#129 "Jake" Martin - Pittsburgh Pirates

Paul Charles Martin
Pittsburgh Pirates
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'6"  Weight:  235
Born:  March 9, 1932, Brownstown, PA
Signed:  Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent, June 28, 1955
Major League Teams:  Pittsburgh Pirates 1955
Died:  October 11, 2011, San Diego, CA (age 79)

Paul "Jake" Martin was a big right-handed pitcher singed as a bonus baby in 1955.  He appeared in only seven games for the Pirates in 1955 before suffering a career-ending arm injury.  Martin made his big league debut on July 2, 1955 against the future World Champion Brooklyn Dodgers.  He pitched two shutout innings, striking out three batters - Don Zimmer (#99) and Jackie Robinson (#30) twice.  Martin's next six outings all resulted in at least one run scored with his final appearance on August 16th leading to five runs scored by the Phillies in two innings of work.  His career line was 0-1 with a 14.14 ERA with 3 strikeouts and 17 walks.  Martin was released by the Pirates on April 27, 1956.

Building the Set
October 3, 1988 in Millville, NJ - Card #67
This was one of three 1956 Topps cards my parents gave me for my 15th birthday, the others being Ray Moore (#43) and Dean Stone (#87).  I'm 95% certain my Dad purchased these cards at a baseball card show held at our local YMCA in August and then gave them to me a few months later.  I have in my records that this card cost him $3.  I was more focused on building our 1973 Topps set in the summer of '88, as those cards were more readily available and much cheaper.  My allowance from mowing lawns only went so far.

We didn't get autographs from either of the show's guests, Spook Jacobs or Chris Short and I included the front and back of the show's flyer in previous posts.  I'm kicking myself now, over 30 years later, for not spending the $2 it would have cost me for an autograph and a picture with Short.  

I worked at the Millville YMCA in the summer of 1990 before it closed its doors for good that August.  In 1997, the building was repurposed as an apartment complex with the pool and gym renovated and updated and it's now operated as The Holly City Family Center.

The Card / Pirates Team Set
This is the one and only baseball card issued for Martin during his playing days, given his professional career lasted 7 games.  The card was reprinted for Martin to sign as part of the 2005 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs insert set.  Topps had to act quickly to get pictures of the big righty, as he was only active between early July and mid-August.  This is the first full on profile photo used in the set and Martin's nickname "Jake" is present in his signature.

Flipping to the back, the first two cartoon panels tell the story of Martin's arrival and big league debut against the Dodgers.  The third panel shows Martin's goal of becoming a minister.  I found his obituary, where it mentions he did attend Nyack Theological Seminary in New York and he served as a minister for a short time.  His true calling was has a long-time chiropractor in San Diego, where he lived for nearly 50 years.  As a respected chiropractor, he apparently traded his "Jake" nickname for "Doc."

1956 Season

There's nothing to report here.  Martin was released by the Pirates in April and would never again play professional baseball.  He's the third player to have a card in the set who had already appeared in his final game, joining Nelson Burbrink (#27) and Karl Spooner (#83).

Other Notable Baseball Cards

First Mainstream Card:  1956 Topps #129
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (1):  1956
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1956 Topps #129

4 - Martin non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 11/27/20.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
The Trading Card Database

#128 Eddie Yost - Washington Nationals

Edward Frederick Yost
Washington Nationals
Third Base

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  170
Born:  October 13, 1926, Brooklyn, NY
Signed:  Signed by the Washington Senators as an amateur free agent before 1944 season
Major League Teams:  Washington Senators 1944, 1946-1958; Detroit Tigers 1959-1960; Los Angeles Angels 1961-1962
As a Manager:  Washington Senators 1963
Died:  October 16, 2012, Weston, MA (age 86)

As the long-time regular third baseman and lead-off man for the Washington Senators, Eddie Yost earned the nickname "The Walking Man" by topping the American League in walks in six different seasons.  His 1,614 career walks still ranks him 11th on baseball's all-time list.  Yost led the league in doubles in 1951 with 36 and was an All-Star in 1952.  After 14 seasons with the basement-dwelling Senators, Yost was traded to the Tigers in December 1958 to make room for the up and coming Harmon Killebrew (#164).  With the Tigers, Yost enjoyed two of his best seasons, leading the league in runs scored (115) in 1959 and on-base percentage in both 1959 and 1960.  He was selected by the Angels in the 1960 expansion draft and holds the distinction of being the first ever Angel to appear in a game as he was their lead-off hitter in the franchise's first game on April 11, 1961.  Yost retired after 18 seasons with a career .254 batting average, 139 home runs and a .394 on-base percentage.  A fine fielder too, he owned a lifetime fielding percentage of .957.  His 28 lead-off home runs were the most ever until Bobby Bonds broke in his record in the 1970s.

