Saturday, March 25, 2023

#244 Bob Buhl - Milwaukee Braves


Robert Ray Buhl
Milwaukee Braves
Pitcher


Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  180
Born:  August 12, 1928, Saginaw, MI
Signed:  Signed by the Chicago White Sox as an amateur free agent, August 30, 1946
Major League Teams:  Milwaukee Braves 1953-1962; Chicago Cubs 1962-1966; Philadelphia Phillies 1966-1967
Died:  February 16, 2001, Titusville, FL (age 72)

In parts of 15 seasons in the National League, Bob Buhl was an 18-game winner twice (1956 and 1957) and won a World Series ring with the Braves in 1957.  His best seasons came with the Braves, as part of a strong pitching rotation that also included Warren Spahn (#10) and Lew Burdette (#219) and he was an All-Star in 1960.  Between 1953 and 1960, Buhl finished in the top ten in the league for ERA six times, and he finished within the top ten for complete games four times.

Following his successful 10-year run with the Braves, Buhl spent five seasons with the Cubs and then was traded to the Phillies in one of the most lopsided trades in baseball history.  He retired part-way through the 1967 season, having compiled a career record of 166-132 with 111 complete games and 1,268 strikeouts.

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

Building the Set
May 1997 - College graduation

July 19, 1997 in Ocean City, NJ - Card #156
My Dad and I added this card to our set at the Ocean City baseball card show held inside the Music Pier.  We purchased 11 cards that July day - Buhl and eight other commons, along with the Warren Giles (#2) card for $10 and the Ray Boone (#6) card for $5.

I graduated college in the spring of 1997, and that summer was a good one as I worked on the Sea Isle Promenade at a few t-shirt stores.  My days were spent jogging, barely working, reading and sitting on the beach.  Dinner would usually come from Phil's on 37th and Landis Avenue, and ice cream was consumed nightly.

Dad was still working in Millville at the time, and we probably met up in front of the Music Pier prior to his show.  The baseball card collecting landscape changed drastically in the ten year period between 1987 and 1997, with autographed cards making their way into packs and multiple parallel versions of the same card confusing us as "old school" collectors.  Still, I'd give anything to be back inside the Music Pier with my Dad searching for the next 1956 Topps card to add to our set.  I'm sure he was thrilled to find a dealer selling a bunch of '56s in good shape and at around $2 a card.  

The Card / Braves Team Set
My lack of knowledge when it comes to historic ballparks hurts me again here, as I don't know where Buhl is posing for his action photo.  Looks as if it's a spring training complex?  Buhl was only in the Bowman set in 1955, and this marks his return to Topps after a one year absence.  His strong 1955 season is highlighted with the first two cartoon panels on the back of the card.  Buhl led the league with a low 0.580 home runs per nine innings, and the Cubs' Bob Rush (#214) finished second in that category with a 0.731 mark.

1956 Season
The Braves were in first place for most of the summer before being overcome by the Dodgers over the final weekend of the season.  Buhl, Burdette and Spahn sat atop the Braves' starting pitching rotation, with Buhl going 18-8 with a 3.32 ERA in 38 games overall and 33 starts.  He threw 13 complete games, including two shutouts.  He had a rough September, going 2-3 with a 6.39 ERA in eight games as his heavy season-long workload finally caught up to him.

Phillies Career
The Phillies acquired Buhl and Larry Jackson (#119) from the Cubs on April 21, 1966 for prospects John Herrnstein, Fergie Jenkins and Adolfo Phillips.  Jenkins of course would go on to enjoy a Hall of Fame career.  Buhl was used as a spot starter and long reliever all season, appearing in 32 games and making 18 starts.  He finished the year with a 6-8 record and a 4.77 ERA.  His best performance came on June 22nd when he pitched a complete game victory against his former team, the Braves.

Buhl appeared in only three games for the Phillies in 1967, pitching 2 2/3 innings with an ERA of 13.50.  The club released him on May 16, 1967, most likely the same time collectors were adding Buhl's only Phillies baseball card to their collections from packs of 1967 Topps.

