Tommy Harper in Topps Cards and Wire Photos

Twice Stole More than 50 Bases in a Season

This might come as a surprise, but there was a five-year span where Tommy Harper received MVP votes in all but one of those seasons, in spite of only once being selected to the All-Star Game in his career.

The run came in the late 60s and early 70s. It began with the Seattle Pilots in their one and only year and continued the next season in Milwaukee, where baseball returned after a short absence.

The move agreed with Harper. Though finishing 29th in MVP voting in Seattle, his line of .235 / .349 / .311 suggested there must be more to the story. There was. He stole a league-leading 73 stolen bases. That was the most in the American League since Ty Cobb’s 96 in 1915. Only Maury Wills and Lou Brock had ever stolen more bags in the N.L. in a season.

The next year in Milwaukee he once again joined select company — Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Ken Williams and Bobby Bonds — as the only 30-30 players in history.

Harper never came close to matching his 31 home runs in any other year, but he did continue on as a prolific base stealer, swiping 54 in 1973 to lead the league again for — of all teams — the Red Sox.

Harper’s lone postseason appearance came with the A’s at the end of their dynasty. Coming over late in the season, he hit very well for Oakland. Just 69 ABs, but an .837 OPS and seven for seven in steals. He only saw the field once as the A’s got swept by the Red Sox in the 1975 ALCS, drawing a walk.

So let’s take a look at some of his cards and wire photos from matching years.

1965 was Harper’s third Topps Card, including one with a rookie trophy symbol in ‘64, but the Museum’s holdings don’t go back that far with Harper, so we’ll begin in ‘65.

Swiping second under a leaping Ron Hunt of the Mets in 1966

Final year in Cincinnati is 1967, after which he’s moved cross-state to the Indians and back at Shea for his Topps card.

In the dark caverns of Municipal Stadium, where even the spelunkers fear to tread. Topps a year behind schedule with his photo shoots. Still wearing a Reds uniform in an Indians card.

Neat high-angle shot in ‘69 of the speedster heading down the line. Harper hit a 20th inning solo home run in a game against the Red Sox in 1969, but the Pilots were already down three to Boston and lost.

Had a ton of these

Sliding into a young Thurman Munson in 1970

Neat trick Pilots. Two years of cards, one year in the sport.

We’ll pick up the second part of his career in the next post