Ray Culp was a very solid starting pitcher, posting a 122-101 win/loss record, 3.58 ERA and two All-Star Game selections (1963 and 1969) across 11 Major League seasons with the Phillies, Cubs and Red Sox.

Born on August 6, 1941, in Elgin, Texas, Ray Culp's passion for baseball developed at a young age. Encouraged by his father, Ray Sr., Culp excelled as a multi-sport star at Stephen Austin High School (Austin, TX) where he was a teammate of another future Phillie, Danny Cater. He signed with the Phillies out of high school in 1959, toiling in the minors for several years until finally making his Major League Baseball debut out of the bullpen on April 10, 1963. By May of that season, Culp was moved into the Phils' starting rotation, earning an overall record of 14-11 with a 2.97 ERA as a rookie.

During his tenure with the Phillies, Culp struggled with consistency. Injured for most of the 1964 season, he did not start a game until August and only logged eight (8) wins. While he bounced back in 1965 with 14 wins and 3.22 ERA, Culp failed to make an impact in 1966, splitting his time as both a starter and reliever. These constant ups and downs frustrated both Culp and the Phillies, and following that season he was traded to the Chicago Cubs where he played the 1967 season. After his single season in Chicago, Culp was traded to the Boston Red Sox (1968 - 1973), serving as a leader of the Boston rotation recording wins totals of 16, 17, 17 and 14 between 1968 and 1970. He retired in 1973, never reaching the postseason.

The 1965 Topps set contained 598 cards. The front of the cards feature a photo of the player, with a narrow, rounded-corner frame. The frame is wider at the bottom, providing space for both the featured player's name and position. A team pennant is at the bottom left-hand side of the bottom frame. Card backs have a blue and white color scheme and include the player's full Major League Record. Ray Culp's card from the set (#505) shows the big righthander wearing the classic white with red pinstripes home uniform while frozen in his follow through. I don't see any palm trees in the background, but it is fairly obvious the photo was taken during Spring Training in Clearwater, FL.

Reference:
SABR.org
Baseball Reference