#34 Tom Brewer - Boston Red Sox

Thomas Austin Brewer, Jr.
Boston Red Sox
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  175
Born:  September 3, 1931, Wadesboro, NC
Signed:  Signed by the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent before the 1951 season
Major League Teams:  Boston Red Sox 1954-1961
Died:  February 15, 2018, Cheraw, SC (age 86)

Tom Brewer played college ball at Elon College, was named to the All-Army team in 1952, and went on to pitch in parts of eight seasons with the Red Sox.  He won 19 games in 1956 and 16 games in 1957, the two best seasons of his career.  Slowed by arm troubles, Brewer retired following the 1961 season at 29 years old.

Building the Set
August 29, 1988 in Millville, NJ - Card #61

1988 Topps #8

We were about a year in to officially collecting the 1956 Topps set when I added four cards to the set through a trade with a friend of mine.  Now my friend probably has no recollection of this, but I'm going to omit his name to protect the innocent.  In the summer of 1988, I was aware of a few different baseball card collectors from my school.  Most of them were busy accumulating as many "Future Stars" cards from the 1988 Topps set as possible, convinced these cards would be worth hundreds of dollars in a matter of a few short years.  The Kevin Elster card was a particularly hot commodity, as was anything with a Topps Rookie Cup on it such as the cards for Mark McGwire, Mike Greenwell, Ellis Burks and Casey Candaele.

My friend had four 1956 Topps cards set aside in an "oldies" pile, and I'm guessing he had added these to his collection by accident or maybe through an older relative.  In any event, I went over to his house this late summer day in August, equipped with my 1988 Topps doubles, and ready to deal.  I don't remember the specifics of the trade, but I ended up with four 1956 Topps commons and he ended up with a small stack of 1988 Topps rookies.  We were both happy with our respective hauls, so in our minds it was a fair deal.

I've lost track of this friend over the years, but his name lives on in my official records of how each card in our 1956 Topps set was obtained.

The Card
I'm embarrassingly bad at identifying old ballparks, but I believe the facade visible right below the blue position/team box indicates this picture was taken at Yankee Stadium.  It looks like infielder Milt Bolling (#315) is loitering in the background of the card, as Bolling wore #2 for the Red Sox between 1953 and 1957.  There's a man in what looks to be in street clothes (a member of the grounds crew?) also standing behind Brewer.

The "Hi-Tom" referenced in the middle panel on the back of the card is the Class D High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms, which would have been a Rookie level equivalent in the minor league system today.  Brewer pitched in Rookie-level baseball in 1951, went into military service in 1952 and 1953, and made the Red Sox club in 1954.  That's incredibly impressive.  Granted, he played baseball while in the military, but that would be like someone today spending a year with the Williamsport Crosscutters, entering the military for two years, and then joining the Phillies starting pitching rotation in year four.

1956 Season
Brewer enjoyed a career year in 1956, earning a place on the A.L. All-Star team and finishing the season with a 19-9 record and a 3.50 ERA.  His big year netted him some A.L. MVP votes, and he finished 22nd overall in the voting.  He was the ace of the Red Sox pitching staff that season, with only Ted Williams (#5) having a higher WAR on the club.

1955 Bowman #178

1955 Topps #83

1961 Topps #434

2010 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-TB

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1955 Bowman #178
First Topps Card:  1955 Topps #83
Last Topps Card (as a player):  1961 Topps #434
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2010 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-TB
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7):  1955-1961

33 - Brewer non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 2/10/19.

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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Set Order: #33 Roberto Clemente - Pittsburgh Pirates / #35 Al Rosen - Cleveland Indians

Order Collected: #174 Glen Gorbous - Philadelphia Phillies / #58 Ed Roebuck - Brooklyn Dodgers

#33 Roberto Clemente - Pittsburgh Pirates

Roberto Walker Clemente
Pittsburgh Pirates
Outfield

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  175
Born:  August 18, 1934, Carolina, Puerto Rico
Signed:  Signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent, February 1954
Major League Teams:  Pittsburgh Pirates 1955-1972
Died:  December 31, 1972, San Juan, Puerto Rico (age 38)
Hall of Fame Induction:  1973

One of the most prolific pure hitters of the 1960s, and a true five-tool talent, Roberto Clemente played his entire 18-year career with the Pirates, leading them to World Series titles in 1960 and 1971.  He was a 15-time All-Star, a 12-time Gold Glove winner, the N.L. MVP in 1966 and the World Series MVP in 1971.

