Sunday, April 30, 2023

#248 Bob Porterfield - Boston Red Sox


Erwin Cooledge Porterfield
Boston Red Sox
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  190
Born:  August 10, 1923, Newport, VA
Signed:  Signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent before 1946 season
Major League Teams:   New York Yankees 1948-1951; Washington Senators 1951-1955; Boston Red Sox 1956--1958; Pittsburgh Pirates 1958-1959; Chicago Cubs 1959; Pittsburgh Pirates 1959
Died:  April 28, 1980, Charlotte, NC (age 56)

A veteran of a dozen big league seasons, Bob Porterfield spent his best years as a starting pitcher for the Senators in the early 1950s.  Originally drafted by the Yankees, he saw limited playing time with the club between 1948 and early 1951, making a few spot starts in between frequent trips back to the Yankees'  farm teams in Newark or Kansas City.  Porterfield would get a chance for regular pitching appearances when the Senators acquired him with Tom Ferrick and Fred Sanford in June 1951 in exchange for Bob Kuzava.  Inserted into the Senators' starting pitching rotation, Porterfield would make 138 starts over the next five seasons.  His career best year came in 1953 when he was 22-10 with a 3.35 ERA, while leading the league with 24 complete games and nine shutouts.  Porterfield finished seventh in that year's MVP voting and was named The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year.  He was named to the American League All-Stars in 1954, and while his numbers slipped, he still led the league with 21 complete games.

Porterfield was never the same following the 1954 season, which could be a result of his heavy workload while with the Senators.  Struggling with control, he had a few seasons in which his walks exceeded his strikeouts.  He was included in a nine-player trade with the Red Sox in November 1955, and he'd pitch for four more seasons with the Red Sox, Pirates (two stints), and Cubs, primarily as a reliever.  He found some late career success in 1958 with the Pirates, saving five games.  Porterfield had an 87-97 lifetime record with a 3.79 ERA in 318 games pitched, and he was posthumously inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.

December 24, 2007 - Dad and Doug
Building the Set
December 28, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchase - Card #330
I last shared this full story with the Whitey Ford (#240) post, but I'll repeat myself, in an edited version, here.  The way my Dad and I finished the 1956 Topps set was somewhat anti-climatic but nevertheless a joyful memory.  Leading up to the Christmas of 2007, my Dad (with the help of my Mom) scoured eBay and other online baseball card stores for the remaining 29 cards we needed to complete the set.  Throughout the weeks and months leading up to the holidays, he knew we had completed the set but he kept it quiet, wanting to surprise me on Christmas morning.  I have no idea, and I'll never know, what the true last card was that he acquired to finish off the set.  And I have no record, nor was he able to tell me, how much they had paid for any of these final 29 cards.  This Porterfield card was one of the final 29.

The Card / Red Sox Team Set
Porterfield appeared exclusively with Bowman in 1954 and 1955, and this marks his return to Topps.  Maybe Topps had time to get new photos of the pitcher in a Red Sox uniform, but he's more likely wearing Senators gear here and the Topps' artists went to work to switch him over to the Red Sox.  The cartoons on the back highlight his acquisition from the Senators, his career year of 1953 and also mentions the injuries that hampered him during 1954 and 1955.

Porterfield's full name is on display on the back, and per his SABR biography, "Erwin's father began calling him 'Bob' when he was 6, for reasons unknown."

1956 Season
Porterfield had a forgettable 1956 season with his new club, going 3-12 with a 5.14 ERA in 25 games, including 18 starts.  He missed time with a sprained ankle and a circulatory problem that caused several fingers in his pitching hand to go numb.  In 126 innings pitched, Porterfield walked 64 and struck out 53.

