The Gold Gloves
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1956 Topps #170 Bill Virdon
| 1956 Topps #154 Dave Pope |
On this page, we feature some great fielders. Down through baseball's history, there have been many terrific fielders; Tris Speaker ("The Gray Eagle"), "Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance"
(all of whom are mysteriously enshrined in Cooperstown, but if you check their stats you would have to say they must have been SPECTACULAR glove men). The original "Pistol Pete,"
Pete Reiser of the Brooklyn Dodgers, was famous for his spectacular head-first crashes into the outfield walls (before padding) which prematurely ended his promising career. Joe
DiMaggio was considered a graceful centerfielder who rarely made mistakes in the outfield. In the 1950's, there was a debate about who the greatest centerfielder in New York was-
Willie Mays of the New York Giants, Mickey Mantle of the New York Yankees, or Edwin "Duke" Snider of the Brooklyn Dodgers. You also had the emergence of talented infielders
from South America like Luis Aparicio, and some terrific outfielders like Jimmy Piersall, Roberto Clemente, Al Kaline, & Carl Yastrzemski (to name just a few). This page honors the
great glove men of baseball.
(all of whom are mysteriously enshrined in Cooperstown, but if you check their stats you would have to say they must have been SPECTACULAR glove men). The original "Pistol Pete,"
Pete Reiser of the Brooklyn Dodgers, was famous for his spectacular head-first crashes into the outfield walls (before padding) which prematurely ended his promising career. Joe
DiMaggio was considered a graceful centerfielder who rarely made mistakes in the outfield. In the 1950's, there was a debate about who the greatest centerfielder in New York was-
Willie Mays of the New York Giants, Mickey Mantle of the New York Yankees, or Edwin "Duke" Snider of the Brooklyn Dodgers. You also had the emergence of talented infielders
from South America like Luis Aparicio, and some terrific outfielders like Jimmy Piersall, Roberto Clemente, Al Kaline, & Carl Yastrzemski (to name just a few). This page honors the
great glove men of baseball.
1953 Bowman Color #18 Nellie Fox
Nelson "Nellie" Fox was a sure-handed fielder who played almost 2,300 (2,295) games at second base. Along with
shortstop Luis Aparicio, they teamed for one of the great double play combinations in baseball. Nellie should get more
consideration for the Hall of Fame then he has. He played 19 seasons, had a very respectable .288 batting average, had
nearly 2,700 hits (2,663), scored 1,279 runs, and had 790 RBIs. He was part of 1,621 double plays and had a nifty .984
fielding average. He played in one World Series (1959) and batted .375 with 9 hits, 3 doubles, scored 4 runs, and played
a flawless second base. Nellie won 3 Gold Gloves and would have picked up more except for the fact that they didn't
start giving away Gold Glove awards until 1957. By that time Nellie had already been played 10 seasons. His last two
seasons were as a member of the Houston Astros and I have heard Hall Of Famer Joe Morgan (also a second baseman)
say that he learned a lot from Nellie Fox. I guess the question should be, why ISN'T Nellie Fox in the Hall of Fame? Nellie
died in 1975. He was only 48 years old.
This is a terrific card from the classic 1953 Bowman Color set. Bowman also issued a black & white card set the same
year and these are much more difficult to acquire than the "color" Bowman cards. As beautiful as these cards are,
Bowman only was to issue two more baseball sets from 1954-1955. They were bought by Topps Chewing Gum, Inc. and
it wasn't until 1989 that the "Bowman" name resurfaced as one of Topps' products. It's a real shame that Bowman
couldn't share the baseball card market with Topps as they really made some fantastic cards from 1948-1955.
shortstop Luis Aparicio, they teamed for one of the great double play combinations in baseball. Nellie should get more
consideration for the Hall of Fame then he has. He played 19 seasons, had a very respectable .288 batting average, had
nearly 2,700 hits (2,663), scored 1,279 runs, and had 790 RBIs. He was part of 1,621 double plays and had a nifty .984
fielding average. He played in one World Series (1959) and batted .375 with 9 hits, 3 doubles, scored 4 runs, and played
a flawless second base. Nellie won 3 Gold Gloves and would have picked up more except for the fact that they didn't
start giving away Gold Glove awards until 1957. By that time Nellie had already been played 10 seasons. His last two
seasons were as a member of the Houston Astros and I have heard Hall Of Famer Joe Morgan (also a second baseman)
say that he learned a lot from Nellie Fox. I guess the question should be, why ISN'T Nellie Fox in the Hall of Fame? Nellie
died in 1975. He was only 48 years old.
