Showing posts with label 1963. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1963. Show all posts

Friday, January 3, 2025

#314 Hobie Landrith - Chicago Cubs


Hobert Neal Landrith
Chicago Cubs
Catcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  170
Born:  March 16, 1930, Decatur, IL
Signed:  Signed by the Cincinnati Reds as an amateur free agent before 1949 season
Major League Teams:  Cincinnati Reds 1950-52; Cincinnati Redlegs 1953-55; Chicago Cubs 1956; St. Louis Cardinals 1957-58; San Francisco Giants 1959-61; New York Mets 1962; Baltimore Orioles 1962-63; Washington Senators 1963
Died:  April 6, 2023, Sunnyvale, CA (age 93)

Hobie Landrith played parts of 14 seasons in the majors, almost entirely as a second or third string catcher for seven different teams.  In terms of longevity, he spent the most time with his original team, the Reds/Redlegs, playing in six seasons as the back-up to Andy Seminick (#296) or Smoky Burgess (#192).  Landrith would have two seasons in the majors as a team's regular catcher, which also happened to be his best seasons - 1956 with the Cubs and 1959 with the Giants.  In the latter season, he played in 109 games for the Giants and batted .251 with three home runs and 29 RBIs.  His success in San Francisco led the Mets to select him as their first pick (and second overall) in the 1961 expansion draft.  Landrith was the first catcher in Mets' franchise history, getting the start on opening day 1962 and catching starting pitcher Roger Craig (#63).  But manager Casey Stengel gave up on Landrith after a poor showing on opening day, leading to a parade of different catchers for the Mets and Landrith's eventual trade to the Orioles that June. 

After a final season with the Senators in 1963, Landrith joined Washington's coaching staff for the 1964 season.  He'd quit after one season, leaving baseball behind, but coming back at least once as a guest instructor at Giants' spring training in 1998.  A lifetime .233 batter, Landrith appeared in 772 games, collecting 450 hits, 34 home runs and 203 RBIs.

Building the Set
August 13, 1989 in Bridgeton, NJ - Card #87
We went nuts at the Bridgeton Baseball Card Show in August 1989, buying 12 different cards for our 1956 Topps set, all at $1.50 a piece.  That's an impressive haul for $18!


I have no other information on the location of this show, other than it was held in the nearby city of Bridgeton, New Jersey.  What I do have however is the checklist I brought with us to the show.  I believe this is the second full checklist we carried around, having retired the prior version I created in 1988 and posted with the William Harridge (#1) card.

Just looking at this checklist brings back fond memories of finding the cards, deciding to make a purchase, negotiating a price and then finding a flat surface so that we could cross off the newest additions.

The Card / Cubs Team Set
This is Landrith's first Topps card, as he appeared only in the Bowman sets in 1954 and 1955.  Topps would have had to swap the Redlegs' logo on his cap with a Cubs' logo, and the action shot didn't need to be retouched given Landrith's catching gear.  The cartoons on the back of the card summarize his brief stints with Cincinnati prior to the 1952 season, his strong throwing arm and his acquisition by the Cubs.

1956 Season
On November 28, 1955, the Redlegs dealt Landrith to the Cubs straight up for converted pitcher Hal Jeffcoat (#289).  He was the opening day catcher for the Cubs, ultimately starting 90 games behind the plate in a semi-platoon with Harry Chiti (#179).  Landrith batted .221 in 111 games with four home runs and 32 RBIs, a career best.  He led all catchers with 14 errors, but was fourth in caught stealing percentage with 51.1%.  On December 11th, with the Cubs hoping to start a rebuild, Landrith, Jim Davis (#102), Sam Jones (#259) and Eddie Miksis (#285) were traded to the Cardinals for Wally Lammers, Jackie Callum, Ray Katt and Tom Poholsky (#196).

