Showing posts with label First Topps Card. Show all posts
Showing posts with label First Topps Card. Show all posts

Friday, September 5, 2025

#339 Rance Pless - Kansas City Athletics


Rance Pless
Kansas City Athletics
Third Base

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  195
Born:  December 6, 1925, Greeneville, TN
Signed:  Signed by the New York Giants as an amateur free agent before 1947 season
Major League Teams:  Kansas City Athletics 1956
Died:  November 11, 2017, Greeneville, TN (age 91)

Rance Pless played professionally over 14 seasons, primarily within the New York Giants' minor league system.  Playing mostly the outfield and third base, Pless won two minor league batting championships with the Double-A Nashville Volunteers in 1952 (.364) and the Triple-A Minneapolis Millers in 1955 (.337).  Seemingly blocked at the big league level in the Giants' system, Pless' contract was sold to the Athletics on October 7, 1955.  He spent most of the season in the majors with the Athletics, appearing in 48 games, but making only 17 starts.  Pless returned to the minors for four more seasons, playing within the Yankees, Cardinals and Tigers organizations between 1957 and 1960.  He batted .271 in the majors, but at least .303 in the minors, collecting a known 1,807 hits.

Building the Set
July 30, 1994 in Ocean City, NJ - Card #132
My Dad and I bought this card at the annual Ocean City baseball card show held within the famous Music Pier during the summer between my sophomore and junior years in college.  We spent $41 on six cards for our 1956 Topps set at this show, with the most expensive card being (for some reason) the Rip Repulski (#201) card for $9.  This Pless card was $5.

From the flyer (right), it looks as if The Eastern Pennsylvania Sports Collectors Club (EPSCC) had abandoned its sponsorship of this baseball card show by 1994.  Honestly after they pulled out, the show was never quite the same and the quality definitely suffered.  My Dad would have grumbled at the fact that comic books were now encroaching on the floor space of his beloved baseball card show.  1994 and 1995 were strange years for the baseball card hobby as the player's strike that prematurely ended the 1994 season chased a lot of fans away from the hobby, and some of them have never come back.

Johnny Callison was back signing autographs though, and the former Phillies player was ubiquitous at these events back in the 1980s and early 1990s.

The Card / Athletics Team Set
This is Pless' first and last Topps card, and it's great that a player like Pless, who had spent nine seasons trying to work his way up the majors, received a card in the set.  The action shot would have been taken earlier in the season, as Pless did in fact wear #8 with the Athletics.  The back of the card highlights his successful 1955 season, when he won the batting title and was named the league's MVP.

1956 Season
Pless was with the Athletics every month of the season except most of July and all of August, and he appeared in 59 games for the Richmond Virginians, batting .298.  With the Athletics, and as mentioned above, he batted .271 (23 for 85) with three doubles and a triple.  Of his 17 starts, 12 were at first base and five were at third base.

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1956 Topps #339
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (1):  1956
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1979 TCMA The 1950s #176

4 - Pless non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 9/1/25.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database

Blog Update
I've been admittedly slow-walking my way to the end of this blog, as I'm not quite ready to walk away from it after nearly 10 years of off and on posting.  This Pless card and the Mickey McDermott (#340) card are the final two player posts, to be followed by posts on the two checklists.  I still have my sights on wrapping this thing up by the end of 2025.
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Friday, May 9, 2025

#332 Don Larsen - New York Yankees


Don James Larsen
New York Yankees
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'4"  Weight:  215
Born:  August 7, 1929, Michigan City, IN
Signed:  Signed by the St. Louis Browns as an amateur free agent before 1947 season
Major League Teams:  St. Louis Browns 1953; Baltimore Orioles 1954; New York Yankees 1955-59; Kansas City Athletics 1960-61; Chicago White Sox 1961; San Francisco Giants 1962-64; Houston Colt .45s 1964; Houston Astros 1965; Baltimore Orioles 1965; Chicago Cubs 1967
Died:  January 1, 2020, Hayden, ID (age 90)

Regardless of whatever he would do for the rest of his playing career, Don Larsen would forever be linked, and rightfully so, to the perfect game he threw in Game 5 of the 1956 World Series.  That performance has earned its place as perhaps the greatest pitching performances in World Series history and it earned him World Series MVP honors.  It's the only perfect game to be thrown in the postseason and one of two solo no-hitters thrown in postseason history with the other coming from the Phillies' Roy Halladay in the 2010 NLDS.

