1977 Topps Baseball #655 - Tony Perez

• In December 1976 I was unable to wrap my ten-year-old head around the deal that sent Tony Perez to the Montreal Expos (Perez and Will McEnaney for Dale Murray and Woodie Fryman). In October 2013 I still have a very hard time wrapping my 47-year-old head around the trade.
• Perez played well for the Expos in 1977, but his time as an All Star was over. Tony helped the Expos as they became a contender in the late 1970s.
• It's funny -- Tony's 1973, 1974, and 1975 cards have virtually identical poses
• 1977 Stats: .283, 19 HR, 91 RBI in 154 games
• 1977 Highlights:
• April 10 - Hit a 3-run home run in the 8th inning to lead the Expos to a 9-8 win over the Philadelphia Phillies
• Aug 29 - Drove in three runs and scored twice in Montreal's 7-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds
• Other card blogs: 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1986

1977 Topps Baseball #650 - Nolan Ryan

• Nolan Ryan had one of his typical seasons in 1977. Ryan led the AL in strikeouts (341), walks (204), wild pitches (21), and complete games (22).
• Before the 1977 season Ryan signed a three-year contract and was happy with the terms.
• At the All Star break Ryan had 13 wins but was bypassed for the All Star team in favor of teammate Frank Tanana. Tanana was unable to play due to injury and manager Billy Martin tried to add Ryan to the team. Ryan refused to go and Martin wasn't happy about it.
• 1977 Stats: 19-16, 2.77 ERA, 341 strikeouts in 37 starts
• 1977 Highlights:
• April 15 - Came within one batter of pitching his fifth no-hitter. Bob Stinson's 5th inning single was the only hit in the game for the Seattle Mariners. The Angels won the game 7-0.
• June 8 - Struck out 19 batters in 10 innings and got a no decision. The Angels beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-1 in 13 innings.
• July 12 - Won his 12th game of the year by pitching a 4-hit shutout against the Minnesota Twins. During the game Ryan passed Juan Marichal for #19 on the all-time strikeout list.
• Other card blogs: 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1974, 1975, 1975, 1975, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1993

1977 Topps Baseball #640 - Carlton Fisk

• Carlton Fisk caught an incredible 152 games in 1977. Fisk started the 1977 All Star Game and went 0 for 2. Carlton had one of his best offensive seasons of his long career in 1977.
• This is one of my favorite cards in the set. It's a great action shot.
• Carlton Fisk's SABR biography
• 1977 Stats: .315, 26 HR, 102 RBI, 106 runs scored in 152 games
• 1977  Highlights:
• June 13 - Had three hits and singled in the winning run in the 10th inning of Boston's 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox.
• June 22 - Hit two home runs and knocked in three runs as the Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-4.
• July 7 - Hit a two-run home run and had a sacrifice fly to help the Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-2.
• Other card blogs: 1972, 1973, 1974, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1976 Hostess, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1993

1977 Topps Baseball #635 - Robin Yount

• Robin Yount was only 21 years old, but he was already playing in his fourth season in 1977. Robin was still a couple of years away from his All Star seasons.
• 1977 Stats: .288, 4 HR, 49 RBI in 154 games
• 1977 Highlights:
• April 27 - Singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning as the Brewers beat the Boston Red Sox 4-2.
• May 18 - Had three hits and singled in the winning run in the 10th inning of Milwaukee's 3-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.
• Other card blogs: 1975, 1976, 1976 Hostess, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1993

1977 Topps Baseball #630 - Bert Blyleven

• Bert Blyleven led the Rangers in ERA (2.72) and complete games (5). Bert only started three games in September due to a groin pull. He missed two weeks and then made a start on September 21. Bert aggrivated the pull in the 8th inning but finished the game (he had a no-hitter going).
• 1977 Stats: 14-12, 2.72 ERA in 30 starts
• 1977 Highlights:
• April 27 - Pitched a 5-0 shutout against the Kansas City Royals. Bert deliberately hit Darrell Porter with a pitch in the 9th inning in retaliation for a brushback pitch that Marty Pattin threw at Juan Beniquez. Blyleven was suspended for three days for the incident.
• July 26 - Pitched a 4-hit shutout against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Rangers won the game 14-0.
• Sept 21 - Pitched a no-hitter against the California Angels. The Rangers won the game 6-0.
• Other card blogs: 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1976, 1976 Kellogg's, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1993

