Nowbatting19's
Card of the
Month
1948-49 Leaf #146 Harold Pete Reiser SP
Nowbatting19's Bubble Gum Card Of The Month
M
arch 2010!
1915 Cracker Jack #103 Joe Jackson
On this page we feature our "card of the month." The card may be an expensive or rare card, or it may even be worth a penny and a "common." It doesn't
matter. A favorite quote of mine is from a friend and fellow collector
Max Keddy, who said "I never met a card I didn't like." I feel much the same way.
Essentially, if you do not get enjoyment out of your cards, you are in the wrong hobby. If you love baseball (like I do), then you gotta love the cards. So,
expensive or cheap, what you see is what you get on our
CARD OF THE MONTH PAGE! Enjoy!
1972 O-Pee-Chee #465 Gil Hodges
Gil Hodges should be in the Hall of Fame. I don't know why he wasn't enshrined decades ago. During the late 1940's thru 1950's, Gil Hodges was the best slugging, best
fielding first baseman in either league. During one span he had 7
consecutive 100+ RBI seasons! (Keep in mind the great Mickey Mantle only had 4 100+ RBI seasons in his Hall
of Fame career). Hodges had 11 consecutive seasons of at least 22 HRs including a career high
42 in 1954. He went on to slug 370 HRs and at the time of his retirement in
1963 he was 10th
All-Time in career HRs. Gil Hodges was a Gold Glove first baseman, an 8 time All-Star and he helped the Dodgers (both Brooklyn and Los Angeles) to 7
pennants and
2 World Championships (1955, 1959). Plus he spent 4 years early in his career serving as a Marine and considering Hodges averaged 29 HRs and 100 per
season
(162 game schedule) it is safe to conclude he would have easily hit over 400 HRs and at one time that was a "lock" for the Hall of Fame. And by all accounts Gil Hodges
was the nicest guy you would ever meet. So what gives? The highest Hall of Fame vote total he ever got was a dismal 63.4% in 1983. Ridiculous. Gil Hodges should have been in
the Hall of Fame in 1968, his first year of eligibility. Oh, and as a manager Gil Hodges guided the "Amazin' Mets" to their miracle Championship in 1969. How in the world can
Gil Hodges NOT be in the Hall of Fame???
 Gil Hodges had many baseball cards throughout his career. His rookie card was included in the 1949 Bowman set and his last card as an active player was in the 1963 Topps
set. Hodges also appeared on many other issues, like Dan Dee Potato Chips, Bell Brand Potato Chips, Wilson Franks, Post Cereal, and Jell-O to name a few. As a manager Topps
printed Gil Hodges cards from 1964-1972. His last appearance was in the 1972 Topps set (card #465). He also appeared in the 1972 O-Pee-Chee baseball set (card #465)
but it is different from the Topps issue as it makes note of his death on April 2, 1972. The Topps cards do not make any mention of this. The O-Pee-Chee card is also printed on
different card stock than the regular Topps card and has printing in both English and French on the reverse. Any Gil Hodges card would make our Card of the Month, but this
month we feature the
1972 O-Pee-Chee #465 Gil Hodges. Rest in Peace! For more on Gil Hodges see our own HALL OF FAME PAGE and also our DODGERS PAGE!
Champions of the O.R.V.L. Pulcifer 1932
Wanted!! Any information regarding the 1932 baseball team photo below. I am looking to know what "O.R.V.L.." means or anything else
regarding "Pulcifer" or this photo. If you have any information please email me at
nowbatting19@yahoo.com. Thanks! Tim Pulcifer