#288 Bob Cerv - New York Yankees

Robert Henry Cerv
New York Yankees
Outfield

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  200
Born:  May 5, 1925, Weston, NE
Signed:  Signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent before 1950 season
Major League Teams:  New York Yankees 1951-1956; Kansas City Athletics 1958-1960; New York Yankees 1960; Los Angeles Angels 1961; New York Yankees 1961-1962; Houston Colt .45s 1962

Died:  April 6, 2017, Blair, NE (age 91)

A baseball and basketball star at his home state University of Nebraska, Bob Cerv signed with the Yankees in 1950 and would begin his first of three stints with the club in 1951.  Cerv was infrequently used on the star-packed Yankees teams of the early 1950s and most of his playing time came as a pinch-hitter for Casey Stengel's perennial pennant winners.  He'd visit three World Series with the club in 1955, 1956 and 1960, batting .258 (8 for 31) over 10 World Series games.  Following the 1956 season, Cerv was sold to the Athletics where he'd thrive after earning regular playing time.  His career year came in 1958 when he batted .305 with 38 home runs and 104 RBIs, finishing fourth in the American League MVP voting.  Cerv was the starting left fielder for the American League in the 1958 All-Star Game, collecting a first inning single off Warren Spahn (#10).

Cerv briefly returned to the Yankees in 1960 and was selected by the Angels in that year's expansion draft.  He was the first ever left fielder for the Angels, but after just 18 games with the club was re-acquired by the Yankees.  Cerv shared an apartment with Mickey Mantle (#135) and Roger Maris during the historic 1961 season in which Maris broke Babe Ruth's single season home run record.  Cerv finished up his playing days with 19 games for the expansion Colt .45s in 1962.  He batted .276 for his career, collecting 624 hits, 105 home runs and 374 RBIs.

Building the Set
December 28, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchase - Card #335

I last shared this full story with the Foster Castleman (#271) post in late December, but I'll repeat myself, in an edited version, here.  The way my Dad and I finished the 1956 Topps set was somewhat anti-climatic but nevertheless a joyful memory.  Leading up to the Christmas of 2007, my Dad (with the help of my Mom) scoured eBay and other online baseball card stores for the remaining 29 cards we needed to complete the set.  Throughout the weeks and months leading up to the holidays, he knew we had completed the set but he kept it quiet, wanting to surprise me on Christmas morning.  I have no idea, and I'll never know, what the true last card was that he acquired to finish off the set.  And I have no record, nor was he able to tell me, how much they had paid for any of these final 29 cards.  This Cerv card was one of the final 29.  It was one of the commons included in a memorable haul that included the cards of Pee Wee Reese (#260), Roberto Clemente (#33), Whitey Ford (#240) and a spotless checklist card for the 1st and 3rd Series.

The Card / Yankees Team Set
What's going on in the action photo?  At first glance, I thought it was a play at the plate, but it looks as if it's actually a play at first base with the ball floating in mid air and the first baseman no where to be seen.  A right fielder looks on in the distance, likely also amazed by the floating baseball.  The first cartoon panel highlights how close Cerv's RBI total (22) for 1955 was to his hits total (29).

1956 Season

Cerv spent the entire season with the Yankees, getting into 54 games overall and making 30 starts in left field or center field.  He batted .304 with three home runs and 25 RBIs.  Late in the season, Stengel apparently called Cerv aside and said, "Nobody knows this, but one of us has just been traded to Kansas City."  The deal was put off until after the World Series.  In the World Series, won by the Yankees in seven games, Cerv made one appearance as a pinch-hitter, singling for pitcher Johnny Kucks (#88) in the sixth inning of Game 1.

