1967 Topps Johnny Podres Detroit Tigers

Today's entry in my 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball card collection is a pitcher who helped bring the first World Series Championship to the Brooklyn Dodger team in 1955 by winning Game 7 with a shutout against the New York Yankees. It is Johnny Podres of the Detroit Tigers, card number 284 in the 1967 Topps Baseball card set of 609 subjects.

This autograph was one of the very first I obtained to start my collection in September of 2008. I purchased the card from another collector of 1967 Topps Autographed cards at a baseball card show in Knoxville, Tennessee. At the time, this collector had amassed over 350 different autographed cards and was a big motivating factor for me starting my collection. As of September 29, 2010, I have obtained 511 different autographs for this set. Johnny signed the card with a blue ballpoint pen. Mr. Podres had passed away on January 13, 2008 at age 75.

Johnny Podres pitched in the major leagues for 15 seasons from 1953 to 1969. The majority of his career was spent with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers. He pitched for the Dodgers from 1953 to 1966 then was traded mid-season to the Detroit Tigers. Johnny stayed with the Tigers through the 1967 season then was part of the 1969 San Diego Padres expansion team. His career statistics include 148 victories versus 116 losses, 3.68 earned run average, 77 complete games of which 24 were shutouts and 1435 strikeouts. Johnny Podres was named to four All-Star teams from 1958 to 1962, won 3 World Series Rings with the Dodgers, 1955, 1959 and 1963 and was named the MVP of the 1955 World Series by winning 2 games versus the Yankees.

Given his performance in the 1955 World Series, Johnny was named the Sports Illustrated "Sportsman of the Year" at the end of the year. To learn more about Johnny Podres, go to his biography at wikipedia.org. 

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1967 Topps World Series Hank Bauer and Dave McNally Baltimore Orioles

Today's entry for my 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball card collection is that of a manager of the 1966 World Series Champion Baltimore Orioles and World War II hero. It is Hank Bauer on the World Series subset card number 155 with pitcher Dave McNally in the 1967 Topps Baseball card set of 609 subjects.

This autograph was obtained from a dealer at the Moeller High School Baseball card show in November of 2009. An excellent card show with many dealers of vintage cards and memorabilia, you can visit their website at Cincycardshows.com. As of September 14, 2010, I have accumulated 510 different signatures in my collection. Check out some of the other cards in my previous blog entries. Mr. Bauer passed away in February of 2007 at the age of 84 to lung cancer. Unfortunately this card will not have Mr. McNally's signature due to his death in December, 2002.

Hank Bauer played 14 seasons of Major League Baseball with the New York Yankees and Kansas City Athletics. His career started in 1948 with the Yankees and he played there for 12 seasons. During his playing career with the Yankees, he was a member of 7 World Series Championship teams, including 5 straight from 1949 to 1953. If you want to read an excellent book about the 1949 season, pick up David Halberstam's "Summer of '49." It chronicles the season and pennant race between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees and gives an excellent insight to the players, including Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio and Hank Bauer. Bauer shares a record in World Series play of the longest hitting streak of 17 games with current Yankee great Derek Jeter. At the end of the 1959 season, Hank Bauer was traded to the Kansas City Athletics for slugger Roger Maris, who went on to break Babe Ruth's single season home run record in 1961. Hank playing career ended in 1961 as he was the player/manager during the 1961 season until July when he became just the manager. During his 14 seasons, Hank Bauer accumulated the following statistics, career .277 batting average, 164 home runs and 703 runs batted in.

As a manager, Hank led the Kansas City Athletics for 2 seasons (1961 and 1962), Baltimore Orioles for 5 seasons (1964 to 1968) and the Oakland Athletics in 1969. Hank Bauer was the skipper of the Baltimore Orioles in 1966 when he led them to the World Series title beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in 4 straight games. His career managerial record includes 594 wins versus 544 losses.

Before his baseball career began, Hank Bauer proudly served his country during World War II with the Marine Corps from 1942 to 1945. He enlisted one month after Pearl Harbor and fought in the Battle of Guadalcanal, Battle of Guam and Battle of Okinawa. He was awarded two Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts during his service. During the Battle of Okinawa, Hank Bauer led a commanded a platoon of 64 men with only 6 surviving the Battle. Thank you Mr. Bauer for your service to our country and we all owe you for our freedoms we enjoy today.

