1951 Bowman #221 Dick Whitman

This is the third of three '51 Bowmans that found their way into my collection as birthday presents from my Dad.

Prior to the 1950 season, Dick Whitman was purchased by the Phillies from the Brooklyn Dodgers where he had played from 1946 until 1949. From 1950 until 1951, he played in 94 games with the Phils, primarily as a pinch hitter. He led the National League in pinch hits with 12 in 1950, although he went 0 for 3 as a pinch-hitter in the World Series. In June 1951, he was traded back to the Dodgers, but he wouldn't appear in another game with them. Dick bounced around the minor and independent leagues until 1957 when he called it a career.

Did You Know?: Dick served in the U.S. Army during World War II, seeing action in the Battle of the Bulge. He was awarded a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for his service.

Almost There: There are 324 cards in the 1951 Bowman set and 25 of those cards are Phillies. I'm now just 6 cards short of a complete team set. Three of the last cards I need are in the difficult to find (and expensive) high series, so the quest may take a while.