More Cards from the National- Orioles Cards Edition

Since it will be February by the time I make it through all the Orioles autographs I got at the National if I keep posting them one at a time and also writing about unrelated topics, I'm going to start showing multiple cards in each post.  I try to keep my posts somewhat time relevant on here, even if I can only justify the definition of time relevant as being monthly or possibly seasonal. 

Anyway, this post will show all of the autographs I bought at the National that picture the players on Orioles cards.  It's a long one (TWSS), but this will help move things along.

I'll start out with the guys who were new additions to my collection. 

Jim Wilson pitched 12 seasons in the Majors during the 1940s and '50s for seven different teams, but twice pitched for the same franchise but in two different cities, Boston/Milwaukee Braves & St. Louis Browns/Orioles.  He spent a season and half in Baltimore from 1955 to the middle of '56 and made the All-Star team both of those seasons, even though he lead the American League with 18 losses in '55. (Not sure how that works...)  He also made the '54 N.L. All-Star team while with the Milwaukee version of the Braves in addition to no-hitting the Phillies that season.  After his playing days, Jim served as the Brewers General Manager from 1973-74 and served as the first head of the Major League Scouting Bureau.  He passed away in 1986 at only 64 years old. 

I can't imagine that Jim was too excited with the close-up on this card, it kind of looks like he was doing his Harry Caray impersonation.  I also don't understand how a pitcher could be making the play that is shown on the card, but, hey, it is 54 years old.  Topps still hasn't figured out quality control, am I right?

Harry "Fritz" Dorish spent ten seasons in the Majors from 1947-56 and pitched for the White Sox, Red Sox and Orioles/Browns.    He spent the latter half of 1955 and the start of 1956 with the Orioles and appeared almost exclusively as a reliever.  He stole home as part of a double steal in 1950 during his time with the Browns, and to date is the last A.L. pitcher to do so.  Of course, that was before the DH came about and was back when anyone would actually try to steal home.  After his playing career was over, he was a Major League scout and pitching coach.  He passed away in 2000, at the age of 79.

Willy Miranda played 9 big league seasons for the Orioles/Browns, Yankees, White Sox, and Senators.  He was mostly known for his glove-work and led the league in many defensive categories during the 1955 season while with the O's.  He was the first Cuban born player to play for the Yankees and Orioles.

Willy was 70 years old when he passed away in Baltimore in 1996.  It's nice to know that he enjoyed the area enough to make it his permanent home after his playing career ended. 

Norm Siebern played for 6 teams over his 12 season MLB career in the 1950s and '60s.  He was a three time All-Star, a member of two Yankees World Series championship teams, received MVP votes following three seasons and won a Gold Glove for his work in the OF.  He spent the 1964-65 seasons playing for the Orioles.

Norm is still alive but does not sign TTM and it's hard to find his autograph on Orioles cards, so I was happy to come across this one.

Jack O'Connor was a relief pitcher for the 1987 O's and went 1-1 with a 4.30 ERA over 29 games.  He also pitched from the Twins from 1981-84 and the Expos in 1985.  He is another tough autograph to find and doesn't seem to like signing very much. I think his signature looks like it says Jack O' Lantern.  haha.


These next few autographs were upgrades to the collection or additions to my orange uniform collection.  Let's see if you can figure out which is which.

I feel like everyone knows who Lee Smith is.  If you don't know, Lee is one of the most dominant closers in baseball history and amassed 478 saves over 18 big league seasons.  He was only an Oriole for one season, but led the A.L. with 33 saves, made the All-Star team and received Cy Young and MVP votes, so I would say it worked out pretty well for the Birds.

This card replaces the signed Cubs card that was in my collection.  I sent Lee a TTM request earlier this year but he wanted $15 to sign my card.  I picked this up for $5 at the show.  Looks like I came out ahead on this one.

Mike is another guy who charges to sign TTM, and he wants $5 to sign, I paid $3 at the National.  I was on a roll. 

He pitched 18 seasons in the Majors for 7 teams, but is best remembered for being the Red Sox pitcher who gave up the 1978 playoff play-in game home run to the Yankees' Bucky "f%#^in" Dent. He was only on the Orioles for the 1975 season. 

Ain't the Orange pretty?

Lee played for the O's from 1985-87 at the end of his MLB career and he keeps busy operating the Lee Lacy Baseball Academy in Woodland Hills, CA.

Jeff M. Robinson, not to be confused with Jeff D. Robinson who pitched over the same period of time, was a member of the O's during the 1991 season.  Look at that glorious orange uniform.   Jeff M. had a 6 year MLB career and spent 4 of those seasons as a member of the Tigers.