After his playing career, Yost began a 23-year career as a coach.  He briefly served as a player-coach with the 1962 Angels and then began a five-year stint as a Senators coach in 1963.  When his former teammate Mickey Vernon (#228) was fired as Senators manager, Yost served as an interim manager for one game (a loss) before Gil Hodges (#145) took over.  Yost followed Hodges to the Mets where he served as a coach between 1968 and 1976, and he earned his only World Series ring as the third base coach for the 1969 "Miracle Mets" team.  His final coaching job came with the Red Sox under managers Don Zimmer (#99) and Ralph Houk between 1977 and 1984.

Building the Set
Summer of 1983 or 1984 in Millville, NJ - Card #11
One of the Original 44, I recently re-told the story of how my Dad and I started collecting this set with the Ed Mathews (#107) post.  Given how many times I handled those 44 cards throughout the 1980s, it's amazing this card is still in the great shape it's in.

The Card / Nationals Team Set
In order to be able to spell out Yost's "third base" position, Topps shortened the team name to just "Nats" for the first time in this set.  Presumably under exclusive contract with Bowman, this card marks Yost's return to Topps sets for the first time since 1952.  The back of the card highlights his fine play at third base and his ability to draw walks.  The last cartoon panel mentions his degree from New York University.  I'm assuming he earned his undergraduate degree in 1950, as his Wikipedia biography states he earned his Master's degree in physical education in 1953.

1956 Season

Yost appeared in 152 games for the Senators, leading the league in walks with 151 and earning an on-base percentage of .412 despite a batting average of only .231.  To date, that's the lowest batting average for any player with an on-base percentage over .400 in any season.  Late in the summer, it appeared as if Yost may be on track to break Babe Ruth's record for most walks in a season (170).  However, Yost's 151 walks fell short but still easily lead the league with Mickey Mantle (#135) finishing a distant second with 39 fewer walks.  In mid-September, Yost was replaced at third base by Killebrew for the Senators' final 18 games - a sign of things to come.

1949 Bowman #32

1952 Topps #123

1959 Topps #2

1962 Topps #176 (Batting)

1974 Topps #179

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1949 Bowman #32
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (10):  1951-1952, 1956-1962, 1973-1974
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2011 Topps Lineage Autographs #RA-EY

77 - Yost non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 11/27/20.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

#127 Willie Jones - Philadelphia Phillies

Willie Edward Jones
Philadelphia Phillies
Third Base

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  188
Born:  August 16, 1925, Dillon, SC
Signed:  Signed by the Philadelphia Phillies as an amateur free agent before 1947 season
Major League Teams:  Philadelphia Phillies 1947-1959; Cleveland Indians 1959; Cincinnati Reds 1959-1961
Died:  October 18, 1983, Cincinnati, OH (age 58)

2006 Toyota Phillies Wall of Fame Postcards

Willie "Puddin' Head" Jones was an All-Star for the Whiz Kids, and before Mike Schmidt came along was considered the best third basemen in Phillies franchise history.  Following his time serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Jones was the regular third baseman for the Phillies between 1949 and 1958, accumulating 180 home runs with the club while batting .258.  He was the top defensive third baseman in the National League in the 1950s, leading the league in fielding percentage at that position six times and currently sitting at 49th on the all-time list.  He topped the league in putouts seven times (11th all-time), assists twice and double plays turned twice.  Jones' best season came in 1950 with the pennant-winning Whiz Kids when he batted .267 while hitting his career highs in home runs (25) and RBIs (88).

Jones retired after 15 seasons with 1,502 career hits and he was inducted posthumously into the Phillies Wall of Fame in 1995.

According to his SABR biography, his "Puddin' Head" nickname allegedly came from a 1933 song performed by Rudy Valllee and his Connecticut Yankees:  "Oh Puddin' Head Jones was fat and funny / Dumber than sticks and stones. / Now that is just why the kids all called him / Wooden head, puddin' head Jones."

Building the Set
May 21, 1989 in Millville, NJ - Card #73
My notes indicate we purchased two cards at the "Millville Baseball Card Show IV" on this day - this Jones card for $7.50 and the Granny Hamner (#197) card for $10.  My memory is hazy here, but I think this was a very small show (maybe 12 tables?) held inside the cafeteria at Millville Memorial Junior High School on Broad Street.  My Dad was a guidance counselor there for 30-plus years, and I would have been a student there at the time about to finish up 9th grade.