A four-time batting champ, Clemente joined the exclusive 3,000 hit club in the second to last game he'd ever play on September 30, 1972.  At the time, he was the 11th player in baseball history to join the club.  A few months later, and less than 10 weeks after the passing of Jackie Robinson, Clemente died in a plane crash off the coast of Puerto Rico while en route to deliver earthquake relief supplies to Nicaragua.

The pride of Puerto Rico, Clemente's legacy lives on through the countless Latino baseball players he's inspired over the past four decades.

Building the Set
December 28, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchases - Card #314
I've already mentioned this in an earlier post, but the way my Dad and I finished the 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 that finished 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, including the Clemente card.

On Christmas morning 2007, my Dad ended up in the hospital and it was only when he was discharged 3 days later that we celebrated Christmas together and officially completed our 1956 Topps set.  Among the "big" cards in that final haul were the cards of Clemente, Monte Irvin (#194), Whitey Ford (#240), Pee Wee Reese (#260) and the Checklist covering Series 1 and 3 (#341).  I'll need to tell more of this story in a future post covering one of the other final 29 cards.

The Card
I spent some time trying to figure out the location of the action shot based on the advertising against the outfield wall.  This is the kind of trivia that would be immediately evident to a kid looking at this baseball card back in 1956, but sitting here 63 years later and I was stumped.  I ruled out Forbes Field since pictures I found from the Pirates' former home showed a blank right field wall.  A search for vintage ballparks from 1956 turned up this photo from Ebbetts Field, and the mystery was solved!

Clemente is making his catch against the Esquire Boot Polish sign, with the green edge of the letter "M" from the Gem Razor Blade sign making a cameo along the left side of his card.

This is Clemente's second year card, as his rookie card appears in the 1955 Topps set.  The card's back creatively depicts his "draft" from the Brooklyn Dodgers and their top minor league team, the Montreal Royals, to the Pirates prior to the 1955 season.  He's got to be the best Rule 5 draft pick in the history of the game.

Clemente is one of five players born in Puerto Rico to appear in the 1956 Topps set, along with Ruben Gomez (#9), Jose Santiago (#59), Luis Arroyo (#64) and Vic Power (#67).

Phillies Connection
The late great Bob Lemke created a custom card back in 2013 for Roberto Clemente, Jr., who played in 35 games for the Gulf Coast League Phillies in 1984.  The younger Clemente hit .167 (16 for 96) that season, and played for two more seasons in the South Atlantic League for Gastonia (unaffiliated) and Charleston (in the Padres organization).

1956 Season
Clemente was 21 in 1956, entering his second full season with the Pirates.  His talents were still developing and he hit .311 with 7 home runs and 60 RBIs.  Only the Cubs kept the Pirates out of the National League basement, as manager Bobby Bragan's team finished with a record of 66-88.  Clemente's outfield partners that season were Lee Walls in left and Bill Virdon (#170) in center.

His SABR biography notes that Clemente was a free swinger in 1956, drawing only 13 walks and at one point going 50 games without drawing a base on balls.  Those 13 walks would prove to be a career low.