1977 Topps Baseball #620 - Don Sutton

• Don Sutton's win total was down a bit in 1977, but he had a good year for the Dodgers. Don started the All Star Game (he was the winning pitcher) and had a win in the NL Championship Series and the World Series.
• 1977 Stats:
• Regular Season: 14-8, 3.18 ERA in 33 starts
• NL Championship Series: 1-0, 1.00 ERA in 1 start
• World Series: 1-0, 3.94 ERA in 2 starts
• 1977 Highlights:
• June 29 - Allowed two runs in seven innings and knocked in three runs with  a single and a double as the Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 13-7.
• Aug 18 - Pitched his fifth one-hitter of his career. The Dodgers beat the San Francisco Giants 7-0.
• Oct 5 - Allowed 1 run in a complete game 7-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in game 2 of the NL Championship Series.
• Other card blogs: 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1985, 1986, 1988

1977 Topps Baseball #615 - Phil Niekro

• Phil Niekro had a hard time winning games for the awful Atlanta Braves teams of the late 70s. Niekro led the NL in losses (20), complete games (20), innings pitched (330), hits allowed (315), earned runs allowed (148), wild pitches (17), walks (164), and strikeouts (262). It was the first of four straight years (1977-1980) that Niekro would lead the NL in losses. Phil had a decision in 36 of his 43 starts.
• When the 1977 season started Phil was just turning 38 and he had 162 career wins. Niekro finished with 318 career wins, which means that he had 156 wins after his 38th birthday. Remarkable.
• After the 1977 season Braves' manager Dave Bristol was fired. Phil expressed his interest in the job, but the Braves hired Bobby Cox instead.
• 1977 Stats: 16-20, 4.03 ERA in 44 games (43 starts)
• 1977 Highlights:
• June 9 - Shut the Philadelphia Phillies out on four hits. Phil struck out 13 batters and walked only one.
• June 30 - Went the distance and beat fellow knuckleballer Charlie Hough as the Braves beat the LA Dodgers 5-4. Niekro had an RBI single as well.
• July 29 - Struck out four batters in one inning. The Braves beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-3.
• Other card blogs: 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988

1977 Topps Baseball #600 - Jim Palmer

• Jim Palmer led the AL in victories for the third straight year in 1977. Palmer also led the league in starts, complete games, and innings pitched. Jim finished second to Sparky Lyle in Cy Young Award voting. During his career Palmer won three Cy Young awards and was second in the voting twice.
• Jim Palmer's SABR biography
• 1977 Stats: 20-11, 2.91 ERA in 39 starts
• 1977 Highlights:
• April 12 - Pitched a 2-hit shutout as the Orioles beat the Milwaukee Brewers 1-0.
• Aug 12 - Allowed one run on two hits and pitched his 15th complete game as the Orioles beat the Oakland A's 6-1.
• Sept 28 - Beat the Milwaukee Brewers 3-2 in 11 innings to win his 20th game of the season. It was Palmer's final start of the season -- he went 13-3 from July 1 until the end of the season.
• Other card blogs: 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1976, 1976 Hostess, 1978, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1982, 1983

1977 Topps Baseball #580 - George Brett

• George Brett enjoyed another good season in 1977. He didn't lead the league in any offensive categories, but he was a big part of Kansas City's success.
• 1977 Stats:
• Regular season: .312, 22 HR, 88 RBI, 105 runs in 139 games
• AL Championship Series: .300 (6 for 20) in 5 games
• 1977 Highlights:
• May 5 - Hit two doubles off of his brother Ken. The second double knocked in the eventual winning run as the Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 6-5.
• July 6 - Was hospitalized for four days for treatment of an infected left elbow. Brett got out of the hospital on July 6 and hit a pinch RBI single in the 9th inning to lead the Royals to an 8-7 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. 
• Oct 9 - Got into a scuffle with Yankee 3B Graig Nettles. Brett hit a triple and they got tangled up as Brett was going into third base.
• Other card blogs: 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1993

