 |
 |
Frank Joseph Torre
Milwaukee Braves
First Base
Born: December 30, 1931, Brooklyn, NY
Signed: Signed by the Boston Braves as an amateur free agent, October 20, 1950
Major League Teams: Milwaukee Braves 1956-1960; Philadelphia Phillies 1962-1963
Died: September 13, 2014, Palm Beach Gardens, FL (age 82)
Frank Torre appeared in parts of seven big league seasons with the Braves and Phillies, and was the regular first baseman for the Braves in 1957 when they won their first (and only) World Championship in Milwaukee. Torre had seen limited playing time in 1956, but he was thrust into the line-up when regular first baseman Joe Adcock (#320) broke his leg on June 23, 1957. Torre hit an even .300 (3 for 10, with two home runs) in the 1957 World Series as the Braves shocked the Yankees, prevailing in seven games. Torre enjoyed a career year in 1958, batting .309 with six home runs and 55 RBIs (all career highs) as he started the season in a platoon with Adcock but soon won the every day job. The Braves couldn't repeat in the World Series though, falling this time to the Yankees in seven games. Torre and Adcock returned to a platoon in 1959, but by 1960 Adcock had developed into a more consistent hitter. After spending the entire 1961 season in the minors, Torre was sold to the Phillies, where he'd spend the final two seasons of his big league career.
Torre appeared in 714 games, batting .273 with 13 home runs and 179 RBIs. He'd later work for both Adirodack Bats and Rawlings Sporting Goods. In October 1996, Frank shared the national spotlight with his younger brother Joe, as Frank had heart transplant surgery the night before Joe would win his first World Series as manager of the Yankees.
Building the Set
September 2, 2000 from Shore Mall Baseball Card Show - Card #205
This is one of two cards purchased at the Shore Mall Baseball Card Show, held in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey on the first Saturday in September 2000. I can't say for certain, but I'm assuming my Dad and I attended this show together. The Shore Mall was once one of the best malls in South Jersey, and it had one of the largest and coolest hobby stores around - Beachcomber Coins & Collectibles. The store was huge and contained a large assortment of baseball cards, coins, comic books, action figures, trains, memorabilia and a whole host of other treasures. The store has apparently since left the Shore Mall and it now occupies an old Wawa on the Black Horse Pike in Egg Harbor Township. Again, I'm making assumptions here, but Beachcomber was most likely the sponsoring dealer at this show.
September 2, 2000 from Shore Mall Baseball Card Show - Card #205
This is one of two cards purchased at the Shore Mall Baseball Card Show, held in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey on the first Saturday in September 2000. I can't say for certain, but I'm assuming my Dad and I attended this show together. The Shore Mall was once one of the best malls in South Jersey, and it had one of the largest and coolest hobby stores around - Beachcomber Coins & Collectibles. The store was huge and contained a large assortment of baseball cards, coins, comic books, action figures, trains, memorabilia and a whole host of other treasures. The store has apparently since left the Shore Mall and it now occupies an old Wawa on the Black Horse Pike in Egg Harbor Township. Again, I'm making assumptions here, but Beachcomber was most likely the sponsoring dealer at this show.
We spent $20 on this Torre card and the Billy Goodman (#245) card, as dutifully noted in red ink on the back of one of our checklists dated August 31, 1999.
The Card / Braves Team Set
This is Torre's rookie card, and kudos to Topps for getting him a card in the set's second series as Torre had only made his debut earlier in the season on April 20th. It looks as if Torre is showing off his first base form while standing in the midst of a pleasant looking farm? The Topps cartoonist didn't have a lot of material to work with for the back of Torre's card, so we get a nebulous statement about his minor league record and a prediction for stardom, with his ability as a fine fielder highlighted in the middle.
1956 Season
Torre spent his rookie season as Adcock's back-up, appearing in 111 games, but making only 26 starts at first base. An excellent fielder, Torre was often used as a defensive replacement, and he appeared in 89 games in the field at first. In 159 at-bats, Torre batted .258 with six doubles and 16 RBIs.
Phillies Career
Torre spent the entire 1962 and 1963 seasons with the Phillies, appearing in a total of 200 games and batting .286. Only 56 of those 200 appearances were starts, and he was primarily used as a pinch-hitter or a late inning defensive replacement at first base for Roy Sievers (#75), repeating the relationship he had with Adcock while with the Braves. On May 3, 1962, Torre faced off against his former team, the Braves, for the first time, going 3 for 4 with a double and three RBIs. The game also marked the first time both Torre brothers appeared in a game together, although Joe departed the game in the second inning after being hit on the elbow by a pitch from Art Mahaffey.
Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card: 1956 Topps #172
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7): 1956-1960, 1962-1963
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 2012 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #RO-FTO
30 - Torre non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 10/15/21.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
The Phillies Room
SABR
The Trading Card Database
The Card / Braves Team Set
This is Torre's rookie card, and kudos to Topps for getting him a card in the set's second series as Torre had only made his debut earlier in the season on April 20th. It looks as if Torre is showing off his first base form while standing in the midst of a pleasant looking farm? The Topps cartoonist didn't have a lot of material to work with for the back of Torre's card, so we get a nebulous statement about his minor league record and a prediction for stardom, with his ability as a fine fielder highlighted in the middle.
1956 Season
Phillies Career
Torre spent the entire 1962 and 1963 seasons with the Phillies, appearing in a total of 200 games and batting .286. Only 56 of those 200 appearances were starts, and he was primarily used as a pinch-hitter or a late inning defensive replacement at first base for Roy Sievers (#75), repeating the relationship he had with Adcock while with the Braves. On May 3, 1962, Torre faced off against his former team, the Braves, for the first time, going 3 for 4 with a double and three RBIs. The game also marked the first time both Torre brothers appeared in a game together, although Joe departed the game in the second inning after being hit on the elbow by a pitch from Art Mahaffey.
|
|
|
|
|
First Mainstream Card: 1956 Topps #172
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7): 1956-1960, 1962-1963
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 2012 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #RO-FTO
30 - Torre non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 10/15/21.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
The Phillies Room
SABR
The Trading Card Database
No comments:
Post a Comment