1955 Topps #164

1973 Topps #50

1998 Topps #21

2001 Topps #784

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1955 Topps #164
First Topps Card:  1955 Topps #164
Last Topps Card (as a player):  1973 Topps #50
Most Recent Topps Card (post-career):  2001 Topps #784
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2019 Topps - 8 different insert cards
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (23):  1955-1973, 1975, 1987, 1998, 2001

2,081 - Clemente non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 2/10/19.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
National Baseball Hall of Fame
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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Set Order: #32 Frank House - Detroit Tigers / #34 Tom Brewer - Boston Red Sox

Order Collected: #329 Lou Berberet - Washington Nationals / #61 Bill Skowron - New York Yankees

#32 Frank House - Detroit Tigers

Henry Franklin House, Jr.
Detroit Tigers
Catcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  190
Born:  February 18, 1930, Bessemer, AL
Signed:  Signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent, before the 1949 season
Major League Teams:  Detroit Tigers 1950-1951, 1954-1957; Kansas City Athletics 1958-1959; Cincinnati Reds 1960; Detroit Tigers 1961
Died:  March 13, 2005, Birmingham, AL (age 75)

Frank House served as a back-up or part-time catcher for all of his 10-year big league playing career, splitting catching duties for the Tigers with Red Wilson (#92) between 1954 and 1957.  A career .248 hitter, House missed two full seasons in 1952 and 1953 while serving in the military.

Following his playing career, House served in the Alabama House of Representatives, helping to establish the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.

Building the Set
July 31, 1993 in Ocean City, NJ - Card #114
This is one of five 1956 Topps cards I purchased at the Ocean City baseball card show during the summer of '93.  My notes indicate we paid $6 for the card, and it's in absolutely pristine shape.

After missing much of my freshman spring semester with a bad case of mono, I spent the summer mostly resting at home and taking make-up classes at nearby Rowan University.  Looking back now, it's strange to me that I have so few memories or pictures from that summer.  I found pictures I took from an Orioles-Twins game at Camden Yards with shots of Fernando Valenzuela pitching to Dave Winfield and Kirby Puckett, and another picture of Cal Ripken at bat.  There were also pictures of my Nana's house in Sea Isle, which I think I spent part of that summer painting (again).  But that's it.

I know it was just another summer day at the time, but I'd love to have one picture of my Dad and me as we were about to attend this baseball card show that Saturday afternoon in Ocean City.

The Card
House is in a tough position in the set, coming after the iconic cards of Jackie Robinson (#30) and Hank Aaron (#31) and right before we get to the equally fantastic Roberto Clemente (#33) card.  Collectors would have seen the exact some portrait photo on House's 1954 and 1955 Topps cards.

The action shot most likely comes from one of the 13 games for which House was behind the plate for the Tigers in 1955 when they faced off against the Kansas City Athletics.  It sure looks as if the runner is out, and House successfully blocked the plate, but the umpire seems to be calling him safe.

Given House's status as a part-time catcher, the artist for the panel on the back didn't have a lot to work with but did an admirable job nevertheless.  We get panels celebrating House's high school play, his habit of attending Tigers games on his days off in the minors, and finally a representation of his steady defense behind the plate.

1956 Season
House was coming off his career best year, having hit .308 with 15 home runs and 53 RBIs for the Tigers in 1955.  (Maybe a panel on the back of the card could have mentioned that?)  At 26 years old, he split catching duties for the Tigers with Red Wilson, with House getting 78 starts behind the plate to Wilson's 70.  House appeared in 94 games in 1956, hitting .240 with 10 home runs and 44 RBIs.

1952 Topps #146

1960 Topps #313

1994 Topps Archives 1954 #163

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1952 Topps #146
First Topps Card:  1952 Topps #146
Last Topps Card:  1960 Topps #313
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1994 Topps Archives 1954 #163
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (8):  1952, 1954-1960

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

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
The Trading Card Database
Wikipedia

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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Set Order: #31 Hank Aaron - Milwaukee Braves / #33 Roberto Clemente - Pittsburgh Pirates

Order Collected: #157 Dick Brodowski - Washington Nationals / #46 Gene Freese - Pittsburgh Pirates

#31 Hank Aaron - Milwaukee Braves

Henry Louis Aaron
Milwaukee Braves
Outfield

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  180
Born:  February 5, 1934, Mobile, AL
Signed:  Signed as a free agent with the Boston Braves, June 14, 1952
Major League Teams:  Milwuakee Braves 1954-1965; Atlanta Braves 1966-1974; Milwaukee Brewers 1975-1976
Hall of Fame Induction:  1982