1953 Topps #210

1955 Bowman #306

1958 Topps #329

1959 Topps #100

1962 Topps #169

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1953 Topps #210
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (8):  1953, 1956-1962
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2011 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-BC

59 - Cerv non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 4/6/24.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database

SABR
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

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Set Order: #287 Bobby Adams - Baltimore Orioles / #289 Hal Jeffcoat - Cincinnati Redlegs

Order Collected: #276 George Zuverink - Baltimore Orioles / #306 Curt Roberts - Pittsburgh Pirates

#287 Bobby Adams - Baltimore Orioles

Robert Henry Adams

Baltimore Orioles
Second Base-Third Base

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  160
Born:  December 14, 1921, Tuolumne, CA
Signed:  Signed by the Cincinnati Reds as an amateur free agent before 1939 season
Major League Teams:  Cincinnati Reds 1946-1952; Cincinnati Redlegs 1953-1955; Chicago White Sox 1955; Baltimore Orioles 1956; Chicago Cubs 1957-1959

Died:  February 13, 1997, Gig Harbor, WA (age 75)

Bobby Adams spent a decade of his 14-year major league career with the Reds/Redlegs, enjoying his best seasons in the early 1950s with the club.  Adams assumed regular second baseman duties as a rookie with the Reds in 1946.  He'd back up Benny Zientara in 1947 and 1948, although he was the club's opening day second baseman for both those seasons.  Adams regained a starting job in 1951, moving over to third base, and his career year came in 1952 when he batted .283 while leading the National League with 637 at-bats.  He'd have another fine season in 1953, batting .275 and leading all National League third baseman in assists for the second year in a row.  Sold to the White Sox in July 1955, Adams would spend the rest of his career as a reserve infielder with the White Sox, Orioles and Cubs.

He batted .269 overall with 1,082 hits, 37 home runs and 303 RBIs.  Adams stayed with the Cubs after retiring as a player, and was a member of their College of Coaches between 1961 and 1965.  He'd manage the Triple-A Tacoma Cubs between 1966 and 1971, returning as a major league coach for the Cubs in 1973.

January 19, 2003 - NFC Championship Game at The Vet

Building the Set
January 18, 2003 in Plymouth Meeting, PA - Card #241
In January 2003, I added seven cards to our set, purchased at a baseball card show held inside the Plymouth Meeting Mall.  I paid $45 for the seven cards, which included this Adams card.  My Topps set building had stalled out somewhat in 2003 as I had switched over to become primarily a Phillies collector, and I was also spending my disposable income trying to put together the early Topps Heritage sets.  This was the first of only 18 cards we added to our set in 2003, but we did cross the threshold of needing less than 100 cards to complete the set late in the year.

The Card / Orioles Team Set
This is one of only two "2d base-3d base" position combinations in the set, along with Gil McDougald (#225), although Topps used "2nd-3rd base" for McDougald's card.  The action shot could feature Adams as a member of the White Sox looking to see where the ball went after it apparently got by him.  Adams wore #25 during his brief time with the White Sox, and that could be the number on the back of the fielder.  The head shot is the same used for Adams' 1955 Topps card, and Topps swapped out a Reds hat for an Orioles hat.

The cartoons on the back of the card highlight Adams' hustling play, his move to third base from second base and his move to the American League for the 1955 season.

1956 Season

Adams was traded by the White Sox to the Orioles on October 18, 1955 for outfielder Cal Abrams.  The Orioles' opening day third baseman, Adams struggled mightily at the plate over the season's first two months, and the club released him on May 28th.  The Orioles apparently realized they had made a  mistake, as they brought Adams back on June 4th, only for him to be released again on July 17th.  It looks as if he landed with the Orioles' Double-A team after that, as Adams appeared in 46 games for the San Antonio Missions, batting .310.  In his 41 games with the Orioles between April and July, Adams batted .225.

