Description: This 2017 Topps Heritage baseball trading card features the autograph of Fred Valentine, a former player for the Washington Senators during the 1968 season. The card is made of 20 Pt. card stock and has been certified authentic by Topps. It is an original card, not a licensed reprint, and is part of the Topps Heritage series. The card is in near mint condition and has not been professionally graded. It is a standard size sports trading card with the card number ROAFV. This card makes a great addition to any baseball card collection and is a must-have for fans of the Washington Senators. Fred Lee Valentine (January 19, 1935 – December 26, 2022) was an American professional baseball outfielder. He appeared in 533 games over all or part of seven seasons in Major League Baseball for the Baltimore Orioles (1959, 1963, and 1968) and Washington Senators (1964–1968). He also played one season for the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball in 1970. Valentine was a switch hitter who threw right-handed; he was listed as 6 feet 1 inch tall and 190 pounds. Valentine attended Tennessee State University and signed with Baltimore in 1956. After completing four seasons in the Orioles' farm system, he was called to Baltimore for his first MLB trial during the final month of the 1959 season. In limited service (12 games total, with seven starts in the outfield), he batted .316 with two multi-hit games. He then returned to the top level of minor league baseball, and would not get his second chance with the Orioles until his recall in June 1963. Again, he played sparingly (getting into only 26 games), but he batted .268 as a backup outfielder and pinch hitter. His contract was then sold to the Senators in October. In 1964, Valentine finally spent extended time on a big-league roster, getting into 102 games and substituting in all three outfield positions. But he struggled offensively, hitting only .226, and was demoted to Triple-A Hawaii for 1965. He then had a banner season with the Islanders, slugging 25 home runs, batting .324, and leading the Pacific Coast League in runs scored (116), earning him a September callup with the 1965 Senators. That campaign led to Valentine's career-best season, in 1966. He played in 146 games, starting 127 of them as either Washington's center fielder or right fielder. At the plate, he set personal bests in home runs (16) and runs batted in (59), while hitting a robust .276, second on the team to slugger Frank Howard's .278. He led the Senators in runs scored (77), hits (140) and doubles (29). Then, in 1967, Valentine returned for another season as the Senators' "fourth" outfielder: he played in 150 games in all, and got into 136 games as an outfielder with 111 starts, most of these coming in center and right fields. However, his offensive production fell off in every category, as he hit .234 with 11 home runs. Returning to Washington in 1968, he appeared in 26 games in the outfield during the season's first two months. But he again struggled at the plate, batting .238. He was traded back to the Orioles from the Senators for Bruce Howard before the trade deadline on June 15, 1968. His acquisition by the Orioles was insurance in case Paul Blair was ordered to report for active duty with the United States Army. Valentine then concluded his MLB career as a reserve outfielder, hitting only .187 for Baltimore. On the cusp of winning three straight American League pennants (1969–1971), Baltimore outrighted Valentine to Triple-A Rochester for 1969. That season, the 34-year-old enjoyed one last productive minor-league campaign, hitting .287 with 18 homers. He then played a final year of professional baseball in Japan, where he batted .246 with 11 long balls for Hanshin. All told, Valentine batted .247 in major league action, collecting 360 hits, with 56 career doubles, ten triples and 36 homers. He had 138 runs batted in. Valentine died on December 26, 2022, at the age of 87.
Price: 39.99 USD
Location: Hastings, Minnesota
End Time: 2025-01-22T12:01:36.000Z
Shipping Cost: 3.99 USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
Return shipping will be paid by: Seller
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Card Size: Standard
Autographed: Yes
Set: 2017 Topps Heritage
Category: Autograph
Autograph Format: Hard Signed
Signed By: Fred Valentine
Custom Bundle: No
Product: Single
Year Manufactured: 2017
Player/Athlete: Fred Washington
Vintage: No
Card Thickness: 20 Pt.
Sport: Baseball
Language: English
Parallel/Variety: Certified Authentic Autograph
Card Name: Fred Valentine
Original/Reprint: Original
Autograph Authentication: Topps
Manufacturer: Topps
Features: Insert
Team: Washington Senators
Season: 1968
Player: Fred Valentine
League: MLB, Major League (MLB)
Card Condition: Near Mint
Material: Card Stock
Grade: Ungraded
Insert Set: Real One Autographs
Original/Licensed Reprint: Original
Card Attributes: Autograph
Series: Topps Heritage
Type: Sports Trading Card
Year: 2017
Era: Post-WWII (1942-1980)
Theme: Sport
Professional Grader: Not Professionally Graded
Card Number: ROAFV
Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
Card Manufacturer: Topps
