Bob Kelly: Lifetime Baseball Fan
A fan of the game for as long as he could remember, Kelly approached his time in the majors like a fan getting a fantasy camp experience.
1952 Topps Profile
Joe Muir Felt the Clock Ticking
Sometimes players just known when it’s time to do something else.
Every Night is Singles Night with Pete Runnels
He came to the ballpark to chew gum and hit singles, and he’s all out of bubble gum.
A .252 Hitter Can Be Surprisingly Hard to Strike Out
In the 2021 MLB season there were 14 batters who struck out at least 96 times by the onset of the All Star Break. What is the significance of this obscure fact? 96 strikeouts represents the total number of punchouts endured by journeyman infielder Sam Dente over the course of his career of 8 years.
The Pafko Effect
The first card in a set typically gets more than a fair share of attention. Perhaps no other card #1 exhibits this better than that of Andy Pafko in the ’52 Topps checklist.
Want to Start an Argument About the Hall of Fame? Mention George Kell
Nothing starts a good nerd fight like a discussion of who should or should not be in the Hall. Among vintage collectors, George Kell provides an excellent jumping off point for such a discussion. Elected to the Hall by the Veterans Committee in 1983, his selection remains controversial.
Old Man Warren Spahn
I caught a glimpse of an older fellow who was renowned for his longevity on the pitching mound.
George Spencer Was Easy to Hit, Unless You Were Joe DiMaggio
A so-so pitcher for the Giants turns out to have some terrific highlights sprinkled across his athletic career.
The Only Guy Jackie Robinson Tried to Hurt
Davey Williams was a very good and fast defensive player, ranging far from second base to make plays. He holds the distinction of being one of only a handful of players to turn a triple play, shutting down a Brooklyn Dodgers rally in 1955. Unfortunately for Williams, it is another incident involving the storied 1955 Dodgers that he gets remembered for.