1948-49 Leaf #54

1952 Topps #249

1953 Bowman Color #108

1955 Topps #178

1959 Topps #249

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1948-49 Leaf #54
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7):  1952-1956, 1958-1959
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1994 Topps Archives 1954 #123

32 - Adams non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 4/6/24.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database

The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

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Set Order: #286 Bill Wight - Baltimore Orioles / #288 Bob Cerv - New York Yankees

Order Collected: #265 Sandy Consuegra - Chicago White Sox / #14 Ken Boyer - St. Louis Cardinals

#286 Bill Wight - Baltimore Orioles

William Robert Wight

Baltimore Orioles
Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  180
Born:  April 12, 1922, Rio Vista, CA
Signed:  Signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent before 1941 season
Major League Teams:  New York Yankees 1946-1947; Chicago White Sox 1948-1950; Boston Red Sox 1951-1952; Detroit Tigers 1952-1953; Cleveland Indians 1953, 1955; Baltimore Orioles 1955-1957; Cincinnati Redlegs 1958; St. Louis Cardinals 1958

Died:  May 17, 2007, Mount Shasta, CA (age 85)

Journeyman Bill Wight pitched in parts of 12 major league seasons with eight different clubs.  Originally signed by the Yankees, Wight's first real chance in the majors came after a February 1948 trade sent him to the White Sox.  He'd have the best seasons of his career in Chicago, winning a career-high 15 games in 1949 while also reaching a career high in innings pitched with 245.  Wight was a 10-game winner in 1950 for the White Sox but was on the move again following the season, dealt to the Red Sox.  He'd change teams frequently throughout the 1950s, serving as a swingman for the Red Sox, Tigers and Indians, before finding another steady home in Baltimore.  Wight enjoyed his last solid season in 1956 for the Orioles, going 9-12 with a 4.02 ERA in 35 games, including 26 starts.  He'd retire as a player following a brief comeback attempt in the Pacific Coast League with the Seattle Rainiers in 1959.

Wight owned a lifetime record of 77-99 with a 3.95 ERA in 347 games pitched.  He struck out 574 batters over 1,563 innings.  Wight enjoyed a second career as a scout for the Houston Colt .45s/Astros between 1962 and 1966, and for the Atlanta Braves between 1967 and 1994.  He was responsible for the Colt .45s signing Joe Morgan, and for the Braves signing Dusty Baker, Dale Murphy, Bob Horner and David Justice, among many others.

Building the Set

Summer of 1983 or 1984 in Millville, NJ - Card #39
This was one of the Original 44, and I re-told the story of how my Dad and I started collecting this set with the Walker Cooper (#273) post in January.  Seven of the Original 44 came from series one, with 11 coming from series two, and 16 from series three.   This is the fifth of ten cards to come from the final series four.

The Card / Orioles Team Set
Was the "action" shot taken at night, or did the photographer (or Topps) darken everything behind Wight?  Like quite a few cards in series four, this card marks Wight's return to Topps after a three-year absence as he had been exclusive to Bowman.  The cartoons on the back contain two things I've mentioned above, Wight's frequent moves and his 1949 season, and one new fun fact - Wight's hobby was drawing.

1956 Season

Wight was the opening day starter for the Orioles, and he'd make 26 starts throughout the season as one of the Orioles' three most reliable pitchers along with Ray Moore (#43) and Connie Johnson (#326).  He threw a six-hit shutout against the Athletics on July 12th.

1950 Bowman #38

1952 Topps #177

1953 Bowman Color #100

1957 Topps #340

1958 Topps #237

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1950 Bowman #38
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (4):  1952, 1956-1958
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2007 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-BW

26 - Wight non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 4/6/24.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database

SABR
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

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Set Order: #285 Eddie Miksis - Chicago Cubs / #287 Bobby Adams - Baltimore Orioles

Order Collected: #277 Daryl Spencer - New York Giants / #293 Stu Miller - St. Louis Cardinals