Larsen never won more than 11 games in a season in the major leagues and his best seasons came during his rookie year with the Browns (7-12 with a 4.16 ERA and 7 complete games) his magical 1956 season with the Yankees (11-5, 3.26 ERA, 107 strikeouts) and with the Colt .45s in 1964 as a reliever (4-8 over 30 games with a 2.26 ERA).  It should be noted that at the plate during his rookie season, Larsen batted .284 with three home runs.  He followed that up with a 21-loss season in 1954 for the newly located Baltimore Orioles and he came to the Yankees in a massive 17-player trade in November 1954.

A popular player who enjoyed the New York City nightlife, Larsen spent five years with the Yankees winning World Series rings with the club in 1956 and 1958.  He retired after 14 seasons with a 81-91 record and a 3.78 ERA over 1,548 innings pitched and 412 appearances.

October 7, 2007 - Birthday celebration with family
Building the Set
October 7, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchases - Card #311
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 Larsen card, I received Roger Craig (#63), Bill Bruton (#185), Bob Feller (#200) and Don Newcombe (#235).  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 / Yankees Team Set
This is Larsen's first Topps card, and his previous mainstream baseball card appearances came in the 1954 and 1955 Bowman sets.  Topps wisely decided to include him in this set's last series, given the heroics that were about to transpire in the World Series.  The middle cartoon panel touches on Larsen's 21 losses in 1954 and features one of the creepiest cartoon drawings in the set.

The card was first reprinted in the 2001 Topps Archives set, and it's been reprinted a few more times since then.

 

1956 Season
Larsen was arguably the fourth or fifth best starter in the Yankees' starting pitching rotation, behind Whitey Ford (#240), Johnny Kucks (#88), Tom Sturdivant and possibly Bob Hurley (#40).  He was fourth on the club in wins and he relieved in almost as many games (18) as he started (20).  Larsen threw six complete games and one shutout during the regular season, a four-hitter against the Orioles on September 3rd in which he also walked eight batters.  He started Game 2 of the World Series against the Dodgers, and was chased after just 1 2/3 innings, having allowed four unearned runs on a hit and four walks.

Larsen was the surprising choice to start Game 5 by manager Casey Stengel, given his struggles in Game 2 and with the series knotted at two games a piece.  Larsen mowed the Dodgers' line-up down throughout the game, with the Yankees scoring runs in the fourth and sixth innings.  In the ninth, he retired Carl Furillo (#190) and Roy Campanella (#101) for the first two outs, and pinch-hitter Dale Mitchell (#268) stepped to the plate as the 27th and final out needed.  Larsen struck Mitchell out looking, earning his baseball immortality.

1954 Bowman #101
1959 Topps #205
1961 Topps #402
1961 Topps #177
1965 Topps #389

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1954 Bowman #101
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (11):  1956-65, 2001
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2024 Topps Update Autumn Tales #AT-16

391 - Larsen non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 5/4/25.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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Friday, April 18, 2025

#329 Lou Berberet - Washington Nationals


Louis Joseph Berberet
Washington Nationals
Catcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  200
Born:  November 20, 1929, Long Beach, CA
Signed:  Signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent before 1950 season
Major League Teams:  New York Yankees 1954-55; Washington Nationals 1956; Washington Senators 1957-58; Boston Red Sox 1958; Detroit Tigers 1959-60
Died:  April 6, 2004, Las Vegas, NV (age 74)