This is a terrific card from the classic 1953 Bowman Color set. Bowman also issued a black & white card set the same
year and these are much more difficult to acquire than the "color" Bowman cards. As beautiful as these cards are,
Bowman only was to issue two more baseball sets from 1954-1955. They were bought by Topps Chewing Gum, Inc. and
it wasn't until 1989 that the "Bowman" name resurfaced as one of Topps' products. It's a real shame that Bowman
couldn't share the baseball card market with Topps as they really made some fantastic cards from 1948-1955.
| 1965 Topps #385 Carl Yastrzemski |
Carl Yastrzemski took over left field for Ted Williams (who had retired after the 1960 season) and while Yaz
never batted over .400 like Teddy Ballgame, he did put up some impressive hitting numbers, especially during
the 1960's (which was considered a "pitcher-friendly" era; in fact, Yaz won the 1968 AL Batting Title with a .301
average- the only American League player to post a .300 average that year!). But while Williams was the
master of hitting, Yaz was the master of left field. Yaz learned to play the Green Monster like he owned it and
not only did he make spectacular catches, he also had a terrific arm and seldom would a runner take chances
on a bullet from Yaz. In the 1969 All-Star Game, Yaz made a spectacular catch to rob Johnny Bench of a 2nd
home run. Yastrzemski won 7 Gold Gloves for fielding excellence including one in 1977 when he was 38 years
old! Come on, are you kidding me??? Yaz was the man. Here is one of the few cards to picture Yaz with a glove.
Most of the Topps cards pictured him with a bat. You gotta love these "posed" action shots from Topps. It
wasn't until 1971 that Topps finally started using game shots in their photography.
never batted over .400 like Teddy Ballgame, he did put up some impressive hitting numbers, especially during
the 1960's (which was considered a "pitcher-friendly" era; in fact, Yaz won the 1968 AL Batting Title with a .301
average- the only American League player to post a .300 average that year!). But while Williams was the
master of hitting, Yaz was the master of left field. Yaz learned to play the Green Monster like he owned it and
not only did he make spectacular catches, he also had a terrific arm and seldom would a runner take chances
on a bullet from Yaz. In the 1969 All-Star Game, Yaz made a spectacular catch to rob Johnny Bench of a 2nd
home run. Yastrzemski won 7 Gold Gloves for fielding excellence including one in 1977 when he was 38 years
old! Come on, are you kidding me??? Yaz was the man. Here is one of the few cards to picture Yaz with a glove.
Most of the Topps cards pictured him with a bat. You gotta love these "posed" action shots from Topps. It
wasn't until 1971 that Topps finally started using game shots in their photography.
1949 Bowman #142 Eddie Waitkus RC
While Eddie Waitkus never won any Gold Glove awards (they didn't start until 1957 and Waitkus was
finished by then) he was considered one of the finest fielding first basemen in the National League. Most
have never heard of Eddie Waitkus, but if you have ever seen the Robert Redford baseball movie "The
Natural," that story was based on the real-life Eddie Waitkus. Waitkus never hit a dramatic game-ending
blast that shattered the outfield lights; but he WAS really shot by a deranged female fan in 1949 (as was
Redford's character Roy Hobbs in the movie). It is a testimony to Eddie Waitkus that he made a remarkable
comeback and was able to play a few more years in the major leagues after his serious injuries. Eddie was a
member of the 1950 "Fightin' Phillies" team that went on to the World Series vs. the New York Yankees.
While Eddie Waitkus is not remembered so much as a ballplayer, it should be noted that he served in
numerous campaigns in the Pacific during World War ll. Our veterans, both past and present should always
be remembered. A terrific book on the life of Eddie Waitkus is "Baseball's Natural: The Eddie Waitkus Story"
by John Theodore. This is Eddie Waitkus' first baseball card, from the 1949 Bowman set.
finished by then) he was considered one of the finest fielding first basemen in the National League. Most
have never heard of Eddie Waitkus, but if you have ever seen the Robert Redford baseball movie "The
Natural," that story was based on the real-life Eddie Waitkus. Waitkus never hit a dramatic game-ending
blast that shattered the outfield lights; but he WAS really shot by a deranged female fan in 1949 (as was
Redford's character Roy Hobbs in the movie). It is a testimony to Eddie Waitkus that he made a remarkable
comeback and was able to play a few more years in the major leagues after his serious injuries. Eddie was a
member of the 1950 "Fightin' Phillies" team that went on to the World Series vs. the New York Yankees.
While Eddie Waitkus is not remembered so much as a ballplayer, it should be noted that he served in
numerous campaigns in the Pacific during World War ll. Our veterans, both past and present should always
be remembered. A terrific book on the life of Eddie Waitkus is "Baseball's Natural: The Eddie Waitkus Story"
by John Theodore. This is Eddie Waitkus' first baseball card, from the 1949 Bowman set.