1977 Topps Baseball #547 - Willie McCovey

• This was the season that cemented Willie McCovey's place as a future Hall of Famer. Willie had a bad 1976 season and there was doubt about whether or not he would still be playing in 1977. The Giants invited McCovey to spring training and he made the team.
• McCovey had his best season since 1970. He led the Giants in home runs (28), RBI (86) and slugging percentage (.500). Willie won the NL Comeback Player of the Year award and positioned himself nicely to get to 500 home runs. Willie also won baseball's Hutch Award for overcoming adversity.
• Willie McCovey's SABR biography.
• 1977 Stats: .280, 28 HR, 86 RBI in 141 games
• 1977  Highlights:
• June 27 - Hit two home runs in one inning. One of the home runs was his 17th career grand slam, which set the NL record. The Giants beat the Cincinnati Reds 14-9.
• Sept 7 - Went 2 for 5 and got his 2000th career hit in San Francisco's 6-3 win over the Reds.
• Sept 26 - Hit his 492nd career home run in the 7th inning of a 9-1 Giants win over the LA Dodgers. After the game Willie said he could play through 1980. McCovey almost made it -- he retired in July 1980.
• Other card blogs: 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1980, A Giant Blog

1977 Topps Baseball #546 - Baltimore Orioles / Earl Weaver

• Earl Weaver never played in the major leagues. He was a minor league player in the Browns, Pirates, and Orioles organizations from 1948-1960. Except for part of a season in 1958, Earl never made it past the AA level as a player. Weaver was a player/manager from 1956-1959.
• In 1961 Weaver started his full time minor league managerial career in Class B Fox Cities at the age of 30. The Orioles had been building a strong farm system. Weaver was very successful as a manager as he moved up the Orioles system, although GM Paul Richards had warned Weaver about how his fiery temper and frequent ejections were interfering with his ability to teach.
• In 1968 Earl was brought up to the Orioles as a coach. Manager Hank Bauer was in trouble and most observers thought it was just a matter of time before Earl would become Baltimore's manager. At the All Star break Bauer was fired and Weaver became the manager of the Orioles. At the time the team was struggling at 43-37. After the break the Orioles went 48-34 and moved up to second place in the AL.
• The Orioles won three straight AL East titles from 1969-1971. They won the ALCS in each of those years, but they won only one World Championship (1970).
• The Orioles slumped to a third place finish in the AL East in 1972. They then won the division in 1973 and in 1974. They were beat by the Oakland A's in the ALCS in both of those seasons. Weaver was named the AL Manager of the Year in 1973.
• In each of the next three seasons (1975-1977) the Orioles finished second in the AL East.
• Here is an article from the August 8, 1977 Sports Illustrated about the Orioles and their surprise run at the AL East title.
• On September 15 Weaver pulled his team off of the field and forfieted a game to the Toronto Blue Jays due to a dispute about the  maintenance of the two bullpens.
• Weaver was the overwhelming choice for AL Manager of the Year in 1977.
• In 1978 the Orioles slipped to 4th in the AL East, even though they won 90 games.
• The Orioles won the AL East with 102 victories in 1979. They beat the California Angels in the ALCS and then lost the World Series to the "We Are Family" Pittsburgh Pirates in seven games. Earl won his third Manager of the Year award in 1979. It was the last year that Earl would take the team to the playoffs.
• For the next three seasons (1980-1982) the Orioles finished second in the AL East. Earl was arrested for drunk driving on August 31, 1981. In 1982 the Orioles trailed the Milwaukee Brewers by three games with four to play. Baltimore needed to sweep the four game series with the Brewers to win the division. The Orioles won the first three games to force a winner-take-all final game. Future Hall of Famers Jim Palmer and Don Sutton were matched up in the game. Both starters struggled, but the Brewers prevailed to win the game and the division.
• After the 1982 season Weaver decided to step down as manager of the Orioles. The team would win its last (to date) World Championship the next year (1983).
• Earl was a part-time announcer for ABC from 1983-1985. The Orioles were struggling in June 1985 and the team dangled a $500,000 salary for Weaver to come back. He accepted the offer and managed the Orioles for the rest of the 1985 season and the 1986 season.
• Weaver had the Orioles contending for the AL East as late as early August, but the team collapsed (14-42) the rest of the way and Weaver had his first losing record (and last place finish) as a manager. Earl retired after the season and this time he didn't come back.
• Weaver was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1996
• Weaver died while he was on a team fantasy Caribbean cruise on January 19, 2013 of an apparent heart attack.
• Here is Earl Weaver's SABR biography
• Record: 97-64, .602, 2nd in AL East, 2.5 games behind New York Yankees
• Attendance:  1,195,769 (10th in AL)
• Team Batting: .261 (9th in AL)
• Team HR: 148 (5th in AL)
• Team Stolen Bases: 90 (8th in AL)
• Team ERA: 3.74 (5th in AL)
• Team Fielding: .983 (1st in AL)
• All Stars: Jim Palmer (starting pitcher); Ken Singleton (OF)
• Awards:  Jim Palmer (Gold Glove); Mark Belanger (Gold Glove); Eddie Murray (Rookie of the Year)
• AL Leaders: Jim Palmer (wins-20; innings pitched - 319; starts - 39; complete games - 22)
• Batting Leader: Ken Singleton - .328
• Home Run Leader: Eddie Murray / Lee May - 27
• RBI Leader: Ken Singleton / Lee May - 99
• Stolen Base Leader: Pat Kelly - 25
• Victories Leader: Jim Palmer - 20
• Losses Leader: Rudy May - 14
• Strikeout Leader: Jim Palmer - 193
• Saves Leader: Tippy Martinez - 9
• ERA Leader (starters): Jim Palmer - 2.91
• ERA Leader (relievers): Tippy Martinez - 2.70
• Players who could have had Orioles cards in 1977 (batters with over 100 AB, pitchers with over 40 innings) :
• Billy Smith (2B) - .215 in 109 games
• Dave Skaggs (C) - .287 in 80 games
• Elliott Maddox (OF) - .262 in 49 games

