Friday, October 14, 2022

#222 Dave Philley - Baltimore Orioles


David Earl Philley
Baltimore Orioles
Outfield


Bats:  Both  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  188
Born:  May 16, 1920, Paris, TX
Acquired:  Purchased by the Chicago White Sox from the Shreveport Sports of the Texas League, July 18, 1941
Major League Teams:  Chicago White Sox 1941, 1946-1951; Philadelphia Athletics 1951-1953; Cleveland Indians 1954-1955; Baltimore Orioles 1955-1956; Chicago White Sox 1957; Detroit Tigers 1957; Philadelphia Phillies 1958-1960; San Francisco Giants 1960; Baltimore Orioles 1960-1961; Boston Red Sox 1962
Died:  March 15, 2012, Paris, TX (age 91)

Journeyman outfielder Dave Philley spent part of 18 seasons in the majors with eight different teams, and that's after having missed three full years while serving during World War II.  With a strong outfield arm, Philley led all outfielders in assists three times (1948, 1949, 1953).  His best seasons came in the early 1950s as he reached career highs in home runs (14) and RBIs (80) with the White Sox in 1950, and strung together seven consecutive seasons between 1947 and 1953 with at least 20 doubles.  With the Athletics in 1953, he reached career highs in batting average (.303), hits (188) and doubles (30).  Philley's sole postseason appearance came in the 1954 World Series with the Indians, where he was used mostly as a late inning defensive replacement.  With the Orioles in 1955, Philley won the team's batting title with a .299 mark and was named the club's MVP.

1958 Hires #12
Philley continued to move around during the final phase of his career, playing for seven different teams between 1956 and 1962, including second stints with the White Sox and Orioles.  He developed into an excellent pinch-hitter, collecting 18 pinch-hits for the Phillies in 1958, including eight in a row at the end of the season.  Philley earned a lifetime average of .300 as a pinch-hitter, collecting 92 pinch-hits in 307 at-bats.  He retired following the 1962 season with a .270 average in 1,904 games, exactly 1,700 hits and 101 stolen bases.  Philley briefly managed in the Houston system following his retirement, and also spent time with the Red Sox as a scout.

Building the Set
Summer of 1983 or 1984 in Millville, NJ - Card #27
This was one of the Original 44, and I re-told the story of how my Dad and I started collecting this set with the Early Wynn (#187) post, back in January.  Seven of the Original 44 came from series one, with 11 coming from series two, and this Philley card is the ninth of 16 from series three.

The Card / Orioles Team Set
Philley appeared in both Bowman and Topps sets in 1954, and then was completely left out of both sets in 1955.  He's shown here swinging a bat in Yankee Stadium, and it's possible he's wearing an Indians uniform that had been updated by a Topps artist to look like an Orioles uniform.  On the back, his team-leading average from 1955 is highlighted, and Topps is incorrect in their prediction that the frequently moving Philley was in Baltimore to stay.  By the time collectors were finding this card in packs, he was most likely already back with the White Sox.

1956 Season
Philley began the year with the Orioles and was their opening day right fielder.  He'd play in just 32 games for Baltimore before the team swapped him to the White Sox with Jim Wilson (#171) for Mike Fornieles, Connie Johnson (#326), George Kell (#195) and Bob Nieman (#267).  In his second stint with Chicago, Philley appeared in 86 games overall, seeing time at first base, right field and left field.  He batted .265 with four home runs and 47 RBIs for the White Sox as the team finished in third place in the American League.

Phillies Career
On December 11, 1957, the Tigers sold Philley to the Phillies, finally bringing together the player and the team that bore the same name.  He was acquired specifically to be a veteran bat off the bench, although he did make 17 starts at first base and 24 starts in right field, occasionally backing up Ed Bouchee or Wally Post (#158).  He broke his nose on May 17th after diving into the stands while playing first base and trying to catch a foul ball.  He spent all of 1959 with the club in the same pinch-hitting and back-up role, and returned for 14 games in 1960 before being sold to the Giants on May 12, 1960.  In 1959, his average as a pinch-hitter was an incredible .395 (15 for 38) and he drove in 11 runs.

With the Phillies, Philley appeared in 204 games overall, batting .300 with 10 home runs and 72 RBIs.  He collected 37 pinch-hits and his 18 pinch-hits from the 1958 season are the fourth most in a season by a Phillies player behind Greg Dobbs (22 in 2008), Doc Miller (20 in 1913) and Greg Gross (19 in 1982).