Henry Aaron was one of the best players of his era, and was baseball's career home run leader between the years 1974 and 2006.  Playing for 23 seasons from 1954 to 1976, Aaron was a National League All-Star 21 times making the squad in all but his first and last seasons.  He tallied a career .305 average with 755 home runs and 2,297 RBIs, which is still more RBIs than anyone in Major League history.  He was the National League MVP in 1957, which is also the only year his Braves won the World Series.

On Aaron's page on the Hall of Fame's website, there's this quote from former Phillies pitcher Curt Simmons - "Trying to throw a fastball by Hank Aaron is like trying to sneak a sunrise past a rooster."

Following his retirement as an active player in 1976, Aaron has continually served as one of the game's best ambassadors.

Building the Set
December 25, 2006 from Mays Landing, NJ - Card #278
This was the last "big" card my Dad and I needed to complete the set, and the second most expensive purchase next to the Mickey Mantle card (#135).  I was officially given the card on Christmas day 2006, but my Dad had purchased it several weeks (months?) before at a baseball card show held at the Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing, NJ.

This was one of nine cards I received that Christmas from my Dad, and he spent a total of $210 on all nine cards with the Aaron costing $150.  Like all of his purchases, he was extremely proud of the card's condition and I'm sure there was a negotiation story that went along with the acquisition.

Our first son Doug was born a few weeks before Christmas in 2006 and we brought him home just in time for the big day.  He obviously doesn't remember much from his first Christmas, but he spent the holidays being held and loved by his parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles.  The picture shown here is from Christmas Day 2006, shortly after I had added those nine cards to our (and one day Doug's) 1956 Topps set.  Evidenced by the gift tag attached to the package holding the Aaron card (and the other 8 cards) my Dad fully intended for this card to be a part of Doug's collection all along.

One of the great joys of my life was seeing how proud my Dad was to have a grandson.

The Card
In a case of once you see it, you can't unsee it, that's actually Willie Mays in an airbrushed Braves hat sliding into home in the action shot.  In defense of Topps, Aaron was still early on in his career and I suppose they didn't yet have a good action shot of the young slugger.  The portrait of Aaron is the same found on both his 1954 and 1955 Topps cards.

If you don't count Minnie Minoso (#125), who came back for pinch-hitting appearances in 1976 and 1980, Aaron was the last active player to appear in the 1956 Topps set.

1956 Season
Aaron was only 22 and enjoying his second full season in the Majors in 1956.  He'd make the All-Star team for the second time and he'd win his first of two batting titles by hitting .328.  He hit 26 home runs, collected 92 RBIs and led the league in doubles with 34.

1954 Topps #128

1976 Topps #550

2001 Topps #385

2019 Topps 150 Years Greatest Moments #150-35

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1954 Topps #128
First Topps Card:  1954 Topps #128
Last Topps Card:  1976 Topps #550
Most Recent Topps Card (post-career):  2001 Topps #385
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2019 Topps - 13 different insert cards
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (28):  1954-1976, 1979, 1989, 1994, 2000-2001

In 1974, Topps gave Aaron the honor of having the first six cards in the set, with card #1 celebrating the new home run king and cards #2 through #6 showcasing Aaron's base cards from the Topps flagship sets between 1954 and 1973.

2,090 - Aaron non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 1/30/19.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
National Baseball Hall of Fame
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.

Previous Card / Next Card

Set Order: #30 Jackie Robinson - Brooklyn Dodgers / #32 Frank House - Detroit Tigers

Order Collected: #309 Don Blasingame - St. Louis Cardinals / #142 Gene Baker - Chicago Cubs

#30 Jackie Robinson - Brooklyn Dodgers

Jack Roosevelt Robinson
Brooklyn Dodgers
Third Base

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  195
Born:  January 31, 1919, Cairo, GA
Acquired:  Signed as a free agent with the Brooklyn Dodgers, October 23, 1945
Major League Teams:  Brooklyn Dodgers 1947-1956
Hall of Fame Induction:  1962
Died:  October 24, 1972, Stamford, CT (age 53)

"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." - Jackie Robinson

Anything I write here about Jackie Robinson won't do justice to the monumental impact the man had on our national pastime and our nation overall.

