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John Calvin Klippstein
Cincinnati Redlegs
Pitcher
Born: October 17, 1927, Washington, DC
Signed: Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent before 1944 season
Major League Teams: Chicago Cubs 1950-1954; Cincinnati Reds 1955-1958; Los Angeles Dodgers 1958-1959; Cleveland Indians 1960; Washington Senators 1961; Cincinnati Reds 1962; Philadelphia Phillies 1963-1964; Minnesota Twins 1964-1966; Detroit Tigers 1967
Died: October 10, 2003, Elgin, IL (age 75)
Johnny Klippstein enjoyed an 18-year major league career, playing for eight different teams and winning a World Series ring with the Dodgers in 1959. Klippstein spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Cubs and Reds as a swing man, appearing in at least 30 games and making at least 11 starts in each season between 1950 and 1957. He was at his peak in 1955 and 1956 with the Reds, going 21-21 over the two-year period with a 3.82 ERA over 76 games pitched, including 14 complete games and two shutouts. He went 4-0 for the National League Champion Dodgers in 1959, and was often on the move over the next eight seasons. Along with Jack Baldschun, he was one of the Phillies' most effective relievers in 1963, pitching to a 1.93 ERA over 49 appearances and saving eight games. Klippstein also played a key role in the Twins' clinching of the American League pennant in 1965, as he appeared in 56 games, all in relief, while compiling an impressive 2.24 ERA over 76 1/3 innings pitched.
He retired following the 1967 season having appeared in 711 games. Klippstein had a record of 101-118 with a 4.24 ERA and 1,158 strikeouts to go along with 65 career saves.
Some text for this post appeared on my 1965 Topps blog.
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| October 4, 2007 - Before NLDS Game 2 |
October 3, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchases - Card #306
My records show my Dad gave me this card on my actual birthday, and I received five more cards four days later when we officially celebrated with family. I'm not sure why my Dad pulled this Klippstein out of the pile of five cards I'd receive a few days later, other than maybe he felt Klippstein didn't have the star power of the other five. On October 7th, he gave me Roger Craig (#63), Bill Bruton (#185), Bob Feller (#200), Don Newcombe (#235) and Don Larsen (#332).
The day after my birthday, I attended my first ever Phillies playoff game with my wife Jenna. The Phillies were unceremoniously rocked by the Rockies, 10-5, with Kaz Matsui hitting a crushing grand slam off Phillies' reliever Kyle Lohse in the fourth inning.
The Card / Redlegs Team Set
Klippstein was omitted from the 1955 Topps set, and the portrait photo used here is the same as his 1954 Topps card. The back of the card highlights his success with the Reds in 1955, following his trade from the Cubs on October 1, 1954, with Jim Willis for Jim Bolger, Harry Perkowski and Ted Tappe. His one-hitter came on September 11, 1955 in the first game of a double header against the Dodgers at Crosley Field. Pee Wee Reese (#260) singled to right field with one out in the ninth, spoiling the no-hit bid.
1956 Season
Klippstein won a career-high 12 games with the Reds, appearing in 37 games and making 29 starts. He was 12-11 with a 4.09 ERA, with 11 complete games and 211 (also a career-high) innings pitched. Klippstein was a solid number three starter for the third place Reds, behind Brooks Lawrence (#305) and Joe Nuxhall (#218), who won 19 and 13 games respectively.
Phillies Career
The Reds sold Klippstein to the Phillies on March 25, 1963, and he was the team's best reliever that season. He made one spot start, but relieved in 48 games, going 5-6 over 112 innings pitched. Five of his relief appearances went at least six innings, and he was one of the reasons the Phillies finished with 87 wins, their highest total since 1952. Klippstein saw his role in the bullpen diminish in 1964 and he was used only 11 times in the team's first 61 games. Needing a roster spot for returning starting pitcher Cal McLish, Klippstein was placed on waivers and eventually had his contract sold to the Twins. The Twins and Phillies fortunes went in opposite directions from that point forward. In 60 games with the Phillies, Klippstein was 7-7 with a 2.28 ERA and nine saves.
Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card: 1951 Bowman #248
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (15): 1952-1954, 1956-1967
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1994 Topps Archives 1954 #31
53 - Klippstein non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 5/6/23.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
The Card / Redlegs Team Set
Klippstein was omitted from the 1955 Topps set, and the portrait photo used here is the same as his 1954 Topps card. The back of the card highlights his success with the Reds in 1955, following his trade from the Cubs on October 1, 1954, with Jim Willis for Jim Bolger, Harry Perkowski and Ted Tappe. His one-hitter came on September 11, 1955 in the first game of a double header against the Dodgers at Crosley Field. Pee Wee Reese (#260) singled to right field with one out in the ninth, spoiling the no-hit bid.
1956 Season
The Reds sold Klippstein to the Phillies on March 25, 1963, and he was the team's best reliever that season. He made one spot start, but relieved in 48 games, going 5-6 over 112 innings pitched. Five of his relief appearances went at least six innings, and he was one of the reasons the Phillies finished with 87 wins, their highest total since 1952. Klippstein saw his role in the bullpen diminish in 1964 and he was used only 11 times in the team's first 61 games. Needing a roster spot for returning starting pitcher Cal McLish, Klippstein was placed on waivers and eventually had his contract sold to the Twins. The Twins and Phillies fortunes went in opposite directions from that point forward. In 60 games with the Phillies, Klippstein was 7-7 with a 2.28 ERA and nine saves.
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First Mainstream Card: 1951 Bowman #248
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (15): 1952-1954, 1956-1967
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1994 Topps Archives 1954 #31
53 - Klippstein non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 5/6/23.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
Previous Card / Next Card
Order Collected: #254 George Crowe - Milwaukee Braves / #63 Roger Craig - Brooklyn Dodgers
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