Showing posts with label Last Topps Card. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Last 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, March 21, 2025

#325 Don Liddle - New York Giants


Donald Eugene Liddle
New York Giants
Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  165
Born:  May 15, 1925, Mount Carmel, IL
Signed:  Signed by the Boston Braves as an amateur free agent before 1946 season
Major League Teams:  Milwaukee Braves 1953; New York Giants 1954-56; St. Louis Cardinals 1956
Died:  June 5, 2000, Mount Carmel, IL (age 75)

Don Liddle pitched in four big league seasons, appearing in 117 games, but he was on the mound for one of the most historic moments in baseball history.  Originally signed by the Braves, Liddle was a swingman for the club in his rookie season of 1953, pitching to a 7-6 record and a 3.08 ERA in 31 games and 15 starts.  He was part of a blockbuster six-player deal with the Giants before the start of the 1954 season, and he'd have his best season that year with New York.  Liddle was 9-4 with a 3.06 ERA during the regular season, and when the Giants won the National League pennant, he'd make two memorable appearances in the World Series against the Indians.  Liddle was called upon in the eighth inning of Game 1 to face Vic Wertz (#300) with game tied 2-2.  Wertz launched a ball to deep center, artfully and memorably tracked down by Willie Mays (#130) with an overhead, back-to-the-field catch.  Liddle would start and win the decisive Game 4 agains the Indians, giving the Giants the World Championship.

He'd only pitch two more seasons int he majors, and was traded to Cardinals mid-way through the 1956 season.  Liddle was 28-18 lifetime, with a 3.75 ERA and one memorable pitch thrown during the 1954 World Series.

Building the Set
December 2, 2000 from Raleigh, NC - Card #222
I went nuts and bought 16 cards for our 1956 Topps set on this day at the Sports Card & NASCAR Collectibles Show in Raleigh.  My records show the 16 cards set me back $55 which I would have considered to be a small fortune back then.  I hadn't yet moved back north yet, so I was still living in Raleigh at this time planning for my eventual escape.  I would have provided my Dad with an updated checklist following this show as he was back in New Jersey.

The Card / Giants Team Set
Liddle appears in two Topps flagship sets, with both of his cards using the same photo.  He returned to Topps in 1956 after only appearing in the Bowman set in 1955.  I'm not sure about Topps' assertion on the back that Liddle "is one of the best control pitchers in baseball."  He walked a ton of batters and finished his career with 203 walks, compared to 198 strikeouts.  I was also puzzled by how the cartoonist represented the Cardinals in the final cartoon panel.  The Braves and Pirates are represented by the stereotypes of the day, but the "Cards" are represented by a guy in a top hat holding a deck of cards?

1956 Season
Liddle started the season in the Giants' bullpen and had his first start on May 16th, a complete game victory over the Cubs.  On June 14th, Liddle, Al Dark (#148), Ray Katt, Whitey Lockman (#205) and cash were traded to the Cardinals for Jackie Brandt, Dick Littlefield, Bill Sarni (#247) and Red Schoendienst (#165), along with two players to be named later.  Liddle struggled with the Cardinals.  In 14 games, including a pair of starts, he was 1-2 with an 8.39 ERA in 24 2/3 innings pitched.  His final big league appearance came against the Dodgers on September 19th in a 17-2 blow-out loss.  Liddle allowed a home run to Don Demeter and an RBI-double to Randy Jackson (#223) before striking out Bob Aspromonte in his last appearance on a big league mound.

1953 Johnston Cookies
Milwaukee Braves #9
1954 Topps #225
 
1955 Bowman #146
 

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1954 Topps #225
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (2):  1954, 1956
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1994 Topps Archives 1954 #225

15 - Liddle non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 3/15/25.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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Saturday, August 31, 2024

#306 Curt Roberts - Pittsburgh Pirates


Curtis Benjamin Roberts
Pittsburgh Pirates
Second Base

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'8"  Weight:  165
Born:  August 16, 1929, Pineland, TX
Signed:  Signed by the Boston Braves as an amateur free agent before 1951 season
Major League Teams:  Kansas City Monarchs 1947-48; Pittsburgh Pirates 1954-56
Died:  November 14, 1969, Oakland, CA (age 40)

Curt Roberts played for two seasons with the Kansas City Monarchs in the late 1940s before becoming the first black player in Pirates' franchise history in 1954.  With the Monarchs as a teenager, Roberts batted .275 in 65 games over the 1948 and 1948 seasons.  He earned a reputation as one of the best fielding second basemen in the league.  Originally signed by the Braves in 1951, Roberts played steadily in the minors before earning a spot on the Pirates' opening day roster in 1954.  He tripled off future Hall of Famer Robin Roberts (#180) in his first at-bat and would later double in the same game.  With general manager Branch Rickey supporting him, Roberts was the regular second baseman for the Pirates that season, batting .232 in 134 games with 18 doubles, a home run and 36 RBIs.  That would be his sole full season in the majors, as he was demoted to the minors early in the 1955 season and eventually lost his job in 1956 to Bill Mazeroski.