1954 Bowman #220
1957 Topps #182
1959 Topps #422
1962 Topps #279
1963 Topps #209

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1954 Bowman #220
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (8):  1956-63
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2012 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-HL

38 - Landrith non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 1/3/25.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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Sunday, July 21, 2024

#300 Vic Wertz - Cleveland Indians


Victor Woodrow Wertz
Cleveland Indians
First Base

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  186
Born:  February 9, 1925, York, PA
Signed:  Signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent before 1942 season
Major League Teams:  Detroit Tigers 1947-52; St. Louis Browns 1952-53; Baltimore Orioles 1954; Cleveland Indians 1954-58; Boston Red Sox 1959-61; Detroit Tigers 1961-63; Minnesota Twins 1963
Died:  July 7, 1983, Detroit, MI (age 58)

Vic Wertz was a four-time All-Star during a career that spanned 17 seasons in the American League, and his name is most associated as being the victim of "The Catch" made by Willie Mays (#130) in the 1954 World Series.  Wertz had his best seasons with the Tigers in the late 1940s and early 1950s, driving in 133 and 123 runs respectively during the 1949 and 1950 seasons.  He was an All-Star with the Tigers in 1949, 1951 and 1952, and later with the Indians in 1957.  Wertz began the 1954 season with the newly relocated Orioles, and was the right fielder for Baltimore's opening day line-up.  Dealt to the Indians that June 1st, Wertz would help Cleveland win the pennant and advance to the World Series against the Giants.  Mays made his historic catch in the eighth inning of Game 1 of the series, preserving a 2-2 tie.  The Giants would win the game in extra innings and ultimately sweep the Indians in four games.

Wertz spent the final years of his long career as a back-up first baseman and pinch-hitter, last playing for the Twins in 1963.  He drove in over 100 runs in five different seasons, and hit at least 20 home runs in six different seasons.  Wertz retired having played in 1,862 games, collecting 1,692 hits and batting .277 with 266 home runs and 1,178 RBIs.

Building the Set
September 25, 2005 in Ft. Washington, PA - Card #269
This was a late edition to our set and one of 11 cards we purchased at the 92nd Philadelphia Sports Card Show held at the convention center in Ft. Washington.  My records show we paid $5 for this card, which is surprising given I'd consider Wertz at least a semi-star. With the Ocean City baseball card shows long gone by now, our only options for local baseball card shows were the "Philly Shows" held in Ft. Washington at the time or the occasional mall baseball card show.

My Dad didn't like the drive to Ft. Washington, and this would have been one of only a few shows we attended together in this location.  Our next show together was a few months later in December, also in Ft. Washington.  Looking at my records of when and where we purchased our cards, a full year would go by before we'd add any more cards to the set after that December show.

The year-long hiatus in collecting the set came at a time my wife and I were expecting our first son and as we moved into our first real house, so we had a pretty good excuse not to be purchasing baseball cards at the time.  Amazingly enough, while composing this post, I remembered our son Doug had once played a game at Vic Wertz Field in Leesport, Pennsylvania.  Here are a few pictures from that weekend in October 2019, showing Doug up at bat and with his grandmother before one of the games, standing in front of Vic Wertz Field.

The Card / Indians Team Set
Exclusive to Bowman sets in 1954 and 1955, this marks Wertz's return to Topps.  Wertz wore #23 with the Indians, so that's likely him sliding back into second base.  I'm assuming the opposing infielder has either been painted out or is hiding behind Wertz's portrait.  The back of the card comments on his return from a bout with polio (see below), and his successful 1954 World Series.  There's no mention of "The Catch" on Wertz's card.

1956 Season
Wertz was the regular first baseman for the Indians, having moved in from the outfield a few years prior.  He had overcome a serious bout of polio which cut short his 1955 season, and resulted in manager Al Lopez frequently resting him during 1956.  Still, Wertz hit a career-high 32 home runs in 136 games, batting .264 with 106 RBIs.  He led the team by far in both power categories, as Al Smith (#105) was second on the club with 71 RBIs and Rocky Colavito was runner-up with 21 home runs.

