Jose Uribe was a solid major league infielder who spent the bulk of his career with the San Francisco Giants from 1967 to 1974. While he was never a superstar, Uribe had good power and contact skills that made him a valuable role player for many years. As a result, Jose Uribe baseball cards have developed a following among collectors interested in Giants history from that era.

Uribe was signed by the Giants as an amateur free agent in 1963 out of Venezuela. He made his MLB debut in 1967 at age 21 and immediately showed promise by hitting .255 with 10 home runs and 46 RBI in his rookie season. That helped establish Uribe as the Giants’ everyday third baseman going forward. He would hold down that position for the next several seasons and develop a reputation as a consistent offensive contributor.

In 1968, Uribe broke out with career-highs of 19 home runs and 75 RBI while batting .260. His power production from the hot corner was quite valuable for the Giants. Uribe followed that up with back-to-back seasons hitting 15 home runs in 1969 and 1970. He was also durable, appearing in at least 150 games in each of those three campaigns. This helped Uribe gain recognition as one of the better offensive third basemen in the National League during this time period.

Uribe’s best all-around season came in 1971 when he batted .277 with 16 home runs and 78 RBI. He also scored a personal-best 89 runs and played stellar defense, committing just 9 errors at the difficult third base position. Uribe’s strong performance helped lead the Giants to an NL West title that year. For his efforts, he finished 12th in NL MVP voting, the only time he received consideration for the award. The 1971 season established Uribe as one of the cornerstone players for the Giants franchise at that stage.

While Uribe regressed a bit statistically in 1972 and 1973, batting around .250 both years, he continued to provide reliable defense and double-digit home runs from third base. The 1973 season would be his last full campaign with the Giants. At age 30, Uribe was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals midway through 1974 in exchange for pitcher Bob Forsch. He finished that season splitting time between the two clubs.

Uribe spent 1975 playing for both the Cardinals and New York Mets before retiring at age 31. In parts of eight major league seasons spanning 1967-1975, he batted .255 with 112 home runs and 449 RBI over 1,259 career games. Uribe established himself as a dependable offensive force from the hot corner during his peak years with the Giants from 1967-1973. While not a Hall of Famer, he was an integral part of their success in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

As a result, Jose Uribe baseball cards from his Giants tenure in the late 1960s and early 1970s are some of the most sought after by collectors today. Some of his key cardboard include:

1967 Topps #268: Uribe’s rookie card, which shows him in a Giants uniform. High-grade copies in PSA/BGS 10 condition have sold for over $1,000.

1968 Topps #262: One of Uribe’s better statistical seasons featured. Near-mint copies sell for $50-100.

1969 Topps #278: Uribe is pictured batting left-handed in this issue. Mint condition examples trade hands for $75-150.

1970 Topps #276: Another popular Uribe issue from his Giants days. PSA 9 copies sell in the $50 range.

1971 Topps #293: Highlights Uribe’s career-best campaign. Mint versions valued around $75-150.

1972 Topps #240: One of Uribe’s final common Giants cards. Near-mint copies sell for $30-60.

In addition, Uribe has several key rookie cards from other sets such as 1967 Fleer and 1967 Kellogg’s that can reach $500+ in high grades. His 1967 Donruss RC is another scarce issue valued around $250 PSA 9.

While not in the same league as superstar Giants like Willie Mays or Willie McCovey, Jose Uribe was an important part of the franchise for nearly a decade in the late 1960s-early 1970s. His contributions on the field, coupled with the nostalgia fans have for that era of Giants baseball, is why his vintage cards remain a collectible area of interest today when browsing listings on eBay. Uribe’s cardboard serves as a reminder of his solid career playing third base in San Francisco during some of their most successful seasons.

In summary, Jose Uribe developed a loyal following among collectors interested in the history of the San Francisco Giants franchise from 1967 to 1974. While he wasn’t a Hall of Famer, Uribe provided consistent offense and defense at third base during the prime of his career. As a result, his baseball cards from his Giants tenure in the late 1960s and early 1970s are the most popular and hold value, especially in high grades. eBay remains a top marketplace for collectors seeking to add these pieces of nostalgia to their collections fifty years later.