Card of the Moment #60
February 7th, 2011 by slangon
There’s a decidedly spring-like feel in the air ’round these parts today. I realize the utter ridiculousness of that statement given that it’s not even halfway through February and there’s still several feet of icy, dirty snow on the ground. Still, football is officially done, we haven’t had any snow to speak of in well over a week and the temperature has made it’s way into the 40’s for two days in a row. I’m ready for baseball. Nine more days until those magical words – pitchers and catchers.
Today’s Card of the Moment is brought to you by the number “71”. And the color black. And the letter “Z”.
1971 Topps #271 Bill Zepp
I don’t know what it is about the 1971 set that I love so much. I think it’s partly the actual design of the card. I love that that the players name is all lower case. I love the mostly basic colors they use for the type. I really love the black border. I think another reason I’m partial to the 1971 set is because when I was a kid, my first vintage card of a star player was from this set. It’s also one of the first cards that I acquired that was made before I was born. That’s a pretty big deal when you’re 10 years old. There’s also the fact that they started to introduce action shots on the cards around this time.
This particular 1971 card is another in a long line of cards that I plucked from the virtual quarter bin that is Sportlots. It was chosen simply because 1) It cost $0.18 and 2) His name was Zepp. I think I bought it right around the time that I was in full blown Ginter-mania and was slightly obsessed with Negro League player Jim Zapp. That would make for a pretty awesome lawyers office. Have you been hurt in a work related accident? Call 1-800-ZEPPZAPP. That’s Zepp & Zapp, Attorneys at Law. Now I can’t stop saying “ZeppZapp” in my head. Great.
Bill Zepp, before he embarked on his career as a high powered injury lawyer that exists only in my head, was a right handed pitcher who played parts of 3 seasons with the Twins and the Tigers. Actually, by the time this card appeared on the scene, Bill was no longer a member of the Twins. He was traded from Minnesota to Detroit shortly before the regular season began. His numbers in those 3 seasons are actually not so bad. His career record is 10-5 in 24 starts with a 3.64 ERA. His Minor League numbers are also pretty good. He spent 2 years in the minors, ranging from A to AAA. While there, he posted a nice 23-11 record and a sparkling 2.65 ERA.
Before he joined the ranks of the Twins organization in 1968, Bill was considered a superstar of the Detroit high school baseball scene. Zepp decided to attend college at the University of Michigan. According to Patrick Harrigan in his book The Detroit Tigers: Club and Community 1945-1995, while in college, he “lost his velocity and confidence.” I guess he couldn’t have lost all that much velocity and confidence, because while he was still in school he was drafted, but did not sign, with the Braves (1965), the Tigers (1966) and the Red Sox (1967). He ultimately signed as an amateur free agent by the Twins in 1968.
So what exactly explains why a guy who was drafted by 4 different organizations and had very serviceable numbers only lasted a scant 4 years in professional baseball?
According to Bill, he suffered a “Tommy John” injury, tearing a tendon which caused him to lose arm strength. The surgery that put Tommy John on the map and resurrected the careers of countless Major League pitchers was still 3 years from being performed, so rather than risk further injury and having to go through a very painful recovery and rehabilitation with no guarantees of producing results, Zepp decided to retire at age 25.
If Tommy John surgery had been available to him, who can tell what Bill Zepp’s career numbers might’ve looked like.
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