Friday, January 13, 2023

#234 "Pete" Runnels - Washington Nationals


James Edward Runnels
Washington Nationals
Second Base

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  170
Born:  January 28, 1928, Lufkin, TX
Acquired:  Purchased by the Washington Senators from the Texarkana Bears (Big State League) for $12,500, September 1950
Major League Teams:  Washington Senators 1951-1957; Boston Red Sox 1958-1962; Houston Colt .45s 1963-1964
As a Manager:  Boston Red Sox 1966
Died:  May 20, 1991, Pasadena, TX (age 63)

Pete Runnels began his big league career playing in seven seasons for the Washington Senators, but he'd enjoy his best years with the Red Sox following a trade to Boston in early 1958.  Runnels earned the everyday shortstop job with the Senators in mid-1951.  He'd hit for average, with little power, seemingly peaking in 1956 with a .310 average to lead Washington.  On January 23, 1958, Runnels was traded to the Red Sox for Albie Pearson and Norm Zauchin (#89), and he'd be named to both All-Star teams in 1959 and 1960.  After finishing second and third in the batting title races in 1958 and 1959, he'd win his first batting title in 1960 with a .320 mark.  Runnels would tie a major league record on August 30, 1960, when he collected nine hits in a double header against the Tigers.  He would win his second batting title in 1962, batting .326 to beat out league MVP Mickey Mantle (#135) and his .321 average.  In his fifth All-Star Game in 1962, Runnels hit a pinch-hit home run off the Phillies' Art Mahaffey.

Following his batting title win in 1962, he requested and was granted a trade to the Colt .45s, in his home state, where he'd play the final two seasons of his career.  He'd return to Boston as a first base coach in 1965 and 1966, briefly serving as interim manager at the end of the 1966 season following the dismissal of Billy Herman.  In 1,799 major league games, Runnels batted .291 with 1,854 hits, including 282 doubles.  He was inducted posthumously into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2004.

Building the Set
April 22, 2000 in Raleigh, NC - Card #201
This Runnels card was added to our set for $5 at the Sports Card & NASCAR Collectibles Show held in Raleigh, North Carolina a week after tax deadline day and the day before Easter.  I bought six cards that day, paying a grand total of $20.  Pictures from this time in my life are few and far between, but it looks as if my parents paid a visit to Raleigh for Easter weekend as I have photos of them dressed for what has to be for a church service.  We're standing outside the apartment complex where I was living at the time.  And it's quite possible my Dad attended this baseball card show in Raleigh with me, which would have been a rarity in those days.  I found my notes on the back of the pink show flyer, memorializing the prices paid for the six cards we added.  Also added that day were 1972 Topps cards for Boog Powell and Roberto Clemente.

This day is also notable as it's almost 10 years to the day before our youngest son Ben was born.  There were some bumpy roads coming up for a few years, but eventually things got back on track.

The Card / Nationals Team Set
Runnels wasn't included in the 1955 Topps set, and he returns here after a one year absence.  Topps made the decision to add quotes around his nickname, "Pete," on the front of the card.  I set out trying to identify the action photo, as #39 wasn't a common uniform number for teams in the 1950s.  The only #39s in the American League in 1955 were Bob Smith from the Red Sox and Bob Wiesler (#327) from the Yankees.  Smith appeared in one game in 1955, and not against the Senators.  The Yankees wouldn't have had red uniform numbers, so I don't think that's Weisler, but double checking his game logs there wren't any plays at second base in the three games Weisler faced the Senators.  I went back to 1952, looking through game logs for players wearing #39 and appearing against the Senators and I couldn't find any logical fits.

The back of the card highlights his high average in 1955 (.284) and his ability to play multiple positions.  The final cartoon panel refers to an injury suffered in 1953.  Runnels made just one start at shortstop between July 29th and August 18th that season, so he may have been injured during that stretch.  Baseball Reference shows he made nine pinch-hitting appearances all season, batting .333 (3 for 9).  I'm not quite sure where Topps got their .400 average from, as Runnels wasn't actually in a pinch-hitting role for a prolonged stretch.

1956 Season
Runnels was the opening day second baseman for the Senators, and he'd make 144 starts overall - 79 at first base and 65 at second base.  He drove in a career-high 76 runs, which was third on the club behind Jim Lemon with 96 and Roy Sievers (#75) with 95.  Runnels batted .310 overall, and was third in the league in singles (133), fourth in the league in doubles (29) and sixth in the league in overall hits (179).

1952 Topps #2
1954 Topps #6
1959 Topps #370
1962 Topps #3
1964 Topps #121

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1952 Topps #2
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (12):  1952-1954, 1956-1964
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2001 Fleer Boston Red Sox 100th Anniversary #18

84 - Runnels non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 1/13/23.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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