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George Zuverink
Baltimore Orioles
Pitcher
Bats: Right Throws: Right Height: 6'4" Weight: 195
Born: August 20, 1924, Holland, MI
Signed: Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent before 1946 season
Major League Teams: Cleveland Indians 1951-1952; Cincinnati Reds 1954; Detroit Tigers 1954-1955; Baltimore Orioles 1955-1959
George Zuverink spent the first eight seasons of his professional baseball career within the Cardinals, Indians, Reds and Tigers organizations before finally finding a home in the Orioles bullpen in 1955. A side-arming sinker ball pitcher, Zuverink emerged as one of the game's top relievers in 1956, leading the league with 62 appearances and 16 saves. He'd have an even better year in 1957, again leading the league with 56 appearances and pitching to an impressive 2.48 ERA in 112 2/3 innings pitched. A series of arm injuries derailed Zuverink's career, and after 45 appearances in 1958 out of the Orioles' bullpen, he was limited to just six games in 1959 before a demotion to the minors. Zuverink would attempt a comeback in 1960, but his big league career was over.
December 28, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchase - Card #334
The Card / Orioles Team Set
Despite having pitched in the league since 1951, this is only the third of Zuverink's mainstream baseball card appearances, to go along with his cards in the 1952 Topps and 1955 Bowman sets. The back of the card highlights his minor league success, his strong fielding skills and his control. It would seem as if Zuverink's control slipped somewhat as his career went on, as he owns 203 career walks to 223 career strikeouts.
1956 Season
The Orioles claimed Zuverink off waivers from the Tigers on July 8, 1955, and the 1956 season was the first full season the pitcher spent in Baltimore. Installed as the top reliever out of the Orioles' bullpen, Zuverink pitched 97 1/3 innings over his league-leading 62 appearances and converted 16 of 21 save opportunities. As told by his SABR biography, Zuverink was honored by the Maryland Firemen Association as the "Firemen's Favorite Fireman," between games of a double header on June 3rd.
Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card: 1952 Topps #199
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (5): 1952, 1956-1959
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 2011 Topps Lineage Autographs #RA-GZ
23 - Zuverink non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 1/29/24.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
Pitcher
Born: August 20, 1924, Holland, MI
Signed: Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent before 1946 season
Major League Teams: Cleveland Indians 1951-1952; Cincinnati Reds 1954; Detroit Tigers 1954-1955; Baltimore Orioles 1955-1959
Died: September 8, 2014, Tempe, AZ (age 90)
George Zuverink spent the first eight seasons of his professional baseball career within the Cardinals, Indians, Reds and Tigers organizations before finally finding a home in the Orioles bullpen in 1955. A side-arming sinker ball pitcher, Zuverink emerged as one of the game's top relievers in 1956, leading the league with 62 appearances and 16 saves. He'd have an even better year in 1957, again leading the league with 56 appearances and pitching to an impressive 2.48 ERA in 112 2/3 innings pitched. A series of arm injuries derailed Zuverink's career, and after 45 appearances in 1958 out of the Orioles' bullpen, he was limited to just six games in 1959 before a demotion to the minors. Zuverink would attempt a comeback in 1960, but his big league career was over.
In 265 big league games, Zuverink was 32-36 with a 3.54 ERA and 40 saves.
Building the SetDecember 28, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchase - Card #334
I last shared this full story with the Foster Castleman (#271) 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 Zuverink card was one of the final 29. It was one of the commons included in a memorable haul that included the cards of Pee Wee Reese (#260), Roberto Clemente (#33), Whitey Ford (#240) and a spotless checklist card for the 1st and 3rd Series.
The Card / Orioles Team Set
Despite having pitched in the league since 1951, this is only the third of Zuverink's mainstream baseball card appearances, to go along with his cards in the 1952 Topps and 1955 Bowman sets. The back of the card highlights his minor league success, his strong fielding skills and his control. It would seem as if Zuverink's control slipped somewhat as his career went on, as he owns 203 career walks to 223 career strikeouts.
1956 Season
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First Mainstream Card: 1952 Topps #199
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (5): 1952, 1956-1959
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 2011 Topps Lineage Autographs #RA-GZ
23 - Zuverink non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 1/29/24.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
The Trading Card Database
Previous Card / Next Card
Order Collected: #271 Foster Castleman - New York Giants / #288 Bob Cerv - New York Yankees
That was a very sweet way to finish your set!
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