1954 Topps #210
1959 Topps #347
1961 Topps #145
1965 Topps #264
1967 Topps #68

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1954 Topps #210
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (13):  1954, 1956-1967
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1994 Topps Archives 1954 #210

71 - Buhl non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 3/25/23.

 Sources:  
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Saturday, March 18, 2023

#243 Sherm Lollar - Chicago White Sox


John Sherman Lollar
Chicago White Sox
Catcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  185
Born:  August 23, 1924, Durham, AR
Signed:  Signed by the Cleveland Indians as an amateur free agent before 1943 season
Major League Teams:  Cleveland Indians 1946; New York Yankees 1947-1948; St. Louis Browns 1949-1951; Chicago White Sox 1952-1963
Died:  September 24, 1977, Springfield, MO (age 53)

Sherm Lollar was seemingly a man without a home the first six years of his career, appearing with the Indians, Yankees and Browns, but then he settled in with the White Sox in 1952, playing the next 12 seasons as an All-Star and Gold Glove catcher for the club.  Often overshadowed by Yogi Berra (#110), Lollar was nevertheless one of the best catchers of his era.  Both Lollar and Berra competed for the Yankees' catching job in 1947, with Lollar getting frequent playing time as a September call-up and going 3 for 4 in the World Series as the team's starting catcher in Games 3 and 6.  An All-Star for the first time with the Browns in 1950, he was part of an eight-player trade with the White Sox in November 1951.  With his new club, Lollar assumed regular catching duties and would go on to be an eight-time All-Star.  Known primarily for his defense, he was also a steady hitter, with his offensive output hurt by the unfavorably deep dimensions of Comiskey Park.  Lollar had at least 40 RBIs in seven different seasons with the White Sox, with his career high of 84 coming in both 1958 and 1959.  He won Gold Gloves in 1957, 1958 and 1959.

1959 was to be a banner year for the Go Go Sox, as they advanced to the World Series for the first time since the Black Sox scandal of 1919.  Lollar was a key member of that club along with future Hall of Famers Nellie Fox (#118), Luis Aparicio (#292) and Early Wynn (#187), with Lollar leading the club with a career-best 22 home runs.   For his career, Lollar batted .264 with 1,415 hits, 155 home runs and 808 RBIs.  His 1,571 games behind the plate are currently 29th all-time, and his caught stealing percentage of 46.8% and fielding percentage of .992 are 61st and 65th all-time, respectively.  Lollar would later coach for the Orioles and Athletics in the 1960s.  He was chosen for the Chicago White Sox All-Century Team in September 2000.

January 19, 2003 - NFC Championship Game at The Vet
Building the Set
January 18, 2003 in Plymouth Meeting, PA - Card #238
In January 2003, I added seven cards to our set, purchased at a baseball card show held inside the Plymouth Meeting Mall.  I paid $45 for the seven cards, which included this pristine Lollar card.  My Topps set building had stalled out somewhat in 2003 as I had switched over to become primarily a Phillies collector, and I was also spending my disposable income trying to put together the early Topps Heritage sets.  This was the first of only 18 cards we added to our set in 2003, but we did cross the threshold of needing less than 100 cards to complete the set late in the year.

The Card / White Sox Team Set
Lollar is one of the few players to have appeared in both Bowman and Topps sets in 1954 and 1955.  The action shot is interesting.  It looks as if Lollar is sliding into third base in a game against the Orioles, with the photographer positioned behind the bag.  But then why is the background dark?  Was this taken during a night game or did Topps want to crop out something happening behind the play?  On the back, the cartoon panels highlight his clutch hitting, his defense and his strong throwing arm.

1956 Season
In perhaps his best season statistically, Lollar batted .293 with 11 home runs and 75 RBIs as the regular catcher for the third place White Sox.  He was Berra's back-up in the All-Star Game, entering in the sixth inning and collecting a pinch-hit single off Johnny Antonelli (#138).  Lollar had a talent for getting hit by a pitch, and his 16 times plunked in 1956 were second in the league behind teammate Minnie Minoso (#125) who was hit 23 times.  Lollar finished 16th in the postseason MVP voting.