1969 Topps #95 Johnny Bench
While there will always be a debate about who was the greatest player at a certain position, there should really be no debate
about who is the greatest catcher in baseball history. Johnny Bench REVOLUTIONIZED the position. Even as a rookie in
1967, there was no doubt as to who was in charge out there. Bench won the N.L. Rookie of the Year Award in 1967 and won
the Gold Glove award at catcher in his very first year. Bench was the catcher behind "THE BIG RED MACHINE" that went to
the World Series in 1970, 1972, 1975, & 1976. At the time of his retirement in 1983, Bench had acquired 10 Gold Glove
awards and was the All-time Home Run leader among catchers. Both records have since been beaten, but if I had to
choose a catcher (in their prime) among Ivan Rodriguez, Mike Piazza, or Johnny Bench, I am taking Bench all the way. I think
if you combine Rodriguez' fielding with Piazza's hitting early in his career you would have an idea of what Johnny Bench
brought to the game when he played. On the back of Bench's 1970 Topps card (#660) Topps calls Bench "a future Hall of
Famer at 23." Keep in mind this was only Bench's 3rd card! What a player.
about who is the greatest catcher in baseball history. Johnny Bench REVOLUTIONIZED the position. Even as a rookie in
1967, there was no doubt as to who was in charge out there. Bench won the N.L. Rookie of the Year Award in 1967 and won
the Gold Glove award at catcher in his very first year. Bench was the catcher behind "THE BIG RED MACHINE" that went to
the World Series in 1970, 1972, 1975, & 1976. At the time of his retirement in 1983, Bench had acquired 10 Gold Glove
awards and was the All-time Home Run leader among catchers. Both records have since been beaten, but if I had to
choose a catcher (in their prime) among Ivan Rodriguez, Mike Piazza, or Johnny Bench, I am taking Bench all the way. I think
if you combine Rodriguez' fielding with Piazza's hitting early in his career you would have an idea of what Johnny Bench
brought to the game when he played. On the back of Bench's 1970 Topps card (#660) Topps calls Bench "a future Hall of
Famer at 23." Keep in mind this was only Bench's 3rd card! What a player.
1966 Topps #1 Willie Mays
When you talk about all-time greats, the name Willie Mays is always mentioned. Mays had it all. He could
hit for average. He could hit with power. He could run. And he could field. I am pretty sure Mays is
considered the greatest outfielder ever. And quite possibly the greatest player, ever. Mays, like some the
players mentioned earlier, did not get as many Gold Glove awards as he deserved, yet still won 12 Gold
Glove Awards and is the All-Time Leader in putouts by an outfielder with an astonishing 7,095. A good
portion of those were probably hits that Mays took away. Back in the 1950's, when the major powers were
the three New York teams (Dodgers, Giants, Yankees) and each featured a superb centerfielder, (Snider,
Mays, Mantle), there was a debate about who was the greatest centerfielder. There was even a song
called "Willie, Mickey, & the Duke." But in 1957, the first year of the Gold Glove Awards (and it was just
one award for both leagues) guess who won the award for centerfield- you got it, Willie Mays. Topps
usually held the #1 card as a place of special honor and in 1966 it was Willie Mays who got the #1 spot as
he had won the N.L. Most Valuable Player award the previous season (1965). As is the case with most #1
cards (& the last card in the set), it is tough to find in NM or better condition. This is due to the fact that
most kids would put the cards in numerical order, wrap rubber bands around them and stuff 'em in shoe
boxes. Hence the first and last cards were always more susceptible to wear. Mays was also featured on a
#1 card in the 1973 Topps set which honored the three All-Time Home Run Leaders (Babe Ruth, Hank
Aaron, & Willie Mays) at the time.
hit for average. He could hit with power. He could run. And he could field. I am pretty sure Mays is
considered the greatest outfielder ever. And quite possibly the greatest player, ever. Mays, like some the
players mentioned earlier, did not get as many Gold Glove awards as he deserved, yet still won 12 Gold
Glove Awards and is the All-Time Leader in putouts by an outfielder with an astonishing 7,095. A good
portion of those were probably hits that Mays took away. Back in the 1950's, when the major powers were
the three New York teams (Dodgers, Giants, Yankees) and each featured a superb centerfielder, (Snider,
Mays, Mantle), there was a debate about who was the greatest centerfielder. There was even a song
called "Willie, Mickey, & the Duke." But in 1957, the first year of the Gold Glove Awards (and it was just
one award for both leagues) guess who won the award for centerfield- you got it, Willie Mays. Topps
usually held the #1 card as a place of special honor and in 1966 it was Willie Mays who got the #1 spot as
he had won the N.L. Most Valuable Player award the previous season (1965). As is the case with most #1
cards (& the last card in the set), it is tough to find in NM or better condition. This is due to the fact that
most kids would put the cards in numerical order, wrap rubber bands around them and stuff 'em in shoe
boxes. Hence the first and last cards were always more susceptible to wear. Mays was also featured on a
#1 card in the 1973 Topps set which honored the three All-Time Home Run Leaders (Babe Ruth, Hank
Aaron, & Willie Mays) at the time.
1967 Topps #20 Al Kaline
.How good was Al Kaline? Well for starters, Al Kaline never played minor league ball. He went
straight to the bigs. And not only that, he won a batting title in only his third year with a .340
average in 1955. Kaline and Yastrzemski were similar in a lot of respects in that both had over
3,000 hits and both had nearly 400 HRs or more (Kaline had 399, Yaz had 452). Kaline had a
lifetime .297 batting mark to Yaz's .285. Even their jersey numbers were close! Kaline wore #6
while Yaz wore #8. And both were fantastic outfielders. Kaline was also the recipient of the first
Gold Glove Awards (1957) and went on to acquire a total of 10 Gold Gloves as an outfielder.
