Current Collection - 1968

So far, just one from this year in the collection: a Jim Palmer, with a crease running right across the center of it, dividing the pitcher's face, in the head and shoulders picture on the card (will get the photo of it uploaded one day).

Front-sheet targets on the wish list:

C- Andy Etchebarren or Ellie Hendricks
1B - Boog Powell
2B - Davey Johnson
SS - Mark Belanger
3B - Brooks Robinson
CF - Paul Blair
RF - Frank Robinson
LF - Curt Blefary or Don Buford
SP - Dave McNally

Difficult choice with the outstanding pitching staff, but McNally was absolutely superb: 22-1- with a 1.95 ERA and 18 complete games. Jim Hardin and Tom Phoebus also excelled, both with ERAs in the mid 2's and combining for 25 complete games. Eddie Watt closed things with 11 saves. Their excellent pitching, holding opponents to fewer than 500 runs for the season, propelled the O's to a 91-71 record and second-place finish.

Don Buford led the O's in hitting, this in the year of the pitcher, turning in a fine season with a .282 average, 15 HRs and 27 SB. The next highest average (for players with more than 100 at bats) was Frank Robinson who had for him a very modest, albeit still productive, season, with only 421 at bats: .268 BA, .390 OBP, .444 SLG. Boog Powell led the team with 22 HRs and 85 RBI. Brooks Robinson was the only other player besides Buford and Robinson to bat over .250 (finishing at .253) and chipped in 17 HRs and 75 RBI.