#285 Eddie Miksis - Chicago Cubs

Edward Thomas Miksis
Chicago Cubs
Outfield

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  185
Born:  September 11, 1926, Burlington, NJ
Signed:  Signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent before 1944 season
Major League Teams:  Brooklyn Dodgers 1944, 1946-1951; Chicago Cubs 1951-1956; St. Louis Cardinals 1957; Baltimore Orioles 1957-1958; Cincinnati Redlegs 1958

Died:  April 8, 2005, Huntingdon Valley, PA (age 78)

Eddie Miksis was a big league infielder and outfielder for 14 seasons, serving primarily as a back-up utility player with the Dodgers in the late 1940s / early 1950s and as a semi-regular with the Cubs in the early to mid 1950s.  Miksis originally came up with the Dodgers in 1944, but missed all of 1945 while serving during World War II.  He'd rejoin the Dodgers in 1946, playing all four infield positions and some left field.  A member of two pennant winners with the Dodgers in 1947 and 1949, Miksis batted .273 (3 for 11) in eight World Series games, with the Dodgers falling to the Yankees both times.  Dealt to the Cubs in June 1951 as part of a eight-player trade, Miksis cemented himself in Chicago baseball folklore by lending his glove to Ernie Banks (#15) in early 1954 as the rookie entered his first spring training with the Cubs.

Miksis enjoyed his best seasons with the Cubs in 1955 and 1956, playing 131 games in 1955 and batting .235 as their regular center fielder.  Miksis was a strong defender and he'd lead all National League outfielders with a .989 fielding percentage during his first year regularly playing the outfield.  He'd settle into a bench role again over his final two seasons with the Cardinals, Orioles and Redlegs, retiring following the 1958 season.  In 1,042 big league games, Miksis batted .236 with 44 home runs and 228 RBIs.

Building the Set
August 13, 1989 in Bridgeton, NJ - Card #82
We went nuts at the Bridgeton Baseball Card Show in August 1989, buying 12 different cards for our 1956 Topps set, all at $1.50 a piece.  That's an impressive haul for $18!


I have no other information on the location of this show, other than it was held in the nearby city of Bridgeton, New Jersey.  What I do have however is the checklist I brought with us to the show.  I believe this is the second full checklist we carried around, having retired the prior version I created in 1988 and posted with the William Harridge (#1) card.

Just looking at this checklist brings back fond memories of finding the cards, deciding to make a purchase, negotiating a price and then finding a flat surface so that we could cross off the newest additions.

The Card / Cubs Team Set
Our version of the card is a little beat up with some staining and paper loss on the front.  This card marks Miksis' return to Topps sets after a two-year absence, and that could be anyone up to bat in the action shot.  The cartoons on the back of the card highlight his ability to play all over the infield, and his move to the outfield in 1955.  His veteran status, mentioned in the final cartoon panel, can be explained by the lack of players available during the war years.  Miksis made his debut with the Dodgers on June 17, 1944, less than three months before his 18th birthday.

1956 Season

Cubs' manager Stan Hack was in search of more offense in 1956, and Miksis assumed a utility role.  He'd appear in 114 games overall,  making 87 starts at third base (47), center field (21), second base (18) and right field (1).  Miksis batted .239 with nine home runs, matching his career best from the prior season, and 27 RBIs.  On December 11th, he was traded with Jim Davis (#102), Sam Jones (#259) and Hobie Landrith (#314) to the Cardinals for Wally Lammers, Jackie Callum, Ray Katt and Tom Poholsky (#196).

1951 Bowman #117

1952 Topps #172

1955 Bowman #181

1957 Topps #350

1959 Topps #58

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1951 Bowman #117
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (6):  1952-1953, 1956-1959
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1991 Topps Archives 1953 #39

33 - Miksis non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 3/30/24.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database

SABR
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

Previous Card / Next Card

Set Order: #284 Ike Delock - Boston Red Sox / #286 Bill Wight - Baltimore Orioles

Order Collected: #275 Jim Greengrass - Philadelphia Phillies / #295 Clem Labine - Brooklyn Dodgers