A real classy guy I remember reading a quote of Kaline about Mickey Mantle. Some fan yelled
out to Kaline in right field "you ain't no Mickey Mantle." Well Kaline responded "Son, no one is
half as good as Mickey Mantle." What a class act. I got to meet Al Kaline in 1980 prior to the
All-Star Game in Los Angeles and it was quite a thrill to meet him. This is another rare Topps
card showing Kaline with a glove. The only other Topps card to feature Kaline with a glove is
his last card (1974 Topps #215) which features him playing first base at the end of his career.
straight to the bigs. And not only that, he won a batting title in only his third year with a .340
average in 1955. Kaline and Yastrzemski were similar in a lot of respects in that both had over
3,000 hits and both had nearly 400 HRs or more (Kaline had 399, Yaz had 452). Kaline had a
lifetime .297 batting mark to Yaz's .285. Even their jersey numbers were close! Kaline wore #6
while Yaz wore #8. And both were fantastic outfielders. Kaline was also the recipient of the first
Gold Glove Awards (1957) and went on to acquire a total of 10 Gold Gloves as an outfielder.
A real classy guy I remember reading a quote of Kaline about Mickey Mantle. Some fan yelled
out to Kaline in right field "you ain't no Mickey Mantle." Well Kaline responded "Son, no one is
half as good as Mickey Mantle." What a class act. I got to meet Al Kaline in 1980 prior to the
All-Star Game in Los Angeles and it was quite a thrill to meet him. This is another rare Topps
card showing Kaline with a glove. The only other Topps card to feature Kaline with a glove is
his last card (1974 Topps #215) which features him playing first base at the end of his career.
| 1956 Topps #33 Roberto Clemente |
One of the most colorful players in baseball history was Jim "Jimmy" Piersall. Piersall got into fights
(usually with Billy Martin by calling him "big nose"), had a nervous breakdown, ran around the bases
backwards, kicked a fan in the rear who had ran after him on the field, even called player's wives
"horny bitches" (while he was an announcer with the Chicago White Sox; he also called the owner's
wife a "colossal bore." He was shortly fired...). He was such a character they even made a feature film
about his life ("Fear Strikes Out" starring Anthony Perkins and Karl Malden). But all antics aside,
Piersall was considered by most to be the best fly chaser in the American League. On the back of one
of his baseball cards it says that if "you want to find Jim Piersall all you have to do is throw a baseball
on to the field and he will show up to catch it." (I think that is on the back of his 1955 Bowman #16
card). Again Piersall did not win as many Gold Gloves as he should have as he began playing in
1950. He did win 2 Gold Glove Awards for his outfield play (one in 1958 with Boston, and one with
Cleveland in 1961). What a guy.
(usually with Billy Martin by calling him "big nose"), had a nervous breakdown, ran around the bases
backwards, kicked a fan in the rear who had ran after him on the field, even called player's wives
"horny bitches" (while he was an announcer with the Chicago White Sox; he also called the owner's
wife a "colossal bore." He was shortly fired...). He was such a character they even made a feature film
about his life ("Fear Strikes Out" starring Anthony Perkins and Karl Malden). But all antics aside,
Piersall was considered by most to be the best fly chaser in the American League. On the back of one
of his baseball cards it says that if "you want to find Jim Piersall all you have to do is throw a baseball
on to the field and he will show up to catch it." (I think that is on the back of his 1955 Bowman #16
card). Again Piersall did not win as many Gold Gloves as he should have as he began playing in
1950. He did win 2 Gold Glove Awards for his outfield play (one in 1958 with Boston, and one with
Cleveland in 1961). What a guy.
1960 Topps #159 Jim Piersall
The great Roberto Clemente. Clemente is still considered one of baseball's best right fielders of all-time. Clemente won 12 Gold Gloves and had 269 assists in his career. This works
out to almost 15 assists per season and he would have had more but for the fact that most runners did not take a chance on Clemente's arm. A wonderfully talented player that almost
ended up a DODGER. The Dodgers had signed Roberto to a minor league contract but instead of calling him up they tried to "hide" him in their Montreal farm club. Instead he was
spotted by a Pittsburgh scout and he was signed to play with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Can you imagine Clemente on the great 1960s Dodger teams with Koufax, Drysdale, Willie Davis,
Frank Howard, Tommy Davis, Jim Gilliam, Maury Wills, etc.? They probably would have owned the 1960s. Clemente did appear in 2 World Series, both winners (1960 vs. the Yankees,
and 1971 vs. Orioles). The 1960 game was mostly remembered for Mazeroski's heroics (see below) but Clemente actually had a fine series batting .310 with 9 hits. But it was in 1971
that Clemente showed the world his talents on the big stage and he went on to hit .414, with 12 hits (2 doubles, 1 triple, 2 HRs), 3 runs, and 4 runs batted in. He also played flawless in
the field. Clemente is the right fielder against which all others are measured. This is Clemente's second year card (his rookie card is 1955 Topps #164) and check out the catch!