A steady defensive catcher with a strong arm for throwing out would-be base stealers, Lou Berberet played in parts of seven big league seasons, with most of his success coming in Washington.  Berberet earned September call-ups in 1954 and 1955 with the Yankees, appearing in a combined seven games over the two seasons.  A seven-player deal with the Nationals before the 1956 season gave Berberet a good home and more regular playing time.  He was the opening day catcher for Washington in 1956, ultimately making 54 starts behind the plate in a three-way platoon with fellow catchers Clint Courtney (#159) and Ed FitzGerald (#198).  He'd have another successful campaign in 1957, playing in 99 games while batting .261 and connecting for seven home runs and 36 RBIs.  Berberet led all catchers with a 1.000 fielding percentage in 1957.  He was dealt to the Red Sox on May 1, 1958 for infielder Ken Aspromonte, and after a season in Boston he was dealt to Detroit that December.

Berberet was the most frequently used catcher for Jimmy Dykes' Tigers team in 1959, appearing in 100 games overall, and reaching career highs in home runs (13) and RBIs (44).  His last action in the majors came in 1960 and he was the most frequently used catcher for the Tigers in his final season.  Berberet led the American League in caught stealing percentage in both 1956 and 1959.  In 448 games, he collected 281 hits, batted .230 and swatted 31 home runs with 153 RBIs.

November 22, 2007 - Thanksgiving Day
Building the Set
October 31, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchases - Card #313
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 detested the 40 minute ride north to our house.  Among all the very positive memories I have of my Dad, one of my few negative memories is the fact that 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 begun failing 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, 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 Berberet card came into our set.  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 handed me this Berberet card on Thanksgiving Day, as he was visiting with the rest of our family to enjoy Doug's first Thanksgiving.

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.  Not to ruin the ending for this blog, but this is how we finished the 1956 Topps set.  Not with one last glorious purchase at a baseball card show, but with my Dad systematically and methodically checking off cards from our checklist through eBay purchases.

Together with my Mom, he'd deliver the last 29 cards we needed to complete the set as a Christmas present to me that year.

The Card / Nationals Team Set
This is Berberet's rookie card, and like the Bob Wiesler (#327) card right before this one, the catcher is likely wearing all Yankees gear in both photos.  The cartoon panels on the back celebrate his arrival in Washington, his minor league success and his strong defensive skills.

This is the last Nationals' card in the set, and not including the team card, there are 18 players featured in the Nationals team set.  Of interest to probably only a few of us, Topps spelled out Nationals on 10 cards, and abbreviated the team name to Nate on eight cards, including Berberet's.

1956 Season
On February 8th, the Yankees dealt Berberet, Herb Plews, Dick Tettelbach, Wiesler and player to be named later Whitey Herzog to the Nationals for Bobby Kline and Mickey McDermott (#340).  As noted above, Berberet and two other catchers shared catching duties for the club throughout the season, with Courtney's offensive numbers a little better than Berberet's.

1957 Topps #329
1958 Topps #383
1959 Topps #96
1960 Topps #6

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1956 Topps #329
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (5):  1956-60
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1961 Post #43

16 - Berberet non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 4/8/25.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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Friday, April 4, 2025

#327 Bob Wiesler - Washington Nationals


Robert George Wiesler
Washington Nationals
Pitcher

Bats:  Both  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'3"  Weight:  188
Born:  August 13, 1930, St. Louis, MO
Signed:  Signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent before 1949 season
Major League Teams:  New York Yankees 1951, 1954-55; Washington Nationals 1956; Washington Senators 1957-58
Died:  August 10, 2014, Florissant, MO (age 83)

On the strength of several strong minor league seasons, Bob Wiesler was promoted to the Yankees in August 1951, pitching in his first four big league ballgames.  He'd miss all of the 1952 season while serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, and then spend the 1953 season back in the minors.  Wiesler pitched sparingly with the Yankees in 1954 and 1955, and a trade to the Nationals in early 1956 finally gave him a shot at regular appearances in the majors.  He'd see the most major league action of his career that season, going 3-12 with a 6.44 ERA in 37 games overall, and 21 starts.  Wiesler threw a career-high 123 innings, striking out 49 but walking an alarming 112. 

