Showing posts with label 1975. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1975. Show all posts

Saturday, January 21, 2023

#235 Don Newcombe - Brooklyn Dodgers


Donald Newcombe
Brooklyn Dodgers
Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'4"  Weight:  220
Born:  June 14, 1926, Madison, NJ
Signed:  Signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent before 1946 season
Major League Teams:  Newark Eagles 1944-1945; Brooklyn Dodgers 1949-1951, 1954-1957; Los Angeles Dodgers 1958; Cincinnati Reds 1958-1960; Cleveland Indians 1960
Died:  February 19, 2019, Sherman Oaks, CA (age 92)

1975 Topps #194
Don Newcombe was the first pitcher to win Rookie of the Year, MVP and Cy Young Award honors, a feat no-one else accomplished until Justin Verlander.  After a few years playing with the Newark Eagles, Newcombe was signed by the Dodgers and he'd immediately find success in the National League, winning 17, 19 and 20 games in the 1949, 1950 and 1951 seasons.  He was named Rookie of the Year in 1949 following his 17-8 season in which he led the league with five shutouts.  Newcombe missed two full seasons in his prime to serve in the military during the Korean War.  Returning in 1954 he struggled somewhat, but was a 20-game winner again in 1955.  His Brooklyn club would win their only World Championship in 1955.  Newcombe had his career year in 1956, going 27-7 with a 3.06 ERA and winning both the league's MVP and Cy Young awards.  He threw 18 complete games, including five shutouts, and struck out 139 over 268 innings pitched.

Newcombe never returned to that form and was 0-6 for the Dodgers in 1958, the team's first year in Los Angeles.  His battle with alcoholism contributed to his swift decline.  He was traded to the Reds in June 1958 for Steve Bilko, Johnny Klippstein (#249) and two players to be named later.  After two more seasons with the Reds and Indians, Newcombe was released, but he'd attempt comebacks with the Dodgers in 1961 and in Japan in 1962.  For his career, Newcombe was 153-96 with a 3.57 ERA in 360 games pitched, with 145 complete games and 24 shutouts.  Also a threat at the plate, Newcombe batted .268 with 15 home runs and 109 RBIs, and had 106 pinch-hitting appearances throughout his career.  Newcombe rejoined the Dodgers organization in the late 1970s, and he'd serve in a variety of public relations and front office roles with the club for several decades.

October 7, 2007 - Birthday celebration with family
Building the Set
October 7, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchases - Card #310
This is one of five cards I received from my Dad for my 34th birthday, with each card belonging to a fairly well-known player and being a star or semi-star card needed for our set.  Along with this Newcombe card, I received Roger Craig (#63), Bill Bruton (#185), Bob Feller (#200) and Don Larsen (#332).  My Dad never told me how much he had paid for the cards, where they came from or how long he had stashed them away before my birthday.  

My family celebrated together that year at Blue Eyes in Washington Township, which has since gone on to changes hands (and names) a few time and is now currently The Village Pub.

The Card / Dodgers Team Set
Newcombe had an exclusive contract with Bowman, appearing in that company's sets every year between 1950 and 1955, excluding 1953.  This is his first appearance in a Topps set, and I would have first seen the card as part of the MVP subset included in the 1975 Topps set.  Topps reprinted this card in their 1995 Topps Archives Brooklyn Dodgers set, and also created cards that never were for Newcombe for 1952, 1953 and 1954.  Newcombe autographed reprints of this card for the 2001 and 2002 Topps Archives sets.

1956 Season
As mentioned above, this was Newcombe's career year and he'd top Sal Maglie to win the major league's first Cy Young Award.  Newcombe received 10 of 16 total first place votes with Maglie receiving four votes and Whitey Ford (#240) and Warren Spahn (#10) each receiving one vote each.  Newcombe also edged out Maglie in the National League MVP voting.  Henry Aaron (#31), who had led the league with 200 hits and a .328 batting average, finished third in the voting.

Newcombe was roughed up in both his World Series starts against the Yankees.  In Game 2, he allowed six runs in just 1 2/3 innings of work, and he allowed five runs over three innings in the decisive Game 7.