out to almost 15 assists per season and he would have had more but for the fact that most runners did not take a chance on Clemente's arm. A wonderfully talented player that almost
ended up a DODGER. The Dodgers had signed Roberto to a minor league contract but instead of calling him up they tried to "hide" him in their Montreal farm club. Instead he was
spotted by a Pittsburgh scout and he was signed to play with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Can you imagine Clemente on the great 1960s Dodger teams with Koufax, Drysdale, Willie Davis,
Frank Howard, Tommy Davis, Jim Gilliam, Maury Wills, etc.? They probably would have owned the 1960s. Clemente did appear in 2 World Series, both winners (1960 vs. the Yankees,
and 1971 vs. Orioles). The 1960 game was mostly remembered for Mazeroski's heroics (see below) but Clemente actually had a fine series batting .310 with 9 hits. But it was in 1971
that Clemente showed the world his talents on the big stage and he went on to hit .414, with 12 hits (2 doubles, 1 triple, 2 HRs), 3 runs, and 4 runs batted in. He also played flawless in
the field. Clemente is the right fielder against which all others are measured. This is Clemente's second year card (his rookie card is 1955 Topps #164) and check out the catch!
1960 Post Cereal #128 Bill Mazeroski (Company version)
A lot of people think Bill Mazeroski got into the Hall of Fame based only on his series-ending clutch HR to end the 1960 World Series vs. the favored New York Yankees. Maz was a
good hitter, not great, but more than adequate for his position (2B). He had over 2,000 hits, scored 769 runs, and drove in 853. He also batted .400 in 3 League Championship Series
and hit .308 with 2 HRs in 2 World Series. However it is for his fine play at second base that Mazeroski is in the Hall of Fame. Maz won a total of 8 Gold Gloves in his career and I am
sure even Joe Morgan, another Hall Of Fame second baseman, would agree that Mazeroski belongs in the Hall. This is an early Mazeroski card from the 1961 Post Cereal set. In 1961
you could obtain these cards by either cutting them out from the cereal box or you could also get them directly from the company in team sheets that were perforated so that you could
pull the cards apart. This is one of the Post company issues. The difference is that the Company cards usually show signs of perforations while the cereal cards usually show signs of
being cut from the cereal box (in most cases the cutting is pretty rough as most were cut out by enthusiastic kids). The paper stock is also different on the two versions.
good hitter, not great, but more than adequate for his position (2B). He had over 2,000 hits, scored 769 runs, and drove in 853. He also batted .400 in 3 League Championship Series
and hit .308 with 2 HRs in 2 World Series. However it is for his fine play at second base that Mazeroski is in the Hall of Fame. Maz won a total of 8 Gold Gloves in his career and I am
sure even Joe Morgan, another Hall Of Fame second baseman, would agree that Mazeroski belongs in the Hall. This is an early Mazeroski card from the 1961 Post Cereal set. In 1961
you could obtain these cards by either cutting them out from the cereal box or you could also get them directly from the company in team sheets that were perforated so that you could
pull the cards apart. This is one of the Post company issues. The difference is that the Company cards usually show signs of perforations while the cereal cards usually show signs of
being cut from the cereal box (in most cases the cutting is pretty rough as most were cut out by enthusiastic kids). The paper stock is also different on the two versions.
1952 Topps #189 Pete Reiser
The original "Pistol Pete," Pete Reiser was an up and coming star for the Brooklyn Dodgers, helping them to their first pennant in 1941. Reiser led the league that year with a nifty
.343 average, along with 39 doubles, 17 triples, 14 HRs, 117 runs, and 76 RBIs. Not bad for a rookie. Reiser was a great fly chaser, however it was his almost suicidal penchant for
running head first into concrete walls (remember this was before padding on the outfield walls) that brought a premature end to Reiser's career. In July of 1942 Reiser ran into the
center field wall at Ebbett's Field chasing a drive by Cardinals Hall of Famer Enos Slaughter and fractured his skull. Unbelievably just 3 days later, Reiser was back in a Dodger uniform
despite severe head pain. Today, this would never happen with a player, but back then the owners sometimes did not take care of players the way they should have. The Dodgers
were in a pennant drive and so Reiser played, despite bouts of double vision. He only batted .200 the rest of the season and finished at .310. Essentially Reiser's career ended in
1942. He only played 7 more seasons, mostly part-time for the Dodgers, Braves, Pirates, and Indians. So his career, like so many others, was that of "what could have been." However
Reiser was absolutely adored by Brooklyn's faithful and he is still remembered thanks to baseball cards. This is his last card as an active player, from the classic 1952 Topps set.