1948-49 Leaf #85
1952 Topps #226
1954 Topps #159
1959 Topps #92
1962 Topps #542

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1948-49 Leaf #85
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (10):  1952-1954, 1956-1962
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1994 Topps Archives 1954 #159

61 - Philley non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 10/11/22.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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Friday, October 7, 2022

#221 Bob Friend - Pittsburgh Pirates


Robert Bartmess Friend
Pittsburgh Pirates
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  190
Born:  November 24, 1930, Lafayette, IN
Signed:  Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent before 1949 season
Major League Teams:  Pittsburgh Pirates 1951-1965; New York Yankees 1966; New York Mets 1966
Died:  February 3, 2019, O'Hara Township, PA (age 88)

Nicknamed "The Warrior," Bob Friend was a mainstay in the Pirates starting pitching rotation for 15 seasons, playing a key role in the team's advancement to the 1960 World Series.  Friend made the Pirates out of spring training in 1951, and he'd never return to the minor leagues.  He led the National League with a 2.83 ERA in 1955, becoming the first leader in the category to come from a last place team.  He made his first of four All-Star teams in 1956, while leading the league with 42 starts.  Playing for a second division Pirates team, he only crossed the 20-win plateau once, leading the league with 22 wins in 1958.  In 1960, Friend and Vern Law (#252) combined for one of the best two top of the rotation starters from their era, helping propel the Pirates into the World Series.  Friend struggled against the Yankees in the Series, but the Pirates prevailed in seven games thanks to Bill Mazeroski's dramatic walk-off home run.

Friend pitched with the Pirates through the 1965 season, and then played a final year with the Yankees and Mets.  He retired with a 197-230 record, a 3.58 ERA and 1,734 strikeouts in 3,611 innings pitched.  His 36 career shutouts are 63rd all-time.  He ranks high in several main pitching categories on the Pirates' all-time franchise leader board, including fourth in wins, third in games pitched, first (with 477) in games started, first in innings pitched and first in strikeouts.

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

Building the Set
September 25, 2005 in Ft. Washington, PA - Card #265
This was a late edition to our set and one of 11 cards we purchased at the 92nd Philadelphia Sports Card Show held at the convention center in Ft. Washington.  My records show we paid $6 for this card. 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 at the time or the occasional mall baseball card show.

August 14, 2005 - Dad and me at Yankee Stadium
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.  Our next show together was a few months later in December, also in Ft. Washington.  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 after that December show.

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, so we had a pretty good excuse not to be purchasing baseball cards at the time.

The Card / Pirates Team Set
Like a lot of the cards to be found in this set's third series, this represents Friend's return to Topps after a three-year absence.  The cartoon panels on the back celebrate his 2.83 ERA title in 1955, and the one-hitter thrown against the Cubs on September 7th.  Frank Baumholtz (#274) had the only hit for the Cubs, a fourth inning single.  The final cartoon panel points out Friend made 44 appearances in 1955, with only 20 of those as starts.

1956 Season
Friend was 17-17 with a 3.46 ERA in 49 games for the Pirates, including 42 starts.  His 314 1/3 innings pitched led the league and his 19 complete games were third in the league.  (Robin Roberts - #180 - led the league with 22 complete games.)  Friend started the 1956 All-Star Game, earning the win with three scoreless innings.  He had three strikeouts in the start, including Ted Williams (#5).  Among his 19 complete games was an 11-inning shutout pitched against the Cardinals on June 8th.  Friend allowed six hits in that game, out-dueling Cardinals' starting pitcher Murry Dickson (#211), who also pitched all 11 innings.

1952 Topps #233
1955 Bowman #57
1961 Topps #270
1963 Topps #450
1966 Topps #519

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1952 Bowman #191
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (12):  1952, 1956-1966
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2018 Topps Archives Fan Favorites Autographs #FFA-BF

139 - Friend non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 10/3/22.