1950 Bowman #142
1952 Topps #117
1957 Topps #23
1959 Topps #385
1963 Topps #118

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1950 Bowman #142
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (13):  1951-1963
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1994 Topps Archives 1954 #39

78 - Lollar non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 3/18/23.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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Friday, March 10, 2023

#242 Hershell Freeman - Cincinnati Redlegs


Hershell Baskin Freeman
Cincinnati Redlegs
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'3"  Weight:  220
Born:  July 1, 1928, Gadsden, AL
Signed:  Signed by the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent before 1948 season
Major League Teams:  Boston Red Sox 1952-1953, 1955; Cincinnati Reds 1955-1958; Chicago Cubs 1958
Died:  January 17, 2004, Orlando, FL (age 75)

Hersh Freeman spent parts of six seasons in the majors, finding his most success as a Reds' reliever in the mid-1950s.  He was a September call-up by the Red Sox in 1952, and despite being used primarily as a relief pitcher in the minor leagues, manager Lou Boudreau assigned him the start on September 26th against the Senators.  Freeman threw a complete game victory, his only complete game in the majors, and in one of only three starts he'd make in his big league career.  Used sparingly by the Red Sox over the next few seasons, Freeman was claimed off waivers by the Redlegs in May 1955.  He immediately became one of the most frequently used relievers out of Cincinnati's bullpen, making 52, 64 and 52 appearances respectively in 1955, 1956 and 1957.  Freeman pitched a career high 108 2/3 innings in 1956, leading the league with 47 games finished and earning MVP votes following the season.

Freeman's decline was swift, and after only 12 games in 1958 with the Reds and Cubs, his big league pitching career was over.  He'd stay with the Reds' organization until 1963 as a scout and minor league manager.  For his career, Freeman was 30-16 in 204 games pitched, with a 3.74 ERA and 36 saves.

October 27, 2007 - First Halloween
Building the Set
October 31, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchases - Card #312
Our first son Doug was born in December 2006, and this happy event led directly to my Dad visiting us on a more regular basis.  Dad was living by himself at this point in Mays Landing, New Jersey and he detested the 40 minute ride north to our house.  Among all the very positive memories I have of my Dad, one of my few negative memories is the fact that he absolutely seemed to loathe driving and that loathing increased exponentially if there was traffic or if it were dark.  But he made the trips anyway, sometimes staying no more than an hour, because he was so incredibly anxious and excited to spend time with his grandson. 

By the time his second grandson (Ben) was born in April 2010, my Dad's health had begun failing and whatever visits we had were pre-arranged or consisted of us visiting him.  Which is why these visits during Doug's infancy and first few years are so special to me.  My Dad would show up, ecstatic to see Doug, there would be some small talk and we'd complain about the Phillies, and then he'd leave.  But on his way out, he'd always say he'd see us again in a few days and I'd look forward to these visits.

This background is needed to better explain how this Freeman 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 Freeman card on Halloween 2007, as he was visiting to watch Doug go Trick or Treating for a little bit.

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 / Redlegs Team Set
Freeman's rookie card can be found in the 1955 Bowman set, and this is his first Topps card.  In the first cartoon panel on the back of the card, Topps refers to Freeman as a "reliefer," which of course isn't actually a word.  His two seasons pitching for the Triple-A Louisville Colonels, then the Red Sox top farm team, are highlighted in the last cartoon panel.  Freeman was 19-16 in 105 games for the Colonels between 1952 and 1954, pitching to a 2.79 ERA.

With 342 cards in the 1956 Topps set, this blog is just 100 posts away from wrapping up.  If I stick to one post a week (usually Fridays), that puts the date for the final post at February 7, 2025.  Having started this blog in October 2015, I like the symmetry of having collected the set for 20 years and then writing about it for 10.