.343 average, along with 39 doubles, 17 triples, 14 HRs, 117 runs, and 76 RBIs. Not bad for a rookie. Reiser was a great fly chaser, however it was his almost suicidal penchant for
running head first into concrete walls (remember this was before padding on the outfield walls) that brought a premature end to Reiser's career. In July of 1942 Reiser ran into the
center field wall at Ebbett's Field chasing a drive by Cardinals Hall of Famer Enos Slaughter and fractured his skull. Unbelievably just 3 days later, Reiser was back in a Dodger uniform
despite severe head pain. Today, this would never happen with a player, but back then the owners sometimes did not take care of players the way they should have. The Dodgers
were in a pennant drive and so Reiser played, despite bouts of double vision. He only batted .200 the rest of the season and finished at .310. Essentially Reiser's career ended in
1942. He only played 7 more seasons, mostly part-time for the Dodgers, Braves, Pirates, and Indians. So his career, like so many others, was that of "what could have been." However
Reiser was absolutely adored by Brooklyn's faithful and he is still remembered thanks to baseball cards. This is his last card as an active player, from the classic 1952 Topps set.
1910 T206 Beals Becker (American Beauty back)
I am not sure if Beals Becker of the Boston Braves was a GOLD GLOVE fielder, but he sure looks like it in this beautiful early tobacco card! Great catch!
The T206 cards were issued with different brands of tobacco, with Sweet Caporal and Piedmont being the most common. There are many scarce and rare backs. The
"American Beauty" backs would fit more into the "scarce" catagory. Not rare, but pretty scarce. Backs with other than Sweet Caporal or Piedmont usually command a premium.
The T206 cards were issued with different brands of tobacco, with Sweet Caporal and Piedmont being the most common. There are many scarce and rare backs. The
"American Beauty" backs would fit more into the "scarce" catagory. Not rare, but pretty scarce. Backs with other than Sweet Caporal or Piedmont usually command a premium.
1973 O-Pee-Chee #90 Brooks Robinson
"They call Brooks "The Human Vacuum Cleaner."" That's what the cartoon on the back of this 1973 O-Pee-Chee #90 Brooks Robinson card reads. And vacuum cleaner Brooks was,
winning a record 16 Gold Gloves (consecutive) in his career. He was also quite a clutch performer and finished his 23 year career with almost 3,000 hits (2848), 482 doubles, 268 home
runs, and 1357 runs batted in. Brooks won the American League Most Valuable Player Award in 1964 in leading the Cardinals to the World Series that year vs. the New York Yankees.
They still talk about the fielding clinic Brooks displayed in the 1970 World Series vs. the Cincinnati Reds. Topps even made a World Series card in 1971 that showed a pretty poor image
of Brooks diving in the dirt entitled "Brooks Commits Robery! (1971 Topps #331 World Series Game 5). I prefer the 1973 O-Pee-Chee or Topps Brooks Robinson card. I may be wrong
but I think the only other Topps card that pictures Brooks with a glove is 1976 Topps #95.
winning a record 16 Gold Gloves (consecutive) in his career. He was also quite a clutch performer and finished his 23 year career with almost 3,000 hits (2848), 482 doubles, 268 home
runs, and 1357 runs batted in. Brooks won the American League Most Valuable Player Award in 1964 in leading the Cardinals to the World Series that year vs. the New York Yankees.
They still talk about the fielding clinic Brooks displayed in the 1970 World Series vs. the Cincinnati Reds. Topps even made a World Series card in 1971 that showed a pretty poor image
of Brooks diving in the dirt entitled "Brooks Commits Robery! (1971 Topps #331 World Series Game 5). I prefer the 1973 O-Pee-Chee or Topps Brooks Robinson card. I may be wrong
but I think the only other Topps card that pictures Brooks with a glove is 1976 Topps #95.
1979 O-Pee-Chee #52 Ozzie Smith RC
1909-11 T206 White Border Tris Speaker
Considered to be one of the greatest fly-chasers of his era was the immortal Tris Speaker. Of course I am going by hearsay; in checking Speaker's fielding record, while making 6938
career putouts, he also made 224 errors for a .971 fielding average. Not exactly stellar but he did post some ungodly assist totals, 461 to be exact. Now that is impressive. Twice he
posted totals of 35 assists a season! Speaker was also a Hall Of Fame hitter, batting .344 lifetime with 3515 hits, 792 doubles, 223 triples, 117 HRs, 1881 runs, 1559 RBIs, 1381
bases on balls, and 433 stolen bases to boot. He played in 3 World Series, batting .306 with 22 hits (including 4 triples). So who am I to argue with that? Tris Speaker was great!
career putouts, he also made 224 errors for a .971 fielding average. Not exactly stellar but he did post some ungodly assist totals, 461 to be exact. Now that is impressive. Twice he
posted totals of 35 assists a season! Speaker was also a Hall Of Fame hitter, batting .344 lifetime with 3515 hits, 792 doubles, 223 triples, 117 HRs, 1881 runs, 1559 RBIs, 1381
bases on balls, and 433 stolen bases to boot. He played in 3 World Series, batting .306 with 22 hits (including 4 triples). So who am I to argue with that? Tris Speaker was great!
Here are 3 things to know about Ozzie Smith: 1.) His nickname is "The Wizard Of Oz" and for good reason. 2.) He won 13 consecutive Gold Glove Awards at shortstop. 3.) He made the
Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility (2002).
