https://www.detroitathletic.com/blog/2016/03/17/1971-topps-baseball-cards/
Card Corner: The Iconic 1971 Topps set and Gates Brown's Bulging Biceps.
Detroit Athletic
When Topps initially released its new set of baseball cards in 1971, it took some criticism for the rather garish black borders featured on the edges of the cards. Other critics took note of the decision not to capitalize the players? names, instead using lower case letters for both their first names and last names. At the time, some collectors wondered if the people at Topps had lost their collective minds.
All these years later, the 1971 Topps set is now celebrated as a vintage favorite. The black borders, which tend to show any kind of a nick or a scratch to the card, have made it all the more challenging to find the set in something close to mint condition. In a strange way, that has made the set more desirable. Those lower case names are now seen as cool, emblematic of the time period. 1971 Topps was also the first set to feature action cards. We tend to take action cards for granted these days, but back then, it was something of a thrill to find a card that showed a player in an actual game, rather than staging some kind of awkward pose for the cameraman.
From the perspective of the Detroit Tigers, not a single one of the hometown players was able to make it onto an action card in 1971, but there were still some memorable shots. There?s Norm Cash stretching for an imaginary throw at first base, a photograph of Dick McAuliffe showcasing that distinctive open stance and his tendency to choke up on the bat, and an ultra-cool shot of backup first baseman/outfielder Russ Nagelson feigning a swing only inches from the cameraman?s lens.
Russ Nagelson, Norm Cash, and Dick McAuliffe featured in the iconic 1971 Topps set
Russ Nagelson, Norm Cash, and Dick McAuliffe featured in the iconic 1971 Topps set
Of all the Tigers featured in 1971 Topps, perhaps my favorite card is that of the late Gates Brown. Like many of the Topps photographs of the era, it was taken at the old Yankee Stadium, with the classic Stadium fa?ade in full view in the background. The card shows Gates just the way we remember him, not with a glove, but with a bat in his oversized hands, having just completed a staged practice swing. The bat looks tiny, almost like one of those miniature bats that you can purchase in just about any baseball-related gift shop. In contrast, Brown?s biceps appear enormous. Coupled with his oversized head, those arms give Brown a gargantuan feel. At five feet, 11 inches and 220 pounds, Brown has the build of a block of stone. As Brown himself liked to say, ?I?m square as an ice cube, and I?m twice as cool.?
Brown?s backstory is well known. As a teenager growing up in Ohio, Brown made a poor decision, becoming involved in an armed robbery. After being arrested, his case went to trial; he was found guilty and sentenced to a stint in the Ohio State Reformatory, located in Mansfield. It was while playing for the prison team that he was scouted by the Tigers? Frank Skaff. Willing to take a chance on the troubled youngster, Skaff recommended the Tigers sign Brown. The Tigers did?and never regretted the signing for a moment.
By 1968, Gates Brown had become a household name in Detroit. Though he came to bat only 92 times for the ?68 Tigers, he hit .370, clubbed six home runs, and posted an OPS of over 1.000. It seemed like every other day, he came off the bench to deliver a critical pinch-hit. Of all the backup players in the American League, none was better than Brown that summer, and none had more of an impact in helping a team win the world championship.
Brown?s hitting feel off considerably in 1969 and 1970, as he posted batting averages of .204 and .226, respectively. Heading into the 1971 season, he was at the crossroads of his career. He was now 32 years old. One more bad season might just lead to his release by the Tigers, who were known for being loyal to their players at the time, but whose loyalty had its limits, too.
Due to a series of injuries, Willie Horton would miss significant playing time in 1971. That opened the door for Brown to play more frequently. He totaled 218 plate appearances, his highest total since 1965. Brown more than justified the increase in playing time, lifting his average to .338, his best mark since 1968. He compiled a .408 on-base percentage, an eye-opening figure for a part-time player. He also clubbed 11 home runs, the second best total of his career. As a pinch-hitter, Brown continued to shine, hitting .346 in a role that seems to have become a lost art in today?s game.
Thanks in part to Brown?s robust hitting, the Tigers improved to 91-71, good for second place in the American League East. They didn?t contend strongly because of the dominance of the Baltimore Orioles, but they played good ball throughout the summer.
Brown?s efforts coincided with Billy Martin?s first season at the helm of the Tiger. Not surprisingly, Brown became a favorite of Martin, who used him frequently in left field. In contrast to Mayo Smith, Martin did not seem as concerned about Brown?s defensive struggles in the field, always the Achilles heel to his game.
Brown?s batting average fell off the next two seasons, but he remained a power threat. The institution of the DH in 1973 led to additional playing time, as he appeared in a career-high 125 games. Thanks to the DH, Brown played two more seasons, not retiring until after the 1975 season.
In 1974, Brown gained national attention when longtime NBC broadcaster Joe Garagiola featured him in a two-part series on his television show. Garagiola interviewed Brown on the grounds of the Ohio State Reformatory, where he had served his time in prison. Garagiola interviewed Brown in the actual prison cell in which he had stayed.
Brown drew praise for his willingness to conduct the interviews at Mansfield. Brown felt it was important to do the programs at the prison. He believed that the interview with Garagiola might discourage youngsters from committing the same mistakes that he had made. He also spent time with some of the current prisoners at Mansfield, hoping to encourage them with the message that they would eventually be released and would have their chance at redemption.
It was the kind of message that Brown continued to preach into his retirement years. Sadly, we lost Brown three years ago. He died in 2013 at the age of 74, victimized by a series of health problems, some of which were exacerbated by his weight gain over the years.
Absent but certainly not forgotten, Brown remains one of my favorite Tigers of all time, right up there with the likes of Norm Cash, Curtis Granderson, and Willie Horton. Brown?s 1971 Topps card is a favorite, too. It?s a card that captures his unusual size and strength. It?s how I remember him, always with a bat in his hand, always moments away from the possibility of another pinch-hit.
