billy grabarkewitz through the mail success!

billy grabarkewitz was kind and awesome enough to sign and return my beat up 1970 topps

and 1971 topps

doubles last year.  i love that he signs cards as 'billy g'.  i suppose i might do that too if grabarkewitz were my last name.  grabarkewitz was the dodgers' regular third baseman in 1970, his second year in the majors.  it was far and away his best season, too.  he led the team with 17 home runs, an ops of .852, and 92 runs scored (tied with willie davis).  he was named to the all star team and played in the game, relieving third base starter tony perez in the 7th inning with the national league up 1-0.  the game wound up going extra innings, and with two outs in the bottom of the 12th, grabarkewitz singled off of clyde wright to move pete rose to second.  jim hickman followed with a single and rose destroyed ray fosse at home giving the nl the win.

it's hard to tell who's lurking in the background of his 1970 card, but on the 1971 card, that's jerry stephenson (number 45).  not sure who the seated dogdger is though. 

grabarkewitz's playing time was impacted by the arrival of dick allen in 1971 and the emergence of the 1968 draft picks (garvey and cey in particular) in 1972, and he was sent to the angels in the frank robinson/andy messersmith deal.

thanks billy!