 Sources:  
1965 Topps Blog
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Monday, October 3, 2022

#220 Del Ennis - Philadelphia Phillies


Delmer Ennis
Philadelphia Phillies
Outfield


Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  195
Born:  June 8, 1925, Philadelphia, PA
Signed:  Signed by the Philadelphia Phillies as an amateur free agent before 1943 season
Major League Teams:  Philadelphia Phillies 1946-1956; St. Louis Cardinals 1957-1958; Cincinnati Reds 1959; Chicago White Sox 1959
Died:  February 8, 1996, Huntingdon Valley, PA (age 70)

Slugger Del Ennis was one of the bright spots for the Phillies in the 1950s, helping to lead the Whiz Kids to the 1950 National League pennant, and earning a spot on three All-Star teams.  A popular player, especially for a kid growing up in Millville, New Jersey (see below), Ennis hit for power, ran the bases with speed and provided steady defense in the outfield, aided by a strong throwing arm.  Ennis was at his peak between 1948 and 1950, driving in 95, 110 and a league leading 126 runs in each of those three years, and clubbing a career-high 31 home runs in 1950.  He collected MVP votes in eight different season, finishing fourth in 1950.  His last great season with the Phillies came in 1955 when he was named to his final All-Star team, and he finished the season with a .295 average.  Ennis drove in at least 100 runs in seven different seasons, and hit at least 20 home runs in nine different seasons.

2006 Toyota Phillies Wall of Fame Postcards
Dealt to the Cardinals following in late 1956, Ennis would play two and half more seasons before retiring.  In 1,903 career games, he batted .284 with 288 home runs and 1,284 RBIs.  He operated a bowling alley in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania following his retirement, and the Phillies inducted him into their Wall of Fame in 1982.  Ennis was named as an outfielder on the Phillies' Centennial Team in 1983, and he was a frequent autograph signer at area baseball card shows throughout the 1980s.

Building the Set
December 25, 1996 from Deptford Mall Baseball Card Show - Card #148
It's appropriate this card would have been considered a major Christmas present in 1996, as Del Ennis was one of my Dad's favorite players growing up, along with Ennis' former Phillies teammate Dick Sisler.  The baseball card show held inside the Deptford Mall most likely took place that November or December, and my Dad stashed this card away to be revealed on Christmas morning.  He must have told me how much it cost as I have in my notes the card cost a whopping $9.

1996 was a transitional year for my Dad and me.  He required open heart surgery earlier in the year, and I was set to graduate college.  Although nerve-wracking, his surgery was a success and I opted to stay one more year in school to complete my Masters degree.  My best friends from my first four years of college were preparing to move on, and I was preparing to stick around, albeit with a new group of friends and in somewhat unfamiliar territory.  This Ennis card would have showed up as I was making the transition from student to adult, and it would have seen a confused kid making questionable decisions and looking for any port in the storm.

The Card / Phillies Team Set
I've always loved this card.  This is Ennis' first Topps card since 1952, as he had been under exclusive contract with Bowman between 1953 and 1955.  The back of the card highlights his impressive consistency with his yearly home run and RBI totals.  The final cartoon panel shows Ennis on the way to his big league debut in 1946.  He might have been up sooner if not for a two and half year stint in the U.S. Navy, which began in 1943 and ended on April 5, 1946, just a few short weeks before his first action with the Phillies.

Phillies Career / 1956 Season
Ennis made his debut with the Phillies on April 28, 1946, and became the first rookie in team history to make the All-Star team.  As mentioned above, he was a member of the storied Whiz Kids team that won the National League pennant in 1950, becoming the first Phillies team in the postseason since 1915.  The team was swept by the Yankees in the World Series, but much like the 1993 Phillies team, the legacy of that club and the good memories from that season endure among many lifelong Phillies fans.  He passed Chuck Klein in 1956 as the team's all-time home run leader, and he held that spot until passed by Mike Schmidt in 1980.  He also broke the games played record in 1956, held by Ed Delahanty who had appeared in 1,544 games with the Phillies.  He's currently third on the Phillies all-time home run leader board with 259, behind Schmidt and Ryan Howard.  Ennis now ranks sixth in games played (1,630), fifth in hits (1,812), third in RBIs (1,124) and eighth in doubles (310).

In 1956, his final season with the Phillies, Ennis was again the team's opening day left fielder and he'd start all but one of the team's 154 games at the position.  He batted .260 with 26 home runs and 95 RBIs, as the Phillies finished in fifth place.  On November 19th, the Phillies traded Ennis to the Cardinals for Bobby Morgan (#337) and Rip Repulski (#201).

