1966 Topps, Ron Tompkins

#107 Ron Tompkins

Well, I am back from Omaha and it is time for another card from the "KC A's reunion TTM project". This one features Ron Tompkins, a promising young pitcher (based on the card) that played in only five games for the Kansas City Athletics in 1965. He pitched 10.1 innings and gave up four earned runs while walking three and striking out four. He would then return to the minor leagues until the Cubs gave him a job in their bullpen in 1971. He threw 39.2 innings with them and posted a 4.08 ERA while walking one more batter than he struck out. He then pitched two more years in the minors before calling it quits. So, this 1966 "Rookie Star" began his Major League career as a rookie in 1965 and finished it as a rookie in 1971. Baseball can be such a cruel game.

I sent this card to Ron on the same day as the previous card (1/14/11) and I got it back four days sooner than Gentile's (1/25/11). The only difference is that the Gentile card came back in the same condition as when I sent it. This one, on the other hand, came back in less than ideal shape. There are too many creases in this card to count and if I set the card on a table, the bottom right comer points to the sky (it used to, I got it flattened out now). I knew I was going to have a problem when I saw the envelope and I was right. All of the damage came on the return trip because the creases on the card matched those on the envelope and I do not send my cards in the SASE when I send them out.

When I noticed that Larry Stahl is a great TTM signer, I had planned on sending this card to him after I got it back. Now I don't know what to do. Should I send it to Stahl as is, keep it with just Ron Tompkins' signature, or buy a new card and try my luck again?

From what I can tell, Ron Tompkins has two cards. There is this one and a 1968 "Rookie Stars" card. You can buy his '68 from checkoutmycards.com right now for $46.50. I wouldn't send that card to get signed by Ron, though, as the other half of the card features Johnny Bench.