GIMMIE A DO-OVER: 1974 RICK AUERBACH

Time to go and give former Big League infielder Rick Auerbach a do-over for his 1974 Topps card, replacing the airbrushed beauty with one showing him suited up with the team he played for in 1973, the Milwaukee Brewers:

For those that need a refresher on the original, as issued by Topps, here you go:

 

Now get this: funny enough Auerbach was originally traded by the Brewers to the Dodgers in April of 1973, only to be purchased by the Brewers in September later that year.

If that wasn't enough, he was then purchased BACK by the Dodgers from the Brewers in October , leading to the airbrush job Topps originally had out there in packs in 1974.

Auerbach appeared in only six games during the 1973 season, all with Milwaukee, and would never really get any full-time work over his Major League career.

The only year he was a full-time player was 1972 with Milwaukee, when he played in 153 games, collecting 121 hits over 554 at-bats, for a .218 batting average, with 24 stolen bases and 50 runs scored, all career-bests.

He would go on to play through the 1981 season, the last with the Seattle Mariners, and end up with a .220 career average with 309 hits and 167 runs scored over 624 games and 1407 at-bats in eleven years at the “big show”.

 

MISSING IN ACTION- 1977 RICK AUERBACH

Here’s a “missing” 1977 card for former Los Angeles Dodger infielder Rick Auerbach, who would actually be a Cincinnati Red during the 1977 season:

Auerbach appeared in 36 games for the Dodgers during the 1976 season, batting .128 with six hits in 47 at-bats, in what was the last of three seasons on the West Coast after coming up with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1971.
He would go on to play through the 1981 season, the last with the Seattle Mariners, and end up with a .220 career average with 309 hits and 167 runs scored over 624 games and 1407 at-bats in eleven years at the “big show”.