Mike Phillips--1978
Traded by the Mets to St. Louis on
June 15, 1977 for Joel Youngblood;
Mike Phillips was missed for a photo
shoot during the Cardinals four game
series in New York later that year.
Thus during the off-season, in a last
minute move prior to running the
presses for the 1978 set, Topps
called in janitor Cloyd Smitzer, who
was taking evening art classes at
Queens College, to “Cardinalize” the
middle infielder.
With only three classes under his
brush, Cloyd stroked Phillips from a
Met to a Cardinal, only to have
Topps executives discover that
Smitzer not only slurred his “Ss”
when he spoke, but also when he
painted, along with his “Ts” and “Ls”.
Phillips would continue his career
that spanned 11 seasons and
produced a .240 lifetime
average, while Cloyd Smitzer would
graduate with a D+ in art from
Queens College. Smitzer could be
found on most weekends during
the1980s in Central Park doped up
and painting landscapes of the
Strawberry Fields as he waited for
the Louvre to call.
Editor’s Note: The back of his 1978
card notes that Phillips was named
the NL player of the week in June,
1976 while with the New York Mets. It
was during that time; Phillips enjoyed
a 6-game hitting streak, going 12-for-
25, with home runs in three
consecutive games as he drove in
nine runs in another installment of
“every dog has his day.”
(9/24/09)
June 15, 1977 for Joel Youngblood;
Mike Phillips was missed for a photo
shoot during the Cardinals four game
series in New York later that year.
Thus during the off-season, in a last
minute move prior to running the
presses for the 1978 set, Topps
called in janitor Cloyd Smitzer, who
was taking evening art classes at
Queens College, to “Cardinalize” the
middle infielder.
With only three classes under his
brush, Cloyd stroked Phillips from a
Met to a Cardinal, only to have
Topps executives discover that
Smitzer not only slurred his “Ss”
when he spoke, but also when he
painted, along with his “Ts” and “Ls”.
Phillips would continue his career
that spanned 11 seasons and
produced a .240 lifetime
average, while Cloyd Smitzer would
graduate with a D+ in art from
Queens College. Smitzer could be
found on most weekends during
the1980s in Central Park doped up
and painting landscapes of the
Strawberry Fields as he waited for
the Louvre to call.
Editor’s Note: The back of his 1978
card notes that Phillips was named
the NL player of the week in June,
1976 while with the New York Mets. It
was during that time; Phillips enjoyed
a 6-game hitting streak, going 12-for-
25, with home runs in three
consecutive games as he drove in
nine runs in another installment of
“every dog has his day.”
(9/24/09)
