#121 Pittsburgh Pirates Team Card

Topps included full team photos in its baseball card set for the first time in 1956, having previously experimented with team cards in a limited edition 1951 stand-alone set.

Building the Set
July 1, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchases - Card #298
Our first son Doug was born in December 2006, and this happy event led directly to my Dad visiting us on a more regular basis.  Dad was living by himself at this point in Mays Landing, New Jersey and he didn't enjoy the 40 minute drive north to our house.  Among all the very positive memories I have of my Dad, one of my few negative memories is the fact he absolutely seemed to loathe driving and that loathing increased exponentially if there was traffic or if it were dark.  But he made the trips anyway, sometimes staying no more than an hour, because he was so incredibly anxious and excited to spend time with his grandson.

By the time his second grandson (Ben) was born in April 2010, my Dad's health had started to fail and whatever visits we had were pre-arranged or consisted of us visiting him.  Which is why these visits during Doug's infancy and first few years are so special to me.  My Dad would show up usually unannounced, ecstatic to see Doug, there would be some small talk and we'd complain about the Phillies, and then he'd leave.  But on his way out, he'd always say he'd see us again in a few days and I'd look forward to these visits.

This background is needed to better explain how this Pirates team card came into our set.  (I first shared all of this a few years ago in the post for the Jack Harshman card - #29.)  In 2007, My Dad's days mostly consisted of an occasional round of golf, calls and visits to his kids - my sister and me, watching cable news, an afternoon nap and scouring eBay.  Most (but not all) of his eBay purchases benefitted me in the form of 1956 Topps cards we needed for our set.  He'd show up at our house for a visit with Doug and nonchalantly hand me one of his recent purchases.  He handed me this Pirates team card on July 1, 2007.

Throughout 2007, I suspect he had a backlog of purchased 1956 Topps cards piled up on his desk at his house, and he'd grab one or two to deliver to me as he was heading out the door to make the 40 minute drive to visit Doug.  Not to ruin the ending for this blog, but this is how we finished the 1956 Topps set.  Not with one last glorious purchase at a baseball card show, but with my Dad systematically and methodically checking off cards from our checklist through eBay purchases.

Together with my Mom, he'd deliver the last 29 cards we needed to complete the set in 2007 as a Christmas present to me that year.

The Card / Pirates Team Set
Our version of this card is fairly scuffed up on the front.  I found the source photo used for this team card in a recent eBay auction (see above), and Topps crops out the edge of the left field Forbes Field bleachers as well as the towering "Cathedral of Learning" located at the University of Pittsburgh.  The back of the card celebrates the first Pirates dynasty (1901-1903) and lists such franchise luminaries as Honus Wagner, Pie Traynor, Paul and Lloyd Waner, Arky Vaughn and Ralph Kiner.  Kiner had retired following the 1955 season and his release by the Indians.

Listed below are the subjects featured on the card, including a listing of their 1956 Topps card if they had one.  This team photo was taken after June 28th, the day Paul Martin was signed as a free agent bonus baby, but before September 14th, the day Tom Saffell was claimed off waivers by the Athletics.  Both Martin and Saffell are in the photo.

Front Row Hardy Peterson Frank Thomas (#153) Coach Sam Narron Coach John Fitzpatrick Manager Fred Haney Batboy John Fitzpatrick, Jr. (seated) Eddie O'Brien (#116) Bob Friend (#221) Roman Mejias Preston Ward (#328) Lino Donoso

2nd Row Trainer Charles Jorgensen Rice, Traveling secretary Laurin Pepper (#108) Paul Martin (#129) Vern Law (#252) Jack Shepard Dick Hall (#331) Dale Long (#56) Tom Saffell Max Surkont (#209) B. Jorgensen, Property custodian

Back Row Roy Face (#13) Roberto Clemente (#33) Johnny O'Brien (#65) Jerry Lynch (#97) Dick Cole Ron Kline (#94) Dick Littlefield Dick Groat (#24) Gene Freese (#46)

The Pirates called Forbes Field home between 1909 and 1970, moving into Three Rivers Stadium in 1970 and ultimately into PNC Park in 2001.  Flipping to the back, there are just a few categories that need to be updated:

Most Home Runs - 171 in 1999

Most Double Plays - 215 in 1966
Additional Pennant Winning Teams - 1960, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1979, 1990, 1991, 1992
Additional Championship Teams - 1960, 1971, 1979

1956 Season
The Pirates were not a very good team in 1956.  Manager Fred Haney was replaced with new manager Bobby Bragan, and under Bragan the team went 66-88 to finish in 7th place in the National League.  Only the Cubs at 60-94 had a worse record.  The team's top hitter was center fielder Bill Virdon, who batted .334 and their power threats were first baseman Dale Long (27 home runs, 91 RBIs) and third baseman Frank Thomas (25 home runs, 80 RBIs).  Bob Friend went 17-17 with a 3.46 ERA and 3 saves for good measure.

Right fielder Roberto Clemente had not yet grown into his full potential, hitting .311 with 7 home runs and 60 RBIs.

Pirates Cards That Never Were
If I were put in charge of a fifth series for the 1956 Topps set, here are the Pirates cards I'd include:

• Bobby Bragan (manager) - Former Phillie Bragan managed the Pirates for just a season and a half, compiling a record of 102-155.  He'd appear on a 1960 coach's card with the Dodgers
• Lee Walls (outfield) - Walls was the club's regular left fielder, appearing in 143 games.  He's got cards in the 1955 Bowman and 1957 Topps set, but he was skipped over in 1956.
• Bill Mazeroski (second base) - The future Hall of Famer and World Series hero was only 19 in 1956 and he'd get a rookie card in the 1957 Topps set.  The late great Bob Lemke created a card for Maz in the style of the 1956 Topps set back in 2012.
• Hank Foiles (catcher) - Foiles appeared in 79 games for the Pirates and he too would appear in the 1957 Topps set.
• Nellie King (relief pitcher) - Along with Roy Face, King was one of two regular Pirates closers in 1956, finishing out 21 games.  He'd appear in the 1955 and 1957 Topps sets.
• Danny Murtaugh (coach) - Murtaugh began his big league coaching career in 1956.  He'd eventually manage the Pirates to two World Series titles in 1960 and 1971 and his #40 would be retired by the club.

Sources
Baseball Reference

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Set Order: #120 Richie Ashburn - Philadelphia Phillies / #122 Willard Nixon - Boston Red Sox

Order Collected: #208 Elston Howard - New York Yankees / #291 Frank Kellert - Chicago Cubs