To learn more about Hank Bauer, read his biography at wikipedia.org.


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1967 Topps Carl Yastrzemski Boston Red Sox

Today's entry for my collection of 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball Cards is about a player who stayed with the same team his entire career of 23 seasons and ranks very high on many major league baseball statistics. It is Carl Yastrzemski, outfielder of the Boston Red Sox, card number 355 in the 1967 Topps Baseball card set of 609 subjects.

This autograph was obtained from a respectable ebay seller on January 24, 2010 and it has been signed with a black sharpie. I research the autograph against other Carl Yastrzemski autographed pieces and I feel confident it is authentic. As of September 9, 2010, I have accumulated 510 different signature in the collection and I am actively pursuing the others.

Carl "Yaz" Yastrzemski played 23 seasons for the Boston Red Sox from 1961 to 1983. That is a record for longevity with one team shared with Brooks Robinson of the Baltimore Orioles. During his Hall of Fame career, Carl achieved the following statistics, .285 career batting average, 3,419 hits, of which 452 were home runs, 1,844 runs batted in and 1,845 walks and 1,157 extra base hits in his 3,308 games played. The 3,308 games played is second all-time behind Pete Rose's 3,562. Yaz was elected to 18 all-star games, won 7 Gold Glove Awards and is the last batter to win the Triple Crown, leading the American League in 1967 with the highest Batting Average, Home Runs and Runs Batted In. Carl was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989 with 94% of the vote on his first year of eligibility.

Carl Yastrzemski career started in the shadow of Baseball legend Ted Williams, who played left field also for the Boston Red Sox. Carl led the Red Sox after Williams retired and handed over the left field position to Jim Rice, who also played well enough to be elected to the Hall of Fame in 2009. Interestingly enough, Carl Yastrzemski was also linked to another Hall of Famer, Jim Brown of Pro Football. In high school, Carl broke Jim Brown record basketball scoring record at Long Island High School. Carl was given a basketball scholarship by Notre Dame before switching to baseball.

To learn more about Carl Yastrzemski, check out his biography at wikipedia.org.

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1967 Topps Bud Harrelson New York Mets

Today's entry for my collection of 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball cards is about a player, coach and manager who is known as a light hitter with a bat, but a big hitter during a fight. It is Bud Harrelson of the New York Mets, card number 306 in the 1967 Topps Baseball card set of 609 subjects.

This autograph from Bud Harrelson was obtained with a through the mail request to his residence in New York on December 11, 2008. Eleven days later, I received the card back from Mr. Harrelson with a beautiful blue sharpie signature. Thank you, Bud! As of September 6, 2010, I have accumulated 510 different signatures for the collection.

Darrel "Bud" Harrelson played 16 seasons of Major League Baseball from 1965 to 1980. The majority of his career (1965-1977) was played for the Mets. After the Mets, Bud was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies and played there until 1979, then was traded to the Texas Rangers, where he played his last season, 1980. Known as an excellent fielding shortstop during his career, Bud had a .969 career fielding percentage and won the Gold Glove in 1971. As a hitter, Bud's career batting average was .236 with 1120 hits, of which 7 were home runs, drove in 267 runs and stole 127 bases. Bud Harrelson was named to the 1970 and 1971 National League All-Star teams and won two World Series rings, in 1969 as a player for Amazin' Mets and in 1986 as a coach for the Mets.

Always a fiery competitor, Bud Harrelson let his emotions get the better of him in the 1973 National League Championship Series against Pete Rose and the Cincinnati Reds. During game three of the series, Pete Rose slid hard into Harrelson at second base while trying to break up a double play. Bud Harrelson took exception to the aggressive slide and a fight ensued between Rose and Harrelson and the benches from both teams joined the fray. The Mets fans were so upset by the fight, they started throwing objects onto the field and the game was almost called off. It took several members of the New York Mets to calm the crowd and let the game resume.

After his playing days were over, Bud Harrelson became a coach for the Mets for several seasons and finally got his chance to manage the Mets in 1990 and 1991. He posted a career managerial record with 166 wins versus 151 losses. He was never given another opportunity to manage in the Major League after the firing. To learn more about Bud Harrelson, go to his biography at wikipedia.org.

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