Roberts would continue to play professionally through the 1963 sesason in the Yankees, Dodgers and White Sox systems, finding success with the Denver Bears, then the Yankees' top farm team, in the late 1950s.  In parts of three seasons with the Pirates, Roberts batted .223 in 171 games.  His legacy has been revisited in recent years, with the Pirates recognizing his contributions to their franchise with various initiatives named for Roberts.  He's credited with paving the way for other players in the years to come, including future Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente (#33).

December 25, 2007
Building the Set
December 28, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchase - Card #336
I last shared this full story with the Foster Castleman (#271) post in late December, but I'll repeat myself, in an edited version, here.  The way my Dad and I finished the 1956 Topps set was somewhat anti-climatic but nevertheless a joyful memory.  Leading up to the Christmas of 2007, my Dad (with the help of my Mom) scoured eBay and other online baseball card stores for the remaining 29 cards we needed to complete the set.  Throughout the weeks and months leading up to the holidays, he knew we had completed the set but he kept it quiet, wanting to surprise me on Christmas morning.  I have no idea, and I'll never know, what the true last card was that he acquired to finish off the set.  And I have no record, nor was he able to tell me, how much they had paid for any of these final 29 cards.  

This Roberts card was one of the final 29.  It was one of the commons included in a memorable haul that included the cards of Pee Wee Reese (#260), Roberto Clemente (#33), Whitey Ford (#240) and a spotless checklist card for the 1st and 3rd Series.

The Card / Pirates Team Set
Roberts has cards in the 1954, 1955 and 1956 Topps sets with all three cards using the exact same photo.  The action shot would appear to show him out at home plate on a tag applied by what looks to be a Braves catcher.  The cartoons on the back of the card highlight his recent success in the minor leagues and his strong defensive skills.

1956 Season
Roberts began the season as the back-up to Johnny O'Brien (#65), but with O'Brien slumping Roberts earned more playing time.  Roberts didn't fare much better, making 17 starts at second base and batting just .177 in 31 games overall.  His last game in the majors came on June 8th when he entered a game against the Cardinals as a late inning defensive replacement.  On June 23rd, Roberts was dealt to the Athletics with Jack McMahan for Spook Jacobs (#151), but he'd never suit up in Kansas City.  With their top minor league team in Columbus, Roberts batted .320 in 87 games.

1954 Topps #242
1955 Topps #107

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1954 Topps #242
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (3):  1954-56
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1994 Topps Archives 1954 #242

15 - Roberts non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 8/31/24.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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Friday, August 9, 2024

#303 Jim Dyck - Baltimore Orioles


James Robert Dyck
Baltimore Orioles
Outfield

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  200
Born:  February 3, 1922, Omaha, NE
Signed:  Signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent before 1941 season
Major League Teams:  St. Louis Browns 1951-53; Cleveland Indians 1954; Baltimore Orioles 1955-56; Cincinnati Redlegs 1956
Died:  January 11, 1999, Cheney, WA (age 76)

Jim Dyck played professionally for 20 years, missing three full years while serving in the military during World War II, and spending parts of six seasons in the majors.  Dyck was originally signed by the Yankees in 1941, and it took him joining the Browns' organization in late 1949 to finally get a shot at the big leagues a few years later.  Dyck, a 30-year-old rookie in 1952, spent his first full season in the majors, appearing in a career-high 122 games and setting career-best marks in nearly every offensive category.  He batted .269 with 15 home runs and 64 RBIs, as arguably the best offensive player for the seventh place Browns.  His numbers would slip in 1953, and he appeared in 112 games, batting .213.  Traded to the Indians in April 1954 for Bob Kennedy (#38), Dyck would appear in only two games for the eventual pennant winners, and he'd be sold back to the his former team, now the Orioles, in July 1955.