1950 Bowman #23
1952 Bowman #128
1957 Topps #130
1958 Topps #340
1960 Topps #345

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1950 Bowman #23
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7):  1956-1961, 1975
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2018 Sportkings #24

217 - Newcombe non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 1/21/23.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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Friday, June 24, 2022

#208 Elston Howard - New York Yankees


Elston Gene Howard
New York Yankees
Catcher-Outfield

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  196
Born:  February 23, 1929, St. Louis, MO
Acquired:  Purchased by the Yankees from the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro League, July 19, 1950
Major League Teams:  Kansas City Monarchs 1948; New York Yankees 1955-1967; Boston Red Sox 1967-1968
Died:  December 14, 1980, New York, NY (age 51)

The first African American to play for the Yankees, Elston Howard was an American League All-Star nine years in a row between 1957 and 1965.  He helped the Yankees to four World Series titles in 1956, 1958, 1961 and 1962.  He enjoyed a career year in 1963, hitting .287 with 28 home runs (a career high) and 85 RBIs and winning A.L. MVP honors over Al Kaline (#20) and teammate Whitey Ford (#240).  He was a two-time Gold Glove winner and his fielding percentage of .993 is currently 51st all-time among catchers.

Bridging the catching gap between Yogi Berra (#110) in the 1950s and Thurman Munson in the 1970s, Howard appeared in 1,605 career games with all but 113 of those coming with the Yankees.  He batted .274 over 14 big league seasons, with 167 home runs and 762 RBIs.  Howard served as the Yankees first base coach between 1969 and 1979, and he added two more World Series rings to his collection in 1977 and 1978.  He passed away in December 1980 from a rare heart condition.  The Yankees wore black armbands during their 1981 season to honor their former catcher and coach, and his #32 was retired by the team in 1984.

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

Building the Set
June 17, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchases - Card #297
Our first son Doug was born in December 2006, and this happy event led directly to my Dad visiting us on a more regular basis.  Dad was living by himself at this point in Mays Landing, New Jersey and he didn't enjoy the 40 minute drive north to our house.  Among all the very positive memories I have of my Dad, one of my few negative memories is the fact he absolutely seemed to loathe driving and that loathing increased exponentially if there was traffic or if it were dark.  But he made the trips anyway, sometimes staying no more than an hour, because he was so incredibly anxious and excited to spend time with his grandson.

By the time his second grandson (Ben) was born in April 2010, my Dad's health had started to fail and whatever visits we had were pre-arranged or consisted of us visiting him.  Which is why these visits during Doug's infancy and first few years are so special to me.  My Dad would show up usually unannounced, ecstatic to see Doug, there would be some small talk and we'd complain about the Phillies, and then he'd leave.  But on his way out, he'd always say he'd see us again in a few days and I'd look forward to these visits.

This background is needed to better explain how this Howard card came into our set.  (I first shared all of this a few years ago in the post for the Jack Harshman card - #29.)  In 2007, My Dad's days mostly consisted of an occasional round of golf, calls and visits to his kids - my sister and me, watching cable news, an afternoon nap and scouring eBay.  Most (but not all) of his eBay purchases benefitted me in the form of 1956 Topps cards we needed for our set.  He'd show up at our house for a visit with Doug and nonchalantly hand me one of his recent purchases.  He brought this Howard card and the Clint Courtney (#159) card on June 17, 2007, as what most likely was a Father's Day gift.  From pictures at the time, I think we were staying in a house rented in Avalon, New Jersey during this week.

Throughout 2007, I suspect he had a backlog of purchased 1956 Topps cards piled up on his desk at his house, and he'd grab one or two to deliver to me as he was heading out the door to make the 40 minute drive to visit Doug.

The Card / Yankees Team Set
Howard's rookie card can be found in the 1955 Bowman set, and this is his first Topps card.  I went down a time-consuming rabbit hole trying to identify the action shot on the front of this card, and I came up empty.  It looks as if the player crossing the plate is from the Tigers, as I think that's "Detroit" in script across the front of his jersey.  Our card has a clear blotch on the back, and I suspect at one point this card was affixed inside a scrap book?  I've had this card in my collection for 15 years and I never noticed this blemish before scanning the card for this post.  The cartoons on the back highlight his 1955 rookie campaign and his ability to switch between catcher and outfielder.

This card was reprinted for the 2001 Topps Archives and 2001 Topps Archives Reserve sets.  There's also a Topps Archives Reserve version of the reprinted card available containing a piece of game-used bat.