1977 Topps Baseball #525 - Dennis Eckersley

• This was the last of Dennis Eckersley's three seasons in Cleveland. Dennis made the AL All Star team as a replacement for Nolan Ryan (he pitched two no-hit innings), but he pitched no complete games and the Indians were concerned about how his delivery would affect his arm. There was also an awkward situation caused by teammate Rick Manning having an affair with Eckersley's wife. After the 1977 season Eckersley was traded to the Boston Red Sox.
• Dennis Eckersley's SABR biography.
• 1977 Stats: 14-13, 3.53 ERA in 33 starts
• 1977 Highlights:
• May 30 - Pitched a 1-0 no-hitter against the California Angels. A first inning walk to Tony Solaita was the only thing that kept Dennis from a perfect game.
• June 3 - Gave up a home run to Ruppert  Jones in the sixth inning of a game against the Seattle Mariners. Dennis fell 2/3 of an inning short of equalling Cy Young's record of 23 consecutive hitless innings.
• Aug 27 - Pitched a 4-hit shutout against the Mariners for his 13th win of the year.
• Other card blogs: 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1993

1977 Topps Baseball #523 - Rollie Fingers

• This is one of those rare instances where players of the same team had consecutive card numbers. Topps had Rollie Fingers planned as a member of the Oakland A's, but Rollie became a free agent after the 1976 season and signed with the San Diego Padres. Topps was able to change the team name and airbrush Fingers into a San Diego uniform, but Topps didn't change any card numbers.
• This was the first time in four years that Rollie Fingers wasn't selected to the All Star Game. Rollie still led the NL in appearances (78) and in saves (35).
• 1977 Stats: 8-9, 35 saves, 2.99 ERA in 78 games.
• 1977 Highlights:
• April 12 - Set down the side in order to preserve a 4-3 win for Randy Jones against the San Francisco Giants. It was Rollie's first NL save.
• July 10 / 10 - Pitched two shutout innings and was the winning pitcher in the first game of a doubleheader against the LA Dodgers. Shut out the Dodgers in the second game to earn the save.
• Other card blogs: 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1976 Hostess, 1978, 1979, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1983, 1985, 1986