The Card / Phillies Team Set
Jones embraced his nickname, as evidenced by the facsimile autograph here including his Puddin' Head nickname and not Willie.  In the action shot, it doesn't look as if the home plate umpire has made the call yet so I'm declaring Jones safe at home.  The main head shot is slightly different than what Topps used on Jones' 1954 Topps card.

Two of the three cartoon panels on the back of the card rightfully focus on Jones' defensive skills.  The middle panel mentions his four-double game in 1949.  He accomplished that feat on April 20, 1949 against the Boston Braves, driving in three runs in the process, but with the Phillies still losing to the Braves, 6-5.  Jones hit his doubles off Braves' pitchers Bill Voiselle (3 times) and Nels Potter.

1956 Season

A veteran with the Phillies at this point in his career, Jones appeared in 149 games while batting .277 with 17 home runs and 78 RBIs.  Both home run and RBI marks were third on the club behind catcher Stan Lopata (#183) and left fielder Del Ennis (#220).  Jones started all but five games at third for the Phillies in 1956, missing four games at the start of the season and with Bobby Morgan (#337) filling in for him.

Phillies Career
In 13 seasons with the Phillies, Jones appeared in 1,520 games and his 1,495 games at third base for the team are second only to Schmidt and his 2,212 games.  His RBI total of 753 is currently 10th among all Phillies, and he's also in the franchise top 10 for walks (8th with 694).

As told here in a wonderful article that appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer several years ago, Jones also sold Christmas trees during the offseason.

He was somewhat unexpectedly traded to the Indians on June 6, 1959 for Jim Bolger and cash, and less than a month later the Indians swapped him to the Reds.

1949 Bowman #92

1951 Bowman #112

1953 Topps #88

1959 Topps #208

1961 Topps #497

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1949 Bowman #92
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (10):  1951-1954, 1956-1961
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1994 Topps Archives 1954 #41

55 - Jones non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 11/22/20.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
The Phillies Room
SABR
The Trading Card Database

#126 Jim Brady - Detroit Tigers

James Joseph Brady
Detroit Tigers
Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  185
Born:  March 2, 1936, Jersey City, NJ
Signed:  Signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent, June 9, 1955
Major League Teams:  Detroit Tigers 1956

Jim Brady was signed as a bonus baby by the Detroit Tigers while attending college at Notre Dame.  Under the bonus baby rules at the time, the Tigers were required to keep Brady on their big league roster for two years.  He missed all of 1955 due to injury and appeared in only 6 games in relief in 1956.  Brady then played for four seasons in the Tigers' minor league system, missing the 1959 season, before retiring in 1961.  Following his playing career, Brady obtained his doctorate and went on to a distinguished career in college academics, serving on the economics faculty at Notre Dame, holding the department chair of economics at Old Dominion University and finally serving as the president of Jacksonville University between 1989 and 1996.

Building the Set
Summer of 1983 or 1984 in Millville, NJ - Card #10
One of the Original 44, I recently re-told the story of how my Dad and I started collecting this set with the Ed Mathews (#107) post.  Given how many times I handled those 44 cards throughout the 1980s, it's amazing this card is still in the great shape it's in.

The Card / Tigers Team Set
I'm assuming young collectors would have been confused upon finding Brady's card in a pack of 1956 Topps cards.  He hadn't yet appeared in a game prior to the card's issuance and unless you were a die-hard Tigers fan, you had probably never heard of the young pitcher.  The cartoon panels on the back do a good job of filling in the blanks, given the line where statistics would normally be of, "NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN ORGANIZED BASEBALL."  Brady's contract with the Tigers was for $37,500, and as noted above he had a much more successful career in collegiate academics than he did in baseball.  Topps shaved a month off Brady's age, as his Baseball Reference page gives his birthday as March 2nd, and not February 2nd.

This is Brady's one and only baseball card, and Topps reprinted the card for him to sign as part of their 2005 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs insert set.

1956 Season

On the Tigers roster the entire season, Brady made only six appearances, all in relief.  He made his debut on May 12th, pitching a scoreless inning against the White Sox.  A scoreless inning against the Orioles followed a week later, but then his next four appearances resulted in no less than four runs being scored upon him in each outing.  He finished the season with a 28.42 ERA over 6 1/3 innings pitched, having allowed 21 runs (20 earned) on 15 hits and 11 walks.

Other Notable Baseball Cards

First Mainstream Card:  1956 Topps #126
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (1):  1956
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2005 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #RO-JB

4 - Brady non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 11/19/20.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia