1952 Topps #83 Billy Johnson
Cardinals third baseman Billy Johnson wasn’t going to make it to the big leagues on name recognition alone: He has one of the most generic sounding names in the sport.
Set Collecting
The Cowboy Appearing in 1952 Topps
Dave Philley’s 1952 Topps card casually ends the biographic text on the back of the card with, “Dave raises cattle during the off-season.” Oh really? It turns out Dave was a genuine Texas cowboy working a ranch with his brother in Paris, Texas.
Forerunner to the Closer
The original template for starter to reliever conversions, Jerry Staley had some sharp years for the St. Louis Cardinals. Primarily a sinkerball artist, he could induce easy outs without throwing too many pitches. His 1952 Topps baseball card was issued right in the middle of a three-year run in which he nearly averaged 20 wins per season.
An Off Speed Route to Becoming A World Series Winning Pitcher
Junk ball pitchers are a crafty bunch. They have a goal in mind but lack the firepower to go straight for it, electing instead to attack a batter with off speed pitches incorporating movement. Ed Lopat was one such pitcher, though he didn’t start out that way.
Hard Luck, Indeed
Detroit Tigers pitcher Art Houtteman was having a rough year when he was pictured on his 1952 Topps card.
Burnishing Credentials
Figures lie and liars figure. I have a whole lot of baseball statistics in my hand and want to tell you some stories about Monty Kennedy.
A Good Card in 1952 and a Good Card Today
Someone opening a pack of baseball cards in 1952 would have been quite happy to find card #106 between folds of wax paper wrapping. It pictured Washington Senators first baseman Mickey Vernon. The former batting champion was the best player on his team, racking up respectable totals in home runs and doubles.
Looking at 1993 Finest: John Jaha
Here’s a stat that summarizes the career of John Jaha: He led the 1995 Milwaukee Brewers in homeruns despite appearing in only 88 games that season. Injuries were a regular feature of Jaha’s decade in the majors. Of the 1,620 games scheduled during his 1992-2001 career, he appeared in just 826 of them (51%).
Granny’s Close Calls
What’s that Mr. Hamner? You say you’ve never seen the Final Destination movie series? Then this should all be new to you.