1977 Topps Baseball #504 - Los Angeles Dodgers / Tom Lasorda

• The LA Dodgers were able to dethrone the two-time World Champion Cincinnati Reds in 1977. The Dodgers had four 30 Home Run guys (Steve Garvey, Ron Cey, Dusty Baker, and Reggie Smith) and they also had great pitching. The Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL Championship Series and then lost to the New York Yankees in the World Series.
• Pitcher Tommy Lasorda was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1945. Lasorda missed the 1946 and 1947 seasons due to military service. Tommy came back in 1948 and had some impressive games in the minors. The Brooklyn Dodgers got wind of Lasorda's pitching prowess and drafted him out of the Phillies chain.
• Lasorda stayed in the  minors for most of his pitching career. Although Tommy put up some good numbers in AAA, he couldn't stick in the majors. Lasorda had brief trials with the Dodgers in 1954 (5.00 ERA in 4 games) and in 1955 (13.50 ERA in 4 games/1 start).
• The Kansas City A's purchased Lasorda during spring training in 1956. Tommy started the 1956 season with the A's but was 0-4 with a 6.15 ERA in 18 games (5 starts). On July 11 Lasorda was traded to the New York Yankees for Wally Brunette. Tommy pitched in the minors for the remainder of the 1956 season (and for the rest of his career as it turned out).
• Tommy was purchased by the Dodgers in May 1957. Lasorda pitched for AAA Montreal through the 1960 season.
• Lasorda was a scout for the Dodgers from 1961-1965. In 1965 Tommy started his managing career in the low minors. Lasorda worked his way up until he managed in AAA from 1969-1972.
• Tommy joined Walter Alston's staff as the Dodger third base coach in 1973. He remained as third base coach until Alston retired toward the end of the 1976 season. 
• Lasorda managed the Dodgers for the last few games of the 1976 season. He continued to manage the Dodgers for the next 21 years (1976-1996). Lasorda won eight NL West titles, four NL pennants, and two World Championships (1981 and 1988) as manager of the Dodgers. Tommy retired in June 1996 after he had a heart attack. Tommy became a Dodger executive and was the General Manager for part of the 1998 season.
• Tommy was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997.
• Record: 98-64 (1st in NL West, 10 games ahead of Cincinnati Reds)
• Attendance:  2,955,087 (1st in NL)
• Team Batting: .266 (5th in NL)
• Team HR: 191 (1st in NL)
• Team Stolen Bases: 114 (7th in NL)
• Team ERA: 3.22 (1st in NL)
• Team Fielding: .981 (2nd in NL)
• All Stars: Don Sutton (starting pitcher); Steve Garvey (starting 1B); Ron Cey (starting 3B); Reggie Smith (OF)
• Awards:  Steve Garvey (Gold Glove 1B); Dusty Baker (NL Championship Series MVP)
• NL Leaders: Steve Garvey (games played - 162)
• Batting Leader: Reggie Smith (.307)
• Home Run Leader: Steve Garvey (33)
• RBI Leader: Steve Garvey (115)
• Stolen Base Leader: Davey Lopes (47)
• Victories Leader: Tommy John (20)
• Losses Leader: Charlie Hough (12)
• Strikeout Leader: Burt Hooton (153)
• Saves Leader: Charlie Hough (22)
• ERA Leader (starters): Burt Hooton (2.62)
• ERA Leader (relievers): Elias Sosa (1.98)
• Players who could have had Dodgers cards in 1977 (batters with over 100 AB, pitchers with over 40 innings) :
• Rick Monday (CF) - pictured with Chicago Cubs - .230, 15 HR, 48 RBI in 118 games
• Ted Martinez (2B) - no card in 1977 - .299 in 137 AB
• Johnny Oates (C) - pictured with Philadelphia Phillies - .269 in 156 AB
• Glenn Burke (CF) - rookie card in 1978 - .254 in 169 AB
• Mike Garman (P) - pictured with Chicago Cubs - 4-4, 12 saves, 2.73 ERA in 49 games

1977 Topps Baseball #480 - Carl Yastrzemski

• Carl Yastrzemski enjoyed another good season in 1977. He was 37 years old but was still able to knock in 102 runs. He was an AL All Star for the 13th straight season (he was 0 for 2 with a strikeout) and even won a Gold Glove in the outfield.
• This is the second straight "action" card for Yaz. 
• 1977 Stats: .296, 28 HR, 102 RBI, 99 runs scored.
• 1977 Highlights:
• April 16 - Hit a 2-run home run and had an RBI double in Boston's 8-4 win over the Cleveland Indians.
• June 1 - Hit two home runs to help the Red Sox beat the Texas Rangers 7-5.
• July 14 - Had a single and a home run and passed Ted Williams as the all-time leader in hits for the Boston Red Sox. The two hits brought Yastrzemski's total to 2,654.
• Other card blogs: 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1976 Kellogg's, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983