1956 Season
Freeman's statistics were a little better in 1955, but 1956 was a very good year for the reliever too.  He was 14-5 overall with a 3.40 ERA and 17 saves, second in the league behind the 19 saves by Brooklyn's Clem Labine (#295).  Freeman's 64 relief appearances doubled the next closest Reds' reliever as Joe Black (#178) made it into 32 games.

1955 Bowman #290
1957 Topps #32
1958 Topps #27

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1955 Bowman #290
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (3):  1956-1958
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1979 TCMA 50's #120

12 - Freeman non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 3/8/23.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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Friday, March 3, 2023

#241 Don Mueller - New York Giants


Donald Frederick Mueller
New York Giants
Outfield

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  185
Born:  April 14, 1927, St. Louis, MO
Signed:  Signed by the New York Giants as an amateur free agent before 1944 season
Major League Teams:  New York Giants 1948-1957; Chicago White Sox 1958-1959
Died:  December 28, 2011, Chesterfield, MO (age 84)

Nicknamed "Mandrake the Magician" for his ability to collect seeing-eye singles through seemingly any defensive infield alignment, Don Mueller spent a decade with the Giants, helping his club to two National League pennants.  Mueller took over regular right field duties for the Giants in 1950, with Willie Mays (#130) most often playing to his right in center field.  He drove in a career-high 84 runs in 1950 and hit a career-high 16 home runs in 1951 as the Giants bested the Dodgers in a three-game playoff to advance to the World Series.  In the decisive Game 3 of that playoff series, and with the Giants trailing 4-1 in the ninth inning, Al Dark (#148) and Mueller singled to start the inning.  Whitey Lockman (#205) would double Dark home, and Mueller would need to leave the game after spraining his ankle sliding into third base.  Bobby Thomson (#257) would hit his Shot Heard 'Round the World, scoring Lockman and pinch-runner Clint Hartung to send the Giants to the World Series.

While Mueller missed the entire 1951 World Series with his ankle injury, he helped the Giants return to the series in 1954 - his best season.  He was named to his first of two All-Star teams in 1954, led the league with 212 hits and finished as runner-up to Mays in the batting race.  Mueller hit for the cycle on July 11, 1954 against the Pirates.  For the season, Mueller hit .342 and Mays squeaked by him with a .345 average to win the batting title.  In the World Series, Mueller batted .389 (7 for 18) as the Giants swept the Indians in four games.  Mueller batted .296 for his career with 1,292 hits, 499 runs scored, 65 home runs and 520 RBIs.  A fine fielder as well, he led all National League right fielders in fielding percentage in 1950, 1956 and 1957.

December 25, 2006
Building the Set
December 25, 2006 from Mays Landing, NJ - Card #285
I was officially given this card on Christmas Day in 2006, but my Dad had purchased it several weeks (months?) earlier at a baseball card show held at the Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing, New Jersey.

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 Hank Aaron (#31) card being the big ticket item at $150.  Like all his purchases, he was extremely proud of this 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 that year 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.  One of the great joys of my life was seeing how proud my Dad was to have a grandson.

The Card / Giants Team Set
Despite his key role for the Giants in 1954, Mueller was left out of both 1955 Bowman and Topps sets.  The main photo here is the same as used for his 1954 Topps card.  The cartoons on the back play up Mueller's ability to hit for average and his success against the Indians in the 1954 World Series.

At first I thought the other player in the action photo was a teammate, perhaps the on-deck batter imploring Mueller to slide into home for the play at the plate.  But the Giants didn't have anyone on their roster wearing #2 in the early 1950s.  Looking at the National League uniform numbers from 1954 and 1955, there are no catchers who wore #2 during those years.  Assuming the uniform number starts with a "2" and the second number is obscured, it could be Walker Cooper (#273) from the Cubs who wore #25 in 1955, but that seems like a stretch.  At second look, the second player appears to be leaning on a bat?  In that case, maybe it is a Giants teammate and it could be Mays, who wore #24, making a cameo here.

