The Best Lists are Checked Lists - Crossing Off Vintage Phillies Cards (#SBWTMABCTJ)

1949 Bowman #161

1949 Bowman #177

1951 Berk Ross #4-8

This is a post I look forward to writing all year.

My Mom has taken it upon herself to single-handedly wipe out my Ten Most Wanted - Vintage list every year with a highly anticipated Christmas present.  She made me work for it this year, hiding the box with the ten individually wrapped cards that I could only find using a series of clues she had hidden.  With the help of two sons and two nieces, and following each clue, I was eventually able to locate the box in the back seat of my Mom's car.  Before we dive into the summary, here's a look at what the list looked like before Christmas:

These cards are all off my want lists now due to the 2018 installment of Santa Brings Way Too Many Awesome Baseball Cards to Jim (#SBWTMABCTJ).  Thank you Santa (aka Mom)!

1949 Bowman #161 Jocko Thompson
1949 Bowman #177 Stan Lopata
I'm getting closer to this tough Phillies team set with the addition of these two cards.  I'm now down to needing the rather expensive Richie Ashburn and Robin Roberts rookie cards, and the high-numbered cards of Schoolboy Rowe and Jackie Mayo.

This is Lopata's rookie card, and he'd go on to play 13 years in the Majors, 11 of those years with the Phillies.

1951 Berk Ross #4-8 Robin Roberts
I'm now one card away to completing this 14-card Phillies team set, needing just the Curt Simmons card at this point.  I had to break Roberts out of his PSA slab to let him breathe and take his place in the 1950s Phillies binder along with his counterparts.

1953 Bowman Black & White #14 Bill Nicholson
1953 Bowman Color #158 Howard Fox
Thanks to this Howard Fox card, I'm now the proud owner of a complete 1953 Bowman Color Phillies team set.  I'm going to show off the entire team set in a separate gallery.  Bill Nicholson's card got me a card closer to also finishing off the 1953 Bowman Black & White Phillies team set.  Both of these cards are beautiful.

1953 Bowman Black & White #14

1956 Topps #220

1953 Bowman Color #158

1956 Topps #220 Del Ennis
Having already completed the entire 1956 Topps set*, I'm now trying to add a second Phillies team set to my 1950s Phillies binder.  This Del Ennis card is actually nicer than the version of the card I have in my complete set.

*My 1956 Topps blog has been dormant since February 2017, which truly bothers me.  I'd love to find some time in 2019 to dust this off and add a few more cards to this blog.  I think I originally stalled out due to the daunting task of writing about card #30, Jackie Robinson, and I haven't been able to pick it back up . . . yet.

1957 Topps #265 Harvey Haddix
1957 Topps #335 Granny Hamner
A complete 1957 Topps Phillies team set is now within reach as I'm just a handful of cards short of wrapping this one up too.

1957 Topps #265

1957 Topps #335

1960 Topps #518

1961 Topps #530

1960 Topps #518 Tony Gonzalez
1961 Topps #530 Bobby Malkmus
The Tony Gonzalez card was the last card I needed to finish off my version of the 1960 Topps Phillies team set.  Gonzalez was dealt to the Phillies from the Reds in June, playing the bulk of the 1960 season in Philadelphia.  By my logic, his 1960 Topps card belongs with the rest of the 1960 Topps Phillies team set.

The addition of the 1961 Topps Bobby Malkmus card means I need just one more card for a complete 1961 Topps Phillies team set.

Finally, the print below is a new addition to the actual Phillies Room, courtesy (again) of my Mom.  The print features the classic broadcast team of By Saam, Richie Ashburn and Bill Campbell, who worked in the booth together between 1963 and 1970.

2011 Santa Brings Way Too Many Awesome Baseball Cards to Jim

Part 1 - Continuing a Tradition

Part 2 - 1971 Topps Set - 13 More Down

Part 3 - 1952 Topps Phillies

Part 4 - 1951 Bowman Phillies

Part 5 - Curt Simmons - Two New Bowman Cards

Part 6 - 1955 Bowman and Topps Phillies

2012 Santa Brings Way Too Many Awesome Baseball Cards to Jim
Part 1 - 1941 Double Play Litwhiler & May
Part 2 - 1963 Topps John Herrnstein rookie card (featuring Willie Stargell)
Part 3 - 1940 Play Ball Phillies - Part 1
Part 4 - 1940 Play Ball Phillies - Part 2
Part 5 - 1950 Bowman Del Ennis

2013 Santa Brings Way Too Many Awesome Baseball Cards to Jim
Part 1 - 1998 Upper Deck Scott Rolen
Part 2 - 1968 Topps Phillies Team Card
Part 3 - 1966 Topps Bob Uecker
Part 4 - 1955 Bowman Robin Roberts
Part 5 - 1965 Topps Johnny Callison
Part 6 - 1954 Bowman Richie Ashburn

2014 Santa Brings Way Too Many Awesome Baseball Cards to Jim
Part 1 - 1952 Bowman and 1953 Bowman Color Richie Ashburn
Part 2 - 1950 Bowman Roberts, 1951 Topps Blue Backs Jones, 1955 Bowman Wyrostek
Part 3 - 1995 Collector's Choice Hayes and 1999 Fleer Mystique Burrell

2015 Santa Brings Way Too Many Awesome Baseball Cards to Jim
Seven Phillies Cards from the 1950s Crossed Off the List

2016 Santa Brings Way Too Many Awesome Baseball Cards to Jim
Part 1 - 10 vintage Phillies cards added to the collection
Part 2 - 2 modern oddball Phillies cards find a new home

2017 Santa Brings Way Too Many Awesome Baseball Cards to Jim
Vintage cards crossed off the list, 1959 Topps Phillies team set completed!

2018 Santa Brings Way Too Many Awesome Baseball Cards to Jim
8th annual haul completes 1953 Bowman Color Phillies team set