Robinson broke the game's color barrier on April 15, 1947 when he was the Dodgers' starting first baseman in a game against the Boston Braves.  He played 10 seasons for the Dodgers, making six All-Star teams, earning Rookie of the Year honors in 1947 and MVP honors in 1949.  He helped lead Brooklyn to six N.L. pennants between 1947 and 1956, winning it all against the Yankees in 1955.

Robinson was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1962 and passed away 10 years later at the way too young age of 53.

Building the Set
December 25, 1992 from San Diego, CA - Card #110
This was another purchase from Kit Young Cards in San Diego that was then left under the tree for me on Christmas morning.  My Dad later told me he had spent $85 on the card.

In December 1992, I wrapped up my first semester of college and came home for my winter break completely and totally deflated.  I had no energy, I didn't want to eat anything, my throat hurt and I developed a fever within a few days of being home.  I thought it was just exhaustion, but it turned out to be a fairly severe case of mononucleosis and I spent the better part of the next 2 months in bed.

At first, I enjoyed the time back home with my parents and my sister but after a few weeks I was bored with the mandated bedrest.  I'm going to blame the mono on my lack of any real memories from this time, but I'm sure I was excited upon receiving this card on Christmas morning.

The Card

This card is absolutely iconic.  As a young collector, I'd see pictures of this card over and over again in the pages of Baseball Cards magazine or I'd see the card for sale within glass cases at the baseball card shows we'd attend.

This card is the favorite all-time baseball card of Fuji, the owner of one of my favorite baseball card blogs, The Chronicles of Fuji.  In a post from a few years ago, Fuji told the story of action shot featured on Robinson's card.  Robinson had just stolen home against the Cardinals, eluding the tag of catcher Bill Sarni (#247) as the batter, Johnny Podres (#173) looks on.  Here's more from Fuji's post and the original image is at right.

It's late in the season and the 7th place St. Louis Cardinals are in Brooklyn to battle the first place Dodgers. This particular photo depicts Robinson stealing home in the bottom of the 6th inning to give the Dodgers a 5 to 1 lead. It's actually a pretty crazy play where the Dodgers successfully pulled off a triple steal. However... when Sarni threw the ball down to second... Gil Hodges (who stole third when Robinson stole home) took off and tried to score but was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

The Cardinals fought back in the top of the 7th when Ken Boyer launched a 3 run homer off of Podres that ended his evening. Unfortunately... that's all the offense the Cardinals could conjure up... and they ended up losing 10 to 4 that day. 

Topps has reprinted this card numerous times, most recently as part of its Iconic Reprint insert set found within the just released 2019 Topps Series 1 product.

1956 Season
This was to be the final season in Robinson's 10-year Major League career, and the 37-year-old star appeared in 117 games for the Dodgers.  He finished the season hitting .275 with 10 home runs and 43 RBIs, while seeing playing time at third base (72 games), second base (22 games), first base (9 games) and left field (2 games).

The Dodgers won the pennant again in 1956, finishing a game ahead of the Milwaukee Braves.  They weren't able to repeat in the World Series, falling in 7 games to the Yankees.  Following the season, the Dodgers traded Robinson to the New York Giants for Dick Littlefield and $30,000.  Rather than report to the rival Giants, Robinson opted to retire.

Phillies Connection
Robinson's biggest connection to the Phillies is an unfortunate low point in the franchise's 136-year history.  During Robinson's first year with the Dodgers in 1947, Phillies manager Ben Chapman, along with several other Phillies players, frequently and repeated shouted racial slurs at Robinson when the two teams first faced off.  The ugly incidents were featured prominently in the 2013 film, 42.