1949 Bowman #164
1952 Topps #244
1954 Bowman #21
1957 Topps #78
1963 Topps #348

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1949 Bowman #164
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (11):  1951-53, 1956-63
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1991 Topps Archives 1953 #142

88 - Wertz non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 7/21/24.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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Saturday, July 13, 2024

#299 Charley Neal - Brooklyn Dodgers


Charles Lenard Neal
Brooklyn Dodgers
Second Base

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  165
Born:  January 30, 1931, Longview, TX
Signed:  Signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent before 1950 season
Major League Teams:  Brooklyn Dodgers 1956-57; Los Angeles Dodgers 1958-61; New York Mets 1962-63; Cincinnati Reds 1963
Died:  November 18, 1996, Dallas, TX (age 65)

Charlie Neal's career year in 1959 corresponded with the Dodgers winning the National League pennant and ultimately the World Series.  Making his debut in 1956, Neal served as a back-up second baseman to Jim Gilliam (#280) and started Game 3 of the 1956 World Series against the Yankees and Whitey Ford (#240).  He became the club's regular shortstop in 1957, with future Hall of Famer Pee Wee Reese (#260) making the move to third base.  In 1958, and now playing in the Dodgers' new home in Los Angeles, Neal tied Gil Hodges (#145) for the team lead in home runs with 22.  Neal and left fielder Wally Moon (#55) were the two top sluggers for the Dodgers in 1959.  Neal became a World Series hero when he hit two home runs in Game 2 against the White Sox, with the Dodgers eventually won the series in six games.  He batted .370 in that World Series, and for the regular season he batted .287 with a league-leading 11 triples, 19 home runs and 83 RBIs.  Neal won his only Gold Glove following the 1959 season, and he'd also be named to three All-Star teams between 1959 and 1960.

Dealt to the Mets for their inaugural season, Neal was the opening day second baseman for Casey Stengel's expansion team.  He'd bat .260 for the 120-loss Mets in his last full year as a regular.  He'd play one more season in 1963 with the Mets and Reds before retiring.  Neal batted .259 in 970 big league games, collecting 858 hits, 87 home runs and 391 RBIs.

January 28, 2006 - Celebrating Dad's 62nd birthday
Building the Set
December 3, 2005 in Ft. Washington, PA - Card #275
This was a relatively late edition to our set and one of eight cards we purchased at the 93rd Philadelphia Sports Card Show held at the convention center in Ft. Washington.  My notes say we purchased this Neal card for a little over $7.  With the Ocean City baseball card shows long gone by now, our only options for local baseball card shows were the "Philly Shows" held in Ft. Washington or the occasional mall baseball card show. 

My Dad didn't like the drive to Ft. Washington, and this would have been one of only a few shows we attended together in this location.  Looking at my records of when and where we purchased our cards, a full year would go by before we'd add any more cards to the set.

The year-long hiatus in collecting the set came at a time my wife and I were expecting our first son and as we moved into our first real house.

The Card / Dodgers Team Set
Bowman beat Topps with Neal's rookie card appearing in their 1955 set.  Topps reprinted this card in their 1995 Topps Archives Brooklyn Dodgers set.  The action shot on the front looks to be a spring training sliding drill, as the player tagging out Neal is also wearing a Dodgers' hat.  The cartoons on the back of the card summarize Neal taking on the second base job in 1956 and his speed on the basepaths.  He'd steal a career-high 17 bases in 1959, and had 48 stolen bases for his career.

1956 Season
Neal was the opening day second baseman for the Dodgers, with incumbent second baseman Gilliam moving to left field.  With manager Walter Alston (#8) needing more offense out of his line-up, Neal was benched in early May and would make a handful of starts throughout the rest of the season.  Gillliam would end up with the majority of the starts at second, with Jackie Robinson (#30) sliding back over to second base for 22 starts.  Neal batted .287 in 62 games, collecting a pair of home runs and 14 RBIs.

Given the start at second base in Game 3 of the World Series, Neal went 0 for 4 and made an error, leading to an unearned run.  It would be his only postseason action until he redeemed himself in the 1959 World Series.