1956 Season
This was Howard's final season as a back-up.  He'd appear in 98 games overall, making 50 starts in left field, 19 starts behind the plate and one start in right field.  He batted .262 with five home runs and 34 RBIs.  Manager Casey Stengel opted to use Enos Slaughter (#109) in left field for the first six games of the 1956 World Series, but Howard got the start in Game 7 and went 2 for 5 with a fourth inning home run.  The Yankees would defeat the Dodgers 9-0 in that game.

1955 Bowman #68
1959 Topps #395
1962 Topps #400
1968 Topps #167
1975 Topps #201

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1955 Bowman #68
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (15):  1956-1968, 1973, 1975
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2022 Panini Diamond Kings Jersey Kings #JK-EH

361 - Howard non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 6/14/22.

 Sources:  
1965 Topps Blog
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Friday, August 27, 2021

#164 Harmon Killebrew - Washington Nationals


Harmon Clayton Killebrew
Washington Nationals
Infield


Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  195
Born:  June 29, 1936, Payette, ID
Signed:  Signed by the Washington Senators as an amateur free agent, June 19, 1954
Major League Teams:  Washington Senators 1954-1960; Minnesota Twins 1961-1974; Kansas City Royals 1975
Hall of Fame Induction:  1984
Died:  May 17, 2011, Scottsdale, AZ (age 74)

Harmon Killebrew was one of the most prolific sluggers of his era, and upon his retirement he was fourth on the all-time home run list and second to Babe Ruth in the American League.  Killebrew led the league six times in home runs and three times in RBIs.  He was a 13-time All-Star and received MVP votes in 11 different seasons.  He helped lead the Twins to the their first pennant in 1965, and while he hit .286 in the World Series, the Dodgers prevailed in seven games.  In 1967, he hit the longest home run ever recorded at Minnesota's Metropolitan Stadium at 520 feet.  Killebrew attained career highs in home runs (49) and RBIs (140) in 1969 and won the league's MVP honors that season.  He wrapped up his 22-year big league career with a final season with the Royals, serving as the team's designated hitter.  When the Royals visited Minnesota in early May 1975, the Twins held a pre-game ceremony to retire Killebrew's #3.  He was inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame in 1984, and was in the inaugural class of the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame in 2000.  In 2,435 games, Killebrew accumulated 2,086 hits while batting .256.  He hit 573 career home runs to go along with 1,584 RBIs.

After retiring as a player, Killebrew served as a broadcaster for the Twins, Athletics and Angels between 1976 and 1988.  He also briefly served as a hitting instructor with the Athletics.  Nicknamed "Killer" on the field, by all accounts Killebrew was one of the kindest and most well-respected men to ever play the game.

Building the Set
January 27, 2001 from Moorestown Mall Baseball Card Show - Card #164
For Father's Day this year, we attended my youngest son's piano recital and then travelled to the Moorestown Mall (in nearby Moorestown, NJ) for a baseball card show.  I don't spend a lot of time in malls, but I thought this one looked vaguely familiar.  As it turns out, I was at the very same mall 20 years earlier with my Dad for his 57th birthday.  We paid $60 for four cards for our 1956 Topps set, including this Killebrew card that set us back $38.  Based on my checklist at the time, we got a good deal on this card as I had the Killebrew card listed as one of the more valuable cards we still needed at a range of $60 to $100.  The other three cards added were Carl Erskine (#233), Frank Malzone (#304) and Ellis Kinder (#336).

The Card / Nationals Team Set
This is one of only six cards in the set to use the "Infield" position designation.  Topps could have safely opted for "third base" as by the time this card came out, Killebrew had played in 47 games for the Senators - including 23 games at third and six games at second.  Killebrew's rookie card can be found in the 1955 Topps set, and this 1956 card uses the same main photo as his rookie card.  I'm not sure what's going on in the action shot here.  Either Killebrew is fielding a foul ball at the third base line, or a throw has gotten away from him and he's in the process of tracking it down.  The cartoon panels on the back of the card hint at what would come for Killebrew as the Senators were correctly predicting that the slugger would become a "big star."

The card was reprinted in the 2012 Topps Archives Reprints insert set, and an oversized reprint of the card was included in the 2015 Topps Cardboard Icons 5 x 7 Harmon Killebrew set.