The 1979 Topps #116 Ozzie Smith rookie card is notorious for terrible centering. Expect to pay a hefty premium for a well centered example. The above 1979 O-Pee-Chee #52 Ozzie
Smith is also tough to find perfectly centered and there are other problems as well; O-Pee-Chee cards are commonly found with "rough cut" edges, which bother some collectors (not
me). The O-Pee-Chee cards are much tougher to find than the Topps issues.
Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility (2002).
The 1979 Topps #116 Ozzie Smith rookie card is notorious for terrible centering. Expect to pay a hefty premium for a well centered example. The above 1979 O-Pee-Chee #52 Ozzie
Smith is also tough to find perfectly centered and there are other problems as well; O-Pee-Chee cards are commonly found with "rough cut" edges, which bother some collectors (not
me). The O-Pee-Chee cards are much tougher to find than the Topps issues.
1980's Louisville Slugger Fred Lynn glove card
If you watched "This Week In Baseball" with host Mel Allen back in the 1970's and 1980's, chances are you would see a Fred Lynn highlight catch. Keep in mind this was before ESPN
became so prominent and highlight clips are played almost endlessly, over and over and over again. Fred Lynn won 4 Gold Gloves in his career, including one his rookie season (1975)
and probably would have won more if not for injuries, most of which were caused by crashing into (non-padded) outfield walls. In the 1975 World Series vs. Cincinnati (a classic!) Lynn
crashed into the centerfield wall at Fenway and nearly knocked himself out. In the 1979 All Star Game in Seattle Lynn went nearly face first into the (unpadded) centerfield wall at the
Kingdome in pursuit of a Mike Schmidt triple (Lynn says he "catches that one in his dreams"). When the last time you saw an outfielder go into a (non-padded) wall in an ALL STAR
GAME? Because of guys like Fred Lynn, padded walls started to be used on outfield walls. Now most of the time on ESPN you will see guys bounce off the padded walls, use them to
climb to snare home run balls, etc. They can thank guys like Fred Lynn for that. He may not have as many Gold Gloves as say, Jim Edmonds, but he was every bit as good and in my
biased opinion, even better! I am willing to wager that Jim Edmonds favorite player growing up was Fred Lynn... (mine was too).
The above Fred Lynn card was attached to a Louisville Slugger baseball glove (note the hole punched in the corner) in the early 1980's when Lynn was a member of the California
Angels. For more on my favorite ballplayer, Fred Lynn, check out our FRED LYNN PAGE!
became so prominent and highlight clips are played almost endlessly, over and over and over again. Fred Lynn won 4 Gold Gloves in his career, including one his rookie season (1975)
and probably would have won more if not for injuries, most of which were caused by crashing into (non-padded) outfield walls. In the 1975 World Series vs. Cincinnati (a classic!) Lynn
crashed into the centerfield wall at Fenway and nearly knocked himself out. In the 1979 All Star Game in Seattle Lynn went nearly face first into the (unpadded) centerfield wall at the
Kingdome in pursuit of a Mike Schmidt triple (Lynn says he "catches that one in his dreams"). When the last time you saw an outfielder go into a (non-padded) wall in an ALL STAR
GAME? Because of guys like Fred Lynn, padded walls started to be used on outfield walls. Now most of the time on ESPN you will see guys bounce off the padded walls, use them to
climb to snare home run balls, etc. They can thank guys like Fred Lynn for that. He may not have as many Gold Gloves as say, Jim Edmonds, but he was every bit as good and in my
biased opinion, even better! I am willing to wager that Jim Edmonds favorite player growing up was Fred Lynn... (mine was too).
The above Fred Lynn card was attached to a Louisville Slugger baseball glove (note the hole punched in the corner) in the early 1980's when Lynn was a member of the California
Angels. For more on my favorite ballplayer, Fred Lynn, check out our FRED LYNN PAGE!
| 1963 Topps # Marv Throneberry |
Just kidding! Well Marv Throneberry had a hard time getting noticed with the Yankees; however he did make a legend of himself playing for the fledgling New York Mets. Yes, the
same Mets who lost 120 games their first season; the same team which prompted manager Casey Stengel to exclaim, "Can't anyone here play this game?" Throneberry was no Gold
Glove fielder, in fact one afternoon the Mets faithful gave "Marvelous" Marv a standing ovation after picking up (cleanly) a piece of trash that had blown on the field (or was that Dick
"Dr. Strangeglove" Stuart? It really doesn't matter). Marv Throneberry later appeared in Miller Lite Beer television commercials ("Taste's great!" "Less filling!").
same Mets who lost 120 games their first season; the same team which prompted manager Casey Stengel to exclaim, "Can't anyone here play this game?" Throneberry was no Gold
Glove fielder, in fact one afternoon the Mets faithful gave "Marvelous" Marv a standing ovation after picking up (cleanly) a piece of trash that had blown on the field (or was that Dick
"Dr. Strangeglove" Stuart? It really doesn't matter). Marv Throneberry later appeared in Miller Lite Beer television commercials ("Taste's great!" "Less filling!").
