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 Ralph Houk Yankees Manager

Today's entry from my 1967 Topps Autographed Baseball card set is about a former manager of the New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox and sadly he passed away yesterday, July 21, 2010 at age 90. It is Ralph Houk, manager of the New York Yankees. Card number 468 in the 1967 Topps Baseball card set of 609 cards.

This card was obtained with a through the mail request to Ralph Houk's home in Florida on July 13, 2009. He graciously autographed the card with a blue sharpie and returned it to me 15 days later. Thank you Mr. Houk.

Also, I have the 1967 Topps Yankees Team card signed by Ralph Houk. Card #131 in the set and was obtained through a dealer on ebay.

Ralph "The Major" Houk played in the major league for 8 seasons from 1947 to 1954 and appeared in 91 games as a backup catcher for the Yankees' Yogi Berra. His career statistics include a .272 batting average, 54 hits and 20 runs batted in. He enjoyed the heyday of New York Yankees World Championships. He earned 6 championship rings in 7 seasons from 1947 to 1953.

Ralph Houk's managerial career began in grand fashion with the New York Yankees in 1961. During that season, Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle pursued Babe Ruth's single season home run record of 60 set in 1927. Mantle ended the season with 54 dingers while Maris caught and passed Ruth with his 61st long ball on the final day of the season. He also managed the Yankees to the championship in 1962. Houk managed the Yankees to the World Series also in 1963, but lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers. After the 1963 season, he moved into the front office of the Yankees, only to returned to managing in 1966. Ralph Houk continued to manage the Yankees until the end of 1973 season. Houk also managed the Detroit Tigers from 1974 to 1978 and the Boston Red Sox from 1981 to 1984. During his 20 year managerial career, he won 1619 games versus 1531 games. After his managerial career was over, Ralph Houk worked in the front office of the Minnesota Twins before finally retiring in 1989.



Before making it to the Major Leagues, Ralph Houk was a catcher working his way through the Yankees' farm system when the U.S. entered World War II. He enlisted in the armed forces, became an Army Ranger, and was commissioned as a lieutenant after attending officer's candidate school; he later was promoted to to major. He was a combat veteran of Bastogne and the Battle of the Bulge, and was awarded the Silver Star, Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

To learn more about Ralph Houk's career, go to his biography at wikipedia.org.

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