He'd spend a few more seasons bouncing between the minor leagues and Washington, pitching in his final major league game on May 10, 1958.  Wiesler spent the next three seasons attempting to mount a comeback, spending time in the Yankees, Angels and Twins minor league systems.  In 70 games in the majors, Wiesler was 7-19 with a 5.74 ERA, 113 strikeouts and 218 walks in 241 1/3 innings pitched.

1957 Topps #126
Building the Set
December 28, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchase - Card #341
This is the second to last card added to our complete 1956 Topps set.  I recently shared this full story with the Rocky Bridges (#324) post earlier this month, 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 Wiesler 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 / Nationals Team Set
Wiesler is wearing a Yankees uniform here, and Topps did an admirable job transferring him over to his new team's uniform.  The Yankee pinstripes can still be seen when you look at the card up close, and the Nationals only wore pinstripes in 1955 at home.  The cartoon panels on the back highlight his minor league success, his blazing fastball and his arrival at Griffith Stadium, the Nationals' home ballpark, for the 1956 season.  This is his rookie card.

1956 Season
On February 8th, Wiesler, Lou Berberet (#329), Herb Plews, Dick Tettelbach and player to be named later Whitey Herzog were dealt to the Nationals from the Yankees for Bobby Kline and Mickey McDermott (#340).  Wiesler and his former Yankee teammates went from the zenith of the American League to the nadir, with the Nationals losing 95 games and finishing in seventh place that season.  Wiesler slotted into the pitching rotation behind Chuck Stobbs (#68), Camilio Pascual (#98) and Dean Stone (#87), and he threw three complete games.

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1956 Topps #327
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (2):  1956-57
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2006 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-BW

5 - Wiesler non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 3/31/25.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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Friday, March 28, 2025

#326 Connie Johnson - Chicago White Sox


Clifford Johnson
Chicago White Sox
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'4"  Weight:  200
Born:  December 27, 1922, Stone Mountain, GA
Acquired:  Purchased by the Chicago White Sox from the St. Hyacinthe Saints (Canadian Provincial League) for $6,500, August 31, 1951
Major League Teams:  Toledo/Indianapolis Crawfords 1940; Kansas City Monarchs 1941-42, 1946-48; Chicago White Sox 1953, 1955-56; Baltimore Orioles 1956-58
Died:  November 28, 2004, Kansas City, MO (age 81)

Connie Johnson spent 17 seasons pitching professionally throughout North America, with his career beginning as an impressive 17-year-old with the minor league Atlanta Black Crackers and the Toledo/Indianapolis Crawfords.  Johnson was named to the East-West All-Star Game as a member of the Crawfords in 1940, the youngest player to earn that distinction.  With Hall of Famers Satchel Paige and Hilton Smith, Johnson helped lead the Kansas City Monarchs to back-to-back pennants in 1941 and 1942, before missing three full seasons while in military service during World War II.  He'd return to baseball in 1946, pitching three more seasons with the Monarchs.  Johnson made his American League debut with the White Sox in 1953, and his best seasons in that league came in 1956 and 1957 with the White Sox and Orioles.

Johnson was a combined 9-11 with a 3.44 ERA in 31 games in 1956, throwing nine complete games and a pair of shutouts.  He was 14-11 in 1957 with the Orioles, with a 3.20 ERA and a career-high 177 strikeouts.  Johnson would spend parts of two seasons with the Orioles' top farm team in Vancouver and he'd finish his career after pitching three games with the Pericos de Puebla in the Mexican League in 1961.  During most of his offseasons, Johnson continued to pitch in the Panamanian and Cuban Leagues.  In the American League, Johnson was 60-50 in 176 games, including 127 starts.  He threw 51 complete games, nine shutouts and struck out 676 in 974 2/3 innings.