1956 Season
Under the bonus baby rules of the day, Killebrew was required to remain on the Senators active roster for two years.  He began the season with the big club, and was used almost exclusively as a pinch-hitter in 24 games between opening day and June 21st.  When his bonus baby status expired, Killebrew was sent down to the single-A Charlotte Hornets where he'd receive regular playing time.  With the Hornets as their regular third baseman, and at just 20 years old, Killebrew played in 70 games and batted .325 with 15 home runs and 63 RBIs.  The Senators called him back up when rosters expanded in September, and for the last few weeks of the season he served as their every day third baseman.  In 44 total games with the Senators, Killebrew batted .222 with five home runs and 13 RBIs.

1955 Topps #124
1962 Topps #70
1965 Topps #400
1969 Topps #375
1975 Topps #640

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1955 Topps #124
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (20):  1955-1956, 1958-1975
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2021 Topps Allen & Ginter #139

1,810 - Killebrew non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 8/23/21.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
National Baseball Hall of Fame
SABR
The Trading Card Database

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Friday, July 2, 2021

#156 Wes Westrum - New York Giants


Wesley Noreen Westrum
New York Giants
Catcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  185
Born:  November 28, 1922, Clearbrook, MN
Acquired:  Sent from Crookston (Northern) to the New York Giants in an unknown transaction before 1941 season
Major League Teams:  New York Giants 1947-1957
As a Manager:  New York Mets 1965-1967; San Francisco Giants 1974-1975
Died:  May 28, 2002, Clearbrook, MN (age 79)

Wes Westrum was a fixture with the New York Giants during their final 11 seasons on the East Coast before the team's move to San Francisco in 1958.  He was a two-time All-Star and played in two World Series with the Giants, helping them win the World Championship in 1954.  Westrum's best season was perhaps 1950 when he batted .236 with career highs in home runs (23) and RBIs (71).  Known more for his defense than his offense, Westrum led all National League catchers in fielding percentage in 1950 and also led the league in caught stealing percentage twice (1953 and 1954).  When the Giants moved west for their 1958 season, he was offered a job as either the team's third-string catcher or as a coach.  He accepted the coaching position, beginning a nearly two decade run as a big league coach or manager.  For his playing career, Westrum appeared in 919 games and batted .217 with 96 home runs and 315 RBIs.

He original stint as a Giants coach lasted until 1963, when he departed to join the Mets staff under manager Casey Stengel.  Westrum was named the Mets' interim manager in 1965 when Stengel broke his hip and he'd have the interim tag removed when Stengel was no longer able to manage.  Between 1965 and 1967 with Westrum at the helm, the Mets went 142-237 and he resigned with less than two weeks to go in the 1967 season.  He rejoined the Giants serving as a coach (1968-1971) and then a scout (1972-1974) before succeeding Charlie Fox as manager on June 28, 1974.  In a year and a half with his original club, he had a 118-129 record and was let go following the 1975 season.  Westrum would then leave the Giants for a final time, serving as a long-time scout for the Braves between 1977 and 1994.

1998 birthday haul, including
1998 Topps factory set
Building the Set
October 10, 1998 in Winston-Salem, NC - Card #168
In what had to have been a post-birthday purchase, I spent $52 in the Season Ticket baseball card store in Winston-Salem for ten 1956 Topps cards.  This Westrum card cost me $4.  I say it had to have been a post-birthday purchase as I didn't have a lot of disposable income back then, but I made sure that any birthday money from my parents went towards something fun and not towards something practical.

I spent 5 years living in Winston-Salem, but I still managed to get lost driving around in those pre-GPS days quite frequently.  Season Ticket was one of the few locations in the city I memorized and I could drive to without having to ask someone to remind me of the directions.  I mean no disrespect to the former owners, but the place was a glorious dump.  Baseball cards were stacked precariously and haphazardly throughout the store, there was hardly any flat surface without something piled on it, nothing was ever in order and if you asked for something specific the owners may or may not remember the general direction of where they had last seen it.

And I loved it in there.  I took my Dad a few times when my parents visited me, and he couldn't wait to get out of the store and back into some fresh air.  Sadly, a recent Google Maps search shows that Season Ticket has gone the way of a lot of hobby shops, and there's now something called Beauty Touch in its place.  But I bet there are still random stacks of baseball cards hiding in a nook or crevice somewhere in the shop.