1956 Season
Again the regular right fielder for the Giants, Mueller played in 138 games, batting .269 with five home runs and 41 RBIs.  The Giants slumped to sixth place in the league with Mueller, Mays and Jackie Brandt as their most used outfielders.

1950 Bowman #221
1952 Topps #52
1954 Topps #42
1957 Topps #148
1959 Topps #368

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1950 Bowman #221
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (6):  1952, 1954, 1956-1959
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2003 Topps Heritage Then and Now #TN4

57 - Mueller non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 3/1/23.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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Saturday, February 25, 2023

#240 "Whitey" Ford - New York Yankees


Edward Charles Ford
New York Yankees
Pitcher


Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  178
Born:  October 21, 1928, New York, NY
Signed:  Signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent before 1947 season
Major League Teams:  New York Yankees 1950, 1953-1967
Hall of Fame Induction:  1974
Died:  October 8, 2020, Lake Success, NY (age 91)

A mainstay at the top of the Yankees' pitching rotation throughout the 1950s and early 1960s, Whitey Ford, the Chairman of the Board, helped lead his team to six World Series titles in 11 World Series appearances.  He was the MVP of the 1961 World Series when he won Games 1 and 4, pitching a complete game shutout in Game 1 while holding the Reds to two hits.  He won the Cy Young Award that same season after going 25-4 with a 3.21 ERA.  Ford was a 10-time All-Star and led the league in ERA twice in 1956 (2.47) and 1958 (2.01).

One of the greatest left-handed pitchers in the history of the game, Ford retired in May 1967 with 236 wins, a career 2.75 ERA and 1,956 strikeouts.  He is the Yankees franchise leader in wins, shutouts (45), innings pitched (3,170 1/3) and games started by a pitcher (438, tied with Andy Pettitte).  His 11 World Series appearances allowed him to set several World Series records, including consecutive scoreless innings (33 2/3), wins (10), games started (22), innings pitched (146) and strikeouts (94).  He briefly served as a coach with the Yankees in 1964, 1968 and again for two more seasons in 1974 to 1975.  His #16 was retired in 1974, the same year he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

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

Building the Set
December 28, 2007 from Dad's eBay purchases - Card #329
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.

Doug and Dad on Christmas Eve, 2007
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.  Among the "big" cards in that final haul were the cards of Roberto Clemente (#33), Monte Irvin (#194), this Ford card, Pee Wee Reese (#260) and the Checklist covering Series 1 and 3.  

The Card / Yankees Team Set
Ford is a little beat up here, with a few soft corners and there are crease marks running across the front surface of the card if you look closely at it under a light.  But I don't care.  I like to think of my Dad spending the latter part of 2007 scouring eBay, tracking auctions, and happily crossing off one of the Final 29 whenever he'd come out a winner.  

The cartoon panels on the back are all dedicated to his stellar 1955 season.  Unless I missed it during my review of Ford's many, many baseball cards, this card has never been reprinted by Topps.

1956 Season
In one of the best seasons of his career, Ford was 19-6 with a league-leading 2.47 ERA, throwing 18 complete games and a pair of shutouts.  Ford's 18 complete games are even more impressive once you realize he made only 30 starts.  He was named to his third straight All-Star Game, and he allowed a two-run home run to Willie Mays (#130) in the game's fourth inning.  The staff ace for the Yankees, he started Games 1 and 3 of the World Series against the Dodgers, losing Game 1, but throwing a complete game victory in Game 3.  Ford was warming up in the bullpen in Game 5, in case starting pitcher Don Larsen (#332) needed to be relieved, but Larsen ended up pitching a perfect game.  Ford finished tied for third in the year's Cy Young voting with Warren Spahn (#10) and behind winner Don Newcombe (#235) and runner-up Sal Maglie.

