Vintage Fridays: Frank Peters and Ron Stone, 1968 Topps #409

This is a profoundly weird card. Not only do Frank Peters and Ron Stone look eerily alike, with the same facial expression and all, but Stone is clumsily airbrushed to obscure his Athletics cap. The bill is still green, as are his sleeves, and the vest is still gold. But the cap is black! Job well done. These are also two players that I know nothing about. But that's why I have this blog!

Frank Peters is not to be confused with Hank Peters, the Orioles' general manager from 1975 to 1987. Don't feel bad if you've never heard of Frank; he never made it to the major leagues. The O's signed the Oregon native in 1964, when he was 20 years old. He was a career .269 hitter in a ten-year minor league career, with a total of 65 home runs. He was never a threat to supplant the likes of Davey Johnson, Mark Belanger, or Brooks Robinson, and he spent the last few years of his playing career close to home in Portland.

Despite the green-and-old duds, Ron Stone was originally signed by Baltimore out of California State University Sacramento in 1963. He missed out on the 1964 season due to military service, and was a Rule 5 pick of the A's prior to the 1966 campaign. Kansas City used him in only 26 games, and he batted scarcely (6-for-22, .273 AVG). They finally threw in the towel and returned him to the Orioles in July. He spent the following two years at AAA Rochester, then was traded to the Phillies for backup catcher Clay Dalrymple. Ron was in the majors with Philly for parts of the 1969-1972 seasons, peaking with a .262 average, 3 homers, and 39 RBI in 123 games in 1970. He finished with a .241 average, 6 home runs, and 89 RBI in 388 career games.

Once again, hindsight tells us that Topps was a bit presumptuous in labeling these gentlemen as "Rookie Stars".