1955 Bowman #278
1959 Topps #427
1960 Topps #386
1963 Topps #511
1964 Topps #436

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1955 Bowman #278
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (9):  1956-64
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1995 Topps Archives Brooklyn Dodgers #163

74 - Neal non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 7/13/24.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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Friday, May 10, 2024

#290 Curt Simmons - Philadelphia Phillies


Curtis Thomas Simmons
Philadelphia Phillies
Pitcher


Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  175
Born:  May 19, 1929, Egypt, PA
Signed:  Signed by the Philadelphia Phillies as an amateur free agent before 1947 season
Major League Teams:  Philadelphia Phillies 1947-1950, 1952-1960; St. Louis Cardinals 1960-1966; Chicago Cubs 1966-1967; California Angels 1967
Died:  December 13, 2022, Ambler, PA (age 93)

Curt Simmons will forever be associated with the beloved Whiz Kids, the 1950 Phillies club that made it to the World Series for the first time since 1915.  Simmons was a 17-game winner for the Phillies in 1950 and formed a solid one-two punch atop their starting pitching rotation with Robin Roberts (#180).  He missed the 1950 World Series against the Yankees after being drafted to serve in the Korean War.  Simmons was a three-time All-Star with the Phillies in 1952, 1953 and 1957.  He won at least 12 games with the club in six different seasons.  Released by the Phillies in May 1960, Simmons signed with the Cardinals where he enjoyed a career resurgence.  His best seasons actually came during his time in St. Louis as he went 15-9 in 1963 with a 2.48 ERA and was 18-9 for the team in 1964 when they upset the Phillies in the final week of the season to advance to the World Series.  Simmons pitched well in his Game 3 and Game 6 starts, and while he was the losing pitcher in Game 6, he compiled a 2.51 ERA over 14 1/3 innings.  The Cardinals would win the series in seven games over the Yankees.

A competent fielder as well, Simmons had errorless seasons in 1950, 1952, 1957 and 1963.  Simmons would finish up his 20-year big league career with a few seasons with the Cubs and Angels, retiring in 1967.  At the time, along with Smoky Burgess (#192), he was the last person to retire who had played in the majors in the 1940s.  Simmons had a lifetime record of 193-183 with a 3.54 ERA over 569 games pitched.  His career strikeout total of 1,697 is currently 149th on the all-time list.  Henry Aaron (#31) named Simmons as one of the toughest pitchers he faced during his career.

Some text for this post originally appeared on my 1965 Topps blog.

Building the Set
December 25, 1994 from San Diego, CA - Card #139
The Roy Campanella (#101) card was my "big" present from Santa for Christmas 1994.  With my Dad's help, Santa secured the Campanella card from Kit Young Cards in San Diego for what my notes say was $75.  That price seems steep, but there were six other cards from the 1956 Topps set under the Christmas tree that year from Kit Young Cards, including this Simmons card, with the other six cards costing a combined $20.  In December 1994, I would have been home from college for the winter break of my junior year.

This was the last Christmas my family and I spent in the house on 12th Street in my hometown where I grew up.  My parents were in the process of building a new house and we'd visit the construction site throughout that winter break.  I had a tough time leaving my childhood home behind and the 1994-1995 timeframe brought about quite a few major changes in my life.

The Card / Phillies Team Set
This card marks Simmons' first Topps card since 1952, as he appeared exclusively in Bowman sets in 1953, 1954 and 1955.  The action shot shows part of the #28 he wore between 1948 and 1960 with the Phillies.  The first and last cartoon panels explain his abbreviated season in 1955 (due to an arm injury) and his lively fastball.  The middle cartoon panel highlights a game from May 16, 1953, when Simmons came close to a perfect game.  He allowed a lead-off single to Bill Bruton (#185) in the bottom of the first inning, and then retired the next 26 Braves batters in order.

1956 Season
Once again Simmons and Roberts sat atop the Phillies rotation, with Harvey Haddix (#77) joining the duo for his first of two seasons in Philadelphia.  Simmons was 15-10 with a 3.36 ERA in 33 games overall and 27 starts.  He threw 14 complete games and just missed the 200 inning plateau with 198 innings pitched.

