Kellogg's Cereal Box Dream #1 - Happy Birthday to the Player on Card #1 in the 1973 Kellogg's Baseball Card Set

This is my first official post in my Cereal Box Dream series.  As I discuss a card I will rate in on a scale of 1-10 in two categories.  First, I will try to rate it on what I would have felt when opening it from a cereal box during the year it was issued.  Second, I will rate it as if I were opening the box from that year today.

Scale
1 - The card is more nutritious than the cereal.  Maybe I should eat this card.
2 - I'd rather have one of those educational cards.
3 - Who is this guy?  I can't even trade him to an A.L. fan.
4 - Not a great player, but I can probably trade him to a friend.
5 - A Chicago player or former Chicago player but not a star.
6 - A top player in the game.  Maybe not enough experience yet to think about the Hall of Fame.
7 - A Hall of Famer, who is either marginal or at the end of their career.
8 - A first-ballot Hall of Famer or current star player.
9 - Great card of a Chicago Cubs star.
10 - Awesome card.  I will go clean my room to stay on mom's good side.  Buy more cereal!

1973 Amos Otis #1

1973 Cereal Box rating -- 3    comment -- none of my friends will want this either
2015 Rating                    -- 3    comment -- it's card #1.  Does that carry any premium?

Unlike my other posts I will try to use cards without cracks when possible during these Cereal Box Dreams.  Luckily, 1973s don't have cracks so I didn't search out a card in top condition.

The first player in the 1973 Kellogg's baseball card set is Amos Otis.  He played for the Royals from 1970 - 1983.  Regular readers of this blog know that Kellogg's cards were produced during those same 14 years.

Otis played for the Mets before that, including in their World Series year on 1969.  Yuck!  His final season was spent with the Pirates in 1984.  He was a five-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner.  His speed in the outfield was also evident on the bases.  He stole 341 bases in his career.

Watch this video involving one of Otis' most peculiar base hits.  Lenny Randle figures prominently in this hit.

Lenny Randle Finds a Way to Make the Ball Go Foul Without Touching It

Otis also admitted that he had other help with getting hits.  Check out the L.A. Times article.

L.A. Times Article - Amos Otis and His Bats

So, happy birthday to Amos Otis who was born on this day in Mobile, Alabama.  Willie McCovey, Ozzie Smith and Hank Aaron were also born in Mobile and appeared on Kellogg's cards.