The Card / Giants Team Set
I'm calling the Cardinal baserunner out, as Westrum seems to have tug him before his foot reached the plate.  And I might be wrong here, but I think Topps used the same headshot photo for Westrum's 1951, 1952 and 1954 cards.  He was exclusively in the Bowman set in 1955, and this card marks his brief return to Topps sets.  The cartoon panels on the back play up his fine defensive skills and mention his ability to catch a knuckle ball.

1956 Season
Ray Katt took over the everyday catcher's job from Westrum in 1955 and while Westrum was the team's opening day catcher in 1956, he soon lost playing time to Katt and eventually Bill Sarni (#247).  Westrum appeared in 68 games, making 45 starts behind the plate, and batted .220 with three home runs and eight RBIs.

1951 Bowman #161
1954 Topps #180
1957 Topps #323
1967 Topps #593
1975 Topps #216

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1951 Bowman #161
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (9):  1951-1952, 1954, 1956-1957, 1960, 1966-1967, 1975
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2002 Topps Super Teams #6

68 - Westrum non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 5/16/21.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database


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Friday, June 12, 2020

#101 Roy Campanella - Brooklyn Dodgers


Roy Campanella
Brooklyn Dodgers
Catcher



 Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'9"  Weight:  190
Born:  November 19, 1921, Philadelphia, PA
Signed:  Signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent before 1946 season
Major League Teams:  Brooklyn Dodgers 1948-1957
Hall of Fame Induction:  1969
Died:  June 26, 1993, Woodland Hills, CA (age 71)

The heart of the Dodgers teams throughout most of the 1950s, Roy Campanella helped lead Brooklyn to the 1955 World Series title and was the National League's MVP in 1951, 1953 and 1955.  An eight-time All-Star, he joined Jackie Robinson (#30), Don Newcombe (#235) and Larry Doby (#250) as the first quartet of African Americans to appear in the All-Star Game.  His finest season was 1953 when he hit .312 and reached career highs in both home runs with 41 and RBIs with 142.  His home run tally was the highest ever for a catcher, and has since been passed by Todd Hundley.

His home run in Game 3 of the 1955 World Series helped shift the momentum in the Dodgers' favor and he added another home run in the series tying Game 4.  Campanella is also acknowledged as one of the best catchers in baseball history.  His caught stealing percentage of 57.4% is still the best ever mark.

On January 28, 1958, prior to the Dodgers scheduled first season in Los Angeles, Campanella was in a car accident that left him paralyzed from the shoulders down.  He'd eventually regain use of his arms and hands, but he'd never walk again.  He stayed active within the Dodgers organization following his accident and was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1969.  On June 4, 1972, the Dodgers retired Campanella's #39, along with #42 for Robinson and #32 for Sandy Koufax (#79).

Building the Set
December 25, 1994 from San Diego, CA - Card #135
This was my "big" present from Santa for Christmas 1994.  With my Dad's help, Santa secured this 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 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
Campanella must have had an exclusive contract with Bowman for a few years in the early 1950s, as he'd appear in every Bowman set but was omitted from the 1954 and 1955 Topps set.  This is his first appearance in a Topps set since 1953.  For the cards celebrating his MVP wins in the 1975 Topps set, Topps created cards that never were from their 1951 and 1955 sets for Campanella.

I'm assuming that's Yogi Berra (#110) in the action shot?  If so, my guess is it's a play from either the 1952 or 1953 World Series as I think it would be too soon for Topps to have photos from the 1955 World Series available for use in this set.  This would have been a significant milestone card within the 1956 set.  As card #101, it would have led off the second series and been at the top of a new stack of cards for collectors who had gathered the first 100 cards from the first series.

This card was reprinted as part of the 1995 Topps Archives Brooklyn Dodgers set and the 2001 Topps Through the Years insert set.

Dodgers Team Set

1956 Season
Campanella was slowed by hand and thumb injuries in 1956.  He had had a few surgeries prior to the 1955 season to repair nerve damage in his glove hand and unfortunately the pain in his hand continued into the 1956 season.  Making matters worse, Campanella broke his thumb early in the season when he hit a batter's bat accidentally while making a pickoff throw to first.  In 124 games, he hit .219 with 20 home runs and 73 RBIs, but he did still make the N.L. All-Star squad.  Rube Walker (#333) saw the bulk of the playing time behind the plate while Campanella was out with his injuries.