Phillies Career
The Phillies signed Simmons as a bonus baby in 1947 for $65,000, one of the highest amounts received to date by an amateur player.  He made his debut on September 28th that season and he'd be a fixture in the Phillies' starting pitching rotation for the next decade.  He was the National League's starting pitcher in the 1952 All-Star Game, hosted at Shibe Park, and he pitched three shutout innings while striking out three.  With the Phillies entering a rebuilding phase, Simmons was released by the club on May 17, 1960.  He'd return briefly to the franchise in 1970 as a member of the Phillies' minor league instructional staff.

With the Phillies, he was 115-110 with a 3.66 ERA in 325 games.  Simmons was inducted onto the Phillies Wall of Fame in 1993, and he was by far the best left-handed pitcher in franchise history until Steve Carlton, Chris Short and Cole Hamels all came along.  Simmons still ranks in the top ten among all Phillies pitchers in games started (263), shutouts (18), wins (115), innings pitched (1,939 2/3), and strikeouts (1,052).

1949 Bowman #14
1952 Topps #203
1957 Topps #158
1963 Topps #22
1967 Topps #39

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1949 Bowman #14
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (13):  1952, 1956-1967
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2016 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-CS

95 - Simmons non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 5/9/24.

 Sources:  
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Friday, March 29, 2024

#284 Ike Delock - Boston Red Sox


Ivan Martin Delock
Boston Red Sox
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  175
Born:  November 11, 1929, Highland Park, MI
Signed:  Signed by the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent before 1948 season
Major League Teams:   Boston Red Sox 1952-1953, 1955-1963; Baltimore Orioles 1963
Died:  February 28, 2022, Raleigh, NC (age 92)

Ike Delock was a mainstay on the Red Sox pitching staff through the 1950s and early 1960s, appearing in at least 20 games for the club every season between 1952 and 1961.  A swingman for most of his career, Delock had his best seasons working out of the bullpen for the Red Sox between 1956 and 1959.  During those four years he was a combined 47-29 with a 3.55 ERA in 156 games pitched, including 46 starts.  He also recorded 22 saves during that span.  Injuries curtailed Delock's career, and he retired in 1963 after seven appearances with the Orioles.  In 329 career games, Delock was 84-75 with a 4.03 ERA and 672 strikeouts over 1,238 innings pitched.

Building the Set
December 25, 1994 from San Diego, CA - Card #137
The Roy Campanella (#101) card was my "big" present from Santa for Christmas 1994.  With my Dad's help, Santa secured the Campanella card from Kit Young Cards in San Diego for what my notes say was $75.  That price seems steep, but there were six other cards from the 1956 Topps set under the Christmas tree that year from Kit Young Cards, including this Delock card, with the other six cards costing a combined $20.  In December 1994, I would have been home from college for the winter break of my junior year.

This was the last Christmas my family and I spent in the house on 12th Street in my hometown where I grew up.  My parents were in the process of building a new house and we'd visit the construction site throughout that winter break.  I had a tough time leaving my childhood home behind and the 1994-1995 timeframe brought about quite a few major changes in my life.

The Card / Red Sox Team Set
Delock appeared in the 1952 Bowman and Topps set, and then disappeared from baseball cards until the 1955 Bowman set.  This is his first Topps appearance since 1952.  There's a Red Sox player making a cameo behind Delock's action photo, and we'll likely never know the identity of the mystery player.  The photo of Delock was likely taken in 1952 or 1953, as that looks to be a #9 peaking through on his back and Delock wore #29 in his first two seasons in Boston.  The cartoon panels on the back detail Delock's progression and his return to the Red Sox in 1955 after a full year in 1954 in the minors.

1956 Season
Delock was one of the more effective relievers in the American League, and one of the most frequently used pitchers by Red Sox manager Pinky Higgins.  The de facto closer for the Red Sox, Delock recorded a team-leading nine saves while going 13-7 with a 4.21 ERA in 48 games pitched.  He also made eight starts, throwing a complete game on May 20th against the White Sox.  His successful campaign led to his winning the Unsung Hero award following the season, as presented by the Boston Baseball Writers.