December 25, 2007
Building the Set
December 28, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchase - Card #340
I recently shared this full story with the Rocky Bridges (#324) post earlier this month, 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 Johnson 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 / White Sox Team Set
Despite having already pitched professionally for 15 years, this is Johnson's rookie card.  The cartoon panels on the back of the card highlight his promotion to the White Sox in 1955, his success in the Canadian Provincial League and his consistently low ERA.  This is the final White Sox card in the 1956 Topps set.

1956 Season
Johnson began the season with the White Sox, and control problems led to an early season slump.  In five games with the White Sox, including a pair of starts, he was 0-1 with a 3.65 ERA, six strikeouts and seven walks in 12 1/3 innings pitched.  On May 21st, he was dealt with Mike Fornieles, George Kell (#195) and Bob Neiman (#267) to the Orioles for Dave Philley (#222) and Jim Wilson (#171).  Johnson turned his season around in Baltimore, going 9-10 with a 3.43 ERA in 26 games, all but one of those games as a starting pitcher.  He regained his control, striking out 130 and walking 62 in 183 2/3 innings pitched.  He threw a six-hit, 11 strikeout shutout against the Nationals on August 14th. 

1957 Topps #43
1958 Topps #266
1959 Topps #21

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1956 Topps #326
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (4):  1956-59
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1959 Topps #21

14 - Johnson non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 3/21/25.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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Friday, February 7, 2025

#319 Jack Crimian - Kansas City Athletics


John Melvin Crimian
Kansas City Athletics
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  180
Born:  February 17, 1926, Philadelphia, PA
Signed:  Signed by the Philadelphia Phillies as an amateur free agent before 1944 season
Major League Teams:  St. Louis Cardinals 1951-52; Kansas City Athletics 1956; Detroit Tigers 1957
Died:  February 11, 2019, Middletown, DE (age 92)

The Philadelphia Phillies signed local product Jack Crimian prior to the 1944 season, but the right-handed pitcher would never suit up for either of the two major league teams then playing in his hometown.  Crimian spent six seasons in the minors, with a year of playing time lost while he served in the U.S. Army during World War II.  He'd earn brief promotions in 1951 and 1952 with the Cardinals, pitching in 16 games, all in relief, but struggling with a 9.24 ERA over 25 1/3 innings pitched.  He'd be back in the minors for three more full seasons between 1953 and 1955, finding success with the International League's Toronto Maple Leafs.  Crimian's sole full year in the majors came in 1956 with the Athletics and he led the 102-loss team with 54 appearances, including seven starts.

Before the 1957 season, Crimian was part of an eight-player deal with Detroit, and he'd pitch in his final four big league games with the Tigers.  Crimian returned to Toronto for the 1958 and 1959 seasons before retiring from baseball.  In 74 big league games, he was 5-9 with a 6.36 ERA, collecting 69 strikeouts and 65 walks in 160 innings pitched.  Crimian was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame in 1985.

Building the Set
September 15, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchases - Card #302
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 detested the 40 minute ride north to our house.  Among all the very positive memories I have of my Dad, one of my few negative memories is the fact that 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 begun failing 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, 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.

August 2007 - Dad with Jenna, Doug and me riding a merry-go-round
in Ocean City, NJ
This background is needed to better explain how this Crimian card came into our set.  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 handed me this Harshman card on September 15, 2007, along with a Jack Harshman (#29) card.

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.  Not to ruin the ending for this blog, but this is how we finished the 1956 Topps set.  Not with one last glorious purchase at a baseball card show, but with my Dad systematically and methodically checking off cards from our checklist through eBay purchases.

Together with my Mom, he'd deliver the last 29 cards we needed to complete the set as a Christmas present to me that year.

1957 Topps #297
The Card / Athletics Team Set
This is Crimian's rookie card, and he'd appear on one more Topps card in 1957.  His only other baseball card following 1957 came in the form on a reprint of his 1957 Topps card for the 2006 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs insert set, which Crimian signed.  The back of this card highlights his MVP win in 1955 while pitching for the Maple Leafs.  It was by far his best professional season, leading directly to his spot in the Athletics' bullpen in 1956.  Crimian was 19-6 in 1955 with a 2.10 ERA in 40 appearances, including 21 starts.  He threw 16 complete games, with four of those shutouts.

