What a card: Terry Francona was a part-time player, beginning his fifth season with the Expos, when this card hit packs. I had acquired a 1969 Topps card of Tito Francona just as Terry's career was beginning, so any card of Terry at this time was cool to me.
My observation on the front: Note the "OF-1B" notation for both father and son.
More opinion from me: A pretty lousy choice of a card for Tito Francona. Topps could have gone with '64 or any other card in which Tito was in full uniform with corresponding team designation. But here -- on his 1965 card -- he is cap-less and wearing an Indians uniform, but featured with the Cardinals. Tito was purchased from the Indians by the Cardinals in December of 1964.
Something you might know: Tito and Terry Francona each played for the Indians, although Terry for only one year. Terry was just hired to manage Cleveland, which was Tito's hometown team when he was playing.
Something you might not know: During Tito's final year in the major leagues, in 1970, he took 11-year-old Terry on a road trip with him as Tito's Milwaukee Brewers traveled to play the Twins, White Sox and Royals. As they sat in the back of the team bus, Tito would put his hands over Terry's ears any time a teammate cursed.
My observation on the back: Terry Francona went 0-for-1 with a strikeout in two games against the Dodgers in the 1981 NLCS.
The blog wants to speak now: The Sports and Pop Culture tabs are updated, including the first public appearance of a landmark rock group.
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