1966 Venezuela Topps Joe Morgan
Hall Of Famer (& current ESPN baseball announcer) Joe Morgan won 5 consecutive Gold Gloves at 2B from 1973-1977. Morgan was mentored at playing the position by Hall of
Fame member Nellie Fox, who finished his career with the Colt 45's (the Houston Colt .45's became the Houston Astros). Here, Joe Morgan demonstrates proper fielding fielding
technique on his second year baseball card. This was the first year Topps produced Houston cards with their new name, the Astros. Previously they had been named the expansion
Houston Colt. 45's. Being that Houston was heavily involved in the space program ("Houston, we have a problem...") and the fact that the new stadium, the Astrodome, was at the time
very "futuristic," the Astros became the new team name. Personally I prefer the Houston Colt .45's but that's the way it goes. Back in the 1960's, space was the final frontier (remember
we didn't walk on the moon until 1969). Now the Astrodome is no more, but it did spawn artificial turf ("Astro-turf") which has been the scourge of baseball (along with the designated
hitter, steroids, and free agency) since it's inception.
Fame member Nellie Fox, who finished his career with the Colt 45's (the Houston Colt .45's became the Houston Astros). Here, Joe Morgan demonstrates proper fielding fielding
technique on his second year baseball card. This was the first year Topps produced Houston cards with their new name, the Astros. Previously they had been named the expansion
Houston Colt. 45's. Being that Houston was heavily involved in the space program ("Houston, we have a problem...") and the fact that the new stadium, the Astrodome, was at the time
very "futuristic," the Astros became the new team name. Personally I prefer the Houston Colt .45's but that's the way it goes. Back in the 1960's, space was the final frontier (remember
we didn't walk on the moon until 1969). Now the Astrodome is no more, but it did spawn artificial turf ("Astro-turf") which has been the scourge of baseball (along with the designated
hitter, steroids, and free agency) since it's inception.
1956 Topps #135 Mickey Mantle
It may surprise you to know that Mickey Mantle won just 1 Gold Glove award in his career. Judging by this amazing catch on his 1956 Topps baseball card, you would have thought
that Mantle won several Gold Glove Awards. Nope, just one in 1962 (his 3rd MVP season).
1956 was the year Mantle won the American League Triple Crown. This 1956 Topps #135 Mickey Mantle baseball card is one of his best; it was from his best season and it's a
beautiful card. It was also his first Topps card since the 1953 set (there are no Topps cards of Mantle from 1954-1955 as he was under contract with rival Bowman Gum). So if you
want a Mickey Mantle baseball card from 1954 and 1955 you are going to have to get his Bowman cards from those 2 years. There are also some very tough regional issues like Dan
Dee Potato Chips, N.Y. Journal-American, Red Heart Dog Food, and Stahl Meyer Franks but these are pretty scarce (and very expensive).
that Mantle won several Gold Glove Awards. Nope, just one in 1962 (his 3rd MVP season).
1956 was the year Mantle won the American League Triple Crown. This 1956 Topps #135 Mickey Mantle baseball card is one of his best; it was from his best season and it's a
beautiful card. It was also his first Topps card since the 1953 set (there are no Topps cards of Mantle from 1954-1955 as he was under contract with rival Bowman Gum). So if you
want a Mickey Mantle baseball card from 1954 and 1955 you are going to have to get his Bowman cards from those 2 years. There are also some very tough regional issues like Dan
Dee Potato Chips, N.Y. Journal-American, Red Heart Dog Food, and Stahl Meyer Franks but these are pretty scarce (and very expensive).
1975 Wire Photo Fred Lynn makes diving catch in 1975 World Series
1976 Topps Keith Hernandez
One of the best fielding first basemen of the 1970's through 1980's was Keith Hernandez of the Cardinals and Mets. He batted .296 during his 17 year career with 2182 hits, most
of them of the clutch variety. But he was sensational with the glove, winning 11 Gold Glove Awards at first base. Hernandez was a 5 time All-Star and was instrumental in 2 World
Championships for the 1982 Cardinals and 1986 Mets. He later dabbed in acting; I remember seeing him on a "Seinfield" episode and also on some pretty cheesy "Just For Men"
hair coloring commercials (I think he was paired up with Walt Frazier of New York Knicks fame). Terrific ballplayer, bad actor.
This 1976 Topps Keith Hernandez baseball card is his 2nd year card. Hernandez's rookie card is 1975 Topps #623 Rookie Infielders.
of them of the clutch variety. But he was sensational with the glove, winning 11 Gold Glove Awards at first base. Hernandez was a 5 time All-Star and was instrumental in 2 World
Championships for the 1982 Cardinals and 1986 Mets. He later dabbed in acting; I remember seeing him on a "Seinfield" episode and also on some pretty cheesy "Just For Men"
hair coloring commercials (I think he was paired up with Walt Frazier of New York Knicks fame). Terrific ballplayer, bad actor.
This 1976 Topps Keith Hernandez baseball card is his 2nd year card. Hernandez's rookie card is 1975 Topps #623 Rookie Infielders.