Foremost on my Mind Better than a Blaster Edition

I became aware of this Cardinals' minor league issue when I first began flipping through the Standard Catalogue of Baseball Cards by Bob Lemke. This is the 1966 Foremost Dairy St. Petersburg Cardinals team issue. Consisting of 20 black and white post-card size photos with blank backs and player name, team, position on the front as well as the Foremost Dairy Logo. Bob doesn't indicate how they were issued but I suspect as a premium mail in or SGA. This set I picked up on the Bay for 1/2 the price of a blaster. On a side note Foremost was THE Dairy in the area of SE Missouri my dad is from and I am very familiar with the logo from growing up.

The St. Pete Cardinals were the Florida State League A team that had a record of 91-45. To say there were no future MLB stars in this issue is an understatement. Of the 19 players in the set there were only a total of 202 MLB games played. Most of these by a couple of players-there is however one big name on the team and he wasn't a player-and you will have to wait till then end of the post to find out whom. As a side note a few of these players do have the cards-which I will show. According to Wiki "It was during the 1966 season that Anderson's club lost to Miami 4–3 in 29 innings, which remains the longest pro game played (by innings) without interruption."

Dave Bakenhaster

Position: Pitcher, Bats: Right  •  Throws: Right

1963-1970 in the Redbird Farm System Brief stint in MLB

Dave does have a 1964 Topps Rookie card

Len Boyer

Position: Third Baseman Bats: Left  •  Throws: Right

1964-1970 in the Redbird Farm System

Ron Braddock Positions: Pitcher, Outfielder and Third Baseman

Bats: Both  •  Throws: Right

1964-1967 in the Redbird farm system

Chip Coulter

Position: Second Baseman Bats: Both  •  Throws: Right

1964-1972 in Minors

Ernest “Sweet Pea” Davis

Position: Outfielder Bats: Right  •  Throws: Right

1963-1969 in farm

Philip Knuckles
Position: Pitcher Bats: Right  •  Throws: Right

1965-1971, except 1970 with PCL Padres

Douglas Lukens

Position: Pitcher Bats: Right  •  Throws: Right

He only had one season in 1966-perhaps drafted or hurt? But he had a good record for that year. A record of 7-2, 1.75 ERA, 13 Games , 10 Starts, 45 Ks 14 Earned Runs, 1.000 WHIP 5.6 Ks per 9

Terry Milani
Positions: First Baseman, Third Baseman and Outfielder Bats: Right  •  Throws: Right
1965-1969

Tim Morgan (For whatever reason Tim's card i missing the Foremost Dairy Logo)

Positions: Outfielder and Third Baseman Bats: Right  •  Throws: Right

1965-1965

Harry Parker (Harry has a number of MLB Cards including a 1973-74 Linnett Portraits)

Position: Pitcher Bats: Right  •  Throws: Right

1965-1975, STL, Mets, CLE

Career 15 and 21 3.85 ERA 124 games 12 saves 1.405 WHIP

Jerry Robertson (Jerry also has number of cards including the expansion Expos 1969 Team Postcards)

Position: Pitcher Bats: Both  •  Throws: Right

1965-1971 Never made it with the Birds but did in 1969 with the Expos and 1970 with Detroit

Francisco Rodriguez

Position: Shortstop Bats: Right  •  Throws: Right

1965 and 1966 with the redbird minors but 1964, and part of 1966 through 1985 in the Mexican BB league

Josh “Sonny” Ruberto

Positions: Catcher, Third Baseman and Second Baseman Bats: Right  •  Throws: Right

1964-1976 STL, Padres, Reds, 1969 made to the Padres and 1972 with the Reds one game each

1976 Indianapolis Indians Team Issue (Coach)

1980 TCMA Arkansas Travelers (St. Louis Double A Texas League) (coach)

Charlie Stewart 

Position: Outfielder Bats: Left  •  Throws: Right

1966-1971 only minors

Gary Stone

Position: Catcher Bats: Right  •  Throws: Right

1963-1971 White Sox, Redbirds, Mets, Indians-all minors

Tim Thompson

Position: Pitcher Bats: Both  •  Throws: Left

1965-1970 all minors Dodgers/Redbirds

Jose Villar

Positions: Outfielder and First Baseman Bats: Right  •  Throws: Right

1959-1967 Indians, STL, Balt all minors 

Archie Wade

Positions: Outfielder and Shortstop Bats: Left  •  Throws: Right

1965-1967 all cards minors

Jim Williamson

Positions: Outfielder and Shortstop Bats: Left  •  Throws: Right

1964-1968 all Redbirds all time

OK Some of you may have just scrolled down to the bottom to see the person who makes this set. That person is the HOFer and Legend Sparky Anderson, yep Sparky. 

According to Wiki "During this period, he managed four pennant winners in four consecutive seasons: 1965 with the Rock Hill Cardinals of the Western Carolinas League, 1966 with the St. Petersburg Cardinals of the Florida State League, 1967 with the Modesto Reds of the California League, and 1968 with the Asheville Tourists of the Southern League."