The Made-Up Set Checklist

A few weeks back, I showed off a few 1975 Topps Minis that I was going to make into an official 1975 Durham Bulls team set.  I posted five different cards, but I was a little unsure of exactly how many former Durham Bulls players were in the set.  I guesstimated that it would be around 20 cards.  I was pretty close, but I may have to go back and double check again.  The Bulls were affiliated with several different teams in the 1960s and early 1970s, which makes it a little more challenging to track down all the players.  

Checklist in a few.  

First, I found two new cards for my Durham Bulls set last week.  

#371 - Gates Brown - 1961 Durham Bulls 

Gates Brown played 13 years in the Majors, all for the Tigers.  He was never a starting player, but was an important bench player for years.  He still holds many of the American League pinch-hitting records.  I understand that the opportunities for bench players have dwindled in the American League since the start of the DH, but Brown's numbers are impressive.  Brown has the all-time American League pinch-hit records for at-bats, hits, and home runs.  He also hit .450 as a pinch hitter in 1968, which is 1 point off the American League record.  

Cliff Johnson, Matt Stairs, and Lenny Harris have all passed Brown for the Major League record for all the categories listed above, but Stairs and Johnson played in both leagues.  Lenny Harris only played in the National League.  

#90 - Rusty Staub - 1962 Durham Bulls 

I am not sure that Staub needs a long write up.  Good player for a long time.  

Here is my checklist.  Bolded names are cards that I have already.  After my 2 new cards above, I am now at 7 cards out of 23 former Durham Bulls in the 1975 Topps Mini cards.  Roughly 30%.  

#44 - Pat Dobson

#89 - Jim Ray 

#90 - Rusty Staub 

#98 - Rich Folkers 

#125 - Ken Singleton 

#143 - Cliff Johnson 

#155 - Jim Bibby 

#165 - Doug Rader 

#180 - Joe Morgan 

#245 - Mickey Lolich 

#282 - Jerry Morales 

#286 - Mike Jorgensen 

#290 - Jon Matlack 

#342 - Leroy Stanton 

#343 - Danny Frisella 

#351 - Bob Boone 

#371 - Gates Brown 

#441 - Bob Heise 

#476 - Ed Figueroa 

#615 - Pat Darcy 

#621 - Rawley Eastwick 

#630 - Greg Luzinski 

#637 - Ted Martinez