When the Dodgers visited Philadelphia in early May, Chapman was pressured into apologizing for his behavior and Robinson reluctantly posed for a pre-game photo with the Phillies manager.  In 2013, 69 years after the incident, Philadelphia City Council issued a formal apology to Robinson for the "racism he faced as a player while visiting Philadelphia."

1949 Bowman #50

1952 Topps #312

2001 Topps #783

2019 Topps 150 Years Greatest Moments #150-8

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1949 Bowman #50
First Topps Card:  1952 Topps #312
Last Topps Card:  1956 Topps #30
Most Recent Topps Card (post-career):  2001 Topps #783
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  9 different insert cards within 2019 Topps Series 1
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7):  1952-1956, 1997, 2001

Robinson appeared on a number of cards issued in 1947 with Bond Bread, but I've got to go with his 1949 Bowman or Leaf cards as his first true mainstream card.  Robinson has had a number of short-prints in recent Topps flagship sets, but his most recent main set appearance came in 2001.

1,519 - Robinson non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 1/30/19.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
National Baseball Hall of Fame
SABR
The Chronicles of Fuji
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.

Previous Card / Next Card

Set Order: #29 Jack Harshman - Chicago White Sox / #31 Hank Aaron - Milwaukee Braves

Order Collected: #215 Tommy Byrne - New York Yankees / #96 Bill Tremel - Chicago Cubs

#29 Jack Harshman - Chicago White Sox

Jack Elvin Harshman
Chicago White Sox
Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  178
Born:  July 12, 1927, San Diego, CA
Acquired:  Traded by San Diego (PCL) to the New York Giants for Mike Budnick, Jack Graham, Jake Wade and $65,000, December 4, 1947
Major League Teams:  New York Giants 1952; Chicago White Sox 1954-1957; Baltimore Orioles 1958-1959; Boston Red Sox 1959; Cleveland Indians 1959-1960
Died:  August 17, 2013, Georgetown, TX (age 86)

Jack Harshman began his professional baseball career as a first baseman, but went on to have success as a left-handed pitcher with the White Sox and Orioles.  In 1947, Harshman hit 37 home runs for the Victoria Athletics (of the Western International League) and the San Diego Padres (of the Pacific Coast League) drawing the attention of the New York Giants.  The Giants acquired him that December, and he was their opening day first baseman in 1950.

Harshman began the transition to a full-time pitcher in 1953 and was traded to the White Sox in 1954 where he became a key member of their rotation.  That season, he struck out 16 Red Sox batters on July 25th to establish a franchise record and he threw a 16-inning shutout against the Tigers on August 13th.  Harshman finished his eight-year pitching career with a 69-65 record and a 3.50 ERA over 217 games.  He also hit 21 home runs in 424 at bats.

Building the Set
September 15, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchases - Card #301
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.

Dad with Jenna, Doug and me riding a merry-go-round
in Ocean City, August 2007

This background is needed to better explain how this Jack Harshman 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 Crimian (#319) 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.

The Card
I'm awful with my stadium history and I had to do a little research to confirm my suspicion that the action photo was taken at Yankee Stadium.  The "No Betting" sign was my first clue and you can make out the "BA" in the Ballantine Beer advertisement on the far right in the background.  The portrait photo used is the same as was used on Harshman's 1954 and 1955 Topps cards.

The cartoon panels on the back reference Harshman's beginnings as a first baseman and the artist made sure the caricature actually slightly resembles him.

1956 Season
Harshman's best year came in 1956, when he went 15-11 for the White Sox with a 3.10 ERA, striking out 143 (but walking 102) over 226 2/3 innings.  The White Sox would finish the year in third place in the American League behind the pitching of Harshman, Billy Pierce (#160) and Dick Donovan (#18).  Harshman also slugged six home runs in 71 at-bats that season.

One of his best performances of the season came against the Indians, when he and Indians pitcher Herb Score (#140) both threw two-hit complete games with the White Sox winning, 1-0.

