1956 Topps - 4th Series Phillies Alumni

After 10 years and exactly 342 posts for each of the 342 cards in the set, my 1956 Topps blog is coming to a close.  Within the next few weeks, I'll wrap up the final few posts and put the finishing touches on both a 4th Series review and an overall review of this wonderful baseball card set.  

As I've done with the prior three series, I wanted to display a gallery of Phillies Alumni from the set's fourth series, or cards #261 to #340.  Here are those 16 players who either played, coached or managed the Phillies.

 

#261

#266

#269

#274

#275

#282

#290

#293

#296

#297

#308

#321

#331

#334

#335

#337

Phillies Alumni in 1956 Topps Set

1st Series - 18

2nd Series - 14

3rd Series - 14

4th Series - 16

Santa/Mom Kicks Off Collecting the 1955 Bowman Set (Again)

Alternate Post Title:  Family Tradition - Collecting the 1955 Bowman Set for the Third or Fourth Time

Having re-entered the realm of the baseball card set-builder a few years ago, I've so far completed our 1965 Topps set and made an impressive dent in the daunting 1934-36 Diamond Stars set.  My main focus will now turn to the 1969 Topps set, and once we've polished off that 664-card collection we'll have a complete Topps flagship 54-set run from 1969 to 2022.

In the background, and unofficially, I've started lists for three other sets I'm kind of collecting and I'll gladly add a card or two to these collections in the coming years if the opportunity presents itself.  The 1959 Topps set is next.  After the design of the 1965 Topps set, this is my favorite vintage set design from the golden age of baseball cards.  As of this writing, I already have 15 cards accumulated for that set.

The 1966 Topps set may be collected concurrently with 1959 or after that pricer set is near completion.  The hard-to-find and expensive high numbers from 1966 are going to be an issue, but having briefly started to collect the set in 1988, we already have the Mickey Mantle card.  ("We've already got the Mantle," is something I can still hear my Dad saying.)  I don't remember the specifics of how or why my Dad and I added this particular Mantle card, but it's in my collection and ready to have a set built around it.

And then there's the 1955 Bowman set, with its wood-grained color TV borders, its gorgeous photography and its iconic baseball cards that define the sport from the mid-1950s.  My Dad once told me he had built this set several times over, as this was his favorite growing up, and "I had them all, Jimmy."  He would have been 11 years old at the time these cards were first for sale at corner stores and five and dimes.  Seven years later when he departed for college, his mother, my Mom-Mom, bundled the entire collection, including his treasured 1955 Bowman sets, in trash bags and took them to the curb in front of their duplex on Oak Street.  The thought of that still gives me chills.  Cleaning out my Mom-Mom's attic in early 1985 after she had passed away, my parents found only one remnant of my Dad's lost collection - the torn off back of a 1955 Bowman Mickey Mantle card, its front lost forever as it had been separated and likely affixed to a notebook or tacked to a bulletin board.  Horrifying.

In the summer of 1983 (or 1984), when the Magic Shoebox of vintage baseball cards arrived in my life, and I spent several glorious afternoons in our screened-in porch on 12th Street sorting and documenting those treasures, I first learned of my Dad's fondness for the 1955 Bowman set.  There were 44 cards in the box from the 1956 Topps set, but 18 cards in the box from the 1955 Bowman set.  Had those quantities been reversed, we probably would have started a 25-year journey collecting the 1955 Bowman set.  But with '56s more than doubling '55s, the decision was made to keep the wood-grained cards in the Magic Shoebox and begin our 1956 Topps set quest.  A few decades later, with the help of my Mom over several Christmases, I did ultimately finish off a 1955 Bowman Phillies team set.

A month or so ago, not having any baseball cards to wrap and present to me on December 26th, the day my sister and I officially exchange gifts with our families, my Mom asked me for a list.  Over the past decade, she's single-handedly crossed off most vintage Phillies baseball cards I've needed, leaving only a handful of expensive high numbers from the 1952 Topps set and one elusive 1967 Topps Rookie Stars card for Gary Sutherland.  I'll add those cards one day, but they're way too expensive to ask Santa/Mom to track down.

I didn't want to give her my 1969 Topps or Diamond Stars lists, as I planned on adding a few of those to our sets at the December Philly Show.  So I put together a list for our 1955 Bowman set, crossing off 17 cards (one card from the Magic Shoebox was a double) and highlighting the Phillies in the set.  True, I've collected the Phillies cards from the set once, but those are secure within my 1950s Phillies baseball card binder.  The baseball card set builder's paradox is adding cards for a set build that could already be included in another part of his collection.  But I digress.

