1975 Topps Mike Schmidt redux

Mike Schmidt hoped to build on his breakout 1974 season with a fast start to the 1975 campaign, but baseball has a way of humbling everyone. After leading the majors in 1974 with 36 home runs, he hit a grand total of two in April of 1975. May ended not much better, as the HR champ was sitting on six.

According to Schmidt, the 1975 season turned around in the second half for both Mike and the Phillies, because of one reason: Dick Allen.

From Schmidt's book Clearing the Bases:

At that time we badly needed a hitter in the five hole who would command enough respect to force the other team to pitch to Greg Luzinski. Dick became that man -- and more. I had another mentor, someone who decided to put on that Phillies uniform for one reason: to help us understand what it took to win. We responded. I can alive under Dick's and (Dave Cash) A.C.'s watch in the second half of 1975 to finish with 38 home runs and again lead the league. We finished second, one step closer to the top.