#284 Ike Delock - Boston Red Sox

Ivan Martin Delock
Boston Red Sox
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  175
Born:  November 11, 1929, Highland Park, MI

Signed:  Signed by the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent before 1948 season
Major League Teams:   Boston Red Sox 1952-1953, 1955-1963; Baltimore Orioles 1963

Died:  February 28, 2022, Raleigh, NC (age 92)

Ike Delock was a mainstay on the Red Sox pitching staff through the 1950s and early 1960s, appearing in at least 20 games for the club every season between 1952 and 1961.  A swingman for most of his career, Delock had his best seasons working out of the bullpen for the Red Sox between 1956 and 1959.  During those four years he was a combined 47-29 with a 3.55 ERA in 156 games pitched, including 46 starts.  He also recorded 22 saves during that span.  Injuries curtailed Delock's career, and he retired in 1963 after seven appearances with the Orioles.  In 329 career games, Delock was 84-75 with a 4.03 ERA and 672 strikeouts over 1,238 innings pitched.

Building the Set
December 25, 1994 from San Diego, CA - Card #137
The Roy Campanella (#101) card was my "big" present from Santa for Christmas 1994.  With my Dad's help, Santa secured the Campanella card from Kit Young Cards in San Diego for what my notes say was $75.  That price seems steep, but there were six other cards from the 1956 Topps set under the Christmas tree that year from Kit Young Cards, including this Delock card, with the other six cards costing a combined $20.  In December 1994, I would have been home from college for the winter break of my junior year.

This was the last Christmas my family and I spent in the house on 12th Street in my hometown where I grew up.  My parents were in the process of building a new house and we'd visit the construction site throughout that winter break.  I had a tough time leaving my childhood home behind and the 1994-1995 timeframe brought about quite a few major changes in my life.

The Card / Red Sox Team Set
Delock appeared in the 1952 Bowman and Topps set, and then disappeared from baseball cards until the 1955 Bowman set.  This is his first Topps appearance since 1952.  There's a Red Sox player making a cameo behind Delock's action photo, and we'll likely never know the identity of the mystery player.  The photo of Delock was likely taken in 1952 or 1953, as that looks to be a #9 peaking through on his back and Delock wore #29 in his first two seasons in Boston.  The cartoon panels on the back detail Delock's progression and his return to the Red Sox in 1955 after a full year in 1954 in the minors.

1956 Season

Delock was one of the more effective relievers in the American League, and one of the most frequently used pitchers by Red Sox manager Pinky Higgins.  The de facto closer for the Red Sox, Delock recorded a team-leading nine saves while going 13-7 with a 4.21 ERA in 48 games pitched.  He also made eight starts, throwing a complete game on May 20th against the White Sox.  His successful campaign led to his winning the Unsung Hero award following the season, as presented by the Boston Baseball Writers.

1952 Topps #329

1957 Topps #63

1959 Topps #437

1961 Topps #268

1963 Topps #136

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1952 Bowman #250
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (9):  1952, 1956-1963
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2012 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-ID

25 - Delock non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 2/23/24.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database

SABR
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

Previous Card / Next Card

Set Order: #283 Hal Smith - St. Louis Cardinals / #285 Eddie Miksis - Chicago Cubs

Order Collected: #262 Howie Pollet - Chicago White Sox / #289 Hal Jeffcoat - Cincinnati Redlegs

#283 Hal Smith - St. Louis Cardinals

Harold Raymond Smith
St. Louis Cardinals
Catcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  186
Born:  June 1, 1931, Barling, AR
Signed:  Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent before 1949 season
Major League Teams:  St. Louis Cardinals 1956-1961; Pittsburgh Pirates 1965

Died:  April 12, 2014, Fort Smith, AR (age 82)

Hal Smith was a three-time All-Star catcher for the Cardinals before a heart ailment prematurely ended his playing career.  Smith took over regular catching duties for the Cardinals in 1957, making his first All-Star team in the process.  He'd be named to both National League All-Star teams in 1959, which would prove to be his career year.  Smith appeared in a career-high 142 games that season, starting 128 games behind the plate.  He batted .270 with career bests in home runs (13) and RBIs (50).  Known most for his defense and strong throwing arm, Smith led all catchers in runners caught stealing in 1959 and 1960.  In June 1961 he was diagnosed with a coronary artery condition, immediately ending his big league career at the age of 30.  The Cardinals added him to their coaching staff, where he'd continue to mentor his eventual replacement, Tim McCarver.