On Monday, as our families gathered at my Mom's, among the laughter, joking and piles of cast off wrapping paper, I spotted the box likely containing baseball cards and saved that present to open last.  As suspected, inside was my baseball card haul from Santa for the year - nine 1955 Bowman cards, including eight Phillies cards, and one Athletics card purchased by accident since the text with team names on my list was hard for Santa to read.  These nine cards mark the official start of collecting the 1955 Bowman set, 67 years after my Dad had built the set several times.  ("I had them all, Jimmy!")  Once again, my Mom outdid herself this Christmas - not only because of these cards but with every thoughtful gift she presented to her entire family.  She shines every day of the year, but always a little brighter on December 26th.

I hope you and your family had a wonderful holiday season, and I wish you all the best for 2023!  Go ahead and get yourself some vintage baseball cards in the coming year - Mel Clark and his many bats would approve.

1955 Bowman #41

Another Wonderful Christmas: Diamond Stars, Phillies Yearbooks and Vintage Cards

As has become tradition, we spend the day after Christmas at my Mom's house with my sister and her family.  The day is filled with food, way too many presents and a steady stream of laughter.  This year was no different and there were a few different times I was literally out of breath as I was laughing too hard.  In between the food and the laugher and handing out presents, I sat down to open my presents from my Mom and as is also tradition, the gifts were spectacular.  The baseball card/Phillies portion of this year's gifts consisted of the following:

• 1963 and 1979 Phillies Yearbooks - The 1963 Yearbook is new to my collection, and the 1979 is a much-needed upgrade from the original version obtained during my first ever Phillies game.
• 1953 Bowman Black & White - I needed two more cards to complete my Phillies team set and Mom added them both, #35 Johnny Wyrostek and #64 Andy Hansen.  I'm now the happy owner of a full run of Bowman Phillies cards, with the sole and notable exception of the Richie Ashburn rookie card from the 1949 Bowman set.
• 1956 Topps - To wrap up my Phillies team set from this iconic release, and essentially the second time I've collected these cards, the last five cards I needed were added.  There were two Phillies cards, #180 Robin Roberts and #334 Bob Miller, and three cards of players on other teams who played with the Phillies during the 1956 season, #3 Elmer Valo, #77 Harvey Haddix and #293 Stu Miller.
• 1934-36 Diamond Stars - Finally, two cards were added to my growing 1934-36 Diamond Stars set, and I'll cover both of those with separate posts over on my blog for that set.  I think the coolest, and most unexpected, gift was an original yellow wrapper from the set.  I've seen pictures of these, and I know this is one of three colors available, but I've never actually held one and now it will make an excellent top page within my set's binder.

My Mom puts so much thought and care into her Christmas presents for all of us, and she once again outdid herself this year!  I hope Santa brought plenty of new baseball cards for your collection this holiday season and here's to a wonderful, hopeful and healthy 2022!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! (Social Distancing Version)

Tax day has been pushed back to at least July 15th this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.  However, that didn't stop my best client, my Mom, from paying for her tax services in advance and in full.  As has been the tradition in recent years, she took it upon herself to wipe out my Ten Most Wanted list from my sidebar as payment for preparing her tax returns.  The payment received does not come close to matching the value of the services rendered, but she insists on overpaying and I'm certainly not complaining.

These Most Wanted lists are getting more difficult to populate as I've slowly accumulated most of the Phillies cards from the Bowman and Topps sets of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.  The cards remaining on my want lists from those sets are mostly high priced cards I'll eventually track down one at a time.  Here's a look at the cards from my Mom and an update on where I stand with completing some landmark Phillies team sets.

1952 Topps #187 Bob Miller and #281 Tommy Brown - This might be it for a little while in terms of progress on my 1952 Topps Phillies team set.  The remaining cards I need are all from the high number series, meaning they're all somewhat pricey.  As of this writing, I need four more cards for a complete 1952 Topps Phillies team set.

1953 Topps #22 Howie Fox - This card completes the 9-card 1953 Topps Phillies team set for me.  I still have Johnny Lindell (#230) on my want list, as Lindell appears in the set with the Pirates but he played in 1953 with the Phillies.


1956 Topps #7 Ron Negray and #60 Mayo Smith - I always feel a little selfish adding second versions of these cards to my collection.  My Dad and I collected the entire 1956 Topps set together, and now I'm adding second copies of the Phillies cards from the set to my 1950s Phillies binder.  I'm four cards away from completing a Phillies team set (for the second time).  I'm pretty sure these Negray and Smith cards are in better shape than the cards in our actual 1956 Topps set.