1948-49 Leaf #49
1950 Bowman #31
1952 Topps #223
1953 Bowman Color #103
1959 Topps #255

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1949 Leaf #49
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (5):  1951-1952, 1956-1959
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1994 Upper Deck All-Time Heroes #32

68 - Ennis non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 10/3/22.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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Friday, September 9, 2022

#219 Lew Burdette - Milwaukee Braves


Selva Lewis Burdette
Milwaukee Braves
Pitcher


Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  180
Born:  November 22, 1926, Nitro, WV
Signed:  Signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent, April 6, 1947
Major League Teams:  New York Yankees 1950; Boston Braves 1951-1952; Milwaukee Braves 1953-1963; St. Louis Cardinals 1963-1964; Chicago Cubs 1964-1965; Philadelphia Phillies 1965; California Angels 1966-1967
Died:  February 6, 2007, Winter Garden, FL (age 80)

Lew Burdette, or Lou Burdette depending on the year of his Topps card, spent an impressive 18 years in the major leagues and was the World Series MVP in 1957 with the Braves.  Relying on pinpoint control, Burdette was one of the more dominant pitchers in the National League between 1956 and 1959, going to the All-Star Game twice, winning at least 20 games twice and winning the league's ERA title in 1956 with a 2.70 mark.  Atop the Braves starting pitching rotation with Warren Spahn (#10) and Bob Buhl (#244), Burdette was a key factor in the only World Series title in Milwaukee Braves history.  The Braves downed the Yankees in seven games, with Burdette going 3-0 with 3 complete games, including two shutouts, with a 0.67 ERA and 25 strikeouts over 27 innings pitched.  He pitched a no-hitter against the Phillies on August 18, 1960, missing a perfect game only because he had hit Tony Gonzalez with a pitch in the fifth inning.

After leaving the Braves in 1963, Burdette shifted to mostly relief pitching and at 39-years-old was one of the American League's top relievers in 1969 with the Angels.  For his career, Burdette went 203-144 with a 3.66 ERA with 158 complete games and 33 shutouts.  He had 1,074 strikeouts to just 628 walks, and his career average of 1.84 walks per nine innings puts him fifth on the list of pitchers with that low a mark and at least 3,000 innings pitched since 1920.  He briefly served as the Braves' pitching coach in 1972 and 1973.  Burdette was elected to the Braves Hall of Fame in 2001.

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

Building the Set
December 28, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchases - Card #328
I first shared this story with the Roberto Clemente (#33) post, but I'll repeat myself 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.

December 24, 2007 - Doug and Dad
Our son Doug had just turned one, and on Christmas morning 2007, we were anxiously awaiting the arrival of our families to our house to celebrate the day.  I've had a few rough Christmases, but this was one of the worst as my Dad ended up in the hospital that day and it was the beginning of his health struggles that would continue until he passed away in late 2011.  He was discharged from the hospital three days later, and it was only then we celebrated Christmas together, on December 28th, and I opened the package containing the last of the cards needed for our 1956 Topps set.

Dad was understandably distraught that Christmas, but not solely because of his own health issues.  Because of his unselfish nature, he was worried that he had ruined Christmas for everyone since we had spent the holidays in a hospital.  He was also upset that his surprise package containing those last 29 baseball cards sat in the back seat of his car for three days until he recovered enough to come home.  I was just happy to have him out of the hospital, but I do remember feeling confused and somewhat hopeless as we weren't quite sure yet what was wrong with him.

I don't have any pictures from December 28th, which is unusual for me.  I'm assuming I was just happy that Dad was out of the hospital and taking pictures never crossed my mind.

The Card / Braves Team Set
Having appeared in Bowman sets between 1952 and 1955, this is Burdette's first Topps card.  That's Burdette wearing #33 and crossing the plate as the catcher attempts to tag him out.  He scored ten runs in 1955, with three against the Dodgers, three against the Cubs, two against the Phillies, and one each against the Pirates and Cardinals.  Looking at the catchers on those teams wearing uniform numbers ending with the number nine, and cross-referencing that against the games in which Burdette scored runs, I think that's Roy Campanella (#101) making a cameo appearance here.  Campanella wore #39 with the Dodgers.  I believe this play is from the July 24, 1955 game and this photo shows Burdette scoring after Eddie Mathews (#107) and doubled off Don Newcombe (#235) in the second inning.

In the final cartoon panel on the back of the card, Topps uses "reliefer" to refer to Burdette's role before he entered the starting pitching rotation.  Topps reprinted this card for its 2002 Topps Archives set, with Burdette also signing versions of the reprinted card.

1956 Season
As mentioned above, this was one of Burdette's best seasons in the majors.  In 39 games, including 35 starts, he was 19-10 with a league-leading 2.70 ERA, 16 shoutouts and six complete games, which also led the league.  In 256 1/3 innings pitched, Burdette struck out 110.

