Better Late Than Never: A Rookie Card Two Years After His Last At-Bat
Mickey Mantle’s rookie card is not in the 1952 Topps checklist, but Bob Wellman’s is.
Set Collecting
How Did Eddie Robinson Sit Out a Contest and Still Play More than the Scheduled 154 Games?
Eddie Robinson, a dependable Chicago White Sox first baseman with a terrific eye for the strike zone, appeared in 155 games in the 1952 baseball season. This is remarkable, not because of the durability needed to play every game, but rather because the team was scheduled to play 154 games in their 81-73 season.
Revenge of the Old Timers
A player is told he is too old to play, and then gets replaced by someone the same age. The newcomer proceeds to make the swap look like a genius move.
Baseball Success Starts with Cracker Jacks
Baseball and snacking on Cracker Jacks have been inseparable since a pair of songwriters who had never seen the game wrote Take Me Out to the Ballgame 116 years ago. A different sort of Cracker Jack changed Bob Lemon’s career.
Erv Palica’s Surprising Appearance in 1952 Topps
Almost by sheer force of will, Topps crammed as many hometown Brooklyn Dodgers as possible into the bubble gum maker’s 1952 set.
Backstop Trash Talk
Can it get any better than a trash talking catcher? How about a pitching/catching battery that roast batters?
Not Boring
Eric Young was so good at stealing bases that Topps put him on two individual flagship cards in 1993.
The Imaginary White Sox Outfielder in ’52 Topps
An optimistic Sy Berger once saw a member of the Philadelphia Phillies’ minor league affiliate lead the league in home runs. He promptly assigned him a role with the White Sox in the 1952 checklist.
Benito Santiago’s Card Collection
The 1987 Rookie of the Year assembled a passive aggressive group of baseball cards.
John Dealt, Went
This anagram of “John Wetteland” pretty much describes the 1990s for the decade’s top reliever.