1957 Topps #332 Bob Bowman - This completes my 27-card Phillies team set from the 1957 Topps set.  I've never been a big fan of the 1957 Topps set, but these cards look incredible together.

1966 Topps #595 Larry Jackson - With the addition of this card, I'm one card away from completing this Phillies team set as well.  I'm down to needing only the Roger Craig card (#543) which is one of the pricier Phillies cards from the 1966 Topps set.  (I tracked down the elusive Grant Jackson Rookie Stars card a few years ago.)

1967 Topps #244 N.L. Home Run Leaders - This might be my favorite card out of this lot.  Featuring two Hall of Famers with Hank Aaron and Willie Mays, and someone who should be in the Hall of Fame - Dick Allen.  I still need to track down the high-number Rookie Stars card of Gary Sutherland to complete my 1967 Topps Phillies team set.

1970 Topps #539 Doyle/Bowa and #654 Oscar Gamble - These two cards close out my 1970 Topps Phillies team set.  Larry Bowa looks so young here.


Finally, I've scheduled this post to publish on my Mom's birthday.  I'm eternally grateful for her health, her humor, her good spirits and her constant encouragement.  I can't wait to celebrate properly when everything gets back to normal.  Happy birthday Mom!

Game 72 - 2017 Topps Heritage #329 Brad Miller

Nationals 6, Phillies 2 (Game 1)
Game 72 - Wednesday Afternoon, June 19th in Washington
Record - 39-33, 2nd place, 3 games behind the Braves

One Sentence Summary:  Patrick Corbin bested Zach Eflin as the Phillies offense fell flat again.

What It Means:  Summarizing these games has felt more like a chore than fun, so I've been avoiding it.  For purposes of completeness, here we go.  After two days of rain outs, the Phillies and Nationals resumed their schedule with a Wednesday day-night double header.

What Happened:  Eflin allowed three runs (two earned) in his six innings of work, but Corbin was better allowing a run on four hits.  The Phillies were 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position.  The Nationals put the game away when Brian Dozier and Gerardo Parra both homered off Cole Irvin in the eighth.

Featured Card:  Brad Miller collected his first Phillies RBI with triple in the ninth.  He's the 15th player in franchise history with the Miller surname, joining Bert (1897), Bob (1949-1958), Cyclone (1884), Ed (1948-1949), Elmer (1929), Hugh (1911), John (1920-1921), Keith (1988-1989), Leo (1923), Ralph (1920-1921), Roy (1912-1913), Russ (1927-1928), Stu (1956) and Trever (2000).

Transactions:  Ranger Suarez was added to the roster as the 26th man for the double header.

1958 Topps #326

1989 Topps #268

1955 Bowman and Topps Phillies - Not for Use with Bicycles

1955 Bowman #41, #110
#111 and #210

I've managed to stretch the bounty received from the "Santa Brings Way Too Many Awesome Baseball Cards to Jim" tradition into several posts and this is my sixth and final installment.  My Dad had been diligent in tracking down Phillies cards from the 1951 and 1955 Bowman sets over the past several years solely because those are the sets he remembered best from his childhood.  He told me on several occasions that he definitely had a complete 1955 Bowman set when he was younger, but it mysteriously disappeared after he left home for college.

My Mom also clearly remembers the "TV Set" as being the cards that made the loudest and coolest sounds when folded and inserted into the spokes of a bicycle.  While she was shopping around for cards featured on my Phillies wantlists, she decided to add a few TV Set cards to my growing vintage collection.

Thanks to her pure awesomeness as a Mom, I'm now four cards closer to a 1955 Bowman Phillies team set.

Also included in the magic Christmas shoebox were three cards from the 1955 Topps set.  This set was the older brother to what would become probably the best baseball card set of all-time - the 1956 Topps set.

1955 Topps #29, #33 and #114

1956 Topps #334 Bob Miller

Christmas 2003 saw the arrival of this Bob Miller card from Kit Young Cards.

Bob played in parts of 10 seasons with the Phillies, from 1949 to 1958. His best season was the pennant winning 1950, when he won 11 games for the Phils and pitched to a 3.57 ERA. Bob wore #19 through most of his Phillies career. A number now worn, of course, by Greg Dobbs.

This is one of 2 "Bob Miller" cards in the 1956 Topps set. The other is the Tigers' Bob Miller at #263.