 |
 |
Curtis Benjamin Roberts
Pittsburgh Pirates
Second Base
Born: August 16, 1929, Pineland, TX
Signed: Signed by the Boston Braves as an amateur free agent before 1951 season
Major League Teams: Kansas City Monarchs 1947-48; Pittsburgh Pirates 1954-56
Died: November 14, 1969, Oakland, CA (age 40)
Curt Roberts played for two seasons with the Kansas City Monarchs in the late 1940s before becoming the first black player in Pirates' franchise history in 1954. With the Monarchs as a teenager, Roberts batted .275 in 65 games over the 1948 and 1948 seasons. He earned a reputation as one of the best fielding second basemen in the league. Originally signed by the Braves in 1951, Roberts played steadily in the minors before earning a spot on the Pirates' opening day roster in 1954. He tripled off future Hall of Famer Robin Roberts (#180) in his first at-bat and would later double in the same game. With general manager Branch Rickey supporting him, Roberts was the regular second baseman for the Pirates that season, batting .232 in 134 games with 18 doubles, a home run and 36 RBIs. That would be his sole full season in the majors, as he was demoted to the minors early in the 1955 season and eventually lost his job in 1956 to Bill Mazeroski.
Roberts would continue to play professionally through the 1963 sesason in the Yankees, Dodgers and White Sox systems, finding success with the Denver Bears, then the Yankees' top farm team, in the late 1950s. In parts of three seasons with the Pirates, Roberts batted .223 in 171 games. His legacy has been revisited in recent years, with the Pirates recognizing his contributions to their franchise with various initiatives named for Roberts. He's credited with paving the way for other players in the years to come, including future Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente (#33).
 |
| December 25, 2007 |
December 28, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchase - Card #336
I last shared this full story with the Foster Castleman (#271) post in late December, 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 Roberts 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 / Pirates Team Set
Roberts has cards in the 1954, 1955 and 1956 Topps sets with all three cards using the exact same photo. The action shot would appear to show him out at home plate on a tag applied by what looks to be a Braves catcher. The cartoons on the back of the card highlight his recent success in the minor leagues and his strong defensive skills.
1956 Season
|
|
First Mainstream Card: 1954 Topps #242
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (3): 1954-56
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1994 Topps Archives 1954 #242
15 - Roberts non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 8/31/24.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
The Trading Card Database
Previous Card / Next Card
Order Collected: #288 Bob Cerv - New York Yankees / #308 "Chuck" Harmon - Cincinnati Redlegs
No comments:
Post a Comment