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Richard Stanley Brodowski
Washington Nationals
Pitcher
Born: July 26, 1932, Bayonne, NJ
Signed: Signed by the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent before 1951 season
Major League Teams: Boston Red Sox 1952, 1955; Washington Senators 1956-1957; Cleveland Indians 1958-1959
Died: January 14, 2019, Lynn, MA (age 86)
Dick Brodowski began his professional baseball career as a third baseman, but a rash of injuries to the Class D Marion Red Sox in 1951 forced him into pitching duties. He ended up going 21-5 with a 2.60 ERA that season (while batting .276) ensuring a quick promotion to the majors. Brodowski appeared in 20 games for the Red Sox in 1952 at the age of 19, compiling a 5-5 record with a 4.40 ERA. He pitched four complete games, including a victory over the powerhouse Yankees. Drafted into military service during the Korean War, Brodowski missed all of the 1953 and 1954 seasons. He appeared in 16 games for the Red Sox in 1955 and was dealt to the Senators following the season. Brodowski would only appear in 36 games over four seasons with the Senators and Indians. After appearing in one game for the Class A Reading Indians in 1960, Brodowski retired. For his big league career, Brodowski was 9-11 over 72 games, with a 4.76 ERA.
Building the Set
June 22, 1993 in Ocean City, NJ - Card #113
Like the Bill Tremel (#96) and Spook Jacobs (#151) cards, this card isn't in the best of shape and there's no way my Dad was with me when this was purchased from Only Yesterday on the boardwalk in Ocean City, New Jersey. My Dad would have rejected this card outright for our set given its condition, including a few visible creases on the front. This Brodowski card was purchased along with the cards for Tremel and Jacobs for $10 total. Up until a few years ago, Only Yesterday was located on the Ocean City boardwalk and it was one of the few stops that was a must-visit for me whenever I'd walk the boards. (The others being, and still being, Shriver's, Johnson's Popcorn, Manco & Manco's and the Surf Mall.)
June 22, 1993 in Ocean City, NJ - Card #113
Like the Bill Tremel (#96) and Spook Jacobs (#151) cards, this card isn't in the best of shape and there's no way my Dad was with me when this was purchased from Only Yesterday on the boardwalk in Ocean City, New Jersey. My Dad would have rejected this card outright for our set given its condition, including a few visible creases on the front. This Brodowski card was purchased along with the cards for Tremel and Jacobs for $10 total. Up until a few years ago, Only Yesterday was located on the Ocean City boardwalk and it was one of the few stops that was a must-visit for me whenever I'd walk the boards. (The others being, and still being, Shriver's, Johnson's Popcorn, Manco & Manco's and the Surf Mall.)
I missed a chunk of my spring semester of my freshman year of college due to a bad bout of mono. In the summer of 1993, after that freshman year, I was back at home. June 22nd would have been a Tuesday, so that's a strange day to be visiting the Ocean City boardwalk given I would have had a summer job somewhere.
The Card / Nationals Team Set
The main photo is the same used on Brodowski's 1954 and 1955 Topps cards, except this version has him wearing a Senators hat instead of a Red Sox hat. On the back, his trade from Boston to Washington is mentioned. On November 8, 1955, the Red Sox dealt Brodowski, Al Curtis, Neil Chrisley, Tex Clevenger and Karl Olson (#322) to the Senators for Bob Porterfield (#248), Johnny Schmitz (#298), Tom Umphlett and Mickey Vernon (#228). His minor league success is highlighted in the middle and right cartoon panels.
This is also the first (and only?) use of the black-yellow color combination in the set for the bars on the front of the card.
1956 Season
In his first season with the Senators, Brodowski appeared in only seven games, pitching 17 2/3 innings and struggling with an 0-3 record and a 9.17 ERA. He was demoted in May and didn't return to the Senators until September when rosters expanded. In the minors with the Louisville Colonels, Brodowski went 11-12 with a 4.55 ERA over 27 games overall and 25 starts.
Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card: 1952 Topps #404
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (6): 1952-1956, 1959
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1994 Topps Archives 1954 #221
14 - Brodowski non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 6/18/21.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
1956 Season
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First Mainstream Card: 1952 Topps #404
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (6): 1952-1956, 1959
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1994 Topps Archives 1954 #221
14 - Brodowski non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 6/18/21.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
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