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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.
December 28, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchase - Card #317
I first shared this story with the Roberto Clemente (#33) post, but I'll repeat myself here. The way my Dad and I finished the 1956 Topps set was somewhat anti-climatic but nevertheless a joyful memory. Leading up to the Christmas of 2007, my Dad (with the help of my Mom) scoured eBay and other online baseball card stores for the remaining 29 cards we needed to complete the set. Throughout the weeks and months leading up to the holidays, he knew we had completed the set but he kept it quiet, wanting to surprise me on Christmas morning. I have no idea, and I'll never know, what the true last card was that he acquired to finish off the set. And I have no record, nor was he able to tell me, how much they had paid for any of these final 29 cards.
Our son Doug had just turned one, and on Christmas morning 2007, we were anxiously awaiting the arrival of our families to our house to celebrate the day. I've had a few rough Christmases, but this was one of the worst as my Dad ended up in the hospital that day and it was the beginning of his health struggles that would continue until he passed away in late 2011. He was discharged from the hospital three days later, and it was only then we celebrated Christmas together, on December 28th, and I opened the package containing the last of the cards needed for our 1956 Topps set.
Dad was understandably distraught that Christmas, but not solely because of his own health issues. Because of his unselfish nature, he was worried that he had ruined Christmas for everyone since we had spent the holidays in a hospital. He was also upset that his surprise package containing those last 29 baseball cards sat in the back seat of his car for three days until he recovered enough to come home. I was just happy to have him out of the hospital, but I do remember feeling confused and somewhat hopeless as we weren't quite sure yet what was wrong with him.
I don't have any pictures from December 28th, which is unusual for me. I'm assuming I was just happy that Dad was out of the hospital and taking pictures never crossed my mind.
The Card / Nationals Team Set
Nationals Cards That Never Were
If I were put in charge of a fifth series for the 1956 Topps set, here are the Nationals cards I'd include:
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| December 24, 2007 - Dad with his first grandson |
Dad was understandably distraught that Christmas, but not solely because of his own health issues. Because of his unselfish nature, he was worried that he had ruined Christmas for everyone since we had spent the holidays in a hospital. He was also upset that his surprise package containing those last 29 baseball cards sat in the back seat of his car for three days until he recovered enough to come home. I was just happy to have him out of the hospital, but I do remember feeling confused and somewhat hopeless as we weren't quite sure yet what was wrong with him.
I don't have any pictures from December 28th, which is unusual for me. I'm assuming I was just happy that Dad was out of the hospital and taking pictures never crossed my mind.
The Card / Nationals Team Set
According to this recent article, the Washington Senators were formed in 1901 with the team officially changing its name to the Nationals in 1904. I had always assumed Nationals was the team's nickname with Senators its official name, but it seems it's the other way around. News accounts confused matters over the next five decades by referring to the club as the Nationals, Nats or Senators. Prior to the 1956 season, the team changed its official nickname back to the Senators and a few short years later in 1960, the franchise relocated to Minnesota. Listed below are the players, coaches, batboys and club personnel featured on the card, in a photo that took place prior to a game against the Tigers at Griffith Stadium. (If you look closely, you can see "DET" on the scoreboard in the background.)
Topps misspelled coach Ellis Clary's name as "Cleary," and pitcher Bob Chakales' name as "Chackles." Batboys Crump, Hoover and Baldwin are seated in front. The photo was taken at some point during the 1955 season after June 7th, as that's the day the Nationals acquired Chakales, Clint Courtney and Johnny Groth from the White Sox for Jim Busby (#330). The Tigers visited Washington for a four-game series between June 24th and June 26th, again for a three-game series from August 2nd to August 4th, and finally for a double header on September 11th. I'd guess this photo was taken during the June series with the Tigers. Mickey Vernon, referenced on the back, was in his second stint with the club between 1950 and 1955. Following the 1955 season, Vernon was part of a nine-player trade with the Red Sox.
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Flipping to the back, here are the updated categories, including records since set by the Minnesota Twins beginning in 1961:
Most Hits - 1,633 in 1996
Most Home Runs - 307 in 2019
Most Double Plays - 203 in 1979
Most Games Won - 102 in 1965
Most Runs Scored in One Game - 24 in 1996
Additional Pennant Winning Teams - 1965, 1969, 1970, 1987, 1991, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2019
Additional Championship Teams - 1987, 1991
1956 Season
The Nationals were in the midst of seven consecutive losing seasons, and Washington wouldn't see a team with a winning record until the expansion Washington Senators (who would become the Texas Rangers) won 86 games in 1969. Guided by manager Chuck Dressen, the Nationals went 59-95 with only the Kansas City Athletics and their 102 losses keeping the club out of the American League basement. Starting pitcher Chuck Stobbs was the team's best pitcher and potentially its MVP. Stobbs went 15-15 with a 3.60 ERA over 37 games. Pedro Ramos won 12 games for the team with no reliever recording more than 4 saves. First baseman Pete Runnels led the club with a .310 batting average with left fielder Roy Sievers having the most home runs (29) and right fielder Jim Lemon driving in one more run (96) than Sievers.
Additional Pennant Winning Teams - 1965, 1969, 1970, 1987, 1991, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2019
Additional Championship Teams - 1987, 1991
1956 Season
The Nationals were in the midst of seven consecutive losing seasons, and Washington wouldn't see a team with a winning record until the expansion Washington Senators (who would become the Texas Rangers) won 86 games in 1969. Guided by manager Chuck Dressen, the Nationals went 59-95 with only the Kansas City Athletics and their 102 losses keeping the club out of the American League basement. Starting pitcher Chuck Stobbs was the team's best pitcher and potentially its MVP. Stobbs went 15-15 with a 3.60 ERA over 37 games. Pedro Ramos won 12 games for the team with no reliever recording more than 4 saves. First baseman Pete Runnels led the club with a .310 batting average with left fielder Roy Sievers having the most home runs (29) and right fielder Jim Lemon driving in one more run (96) than Sievers.
Nationals Cards That Never Were
If I were put in charge of a fifth series for the 1956 Topps set, here are the Nationals cards I'd include:
- Chuck Dressen (manager) - After guiding the Dodgers to the N.L. pennant in 1952 and 1953, Dressen managed the Nationals between 1955 and 1957. His record with the club was a dreadful 116-212.
- Jim Lemon (right field) - Every day right fielder Lemon received cards in the 1954 Topps and 1955 Bowman sets, but Topps skipped over him in 1956. He led the American League in 1956 in triples with 11 and strikeouts with 138.
- Whitey Herzog (center field) - Future Hall of Famer Herzog received his rookie card in the 1957 Topps set. He played 117 games for the Nationals in 1956, batting .245.
- Herb Plews (second base) - Making his big league debut on April 18th, Plews played more games at second base (66) for the Nationals than any player other than Runnels (69 games). Like Herzog, Plews' rookie card can be found in the 1957 Topps set.
- Hal Griggs (relief pitcher) - My last two picks here aren't as obvious, but reliever Hal Griggs appeared in 34 games for the Nationals, pitching 98 2/3 innings. He'd have to wait until the 1958 Topps set to receive his rookie card.
- Bob Chakales (relief pitcher) - Bob Chakales appeared in a team-leading 43 games and had a decent 4.03 ERA over 96 innings pitched. His 4 saves tied him for the team lead with Bud Byerly.
Sources
Baseball Reference
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