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Walter Charles Post
Cincinnati Redlegs
Outfield
Born: July 9, 1929, St. Wendelin, OH
Signed: Signed by the Cincinnati Reds as an amateur free agent before 1946 season
Major League Teams: Cincinnati Reds 1949, 1951-1953; Cincinnati Redlegs 1954-1957; Philadelphia Phillies 1958-1960; Cincinnati Reds 1960-1963; Minnesota Twins 1963; Cleveland Indians 1964
Died: January 6, 1982, St. Henry, OH (age 52)
Slugger Wally Post spent the bulk of his 15-year big league career with his hometown Reds, hitting at least 20 home runs in four different seasons but also leading the league in strikeouts three times. His best season came in 1955 when he batted .309 with 40 home runs and 109 RBIs - all three setting career bests. In 1957, Post was one of eight Reds players voted to start in the All-Star Game in a ballot-stuffing drive spearheaded by Reds' management. Commissioner Ford Frick removed Post and two of his teammates, replacing them with Hank Aaron (#31), Willie Mays (#130) and Stan Musial. As a member of the Phillies, Post ended Aaron's record-setting streak of six wins in a row in the televised Home Run Derby TV series in 1960.
Post never appeared in the postseason. In 1,204 career games, he batted .266 with 210 home runs and 699 RBIs. Post was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1965, following his retirement from baseball.
Building the Set
September 25, 2005 in Ft. Washington, PA - Card #262
This was a late edition to our set and one of 11 cards we purchased at the 92nd Philadelphia Sports Card Show held at the convention center in Ft. Washington. My records show we paid $7 for this card. With the Ocean City baseball card shows long gone by now, our only options for local baseball card shows were the "Philly Shows" held in Ft. Washington at the time or the occasional mall baseball card show.
My Dad didn't like the drive to Ft. Washington, and this would have been one of only a few shows we attended together in this location. Our next show together was a few months later in December, also in Ft. Washington. Looking at my records of when and where we purchased our cards, a full year would go by before we'd add any more cards to the set after that December show.
The year-long hiatus in collecting the set came at a time my wife and I were expecting our first son and as we moved into our first real house, so we had a pretty good excuse not to be purchasing baseball cards at the time.
The Card / Redlegs Team Set
This card marks the return to a Topps set for Post after a four year absence. Having appeared in the 1952 Topps set, his next mainstream baseball card wouldn't show up until the 1955 Bowman set was released. The action shot might show Post diving back to first after a pick-off throw from the pitcher?
Building the Set
September 25, 2005 in Ft. Washington, PA - Card #262
This was a late edition to our set and one of 11 cards we purchased at the 92nd Philadelphia Sports Card Show held at the convention center in Ft. Washington. My records show we paid $7 for this card. With the Ocean City baseball card shows long gone by now, our only options for local baseball card shows were the "Philly Shows" held in Ft. Washington at the time or the occasional mall baseball card show.
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| August 14, 2005 - Dad and me at Yankee Stadium |
The year-long hiatus in collecting the set came at a time my wife and I were expecting our first son and as we moved into our first real house, so we had a pretty good excuse not to be purchasing baseball cards at the time.
The Card / Redlegs Team Set
This card marks the return to a Topps set for Post after a four year absence. Having appeared in the 1952 Topps set, his next mainstream baseball card wouldn't show up until the 1955 Bowman set was released. The action shot might show Post diving back to first after a pick-off throw from the pitcher?
The cartoons on the back highlight his 40-home run year in 1955 and the fact he was converted from a pitcher to an outfielder by the Reds in 1948. His strong throwing arm is highlighted in the final panel. Post led all right fielders in assists in 1954 and 1959, and was in the top five for assists among all National League outfielders in four different seasons.
1956 Season
Post was again the regular right fielder for the Reds, appearing in 143 games while batting .249. His 36 home runs where two behind Frank Robinson for the team lead, and his 83 RBIs were tied for second on the team with Robinson. Ted Kluszewski (#25) won the Reds' team RBI title with 102. The Reds hit 221 home runs in 1956, tying the since broken record of most home runs hit by one team in any season.
Phillies Career
On December 16, 1957, Post was traded to the Phillies for pitcher Harvey Haddix (#77). Post was the Phillies' opening day right fielder in 1958, ultimately appearing in 110 games for the cellar-dwelling club. His playing time increased to 132 games in 1959 and he led the National League in strikeouts with 101, with the Phillies once again finishing in eighth place. Post began the 1960 season as a fourth outfielder with the Phillies, having lost his starting job. In 34 games with the club, he batted .286, before a June 15th trade sent him back to Cincinnati. The Phillies received Tony Gonzalez and Lee Walls in return, with Fred Hopke and Harry Anderson heading to the Reds with Post. In 276 games with the Phillies, Post batted .269 with 36 home runs and 168 RBIs. He appears on Phillies cards in the 1958, 1959 and 1960 Topps flagship sets, but my personal favorite card of his appears in the 1958 Hires Root Beer set. (I'm still in need of this card for my Phillies collection as of this writing.)
Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card: 1952 Topps #151
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (10): 1952, 1956-1964
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 2006 SP Legendary Cuts #76
60 - Post non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 7/10/21.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
The Phillies Room
SABR
The Trading Card Database
1956 Season
Phillies Career
On December 16, 1957, Post was traded to the Phillies for pitcher Harvey Haddix (#77). Post was the Phillies' opening day right fielder in 1958, ultimately appearing in 110 games for the cellar-dwelling club. His playing time increased to 132 games in 1959 and he led the National League in strikeouts with 101, with the Phillies once again finishing in eighth place. Post began the 1960 season as a fourth outfielder with the Phillies, having lost his starting job. In 34 games with the club, he batted .286, before a June 15th trade sent him back to Cincinnati. The Phillies received Tony Gonzalez and Lee Walls in return, with Fred Hopke and Harry Anderson heading to the Reds with Post. In 276 games with the Phillies, Post batted .269 with 36 home runs and 168 RBIs. He appears on Phillies cards in the 1958, 1959 and 1960 Topps flagship sets, but my personal favorite card of his appears in the 1958 Hires Root Beer set. (I'm still in need of this card for my Phillies collection as of this writing.)
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First Mainstream Card: 1952 Topps #151
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (10): 1952, 1956-1964
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 2006 SP Legendary Cuts #76
60 - Post non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 7/10/21.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
The Phillies Room
SABR
The Trading Card Database
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