1951 Bowman #1
1953 Topps #207
1961 Topps #160
1962 Topps #315
1967 Topps #5

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1951 Bowman #1
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (14):  1953-1954, 1956-1967
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2022 Topps Archives #217

1,526 - Ford non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 2/25/23.

 Sources:  
1965 Topps Blog
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Saturday, February 18, 2023

#239 Harry Simpson - Kansas City Athletics


Harry Leon Simpson
Kansas City Athletics
Outfield

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  180
Born:  December 3, 1925, Atlanta, GA
Signed:  Signed by the Cleveland Indians as an amateur free agent before 1949 season
Major League Teams:  Philadelphia Stars 1946-1948; Cleveland Indians 1951-1953, 1955; Kansas City Athletics 1955-1957; New York Yankees 1957-1958; Kansas City Athletics 1958-1959; Chicago White Sox 1959; Pittsburgh Pirates 1959
Died:  April 3, 1979, Akron, OH (age 53)

Harry Simpson began his professional baseball career with the Philadelphia Stars in the Negro National League, playing three seasons between 1946 and 1948.  The Indians signed him before the 1949 season and he was one of the earliest black players in the American League when he made his debut in April 1951.  Simpson appeared in a career-high 146 games for the Indians in 1952 as their regular right fielder, batting .266 with 10 home runs and 65 RBIs.  He was sold to the Athletics in May 1955 and he'd enjoy the best stretch of his career between 1956 and 1958.  In 1956, Simpson would experience his best professional season, making his only All-Star Team on the strength of his first half with the Athletics.  He'd lead the league with 11 triples while batting .293 with 21 home runs and 105 RBIs - both career bests.  In June 1957, Simpson would depart Kansas City and move to New York in the deal that exiled Billy Martin (#181), Ralph Terry and a few other players from the Yankees following a nightclub brawl.  With the Yankees, Simpson couldn't recapture his success from 1956 and he was traded back to the Athletics exactly a year later in June 1958.

Simpson played for three different teams in 1959, his final year in the major leagues.  He'd continue to play in the White Sox minor league system, then in Mexico, through the 1964 season, retiring at the age of 38.  In nine seasons in the majors, Simpson appeared in 888 games, batting .266 with 101 doubles, 41 triples, 73 home runs and 381 RBIs.

Building the Set
September 25, 2005 in Ft. Washington, PA - Card #267
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 $4 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 / Athletics Team Set
I'm immediately drawn to the action photo here, as it shows Simpson in his follow-through after connecting with the ball in a game that could be in Yankee Stadium with Yogi Berra (#110) making yet another cameo appearance.  A lot of the "action" shots in the 1956 Topps set are posed, or feature game action on the base paths where the outcome is hard to discern.  This is one of more dynamic action photos in the set with batter, catcher, umpire and a sea of fans in the background.  If that is in fact Berra, it would mark his ninth cameo, so far, in the set.  He's potentially on the cards of Bob Kennedy (#38), Sandy Amoros (#42), Roy Campanella (#101), Jim Piersall (#143), Clint Courtney (#159), Billy Pierce (#160), Sammy White (#168) and Carl Furillo (#190).  I'll need to put together a gallery of Berra cameo cards once I've reached the end of the set.

This marks Simpson's return to baseball cards, as he wasn't in any 1954 or 1955 mainstream sets.  He spent all of 1954 in the minor leagues and was omitted from both Bowman and Topps sets in 1955, despite  playing in 112 games for the Athletics.

1956 Season
As mentioned above, this was Simpson's career year.  He was the regular right fielder for the Athletics, on their way to a 102 loss season and guided by manager Lou Boudreau.  In the All-Star Game, Simpson pinch-hit for pitcher Pierce in the third inning, striking out against Pirates' pitcher Bob Friend (#221).

1952 Topps #193
1953 Topps #150
1957 Topps #225
1958 Topps #299
1960 Topps #180

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1952 Bowman #223
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7):  1952-1953, 1956-1960
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1991 Topps Archives 1953 #150

34 - Simpson non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 2/18/23.

 Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
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