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Andrew Wasal Seminick
Philadelphia Phillies
Catcher
Born: September 12, 1920, Pierce, WV
Signed: Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent before 1940 season
Major League Teams: Philadelphia Phillies 1943-51; Cincinnati Reds 1952; Cincinnati Redlegs 1953-55; Philadelphia Phillies 1955-57
Died: February 22, 2004, Melbourne, FL (age 83)
A longtime fixture within the Phillies organization, Andy Seminick was the acknowledged clubhouse leader of the 1950 Whiz Kids team that won the National League pennant. Seminick struggled defensively behind the plate early in his career, but continued to earn playing time because of his bat. He finished first among catchers for errors five times and for stolen bases allowed four times. Still, Seminick was a valuable part of the Phillies' line-up through the 1940s and early 1950s, being named as the starting catcher for the National League All-Stars in 1949 and authoring a career year in 1950. Seminick batted .288 for the Whiz Kids, tying his career highs from the year before in both home runs (24) and RBIs (68). Despite a broken ankle, he caught all four games of the 1950 World Series, with the Phillies swept by the Yankees in four games.
He was dealt to the Reds in late 1951 in a seven-player deal, with Smoky Burgess (#192) taking over at catcher for the Phillies. After three full seasons in Cincinnati, Seminick was dealt back to the Phillies with Burgess returning to the Reds. He'd work within the Phillies organization up through the 1990s as a coach, manager, scout and roving minor league instructor. In 1,304 career games, Seminick batted .243 with 164 home runs and 556 RBIs.
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| 1983 Philadelphia Phillies Great Players #3 |
August 13, 1989 in Bridgeton, NJ - Card #84
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 (shown here) 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 / Phillies Team Set
Seminick was exlcusive to the Bowman sets in 1954 and 1955, and this card marks his return to Topps. It's also his final appearance in a Topps flagship set. The back of the card highlights his return to the Phillies in 1955 and his multi-home run inning in 1949 - see below. And by 1956, Seminick had worked to become one of the best defensive catchers in the league after years as one of the worst. He led all catchers with a .994 fielding percentage in 1955.
1956 Season
The Phillies held "Andy Seminick Night" on September 18, 1956 with a ceremony between games of a double header with the Phillies and the Reds. It was a nice touch by the Phillies to have the ceremony on the night they faced off against Seminick's only other former team. What's better is the Phillies won both ends of the double header.
Phillies Career
With the exception of his three years in Cincinnati, Seminick was a part of the Phillies organization between the mid-1940s and the mid-1990s. He was purchased from the Knoxville Smokies of the Southern Association in September 1943, making his big league debut with the Phillies on September 14, 1943 as the starting catcher. Chuck Klein appeared in that game as a pinch-hitter in one of his final big league appearances. Seminick was the opening day catcher for the Phillies in 1944, 1947 and 1948, and from 1950 to 1951, and one last time in 1956. He was 0 for 1, and was hit by a pitch in the 1949 All-Star Game, before being replaced by Roy Campanella (#101). Seminick was the first Phillies player to hit two home runs in an inning on June 2, 1949, a feat since also accomplished by Von Hayes and Trea Turner.
With the exception of his three years in Cincinnati, Seminick was a part of the Phillies organization between the mid-1940s and the mid-1990s. He was purchased from the Knoxville Smokies of the Southern Association in September 1943, making his big league debut with the Phillies on September 14, 1943 as the starting catcher. Chuck Klein appeared in that game as a pinch-hitter in one of his final big league appearances. Seminick was the opening day catcher for the Phillies in 1944, 1947 and 1948, and from 1950 to 1951, and one last time in 1956. He was 0 for 1, and was hit by a pitch in the 1949 All-Star Game, before being replaced by Roy Campanella (#101). Seminick was the first Phillies player to hit two home runs in an inning on June 2, 1949, a feat since also accomplished by Von Hayes and Trea Turner.
Following his playing days, he was a coach for the Phillies (1957-58, 1967-69) a minor league manager (1959-66, 1970-73) and a long-time scout (1974-mid 1980s). In the early 1970s, Seminick helped covert Bob Boone from a third baseman to a successful Gold Glove catcher.
Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card: 1949 Bowman #30
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (4): 1951-53, 1956
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1991 Topps Archives 1953 #153
40 - Seminick non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 6/21/24.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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First Mainstream Card: 1949 Bowman #30
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (4): 1951-53, 1956
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1991 Topps Archives 1953 #153
40 - Seminick non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 6/21/24.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
The Trading Card Database
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Order Collected: #295 Clem Labine - Brooklyn Dodgers / #298 Johnny Schmitz - Boston Red Sox