1956 Season
As mentioned above, Crimian was frequently used throughout the season by manager Lou Boudreau, and over 80% of his major league output came during the 1956 season.  He was 4-8 with a 5.51 ERA in 129 innings pitched, converting three saves.  On December 5th, Crimian, Jim Finigan (#22), Bill Harrington and Eddie Robinson (#302) were traded to the Tigers for Wayne Belardi, Ned Garver (#189), Gene Host, Virgil Trucks (#117) and $20,000.

Phillies Connection
Crimian pitched for the Wilimington Blue Rocks and the Bradford Blue Wings, both low-level Phillies minor league teams, during the 1944 season.  He'd miss all of 1945 while in military service, and then return to the Blue Rocks in 1946.  On November 5, 1946, the Cardinals selected Crimian from the Phillies in the minor league draft. 

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1956 Topps #319
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (2):  1956-57
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2006 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-JCR

5 - Crimian non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 1/26/25.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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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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Friday, October 18, 2024

#311 Hal Naragon - Cleveland Indians


Harold Richard Naragon
Cleveland Indians
Catcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  160
Born:  October 1, 1928, Zanesville, OH
Signed:  Signed by the Cleveland Indians as an amateur free agent before 1947 season
Major League Teams:  Cleveland Indians 1951, 1954-59; Washington Senators 1959-60; Minnesota Twins 1961-62
Died:  August 31, 2019, Barberton, OH (age 90)

With his career interrupted two full years by military service in the early 1950s, Hal Naragon played in 10 major league seasons, mostly with the Indians.  Naragon appeared in only two roles during his years in the majors, catcher and pinch-hitter, and was a back-up for Jim Hegan (#48) and Earl Battey during his years in Cleveland and Washington/Minnesota.  Naragon caught the final inning in Game 3 of the 1954 World Series, in which the Indians lost to the Giants in four games.  His best season came in 1955 when he appeared in 57 games, batting .323 with a home run and 14 RBIs.  He'd eclipse that RBI total in 1956 with 18, and his most action during a season came in 1959 when Naragon appeared in 85 games between the Indians and Senators.  He was an original Minnesota Twin, starting 30 games behind the plate during the club's first season in 1961.  As a pinch-hitter, Naragon batted .159 (20 for 126) for his career.  Overall, he batted .266 in 424 games, with 262 hits, six home runs and 87 RBIs.

Naragon spent seven more seasons in the majors as a coach with the Twins (1963-66) and Tigers (1967-69).  He'd go to back to the World Series with the 1965 Twins and 1968 Tigers, with the Tigers prevailing over the Cardinals in seven games.

December 25, 2007
Building the Set
December 28, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchase - Card #338
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 Naragon 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 / Indians Team Set
Naragon's rookie card can be found in the 1955 Bowman set, and this is his first Topps card.  There's no telling whether or not that's actually Naragon sliding into second base, under the tag of what looks to be a Yankees infielder.  The cartoons on the back explain Naragon's role as the Indians' back-up catcher, and highlight his 1955 season.  The final panel focuses on his ability to catch base stealers.  For his career, Naragon threw out 35% of would-be base stealers, or 54 out of 153 attempts.  By comparison, current Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto has a career success rate of 32%, as of this writing.

1956 Season
In 53 games with the Indians, Naragon batted .287 with three home runs and 18 RBIs.  He made 33 starts behind the plate, second in the catching depth chart for the Indians, between regular Hegan and third-stringer Earl Averill.

1955 Bowman #129
1958 Topps #22
1959 Topps #376
1960 Topps #231
1962 Topps #164

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1955 Bowman #129
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7):  1956-62
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2011 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-HN

27 - Naragon non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 10/17/24.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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