1977 Topps Baseball #473 - Rookie Outfielders - Andre Dawson, Gene Richards, John Scott, Denny Walling

• Andre Dawson
• Debut: September 11, 1976
• 1977 Stats: .282, 19 HR, 65 RBI in 139 games
• 1977 Highlights:
• Other card blogs: 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1988
• Andre Dawson was the NL Rookie of the Year in 1977. 
• Dawson had a great career. It would have been better, but the artificial turf in Montreal really took a toll on his knees.
• Andre won eight Gold Gloves and was an eight-time All Star
• Dawson was the NL MVP in 1987. He finished second twice (1981 and 1983)
• He played for the Montreal Expos (1976-1986), the Chicago Cubs (1987-1992), the Boston Red Sox (1993-1994), and the Florida Marlins (1995-1996)
• Dawson was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2010.
• Gene Richards
• Debut: April 6, 1977
• 1977 Stats: .290, 5 HR, 32 RBI, 56 stolen bases in 146 games
• 1977 Highlights:
• Other card blogs: 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985
• Gene Richards was the first player selected in the 1975 draft. Gene batted .381 for Class A Reno in 1975 and .331 for AAA Hawaii in 1976. 
• Richards became the starting left fielder for the San Diego Padres in 1977. He finished third (behind Dawson and Steve Henderson) in NL Rookie of the Year voting. Gene batted .290 in 146 games and stole 56 bases.
• I used to think Gene had some cool APBA cards in the 1970s and 1980s. He had several 11's on his cards, which meant he would automatically steal second base after a single when that number came up.
• Although he didn't steal as many bases, Richards had a better season in 1978. Gene batted .308 with 4 HR and 45 RBI and had 37 stolen bases in 1978.
• Gene dropped off a little bit in 1979, batting .279 with 24 stolen bases in 150 games.
• Richards had a bouneeback year in 1980. He batted .301, scored 91 runs, and stole 61 bases.
• In the strike-shortened 1981 season Richards led the NL with 12 triples and batted .288 in 104 games.
• In 1982 Richards was still a starting outfielder, but he started to lose playing time. He batted .286 in 132 games. 
• Gene's last year with the Padres was in 1983. He played in only 95 games and batted .275. After the 1983 season Richards was granted free agency but went unsigned.
• Richards tried out for the San Francisco Giants in 1984. He was signed to a one year contract at the end of spring training. The Giants used Gene as a backup outfielder and a pinch hitter. After August 14 Gene made 23 appearances, all as a pinch hitter or a pinch runner. Richards batted .252 in 87 games.
• Gene became a free agent after the 1984 season but he went unsigned. Gene retired at the age of 31.
• John Scott
• Debut: September 7, 1974
• 1977 Stats: .240, 2 HR, 15 RBI in 79 games
• 1977 Highlights:
• Other card blogs: none
• John Scott was the first round (#2 overall) of the San Diego Padres in 1970. Scott played in the minors from 1970-1974. John got a September call up in 1974 and batted .067 (1 for 15) in 14 games.
• Scott was used as a pinch runner for much of the beginning of the 1975 season. He appeared in 25 games but batted only nine times and went 0 for 6. John was sent to AAA in late June and stayed there for the rest of the 1975 season and for the entire 1976 season.
• Scott was purchased by the Toronto Blue Jays after the 1976 season. John stayed in the majors for the entire 1977 season and batted .240 in 79 games. After the 1977 season Scott was traded (with Pete Vuckovich) to the St. Louis Cardinals for Victor Cruz and Tom Underwood.
• Scott played in AAA for the entire 1978 season. John then went to Japan and played for the Yakult Swallows from 1979-1981. 
• Scott played in the Mexican League in 1982 and then retired.
• Denny Walling
• Debut: September 7, 1975
• 1977 Stats: 
• Minor Leagues (2 teams): .343, 4 HR, 18 RBI in 32 games
• Houston Astros: .286 (6 for 21) in 6 games
• 1977 Highlights:
• Other card blogs: 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988
• Denny Walling was the first player drafted in the secondary phase of the 1975 draft. Denny went 1 for 8 in six games at the end of the 1975 season and then played in the minors in 1976. Walling got in three games for the A's (3 for 11, .273) at the end of the 1976 season.
• Walling was injured for much of the 1977 season. He played in three minor league games for AAA San Jose and then was traded to the Houston Astros for Willie Crawford on June 15. Denny played for AAA Tucson for most of the rest of the season and then was called up in September (6 for 21, .286 in 6 games).
• In 1978 Walling was in the majors to stay. He was used as a fourth outfielder and a pinch hitter and batted .251 with 3 HR and 36 RBI in 120 games.
• Walling had a similar role for his entire career. He played for the Astros until 1988. Denny's best year with the Astros was in 1986. He batted .312 with 13 HR and 58 RBI in 130 games.
• On August 31, 1988 Walling was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for Bob Forsch. The Cardinals wanted Denny's bat for their pennant drive (which came up short). Walling played for the Cardinals through the 1990 season and then finished up his career with the Texas Rangers (1991) and back with the Astros (1992).
• After his playing career Walling was a hitting coach for various major and minor league teams. Denny is now a roving hitting instructor for the Baltimore Orioles.