Smith would make a brief return as a player in 1965.  Serving as the bullpen coach for the Pirates, Smith was activated and made emergency appearances in four games as the Pirates had lost all their catching depth to various injuries.  He'd coach in the majors with the Cardinals (1962), Pirates (1965-1967), Reds (1968-1969) and Brewers (1976-1977).  In 570 major league games, Smith batted .258 with 437 hits, 23 home runs and 172 RBIs.

Building the Set
August 19, 2000 in Raleigh, NC - Card #204
This Hal Smith shouldn't be confused with the other Hal Smith (#62) also in the 1956 Topps set.  Both were catchers, complicating things somewhat, but this Hal Smith is commonly shown as Hal R. Smith in checklists while the other Hal Smith shows up as Hal W. Smith.  I don't think I realized there were two Hal Smiths in the set until I alphabetized our checklist, which made it easier to check if we needed a card when a dealer's boxes were out of order.

Something that's perhaps only amusing to me is that I purchased both Hal Smith cards needed for our set at the same time from the same dealer at the Sports Card Show in Raleigh.  I decided I wanted to purchase both cards together, and if I found one in decent shape I waited until I had found the second in decent shape as well.  Having found both Hal Smith cards in an out-of-order box of 1956 Topps commons, I approached the dealer and asked him for a price for the pair.  He did somewhat of a double take when he realized both cards bore the name Hal Smith and he looked at me quizzically.

Without missing a beat, and without cracking a smile, I told him, "I collect only Hal Smith cards."  He continued his stare for a few more seconds and then said, "$15 for both of them."  And with that, both Hal Smith cards entered our 1956 Topps set.

The Card / Cardinals Team Set
This is Smith's rookie card, and given he didn't make his debut until 1956 (see below) I'm assuming that's not Smith donning the catching gear in the action shot.  Smith would wear #18 with the Cardinals in his first three seasons with the team.  Outfielder Rip Repulski (#201) wore #8 with the Cardinals, so there's also an excellent chance the catcher shown is from an entirely different team.

Adding confusion to the multiple catching Hal Smith situation, Topps used the wrong Smith's facsimile autograph on the front of this card.  This is the same autograph that appears on the other Smith's card earlier in the set.

1956 Season

Smith earned a spot on the Cardinals' opening day roster and made his major league debut on May 2nd against the Pirates at Busch Stadium.  He pinch-hit for pitcher Lindy McDaniel in the fifth inning, connecting for an RBI double to left that scored Repulski.  A few batters later, Stan Musial would hit a grand slam, and Smith scored his first major league run.  On June 14th, regular catcher Bill Sarni (#247) was part of a massive ten-player deal with the Giants and Smith became the Cardinals' every day catcher.

He'd start 58 games overall behind the plate, and batted .282 in his rookie season with five home runs and 23 RBIs.

1957 Topps #111

1958 Topps #273

1959 Topps #497

1960 Topps #84

1961 Topps #549

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1956 Topps #283
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (6):  1956-1961
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1961 Topps #549

32 - Smith non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 2/23/24.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database

SABR
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

Previous Card / Next Card

Set Order: #282 Warren Hacker - Chicago Cubs / #284 Ike Delock - Boston Red Sox

Order Collected: #62 Hal Smith - Baltimore Orioles / #172 Frank Torre - Milwaukee Braves