#83 Karl Spooner - Brooklyn Dodgers

Karl Benjamin Spooner
Brooklyn Dodgers
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  185
Born:  June 23, 1931, Oriskany Falls, NY
Signed:  Signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent before 1951 season
Major League Teams:  Brooklyn Dodgers 1954-1955
Died:  April 10, 1984, Vero Beach, FL (age 52)

Karl Spooner's biographies from SABR and Wikipedia both utilize the adjective "meteoric" within the first sentences to describe the start of the pitcher's career.  In two September starts for the Dodgers in 1954, Spooner recorded back-to-back complete game shutouts, striking out a total of 27 batters and allowing only seven singles.  He set the records for strikeouts in a debut with 15 and recording six consecutive strikeouts in a debut.  His 27 strikeouts over two games was one less than Bob Feller's (#200) record of 28 over two games.

However, he entered a spring training game in 1955 without properly warming up and suffered an arm injury that would derail the rest of his career.  Spooner struggled throughout the 1955 season, going 8-6 with a 3.65 ERA.  His final appearance came in Game 6 of the 1955 World Series in which he lasted just 1/3 of an inning and gave up five runs on three hits and two walks to the Yankees, including a three-run home run to Bill Skowron (#61).

Left unprotected by the Dodgers in the 1957 minor league draft, he was selected by the Cardinals.  Spooner continued his comeback attempt with the Cardinals over the next season but retired after spring training in 1959.

Dad and Doug - March 4, 2007

Building the Set
February 7, 2007 in Voorhees, NJ - Card #289
This is one of six cards I purchased at the Echelon Mall Baseball Card show in February 2007, spending $70 total, including $7.50 on this Spooner card.  At the time, Doug was a few days away from turning two months old and we had just celebrated my Dad's 63rd birthday a few weeks earlier.

I think Jenna had been out shopping on this day when she texted (or called) me to let me know there was a baseball card show being held at what used to be the Echelon Mall.  The former mall has since been converted as part of the Voorhees Town Center.

The Card
Spooner only appeared on two Topps cards, and both his 1955 and 1956 cards use the same close-up photo.  The back of the card rightfully focuses on Spooner's first two big league starts and his successful minor league campaign.  The "Year" row of statistics tells the story of his 1955 struggles, and by the time this card was issued, Spooner's big league career was over.  The card was reprinted, along with all 1956 Topps Brooklyn Dodgers cards, in the 1995 Topps Archives Brooklyn Dodgers set.

Dodgers Team Set

1956 Season

Still hampered by arm injuries, Spooner only appeared in four games in 1956, pitching for the Double-A St. Paul Saints.  His Baseball Reference statistics are incomplete for the year, only showing that he went 0-1.  He was a September call-up for the Dodgers, but he didn't appear in any games.

1955 Topps #90

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1955 Topps #90
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (2):  1955-1956
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2005 Topps Dem Bums #KS

15 - Spooner non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 1/1/20.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
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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Set Order: #82 Bill Renna - Kansas City Athletics / #84 "Babe" Birrer - Detroit Tigers

Order Collected: #171 Jim Wilson - Baltimore Orioles / #90 Cincinnati Redlegs Team Card