1977 Topps Baseball #460 - Willie Stargell

•  After the 1977 season it looked like Willie Stargell was on the decline. He had two straight seasons in which he struggled with injuries. In 1977 Willie was on the 15-day disabled list in April -- he had persistent headaches and dizziness. Stargell then went out for the season in  mid July after injuring his elbow in a bench-clearing brawl.
• Stargell bounced back in 1978 and had a good year. His 1979 season was a memorable one as he led the Pirates to the World Championship and finally won the MVP award that eluded him in 1971 and 1973.
• Willie Stargell's SABR biography
• 1977 Stats: .274, 13 HR, 35 RBI in 63 games
• 1977 Highlights:
• May 1 - Hit two solo home runs to help the Pirates beat the  Houston Astros 4-3.
• June 10 - Hit a 3-run homer in the 11th inning off of Rollie Fingers to lift the Pirates to a 10-7 victory over the San Diego Padres.
• June 22 - Doubled twice, scored once, and had an RBI in Pittsburgh's 3-1 victory over the Padres.
• Other card blogs: 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1974, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1976 Hostess, 1976 Kellogg's, 1979, 1980

1977 Topps Baseball #437 - Turn Back The Clock Ralph Kiner

• Leading the league in anything for seven straight years is quite an accomplishment. 
• The closest streaks I could find were:
• Walter Johnson - AL strikeout leader for 8 straight years (1912-1919)
• Dazzy Vance - NL strikeout leader for 7 straight seasons (1922-1928)
• Lefty Grove - AL strikeout leader for 7 straight years (1925-1931)
• Rogers Hornsby - NL Batting Average leader for 6 years in a row (1920-1925)
• Ty Cobb led the AL in batting average every year from 1907-1919 except for 1910 (Nap Lajoie led) and 1916 (Tris Speaker was the BA champion). 
• Sandy Koufax - NL ERA leader for 5 straight years (1962-1966)

1977 Topps Baseball #434 - Turn Back The Clock Carl Yastrzemski

• At the time, Carl Yastrzemski's Triple Crown wasn't as big of a deal. Frank Robinson had accomplished the feat the previous year. But it took 45 years for another player (Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers) to win another Triple Crown.
• Yaz deserved his unanimous selection as the 1967 AL MVP. I can't imagine the Red Sox finishing in the first division without him.

1977 Topps Baseball #430 - Fergie Jenkins

• What happened to Fergie Jenkins during his two seasons in Boston? He didn't put up the stats in Boston like he did when he was with the Cubs and the Rangers. Perhaps a torn achilles tendon he suffered in September 1976 had something to do with it. Jenkins especially struggled after the All Star Break - he pitched fewer than six innings in four of his last nine starts and didn't pitch after September 7.
• Fergie Jenkins' SABR biography
• Fergie Jenkins weighs in on the Hall of Fame and PEDs.
• 1977 Stats: 10-10, 3.68 ERA in 28 starts
• 1977 Highlights:
• May 5 - Won his fourth straight game as he allowed two runs in a complete game 5-2 win over the Seattle Mariners
• June 19 - Allowed one run on three hits as the Red Sox completed a series sweep of the New York Yankees. The run was unearned.
• Aug 4 - Earned his first victory in six weeks in a complete game 3-1 win over the Oakland A's. Jenkins was quoted as saying, "I've been struggling. I've had other things on my mind.
• Other card blogs: 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1975, 1976, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1983