Forty-eight years ago this week, the 1967 "Impossible Dream" Red Sox clinched the American League pennant with a 5-3 win over Minnesota Twins one year after finishing a half-game out of last place. Boston's Jim Lonborg fired a seven-hitter (and added two hits at the plate himself) to complete his AL Cy Young-Award winning season. But you all know that already.
Lonborg's rookie card is in the 1965 Topps set, shoehorned with three other guys (Jerry Moses, Mike Ryan and Bill "One career game, one at-bat" Schlesinger). Let's fix that. I couldn't decide which Lonborg photo to use, so of course I used both.
Lonborg is often thought of a one-year wonder because of his December '67 ski accident that basically ruined his last four seasons with the Sox, but he went to have several solid seasons with the Phillies as part of Steve Carlton's supporting cast; in fact, he won more games with the Phillies (75) than with the Red Sox (68). He fished his career with a 157-137 record, hardly that of a one-year wonder.
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