappointment 1969 Bench No Drips 5th Seed finished 8th

Stats

	Pitching	W	L	Pct	O/U .500
1960	Jim O'Toole	0	1	.000	-1
	Jim Perry	0	1	.000	-1
1961	Chuck Estrada	1	1	.500	0
	Dick Stigman	0	1	.000	-1
1962	Don Schwall	1	1	.500	0
	Jack Curtis	1	1	.500	0
1963	Al Jackson	3	1	.750	2
	Dean Change	1	3	.250	-2
1964	Ray Culp	1	1	.500	0
	Gary Peters	1	2	.333	-1
1965	Wally Bunker	3	1	.750	2
	Bill McCool	2	2	.500	0
1966	Marcelino Lopez	4	0	1.000	4
	Frank Linzy	3	1	.750	2
1967	Jim Nash	1	1	.500	0
	Woody Fryman)	0	1	.000	-1
1968	Dick Hughes	1	0	1.000	1
	Tom Seaver	0	2	.000	-2
1969	Jerry Koosman	0	1	.000	-1
	Stan Bahnsen	0	1	.000	-1

	Home Runs
Tony Perez 66 2 (3 ,4),	4
Bert Campaneris 65 (2)	2
Joe Morgan 66 2 (2)	2
Manny Jimenenez 63 (2)	2
Rod Carew 68 2 (2)	2
Tom Tresh 63 (1)	2
Jim Gentile 61 (1),	1
Tommy Davis 61 (1)	1
Curt Blefary 66 (1)	1
Dick Allen 65 (1)	1
Ed Charles 63 (1),	1
Floyd Robinson 62 (1),	1
Fred Whitfield 63 (1),	1
George Scott 67 (1)	1
Jimmie Hall 64 (1),	1
Joe Torre 62 (1)	1
Lee May, 68 (1)	1
Mike Brumley 65 (1)	1
Paul Schall 66 (1), )	1
Rico Carty 65 (1)	1
Ron Swoboda 66 (1)	1
Sonny Jackson 67 (1)	1
Tommie Agee 67	1
Tommy Harper 64 (1	1
Tony Conigliaro 65 (1),	1

Whats Next

Now that we have found the best rookie cup team of the 1960s we are going to move to a more recent decade.

We have the 1990s Rookie Cup All-Stars tournament on-deck!