My grandfather on my Dad’s side was a sport nut. He was into golf, tennis, squash, hiking the woods, and was by most family member’s recollections a very fit man until his death. He dabbled in football with the NY Giants. That was pretty much it for major sports leagues – he was far too interested in playing golf and tennis at his New Haven home away from home – Yale University. So, when he and I would chat about baseball, he quickly handed me a shoebox of cards and collectible coins, and would say something like, “here you go, have at it, you would know more about these players than I do.” I still have a few of the cards he gave me, and a nice little set of collectible Topps coins from the 1964 Major League baseball season.

And here is what I discovered after all these years…I have an actual team of players in my coin collection. Meaning, I have a defensive 9, replacement fielders, and relief pitchers. Meaning my 1964 Topps Collectible Coin collection is ready for game action and ready to take on all challenges. Here is my lineup defensively, batting order is still a work in progress:

They say you build a team up the middle, so we go up the middle. Catcher Earl Battey, Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame member, 5 time All-Star, calling the balls and strikes for…Warren Spahn, Milwaukee Braves, National Baseball Hall of Famer, 363 MLB Wins, Lefty Pitcher. Up the middle infield, holding down the fort at 2nd base – Tony Taylor, Cincinnati Reds, Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame working side by side with Shortstop Jim Fregosi, California Angels, All-Star in 1964. Finishing up the middle with the ultimate defensive, offensive center fielder of all time – Willie Mays, San Francisco Giants, Hall of Famer, who the term 5 tool player was created for.

Need a good 3rd baseman and boy do I have one for the ages. The one and only Don Zimmer, Washington Senators, 8 decades in professional baseball from player to scout to manager to advisor. First base, we got a Duke, Leon “Duke” Carmel of the NY Mets. Rounding out our outfield is Vada Pinson, Cincinnati Red All-Star in 1964, Reds Hall of Famer. And Albie Pearson, 1964 California Angels All-Star, short in stature but big time personality and Angels all-time great. And who do we have in the hopper should an outfielder go down or Spahn can’t finish a game? Let’s check out our bench for those answers:

Let’s start off with a ballplayer turned United States Senator, Jim Bunning of the Detroit Tigers. United States Senate and the National Baseball Hall of Fame – only one to ever accomplish that feat. Bunning is joined in the bullpen by another Senator, Washington Senator RHP Ed Roebuck. Alongside Bunning and Roebuck, we have Philadelphia Phillies Ray Culp, Pittsburgh Pirate Bob Friend, and SF Giants Billy O’Dell. Shoring up our lineup on the bench are NY Yankee’s outfielder Tom Tresh and Washington Senator’s Don Lock. What a team, what a lineup, this coin fantasy team is one for the ages!!!

My team has defensive prowess with the likes of Mays, Taylor and Fregosi. We have pitching galore with HOF’s Spahn and Bunning, not to mention Culp and Friend ready at a moment’s notice. We have Don Zimmer, enough said. And legitimate all time greats for their organizations like Pinson, Battey, and Pearson. And we have a Duke at First Base. And future managers, executives, scouts, and a US Senator on this roster for leadership. Formidable, yes. Fantasy, yes. Interested in matching up my squad with yours, 100% yes. Let me know what ya got and if you think your squad can beat my squad of Topps Collectible Coins!!!