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Robert Daniel Kennedy
Chicago White Sox
Third Base
Born: August 18, 1920, Chicago, IL
Signed: Signed by the Chicago White Sox as an amateur free agent before the 1937 season
Major League Teams: Chicago White Sox 1939-1942, 1946-1948; Cleveland Indians 1948-1954; Baltimore Orioles 1954-1955; Chicago White Sox 1955-1956; Detroit Tigers 1956; Chicago White Sox 1957; Brooklyn Dodgers 1957
As a Manager: Chicago Cubs 1963-1965; Oakland Athletics 1968
Died: April 7, 2005, Mesa, AZ (age 84)
Bob Kennedy played 16 years in the Major Leagues, missing three full seasons while serving in the military between 1943 and 1945. Most of his career was spent with the White Sox, with whom he had three different stints, and he won a World Series ring with the Indians in 1948. Kennedy is one of only three players, along with Ted Williams (#5) and Jerry Coleman (#316), who served in both World War II and the Korean War. He's also the last player to bat for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1957 before the team moved to Los Angeles.
Kennedy played every position except catcher and pitcher during his career, accumulating the most playing time in right field. He was a career .254 hitter with 63 home runs. Following his playing days, Kennedy served as a head coach for the Cubs' College of Coaches experiment between 1963 and 1965 and he was the first manager of the Oakland Athletics in 1968, following their move from Kansas City. He also spent time in the front office for the Cardinals (1970-1975), Mariners (1976, prior to their debut), Cubs (1977-1981, as their General Manager), Astros (1982-1985) and Giants (1986-1992) where he worked with his former teammate Al Rosen (#35).
His son Terry Kennedy enjoyed a 14-year career of his own, earning four All-Star Game appearances.
Building the Set
December 25, 2004 from San Diego, CA - Card #254
This is one of six 1956 Topps cards my Dad gave to me for Christmas in 2004, and I never asked him how much he paid for the lot. He ordered the six cards from Kit Young's Cards in San Diego. The first of the six cards was Andy Carey (#12) and I wrote about that card here.
The Card
The same head shot is used for Kennedy's Topps' cards in 1954, 1955 and 1956, but each year Topps had to change the logo on his hat. 1954 shows him with the Indians, he's an Oriole in 1955 and by 1956 he was back with the White Sox.
That looks like Yogi Berra (#110) making a cameo appearance in the action shot, and it sure looks as if Kennedy is out at the plate. Given that his son Terry would go on to be an All-Star catcher, it's somewhat ironic that the senior Kennedy never appeared behind the plate as the first panel on the back of the card points out.
1956 Season
Kennedy was a veteran and 35-years-old during the 1956 season, starting the season with the White Sox. He'd play only 8 games for the team before he was dealt on May 15th with Jim Brideweser and Harry Byrd to the Tigers for Jim Delsing (#338) and Fred Hatfield (#318). With the Tigers, he'd appear in 70 games and hit .232 seeing time at third base and both corner outfield spots. He was released by the Tigers right before opening day in 1957, and signed back with the White Sox.
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First Mainstream Card: 1951 Bowman #296
First Topps Card: 1951 Topps Red Backs #29
Last Topps Card (as a player): 1957 Topps #149
First Topps Card (as a manager): 1964 Topps #486
Last Topps Card (as a manager): 1968 Topps #183
Most Recent Topps Card (post-career): 1985 Topps #135 (with Terry Kennedy)
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1994 Topps Archives 1954 #155
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (11): 1951-1957, 1964-1965, 1968, 1985
48 - Kennedy non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 8/25/15.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
Wikipedia
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.
Previous Card / Next Card
Order Collected: #12 Andy Carey - New York Yankees / #44 "Windy" McCall - New York Giants
I purchased a picture at a Large Wealthy Mans Auction many years back with Bob Kennedy, and Don Kolloway in Chicago White Sox Uniforms from between 1939 and 1942 before Bob left for the war. The Picture is in a 19" x 22" frame with the Stadium in the back ground. They both have their three finger gloves on. If Family members are interested in this picture, please contact me at Plasticman_5@Excite.com
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