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Hershell Baskin Freeman
Cincinnati Redlegs
Pitcher
Born: July 1, 1928, Gadsden, AL
Signed: Signed by the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent before 1948 season
Major League Teams: Boston Red Sox 1952-1953, 1955; Cincinnati Reds 1955-1958; Chicago Cubs 1958
Died: January 17, 2004, Orlando, FL (age 75)
Hersh Freeman spent parts of six seasons in the majors, finding his most success as a Reds' reliever in the mid-1950s. He was a September call-up by the Red Sox in 1952, and despite being used primarily as a relief pitcher in the minor leagues, manager Lou Boudreau assigned him the start on September 26th against the Senators. Freeman threw a complete game victory, his only complete game in the majors, and in one of only three starts he'd make in his big league career. Used sparingly by the Red Sox over the next few seasons, Freeman was claimed off waivers by the Redlegs in May 1955. He immediately became one of the most frequently used relievers out of Cincinnati's bullpen, making 52, 64 and 52 appearances respectively in 1955, 1956 and 1957. Freeman pitched a career high 108 2/3 innings in 1956, leading the league with 47 games finished and earning MVP votes following the season.
Freeman's decline was swift, and after only 12 games in 1958 with the Reds and Cubs, his big league pitching career was over. He'd stay with the Reds' organization until 1963 as a scout and minor league manager. For his career, Freeman was 30-16 in 204 games pitched, with a 3.74 ERA and 36 saves.
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| October 27, 2007 - First Halloween |
October 31, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchases - Card #312
Our first son Doug was born in December 2006, and this happy event led directly to my Dad visiting us on a more regular basis. Dad was living by himself at this point in Mays Landing, New Jersey and he detested the 40 minute ride north to our house. Among all the very positive memories I have of my Dad, one of my few negative memories is the fact that he absolutely seemed to loathe driving and that loathing increased exponentially if there was traffic or if it were dark. But he made the trips anyway, sometimes staying no more than an hour, because he was so incredibly anxious and excited to spend time with his grandson.
By the time his second grandson (Ben) was born in April 2010, my Dad's health had begun failing and whatever visits we had were pre-arranged or consisted of us visiting him. Which is why these visits during Doug's infancy and first few years are so special to me. My Dad would show up, ecstatic to see Doug, there would be some small talk and we'd complain about the Phillies, and then he'd leave. But on his way out, he'd always say he'd see us again in a few days and I'd look forward to these visits.
This background is needed to better explain how this Freeman card came into our set. In 2007, My Dad's days mostly consisted of an occasional round of golf, calls and visits to his kids - my sister and me, watching cable news, an afternoon nap and scouring eBay. Most (but not all) of his eBay purchases benefitted me in the form of 1956 Topps cards we needed for our set. He'd show up at our house for a visit with Doug and nonchalantly hand me one of his recent purchases. He handed me this Freeman card on Halloween 2007, as he was visiting to watch Doug go Trick or Treating for a little bit.
Throughout 2007, I suspect he had a backlog of purchased 1956 Topps cards piled up on his desk at his house, and he'd grab one or two to deliver to me as he was heading out the door to make the 40 minute drive to visit Doug. Not to ruin the ending for this blog, but this is how we finished the 1956 Topps set. Not with one last glorious purchase at a baseball card show, but with my Dad systematically and methodically checking off cards from our checklist through eBay purchases.
Together with my Mom, he'd deliver the last 29 cards we needed to complete the set as a Christmas present to me that year.
The Card / Redlegs Team Set
Freeman's rookie card can be found in the 1955 Bowman set, and this is his first Topps card. In the first cartoon panel on the back of the card, Topps refers to Freeman as a "reliefer," which of course isn't actually a word. His two seasons pitching for the Triple-A Louisville Colonels, then the Red Sox top farm team, are highlighted in the last cartoon panel. Freeman was 19-16 in 105 games for the Colonels between 1952 and 1954, pitching to a 2.79 ERA.
With 342 cards in the 1956 Topps set, this blog is just 100 posts away from wrapping up. If I stick to one post a week (usually Fridays), that puts the date for the final post at February 7, 2025. Having started this blog in October 2015, I like the symmetry of having collected the set for 20 years and then writing about it for 10.
1956 Season
Freeman's statistics were a little better in 1955, but 1956 was a very good year for the reliever too. He was 14-5 overall with a 3.40 ERA and 17 saves, second in the league behind the 19 saves by Brooklyn's Clem Labine (#295). Freeman's 64 relief appearances doubled the next closest Reds' reliever as Joe Black (#178) made it into 32 games.
1956 Season
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First Mainstream Card: 1955 Bowman #290
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (3): 1956-1958
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1979 TCMA 50's #120
12 - Freeman non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 3/8/23.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
The Trading Card Database
Previous Card / Next Card
Set Order: #241 Don Mueller - New York Giants / #243 Sherm Lollar - Chicago White Sox
Order Collected: #332 Don Larsen - New York Yankees / #329 Lou Berberet - Washington Nationals
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