1954 Topps #173

1960 Topps #112

2009 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-JH

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1954 Topps #173
First Topps Card:  1954 Topps #173
Last Topps Card:  1960 Topps #112
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2009 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-JH
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7):  1954-1960

26 - Harshman non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 2/19/17

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.

Previous Card / Next Card

Set Order: #28 Bobby Hofman - New York Giants / #30 Jackie Robinson - Brooklyn Dodgers

Order Collected: #259 Sam Jones - Chicago Cubs / #319 Jack Crimian - Kansas City Athletics

#28 Bobby Hofman - New York Giants

Robert George Hofman
New York Giants
Infield

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  160
Born:  October 5, 1925, St. Louis, MO
Signed:  Signed by the New York Giants as an amateur free agent in 1944
Major League Teams:  New York Giants 1949, 1952-1957
Died:  April 5, 1994, Chesterfield, MO (age 68)

Known primarily for his pinch-hitting, Bobby Hofman enjoyed a seven-year career with the Giants which was interrupted for two seasons while he served in the Army during World War II.  He made it out onto the field in 205 of his 341 career games, playing mostly at second base but also seeing time at third and first base.  He also caught in 26 games.  At the time of his retirement following the 1957 season, Hofman was tied with Cy Williams for the most career pinch-hit home runs with nine.

Hofman would go on to serve as a coach with the Athletics (1966-1967, 1969-1970, 1974-1975, 1978), Senators (1968) and Indians (1971-1972).  He was the scouting director for the Yankees during the tumultous years of 1980 through 1984, and their director of player development from 1985 to 1988.

Building the Set

May 20, 1989 in Sea Isle City, NJ - Card #71
For 45 years, my grandparents owned a house in Sea Isle City on 37th Street.  As a result of the Storm of 1962, which wiped out the block of houses in front of them, their house became beach front property until the construction of the Spinnaker Condominiums in 1972.  We were lucky enough to spend most of our summers in Sea Isle, and the five-minute walk to the beach was accomplished by climbing up a ramp in back of the Spinnaker, crossing over the concrete promenade and walking down a few steps to the sand.

For several years in the late 1980s and early 1990s, there was a complete dive of a snack shop called Joe's Sno-Cone located in the Spinnaker at the top of that ramp.  The menu at Joe's was limited to the usual beach fare - hot dogs, soft pretzels, bags of chips, candy and yes, snow cones.  During a visit to Joe's on the weekend before Memorial Day in 1989, I noticed the shop's owner (Joe presumably) had set up a small display of baseball cards for sale.  This Hofman card was available for $3 and another 1956 Topps card, Ernie Johnson (#294), was also available for $3.  I purchased both cards and most likely added a cherry snow cone to my order before heading next door to the arcade to drop several quarters into the Rolling Thunder game.

The Card
Due to the fact that I purchased this card at a place called Joe's Sno-Cone, the border isn't nearly as white as it should be.  Rather, it's more a beige color but in otherwise decent shape.

The head shot is the same as was used on Hofman's 1954 and 1955 Topps cards.  The action shot features Hofman in action as a catcher, despite the fact that his position is listed as "infield" on the card.  In 1955, Hofman appeared in 19 games behind the plate, playing a position he had never before played in a professional baseball game.  As the back of the card mentions, this emergency duty was necessitated due to an injury to regular catcher Ray Katt.

The vital statistics on the card's back give Hofman an extra inch in height and 15 extra pounds in weight over the information presented on his Baseball Reference page.  Hofman was referred to as Bob on his 1952, 1953 and 1954 Topps cards and as Bobby on his 1955 and 1956 Topps cards.

1956 Season
Hofman played in his second to last season in 1956, hitting .179 over 47 games.  He appeared in just two games with the Giants in 1957, spending the bulk of that season with the Triple-A Minneapolis Millers.