1949 Bowman #84
1952 Topps #314
1953 Topps #27
1959 Topps #550
1975 Topps #193
Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1949 Bowman #84
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7):  1952-1953, 1956-1957, 1959, 1961, 1975
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2019 Topps 150 Years of Baseball #81

1,410 - Campanella non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 4/12/20.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
National Baseball Hall of Fame
SABR
The Trading Card Database

We're officially into the second series of the 1956 Topps set, starting with this Campanella card.  I've added a 1st Series Review page here, summarizing the first 100 cards from the set.

In some cases, the first and last cards listed above are subjective and chosen by me if multiple cards were released within the same year.  Most recent mainstream card may also be subjective and does not include extremely low serial numbered cards, buybacks or cut autograph cards.

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Friday, August 23, 2019

#59 Jose Santiago - Cleveland Indians


Jose Guillermo Santiago
Cleveland Indians
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  175
Born:  September 4, 1928, Coamo, Puerto Rico
Signed:  Signed by the Cleveland Indians as an amateur free agent before 1949 season
Major League Teams:  Cleveland Indians 1954-1955; Kansas City Athletics 1956
Died:  October 9, 2018, San Juan, Puerto Rico (age 90)

A 13-year professional player, Jose Santiago had pitched for two seasons with the New York Cubans in the Negro League before the Indians signed him before the 1948 season.  He was one of the best pitchers in Cleveland's minor league system for five seasons between 1949 and 1953, compiling a record of 77-47 to go along with a 2.93 ERA.  However, given the Indians' existing starting pitching of Bob Feller (#200), Mike Garcia (#210), Early Wynn (#187) and Bob Lemon (#255), it wasn't easy for Santiago, let alone any other pitcher, to earn a spot in the rotation.  After appearing in just one game in 1954, Santiago was added to the bullpen in 1955 where he appeared in 17 games, going 2-0 with a 2.48 ERA.  He was sold to the Athletics in May 1956, appearing in nine games.  Santiago would continue to play minor league baseball through the 1959 season within the Reds, Orioles and Cubs systems before retiring.

Following his playing career, Santiago remained active in baseball as he was a one-time owner of the Caguas Criollos of the Puerto Rico Winter League.  As a businessman, Santiago was known as a boxing promoter and owner of a horse stable whose horses were successful in winning a number of races.

Building the Set
Summer of 1983 or 1984 in Millville, NJ - Card #4
This Santiago card was one of the Original 44, and I've relayed the story of how my Dad and I began collecting the 1956 Topps set a few times - most recently with the Pedro Ramos (#49) post here.

The Card
This is the first and last mainstream baseball card issued for Santiago, and it's fitting that the back of his card pays tribute to his excellent minor league career in the first two panels.  It looks as if he added his middle initial "G" to his signature as an afterthought.  If the player standing behind Santiago is wearing #8, and it's hard to tell the uniform number, it's most likely infielder Kenny Kuhn who appeared in 4 games for the Indians in 1955 as an 18-year old.

His few other baseball card appearances are limited to oddball issuances, including a card in the 1956 Kansas City Livestock Night postcard set, a 1972 sticker in the Puerto Rico Winter League set and a few cards in the 1975 TCMA set celebrating the 1954 Indians team.  Santiago signed a few hundred copies of his reprinted 1956 Topps card for inclusion in the 2005 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs insert set.

1956 Season
Sold to the Athletics on May 16th, Santiago made nine appearances (including five starts) with the club between the end of May and mid-July.  He didn't fare very well, going 1-2 with an 8.31 ERA over 21 2/3 innings pitched.  Demoted to the minors, Santiago appeared in 11 games for the Triple-A Columbus Jets.

1975 TCMA
1954 Cleveland Indians
2005 Topps Heritage Real One
Autographs Red #RO-JSA
Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1956 Topps #59
First Topps Card:  1956 Topps #59
Last Topps Card:  1956 Topps #59
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2005 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #RO-JSA
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (1):  1956

6 - Santiago non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 8/2/19.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database

In some cases, the first and last cards listed above are subjective and chosen by me if multiple cards were released within the same year.  Most recent mainstream card may also be subjective and does not include extremely low serial numbered cards, buybacks or cut autograph cards.

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