Dyck's final big league action came in 1956, playing in 49 games for the Orioles and Redlegs.  In 330 games, he batted .246 with 26 home runs and 114 RBIs.  He'd continue to play professionally through the 1961 season, last appearing in 29 games as a player-coach with the Vancouver Mounties in the Pacific Coast League.

January 28, 2006 - Celebrating Dad's 62nd birthday
Building the Set
December 3, 2005 in Ft. Washington, PA - Card #276
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 Dyck card for a little less than $5.  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 / Orioles Team Set
This is Dyck's final mainstream baseball card appearance, and he had previously appeared in 1953 Topps set before being exclusive to Bowman in 1954 and without a baseball card appearance in 1955.  That could be Dyck sliding back into second base against the Yankees, as he wore #14 with the Orioles in 1955.  The cartoons on the back highlight his minor league accomplishments and his versatility in the field.  For his career, Dyck played 157 games at all three outfield positions, 147 games at third base and one game at first base.

This card is the final Orioles card in the set, making the Orioles team set the first to be completed.  A full gallery is linked above and all team sets are linked at this page.

1956 Season
Dyck began the year with the Orioles, and batted .217 (5 for 23) in 11 games, including a pair of pinch-hitting appearances.  Sold to Cincinnati on May 11th, Dyck played in 18 games for the Redlegs, batting .091 (1 for 11) with most of his appearances coming as a pinch-hitter or pinch-runner.  In late July, Dyck was demoted to the Triple-A Seattle Rainiers, where he'd bat .185 over 54 games.

1953 Bowman Color #111
1953 Topps #177
1954 Bowman #85

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1953 Bowman Color #111
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (2):  1953, 1956
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1991 Topps Archives 1953 #177

20 - Dyck non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 8/9/24.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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Friday, July 5, 2024

#298 Johnny Schmitz - Boston Red Sox


John Albert Schmitz
Boston Red Sox
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  170
Born:  November 27, 1920, Wausau, WI
Signed:  Signed by the Cleveland Indians as an amateur free agent before 1938 season
Major League Teams:   Chicago Cubs 1941-42, 1946-51; Brooklyn Dodgers 1951-52; New York Yankees 1952; Cincinnati Reds 1952; New York Yankees 1953; Washington Senators 1953-55; Boston Red Sox 1956; Baltimore Orioles 1956
Died:  October 1, 2011, Weston, WI (age 90)

Johnny Schmitz appeared in 28 games for the Cubs in 1941 and 1942 before his baseball career was put on hold while he served with the U.S. Navy in the Pacific theatre of World War II for three years.  Upon his return in 1946, Schmitz had one of his best seasons, going 11-11 for the Cubs and leading the league with 135 strikeouts.  Schmitz made the National League All-Star squad in 1946 and 1948 and was the losing pitcher in the 1948 game when he allowed three runs during his outing.  He pitched in over 200 innings each season between 1946 and 1949.

Schmitz bounced around the majors following his trade from the Cubs in June 1951, playing with the Dodgers, Yankees (twice), Reds, Senators, Red Sox and Orioles.  His last solid season came with the Senators in 1954 when he was 11-8 with a 2.91 ERA in 29 games and 185 1/3 innings pitched.  An excellent fielder throughout his career, Schmitz twice led the league in assists, double plays turned as a pitcher and fielding percentage.  In 13 big league seasons, Schmitz was 93-114 with a 3.55 ERA, 86 complete games and 16 shutouts.

Building the Set
August 13, 1989 in Bridgeton, NJ - Card #85
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 / Red Sox Team Set
This is Schmitz's final appearance in a Topps set, and he'd sign reprints of this card for the 2005 Topps Heritage release.  He'd very likely wearing a Senators jersey and hat here, with the Topps' artists doing some quick edits to put him into Red Sox gear.  I believe he's standing inside Yankee Stadium given the rectangular building beyond the outfield scoreboard with the Ballantine Beer advertisement.  The back of the card highlights his journeyman status and his fine control.

1956 Season
On November 8, 1955, Schmitz was traded from Washington with Bob Porterfield (#248), Tom Umphlett and Mickey Vernon (#228) to the Red Sox for Al Curtis, Dick Brodowski (#157), Neil Chrisley, Tex Clevenger and Karl Olson (#322).  Schmitz must not have been one of the key reasons for the Red Sox to pull off the massive nine-player deal, as they sold him to the Orioles on May 14th.  Schmitz appeared in two games for the Red Sox, pitching 4 1/3 innings before the trade.  With the Orioles, he pitched in the final 18 games of his major league career, going 0-3 with a 3.99 ERA.

