Joe Ferguson – 1973 Topps #621

Joseph Vance Ferguson(born September 19, 1946 in San Francisco, California) is a former catcher/right fielder in Major League Baseball who played for four different teams from 1970 through 1983. Listed at 6′ 2″, 200 lbs., he batted and threw right-handed. A strong-armed catcher, Ferguson reached the majors in 1970 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, playing for them six and a half years before joining the St. Louis Cardinals (1976), Houston Astros (1977–78), again Los Angeles (1978–81), and finished his career with the California Angels (1981–83). He became the Dodgers everyday catcher in 1973 and set a major league record for catchers by committing only three errors, leading the National League catchers in fielding percentage (.996) and double plays (17), while hitting .263 with a .369 on-base percentage. He also reached career-highs in games played (136), home runs (25), RBI (88), runs (84), doubles (26) and walks (87). In a 14-season career, Ferguson was a .240 hitter with 122 home runs and 445 RBI in 1013 games. In 13 postseason games, he hit .200 (7-for-35) with one home run and four RBI. The strong-armed Ferguson may be best known for his role in the eighth inning of Game 1 of the 1974 World Series. After reaching third on third baseman Ron Cey’s throwing error, Sal Bando tagged up on a Reggie Jackson fly ball to center field, as Jimmy Wynn camped under it. Sprinting from his position in right field, Ferguson cut in front of Wynn to catch the ball and heave it to the plate, where Steve Yeager made the tag as the throw just beat Bando.