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Jerald Lee Schoonmaker
Washington Nationals
Outfield
Born: December 14, 1933, Seymour, MO
Signed: Signed by the Washington Senators as an amateur free agent (bonus baby), May 29, 1955
Major League Teams: Washington Senators 1955, 1957
Died: March 18, 2018, Dyer, IN (age 84)
After a successful college career at the University of Missouri, Jerry Schoonmaker was signed as a bonus baby by the Senators, meaning he had to remain on their major league roster for the beginning of his professional career. Schoonmaker was used infrequently in 1955, appearing in 20 games and batting .152 (7 for 46). He hit his first and only career home run on July 23, 1955 off the Tigers' Steve Gromek (#310). Missing the entire 1956 season while serving in the military, Schoonmaker returned to the Senators and played in 30 games with the club in 1957. He spent the entire 1958 season in the minor leagues, and underwent eye surgery following the season to remove a sliver of metal that had hit him in his left eye while on a construction job. With his eyesight impaired, Schoonmaker retired from baseball at the age of 25. In 50 major league games, he batted .130 (9 for 69).
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| 1957 Topps #334 |
Summer of 1983 or 1984 in Millville, NJ - Card #25
This was one of the Original 44, and I re-told the story of how my Dad and I started collecting this set with the Early Wynn (#187) post, back in January. Seven of the Original 44 came from series one, with 11 coming from series two, and this Schoonmaker card is the seventh of 16 from series three.
This was one of the Original 44, and I re-told the story of how my Dad and I started collecting this set with the Early Wynn (#187) post, back in January. Seven of the Original 44 came from series one, with 11 coming from series two, and this Schoonmaker card is the seventh of 16 from series three.
The Card / Nationals Team Set
It sure does look as if the action shot portrays a ball getting past Schoonmaker in the outfield. If the photo was taken during an actual game, it most likely came from the August 16, 1955 contest against the Orioles. Schoonmaker started that game in center field and committed his only major league error in the eighth inning. With two outs and Hal Smith (#62) on first base, Chuck Diering (#19) singled to center with Smith scoring and Diering advancing to second base on an E8.
The cartoon panels on the back highlight his successful college baseball career. The final panel highlights that Schoonmaker was on the U.S. team that won a silver medal at the 1955 Pan American Games. Winning the gold medal that year was the team from the Dominican Republic, which included future major leaguers Felipe Alou and Julian Javier.
1956 Season
1956 Season
Schoonmaker missed the entire 1956 season while serving with the U.S. Army during the Korean War.
Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card: 1956 Topps #216
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (2): 1956-1957
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1957 Topps #334
2 - Schoonmaker non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 8/12/22.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
First Mainstream Card: 1956 Topps #216
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (2): 1956-1957
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1957 Topps #334
2 - Schoonmaker non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 8/12/22.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
The Trading Card Database
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Order Collected: #210 Mike Garcia - Cleveland Indians / #218 Joe Nuxhall - Cincinnati Redlegs
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