1949 Bowman #52
1950 Bowman #24
1951 Topps Blue Backs #41
1952 Topps #136
1954 Topps #33

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1949 Bowman #52
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (5):  1951-52, 1954-56
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2005 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #RO-JS

38 - Schmitz non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 7/5/24.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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Friday, June 21, 2024

#296 Andy Seminick - Philadelphia Phillies


Andrew Wasal Seminick
Philadelphia Phillies
Catcher


Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  187
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.

1983 Philadelphia Phillies Great Players #3
Building the Set
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
Seminick was nearing the end of his 15-year career, and he appeared in 60 games for the Phillies, batting .199 with seven home runs and 23 RBIs.  He was their opening day catcher for the final time, and he'd start 49 games behind the plate as the back-up to Stan Lopata (#183).  Seminick would retire following the 1956 season, assuming a coaching role with the Phillies, but he'd be activated again in September 1957 due to injuries to the team's catchers.

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.

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.

1949 Bowman #30
1950 Bowman #121
1951 Bowman #51
1953 Topps #153
1955 Bowman #93

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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Sunday, May 19, 2024

#291 Frank Kellert - Chicago Cubs


Frank William Kellert
Chicago Cubs
First Base

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  185
Born:  July 6, 1924, Oklahoma City, OK
Signed:  Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent before 1949 season
Major League Teams:  St. Louis Browns 1953; Baltimore Orioles 1954; Brooklyn Dodgers 1955; Chicago Cubs 1956
Died:  November 19, 1976, Oklahoma City, OK (age 52)

Frank Kellert had a front row seat with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1955 as the team won its only World Championship before relocating to Los Angeles two years later.  Kellert had his best professional season in 1954 with the San Antonio Missions, the Orioles' top farm team.  He won Texas League MVP honors, hitting .316 with 41 home runs and 146 RBIs.  On the strength of his 1954 season, the Dodgers acquired him from the Orioles on March 17, 1955 for Erv Palica (#206).  Kellert spent the entire 1955 season with Brooklyn, appearing in 39 games and making 17 starts at first base to occasionally give Gil Hodges (#145) some days off.  He batted .325 (26 for 80) for the Dodgers during the regular season and made three pinch-hitting appearances in the World Series, going 1 for 3.  Kellert was at-bat in the eighth inning of Game 1 when Jackie Robinson (#30) stole home, evading Yogi Berra's (#110) tag.

Kellert moved to Chicago for the 1956 season, his last in the majors.  He played for three more years in the minors before retiring in 1959.  In 122 big league games, Kellert batted .231 with 57 hits, eight home runs and 37 RBIs.

July 12, 2007
Building the Set
July 12, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchases - Card #299
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 Kellert 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 brought this Kellert card, by itself, on July 12, 2007.  This would have a Thursday, and I may not have even been home at the the time of his visit.  Pictures from the time show Doug going through a major drooling phase.

Throughout 2007, I suspect my Dad 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.

1995 Topps Archives Brooklyn Dodgers #114
The Card / Cubs Team Set
My goodness, Mr. Kellert had a long neck.  I think it's more likely Kellert is the runner in the action photo, but he could also be the first baseman.  This is his first and last appearance in a Topps flagship set, although Topps did create a 1955 inspired card for him in their 1995 Topps Archives Brooklyn Dodgers set.  

The first cartoon panel on the back is perhaps the most depressing cartoon panel in the entire set.  While serving in the Army during World War II, Kellert was on a transport ship torpedoed by German submarines in the Mediterranean.  Kellert himself survived by floating on debris for over 24 hours, but over 2,100 soldiers were lost in the attack.

1956 Season
A week after the Dodgers won the Championship, Kellert was placed on waivers and selected by the Cubs.  He assumed much of the same role he had with the Dodgers, but he did receive quite a few pinch-hitting opportunities.  Kellert started 25 games at first base, with regular Dee Fondy (#112) getting the other 132 starts.  As a pinch-hitter, Kellert batted .263 with 10 hits and five RBIs.  He batted .186 overall, with four home runs and 17 RBIs.  In January 1957, Kellert was dealt to the Red Sox.

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1956 Topps #291
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (1):  1956
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1995 Topps Archives Brooklyn Dodgers #114

11 - Kellert non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 5/19/24.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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