1949 Bowman #3
1950 Bowman #216
1953 Topps #108
1957 Topps #118
1959 Topps #181

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1949 Bowman #3
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (6):  1952-1953, 1956-1959
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1991 Topps Archives 1953 #108

39 - Porterfield non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 4/30/23.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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Saturday, April 22, 2023

#247 Bill Sarni - St. Louis Cardinals


William Florine Sarni
St. Louis Cardinals
Catcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  180
Born:  September 19, 1927, Los Angeles, CA
Acquired:  Drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals from the Shreveport Sports (Texas League) in the 1949 minor league draft, December 5, 1949
Major League Teams:  St. Louis Cardinals 1951-1952, 1954-1956; New York Giants 1956
Died:  April 15, 1983, Creve Coeur, MO (age 55)

As a teenager, catcher Bill Sarni played in parts of four seasons in the Cubs organization, and he was playing with the unaffiliated Shreveport Sports when the Cardinals selected him in the 1949 minor league draft.  Sarni would spend the 1950 season back in the minors before making his big league debut on May 9, 1951.  After appearing in 36 games with St. Louis in 1951, he'd see just three big league games in 1952, and spend all of 1953 back in the minors.  In 1954, he assumed regular catching duties for the Cardinals when Del Rice was injured in early June.  Sarni would enjoy his best season, batting .300 in 123 games with nine home runs and 70 RBIs.  He led all National League catchers with a .996 fielding percentage and with 12 double plays turned.  Sarni would again serve as the most used catcher by the Cardinals in 1955, and was dealt to the Giants as part of a big 10-player trade in June 1956.  Sarni would appear in 78 games for the Giants to finish out the season, his last action in the majors.

During spring training in 1957, Sarni suffered a heart attack at just 29 years old, ending his playing career.  He'd serve briefly as a coach for the Giants in 1957 and as a coach for the Rochester Red Wings in the Cardinals' organization in 1958.  In 390 major league games, Sarni batted .263 with 22 home runs and 151 RBIs.

Building the Set
Summer of 1983 or 1984 in Millville, NJ - Card #30
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 Walt Dropo (#238) post, back in February.  Seven of the Original 44 came from series one, with 11 coming from series two, and this Sarni card is the twelvth of 16 from series three.

The Card / Cardinals Team Set
A quick search of Getty Images led me to the original photograph used for the action shot here.  That's the Dodgers' Jim Gilliam (#280) being tagged out by Sarni in a play at the plate on May 5, 1955.  In the bottom of the fifth, with the game tied at 3-3, Gilliam doubled to lead off the inning, went to third when Pee Wee Reese (#260) grounded to second, and attempted to score on a Duke Snider (#150) grounder to second.  Cardinals' second baseman Red Schoendienst (#165) threw home to catch Gilliam, but the Dodgers would ultimately win, 4-3.  That's home plate umpire Frank Dascoli about to call Gilliam out.

The back of the card highlights Sarni beginning his professional baseball career at the age of 15.  In 1943, he appeared in 33 games for the Double-A Los Angeles Angels in the Pacific Coast League.

1956 Season
Sarni was the opening day catcher for the Cardinals, and in 43 games with the club he batted .291 with five home runs and 22 RBIs.  On June 14th, Sarni, Jackie Brandt, Dick Littlefield, Schoedienst and two players to be named later were traded to the Giants for Al Dark (#148), Ray Katt, Don Liddle (#325), Whitey Lockman (#205) and cash.  Hal Smith (#283) and Katt would become the primary catchers for the Cardinals, with Sarni serving as the primary catcher for the Giants for the rest of the season.  In 78 games for the Giants, he batted .231 with five home runs and 23 RBIs, and his last game as a major leaguer would unexpectedly come that September 18th.

1954 Topps #194
1955 Bowman #30
1957 Topps #86

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1954 Topps #194
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (3):  1954, 1956-1957
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1994 Topps Archives 1954 #194

11 - Sarni non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 4/22/23.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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Sunday, April 16, 2023

#246 Tom Gorman - Kansas City Athletics


Thomas Aloysius Gorman
Kansas City Athletics
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  190
Born:  January 4, 1925, New York, NY
Signed:  Signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent before 1946 season
Major League Teams:  New York Yankees 1952-1954; Kansas City Athletics 1955-1959
Died:  December 26, 1992, Valley Stream, NY (age 67)

Tom Gorman pitched in parts of eight seasons in the major leagues, winning World Series rings with the Yankees in 1952 and 1953.  As a middle reliever and occasional closer for those Yankees teams, he appeared in two World Series games against the Dodgers, recording the final outs in the ninth inning in Game 3 of the 1952 World Series (the Yankees would lose 5-3), and pitching three innings of relief in a 7-3 loss to the Dodgers in Game 4 of the 1953 World Series.  He was sold to the Athletics, along with Ewell Blackwell and Dick Kryhoski on March 30, 1955, with the Yankees receiving $50,000 for all three players.