1949 Bowman #223

1952 Topps #371

1994 Topps Archives 1954 #99

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1949 Bowman #223
First Topps Card:  1952 Topps #371
Last Topps Card:  1956 Topps #28
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1994 Topps Archives 1954 #99
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (5):  1952-1956

21 - Hofman non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 2/9/17

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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Set Order: #27 Nelson Burbrink - St. Louis Cardinals / #29 Jack Harshman - Chicago White Sox

Order Collected: #135 Mickey Mantle - New York Yankees / #294 Ernie Johnson - Milwaukee Braves

#27 Nelson Burbrink - St. Louis Cardinals

Nelson Edward Burbrink
St. Louis Cardinals
Catcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  195
Born:  December 28, 1921, Cincinnati, OH
Signed:  Signed by the Chicago Cubs as an amateur free agent in 1941
Major League Teams:  St. Louis Cardinals 1955
Died:  April 12, 2001, Largo, FL (age 79)

Nelson Burbrink played only 58 games in the Majors, serving as the Cardinals' back-up catcher to Bill Sarni (#247) in 1955.  Prior to his call-up to the Cardinals, Burbrink had toiled for 11 seasons in the minors mostly with the Cubs organization.  He missed three seasons in the prime of his career (1943-1945) in service to his country with the Navy.

After his playing days were over, Burbrink served as a scout first for the Cardinals and then for the Mets where he was responsible for signing Tom Seaver in 1966.  He served as the Mets' scouting director from 1968 to 1972, and as the Mets' director of player development from 1973 to 1977.

Building the Set

June 24, 1989 in Ocean City, NJ - Card #76
My Dad and I purchased this card at the Ocean City IX baseball card show held within the Ocean City Music Pier on the boardwalk.  I have in my notes that we paid $2.50 for this card, along with the cards of Jim Finigan (#22) and Don Zimmer (#99).  I would have just finished my freshman year of high school when we bought this card and I was in the middle of collecting the 1973 Topps set.

I wrote this about the shows on the Music Pier back when I featured Finigan's card in October:  "The windows would have been open inside the showroom floor, and the sounds and smells of the shore served as the background as I poured through binders or boxes of baseball cards.  Above the din of the collectors looking for bargains and dealers hawking their wares, you could hear the occasional sea gull or even the crashing of waves.  I miss those shows and I become more and more nostalgic about them every year."

I found the flyer featured here in a folder along with some of our old 1956 Topps checklists.  The "Seashore IX Agenda" shows two autograph signers for the weekend - Dick Sisler and Jim Bunning. My Dad didn't like driving at night, which is why we wouldn't have stuck around for Bunning on Saturday.  I probably never realized we had missed our chance at meeting Sisler the night before, and the names Sisler and Bunning meant no where as much to me then as they do now.

The Card
If you're a Nelson Burbrink master collector, you're in luck.  This is his first and last mainstream baseball card and it's available in both a white back and gray back version.  His only other cards can be found within the 1949 Los Angeles Angels (PCL) team issued set and the 1954-55 Cardinals Postcards set.

For cards like Burbrink's the cartoon artist was forced to get a little creative.  I can't imagine many other card backs featuring the evolution of a batter going from "golfing the ball" to "drilling base hits."  The artist also indicates Burbrink had 14 years in the minors, but he had missed 3 of those years while in the military.

This is the first card we've encountered in the 1956 Topps set that is both a player's first and last Topps card.

1956 Season
The 34-year-old Burbrink played the entire 1956 season with the Triple-A Omaha Cardinals, batting .256 in 111 games.  A year later, he was demoted to the Double-A Houston Buffaloes and he'd hang up his spikes following the season.  In total, Burbrink played 1,449 games in the minor leagues and had a lifetime .291 average.

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1956 Topps #27
First Topps Card:  1956 Topps #27
Last Topps Card:  1956 Topps #27
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1956 Topps #27
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (1):  1956

4 - Burbrink non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 2/9/17

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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.

Previous Card / Next Card

Set Order: #26 Grady Hatton - Boston Red Sox / #28 Bobby Hofman - New York Giants

Order Collected: #22 Jim Finigan - Kansas City Athletics / #99 Don Zimmer - Brooklyn Dodgers