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Jack Roosevelt Robinson
Brooklyn Dodgers
Third Base
Bats: Right Throws: Right Height: 5'11" Weight: 195
Born: January 31, 1919, Cairo, GA
Acquired: Signed as a free agent with the Brooklyn Dodgers, October 23, 1945
Major League Teams: Brooklyn Dodgers 1947-1956
Hall of Fame Induction: 1962
Died: October 24, 1972, Stamford, CT (age 53)
"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." - Jackie Robinson
Anything I write here about Jackie Robinson won't do justice to the monumental impact the man had on our national pastime and our nation overall.
Robinson broke the game's color barrier on April 15, 1947 when he was the Dodgers' starting first baseman in a game against the Boston Braves. He played 10 seasons for the Dodgers, making six All-Star teams, earning Rookie of the Year honors in 1947 and MVP honors in 1949. He helped lead Brooklyn to six N.L. pennants between 1947 and 1956, winning it all against the Yankees in 1955.
Robinson was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1962 and passed away 10 years later at the way too young age of 53.
Building the Set
December 25, 1992 from San Diego, CA - Card #110
This was another purchase from Kit Young Cards in San Diego that was then left under the tree for me on Christmas morning. My Dad later told me he had spent $85 on the card.
In December 1992, I wrapped up my first semester of college and came home for my winter break completely and totally deflated. I had no energy, I didn't want to eat anything, my throat hurt and I developed a fever within a few days of being home. I thought it was just exhaustion, but it turned out to be a fairly severe case of mononucleosis and I spent the better part of the next 2 months in bed.
At first, I enjoyed the time back home with my parents and my sister but after a few weeks I was bored with the mandated bedrest. I'm going to blame the mono on my lack of any real memories from this time, but I'm sure I was excited upon receiving this card on Christmas morning.
The Card
This card is the favorite all-time baseball card of Fuji, the owner of one of my favorite baseball card blogs, The Chronicles of Fuji. In a post from a few years ago, Fuji told the story of action shot featured on Robinson's card. Robinson had just stolen home against the Cardinals, eluding the tag of catcher Bill Sarni (#247) as the batter, Johnny Podres (#173) looks on. Here's more from Fuji's post and the original image is at right.
It's late in the season and the 7th place St. Louis Cardinals are in Brooklyn to battle the first place Dodgers. This particular photo depicts Robinson stealing home in the bottom of the 6th inning to give the Dodgers a 5 to 1 lead. It's actually a pretty crazy play where the Dodgers successfully pulled off a triple steal. However... when Sarni threw the ball down to second... Gil Hodges (who stole third when Robinson stole home) took off and tried to score but was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.Topps has reprinted this card numerous times, most recently as part of its Iconic Reprint insert set found within the just released 2019 Topps Series 1 product.
The Cardinals fought back in the top of the 7th when Ken Boyer launched a 3 run homer off of Podres that ended his evening. Unfortunately... that's all the offense the Cardinals could conjure up... and they ended up losing 10 to 4 that day.
1956 Season
This was to be the final season in Robinson's 10-year Major League career, and the 37-year-old star appeared in 117 games for the Dodgers. He finished the season hitting .275 with 10 home runs and 43 RBIs, while seeing playing time at third base (72 games), second base (22 games), first base (9 games) and left field (2 games).
The Dodgers won the pennant again in 1956, finishing a game ahead of the Milwaukee Braves. They weren't able to repeat in the World Series, falling in 7 games to the Yankees. Following the season, the Dodgers traded Robinson to the New York Giants for Dick Littlefield and $30,000. Rather than report to the rival Giants, Robinson opted to retire.
Phillies Connection
Robinson's biggest connection to the Phillies is an unfortunate low point in the franchise's 136-year history. During Robinson's first year with the Dodgers in 1947, Phillies manager Ben Chapman, along with several other Phillies players, frequently and repeated shouted racial slurs at Robinson when the two teams first faced off. The ugly incidents were featured prominently in the 2013 film, 42.When the Dodgers visited Philadelphia in early May, Chapman was pressured into apologizing for his behavior and Robinson reluctantly posed for a pre-game photo with the Phillies manager. In 2013, 69 years after the incident, Philadelphia City Council issued a formal apology to Robinson for the "racism he faced as a player while visiting Philadelphia."
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First Mainstream Card: 1949 Bowman #50
First Topps Card: 1952 Topps #312
Last Topps Card: 1956 Topps #30
Most Recent Topps Card (post-career): 2001 Topps #783
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 9 different insert cards within 2019 Topps Series 1
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7): 1952-1956, 1997, 2001
Robinson appeared on a number of cards issued in 1947 with Bond Bread, but I've got to go with his 1949 Bowman or Leaf cards as his first true mainstream card. Robinson has had a number of short-prints in recent Topps flagship sets, but his most recent main set appearance came in 2001.
1,519 - Robinson non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 1/30/19.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
National Baseball Hall of Fame
SABR
The Chronicles of Fuji
The Trading Card Database
In some cases, the first and last cards listed above are subjective and chosen by me if multiple cards were released within the same year. Most recent mainstream card may also be subjective and does not include extremely low serial numbered cards, buybacks or cut autograph cards.
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Order Collected: #215 Tommy Byrne - New York Yankees / #96 Bill Tremel - Chicago Cubs