Gorman assumed closer duties for the Athletics in 1955, and was one of the team's best pitchers with a 7-6 record to go along with a 3.55 ERA and a team-leading 18 saves over 57 appearances.  He'd finish second that season behind the Indians Ray Narleski (#133) for the league leader in saves as Narleski notched 19.  Gorman continued as a steady and frequently used reliever for the Athletics through the 1958 season, and he appeared in only 17 games in 1959 with his last big league game coming on June 23, 1959.  He'd attempt a brief comeback in 1960, but his pitching days would soon end.  In 289 games, Gorman was 36-36 with a 3.77 ERA over 689 1/3 innings pitched with 44 career saves.

Building the Set
February 9, 2002 in Cooperstown, NY - Card #234
This is one of only four cards I purchased in 2002, which was one of the tougher years for me personally.  I made a solo unscheduled and unplanned trip to Cooperstown in early 2002 in an attempt to clear my mind one weekend.  It was an escape.  Thinking back on that time now 21 years later, I realize Cooperstown was a logical choice for me to make my escape as I could leave my present worries behind and live in the past for a few days.  I spent a lot of time walking around the Hall of Fame, taking my time and actually relaxing.

I didn't have a lot of money for this trip, but I visited Baseball Nostalgia that Saturday afternoon and purchased four cards for our 1956 Topps set, including this Gorman card.  The other three cards purchased were Jim Davis (#102), Don Kaiser (#124) and Joe Frazier (#141) and the four cards together cost me $18.50.  That's a fairly low price to pay for some much needed baseball card therapy.

I took my family to Cooperstown for the first time in November 2021, and I was happy to see Baseball Nostalgia was still open.  Unbeknownst to us at the time, the shop would close permanently (in January 2022) soon after our visit.  Had I known closure was imminent, I would have made a better effort to make one last purchase.

The Card / Athletics Team Set
This is Gorman's first mainstream baseball card to feature him with the Athletics, as he was omitted from both the 1955 Bowman and Topps sets.  This is also his first Topps flagship set appearance.  The middle cartoon panel on the back diplomatically explains Gorman had been buried in the Yankees' farm system for nine seasons and he was finally getting his chance to pitch with the Athletics.  The third panel seems to be inaccurate, as Baseball Reference shows Gorman only combined on one shutout, saving a 2-0 game over the Orioles on June 24, 1955, and securing the win for Arnie Portocarrero (#53).  The Athletics pitching staff threw nine shutouts in 1955, with Gorman only appearing in the June 24th game.

1956 Season
Gorman was 9-10 with a 3.83 ERA for the Athletics, making a career-high 13 starts and relieving in 39 games.  He pitched 171 1/3 innings and converted only four saves, as Bobby Shantz (#261) closed the majority of the team's games and earned nine saves.  Only starting pitcher Art Ditmar (#258) pitched in more innings for the 102-loss Athletics than Gorman, with Ditmar throwing 254 1/3.

Phillies Connection
Gorman wrapped up his professional pitching career with 34 games for the Indianapolis Indians in 1960, then the top farm team for the Phillies.  He's not to be confused with another Tom Gorman, a lefty pitcher, who pitched primarily for the Mets in the mid-1980s.  The lefty Gorman appeared in eight games for the 1986 Phillies, going 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA.

1952 Bowman Black & White #61
1954 Bowman #17
1957 Topps #87
1958 Topps #235
1959 Topps #449

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1953 Bowman Black & White #61
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (4):  1956-1959
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1959 Topps #449

15 - Gorman non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 4/16/23.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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