Phillies Career
Burdette began the 1965 season with the Cubs, appearing in 7 games (3 starts) and going 0-2 with a 5.31 ERA.  On May 30, 1965 he was sold to the Phillies.  His struggles continued with the Phillies who used him sparingly throughout the season.  He made 12 starts with mostly disastrous results, going 3-5 with a 6.99 ERA over 55 1/3 innings pitched.  As a reliever, he fared better, pitching to a 3.03 ERA over 14 appearances and 35 2/3 innings pitched.  The lone bright spot came on August 31st during the second game of a double header against the Giants.  Burdette pitched a complete game shutout, limiting the Giants to six hits.  Without a clear role in the Phillies long-term plans, he was released on October 13th and signed a month and a half later with the Angels.  Burdette has no Phillies baseball cards to his name.

1952 Bowman #244
1955 Bowman #70
1957 Topps #208
1964 Topps #523
1967 Topps #265

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1952 Bowman #244
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (13):  1956-1967, 1973
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2011 Topps 60 Relics #T60R-LB

137 - Burdette non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 8/12/22.

 Sources:  
1965 Topps Blog
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Friday, September 2, 2022

#218 Joe Nuxhall - Cincinnati Redlegs


Joseph Henry Nuxhall
Cincinnati Reds
Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'3"  Weight:  195
Born:  July 30, 1928, Hamilton, OH
Signed:  Signed by the Cincinnati Reds as an amateur free agent before 1944 season
Major League Teams:  Cincinnati Reds 1944, 1952-1960; Kansas City Athletics 1961; Los Angeles Angels 1962; Cincinnati Reds 1962-1966
Died:  November 15, 2007, Fairfield, OH (age 79)

With a shortage of players due to World War II, Joe Nuxhall made his big league debut on June 10, 1944, pitching two-thirds of an inning for the Reds, a few months shy of his 16th birthday.  He's the youngest player ever to appear in the majors.  Nuxhall would pitch in the minor leagues for the next several years, making it back to the Reds in 1952.  He was an All-Star with the club in 1955 and 1956, winning a career-high 17 games in 1955 while leading the league with five shutouts.  Nicknamed "Ol' Lefthander," Nuxhall spent all but two seasons of his 16 years in the majors with the Reds.  He enjoyed a late career resurgence in 1963, going 15-8 with a 2.61 ERA in 35 appearances.  Nuxhall retired owning the record for most games pitched for the Reds with 484, and although he was passed later by Pedro Borbon, Scott Sullivan and Clay Carroll, he still holds the mark for most games pitched by a left-handed pitcher in franchise history.  Nuxhall was 135-117 lifetime with a 3.90 ERA in 526 games pitched.  He struck out 1,372 overall and 1,289 with the Reds, which is currently third on their all-time list.

Nuxhall joined the Reds' broadcasting booth in 1967 and retired on October 3, 2004, 60 years following his pitching debut.  He was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1968, and he's the subject of one of eight statutes surrounding the Reds' current home, Great American Ball Park.

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

Building the Set
Summer of 1983 or 1984 in Millville, NJ - Card #26
This was one of the Original 44, and I re-told the story of how my Dad and I started collecting this set with the Early Wynn (#187) post, back in January.  Seven of the Original 44 came from series one, with 11 coming from series two, and this Nuxhall card is the eighth of 16 from series three.

The Card / Redlegs Team Set
There's a big uncorrected error front and center on this card, as Topps misspelled Nuxhall's first name on the front.  The name is spelled correctly on the back.  This is Nuxhall's first appearance in a Topps set since 1953, and the action pose shows a clear shot of his uniform number with the Reds - #39.  The cartoon panels on the back highlight his successful 1955 season, his dominant slider and his major league debut at 15 years old.

1956 Season
Nuxhall was named to his second All-Star team, and finished the season 13-11 with a 3.72 ERA in 44 games pitched.  He made 32 starts, throwing 10 complete games and a pair of shutouts.  I'm going to copy and paste this quote from his SABR biography as it comes from one of my Dad's all-time favorite players, Dick Sisler.  Sisler said, "That kid's got it in spades.  He's as quick as Curt Simmons (#290), whom I rated the most overpowering pitcher in the league before the Phillies lost him to the service.  Nuxhall also throws quite a curve; in fact, it's the type which fairly explodes."

1952 Topps #406
1955 Bowman #194
1959 Topps #389
1963 Topps #194
1967 Topps #44

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1952 Topps #406
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (13):  1952-1953, 1956-1961, 1963-1967
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2001 SP Legendary Cuts Game Jersey #J-JN

84 - Nuxhall non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 8/12/22.

 Sources:  
1965 Topps Blog
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