1952 Topps #329
1957 Topps #63
1959 Topps #437
1961 Topps #268
1963 Topps #136

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1952 Bowman #250
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (9):  1952, 1956-1963
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2012 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-ID

25 - Delock non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 2/23/24.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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Friday, February 16, 2024

#278 Chet Nichols - Milwaukee Braves


Chester Raymond Nichols
Milwaukee Braves
Pitcher

Bats:  Both  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  165
Born:  February 22, 1931, Pawtucket, RI
Signed:  Signed by the Boston Braves as an amateur free agent, December 23, 1948
Major League Teams:  Boston Braves 1951; Milwaukee Braves 1954-1956; Boston Red Sox 1960-1963; Cincinnati Reds 1964
Died:  March 27, 1995, Lincoln, RI (age 64)

Chet Nichols' father, Chet Nichols Sr., pitched six seasons in the majors between 1926 and 1932 with the Pirates, Giants and Phillies.  The younger Chet Nichols had three distinct stints in the majors between 1951 and 1964, with each stint interrupted by multiple years away from the big leagues.  His first season in 1951 with the Braves was his best.  Nichols led the league with a 2.88 ERA and was 11-8 in 33 games pitched, finishing as runner-up to Willie Mays (#130) in the Rookie of the Year voting.  He'd miss two full seasons while serving in the Army during the Korea War, and when he returned in 1954, the Braves had moved to Milwaukee.  Plagued with wildness, Nichols walked more than he struck out during his two-plus seasons back with the Braves, and he'd toil in the minor leagues for four seasons before returning to the majors with the Red Sox in 1960.  He spent all of 1958 as a bank teller back in his home state of Rhode Island.

In Boston, Nichols established himself as a reliable lefty reliever, appearing in 82 games over four seasons.  His last big league action came in three games with the Reds in 1964 before he was released a month into the season, ending his big league career.  Nichols was 34-36 lifetime with a 3.64 ERA.  He tallied 266 strikeouts and 280 walks in 603 1/3 innings pitched.

Building the Set
December 25, 2003 from San Diego, CA (Kit Young Cards) - Card #247
My Dad/Santa brought me nine cards for our set for Christmas in 2003, with all but one of the cards coming from his dealer of choice, Kit Young Cards in San Diego.  The Brooklyn Dodgers team card (#166) was the lone non-Kit Young Cards addition, as that card came from TemDee in Turnersville, New Jersey.  It was a strange mix of commons from Kit Young Cards, with no semi-star or star card to balance out the lot.  We were admittedly in a lull collecting the set, with only 18 cards added during all of 2003 and only six cards added, as Christmas presents, in 2004.

Pictures from the Christmas of 2003 show us opening gifts at my Mom's house on December 26th, which has since become a tradition for us.  So while the official set records indicate these nine cards were added on December 25th, it was most likely a day later I opened the cards while in Millville.

The Card / Braves Team Set
That's a nasty scratch across Nichols' eye and if I were ever looking to upgrade some of the cards in our set, this would be a good candidate.  Like a lot of the players appearing in the set's fourth series, this card marks Nichols' return to Topps after a lengthy absence and he wouldn't appear in his next Topps set until 1961.  The first cartoon panel on the back features a cameo from his father, and the second cartoon panel highlights his ERA title from 1951.  The third panel showcases his statistics against the Giants in 1955.  He was 3-0 in five starts against the Giants with a 3.89 ERA.

1956 Season
Nichols appears to have made the Braves' opening day roster, but he pitched in just two games with the club before being put on waivers in May.  He was 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in those two games.  Having cleared waivers, he was outrighted to the Triple-A Wichita Braves.  Baseball Reference's statistics aren't complete for Nichols' 1956 season, but they show him pitching in 16 minor league games, going 2-4 in 32 innings pitched.

1952 Bowman #120
1952 Topps #288
1955 Bowman #72
1961 Topps #301
1963 Topps #307

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1952 Bowman #120
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (5):  1952, 1956, 1961-1963
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1983 Topps 1952 Reprint Series #288

23 - Nichols non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 1/29/24.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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