#82 Mickey Mantle

#82 Mickey Mantle

94 of 274

34.3% complete

"His Walk About" - Mickey Mantle played in 12 World Series and won seven World Series Rings during his 18 seasons with the New York Yankees. A three-time MVP award winner, he led the American League in home runs four times, and retired with 536 homers.  He 1956 he won the Triple Crown while batting .353 with 52 homers and 130 RBI's. 

"That's Not a Knife" - It's a drain cover in the outfield grass.  As a 19 year old playing in his first of 12 World Series, Mantle tore cartilage in his knee backing up Joe DiMaggio on a fly ball off the bat of Willie Mays (some names in that sentence).  As crazy as Mantle's career numbers are, it's not hyberbole to think they could have been even more absurd.  

"More of a love bite really..." - This card is about as rough as they get.  Paper loss for tape that was removed, tape still removing, non-existent corners, and a good amount of creasing.  That said, I still find it to be a pretty incredible card

"Down Under" - Mantle is card #311 in the '52 set (maybe you're familiar with it).  It's not one I have or ever anticipate having, so I'm basing my call to say I like the '53 better off of pictures alone.  While there's no denying how iconic the '52 Mantle is (in my opinion it's the most iconic of all-time), from a strictly aesthetic point I view, I think the '53 is a better looking card. The '53 set now leads 36-33-7.

"At the Oscars"

7x World Series Champion

12x AL Pennant Winner

1974 Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee

3x AL MVP

16x All-Star

1956 AL Triple Crown Winner

1st AL Home Runs '55

1st AL Home Runs '56

1st AL Home Runs '58

1st AL Home Runs '60

1st AL Batting '56

1st AL RBI's '56

1st AL Runs '54

1st AL Runs '56

1st AL Runs '57

1st AL Runs '58

1st AL Runs '60

1st AL Triples '55

1st AL BB's '55

1st AL BB's '57

1st AL BB's '58

1st AL BB's '61

1st AL BB's '62

1st AL OBP % '55

1st AL OBP % '62

1st AL OBP % '64

1st AL Slg.% '55

1st AL Slg.% '56

1st AL Slg.% '61

1st AL Slg.% '62

 

 
 

 

#63 Gus Niarhos

#63 Gus Niarhos

93 of 274

33.9% complete

"His Walk About" - Gus never appeared in more than 83 games in any one of his 9 MLB seasons.  He spent about half of his 315 career games as a Yankee, and another 100 as a Red Sock.  He also spent time with the White Sox and Phillies.  He retired as a .252 career hitter with 174 hits.  He appeared in one game during the 1949 World Series with the Yankees, winning a ring, but not making a plate appearance.

"That's Not a Knife" - It's a very proud and loving family, or friend, presumably.  The Wikipedia page for Gus Niarhos is extremely well documented with more than a few dubious claims, particularly some generous comparisons/mentions related to another Yankees catcher you may have heard of.  Which is great, good for whoever took the time to write the page.  Every former MLB'er should be so lucky. 

"More of a love bite really..." - The darkening on the lower left corner is the biggest flaw on this card.  It's a common defect and I'm not entirely sure what causes it.

"Down Under" - Niarhos is card #121 in the 1952 set. The Niarhos in the '52 set is one of the better looking cards in the entire set, and choosing it over this '53 is an easy call.  The '53 set's lead continues to shrink and has narrowed to 35-33-7.

"At the Oscars"

4th AL Putouts as a catcher '48

4th AL Fielding % as a catcher '48

 

 
 

 

#59 Karl Drews

#59 Karl Drews

92 of 274

33.6% complete

"His Walk About" - Drews played for four teams during his eight years in the bigs.  He retired with a record of 44-53 and a 4.76 ERA.  He won a World Series Ring with the Yankees in 1947, appearing in 2 games and throwing 3 innings.

"That's Not a Knife" - It's a Staten Island Native.  Drews is in the small club of New Yorker City kids that have taken the field for the Yankees. 

"More of a love bite really..." - The corners and edges on this card show the wear and tear of 70 years of being traded and sold.

"Down Under" - Drews is card #352 in the 1952 set, that's a high number that I don't have.  I wish I did, because it's a nice looking card that I much prefer to his '53.  Drews looks more like a coach than a player on his '53. That cuts the '53 set's lead to 35-32-7.

"At the Oscars"

World Series Ring '47

3rd NL Shutouts '52

6th NL Complete Games '52

7th NL ERA '52

9th NL Wins '52

 

 
 

#51 Frank Campos

#51 Frank Campos

91 of 274

33.2% complete

"His Walk About" - Frank appeared in 71 games with the Washington Senators from 1951-53.  He saw the most action in 1952, playing in 53 games and collecting 29 hits in 112 at-bats, good for a .259 average.  He retired with 41 hits, 13 RBI's and a respectable .279 mark next to his name.

"That's Not a Knife" - It's a .423 batting average on Frank's baseball reference page.  In 1951 Frank had 11 hits in just 26 at-bats as a September call-up, putting .423 on his resume that will be there for as long as people keep track of these sorts of things. 

"More of a love bite really..." - There is some darkness in the lower left corner of this card.  I think it's a result of sunlight (or lack of), but it could also be water damage.

"Down Under" - Frank is card #307 in the 1952 Topps set. Despite his relatively brief cup of coffee in the big leagues, Frank was fortunate enough to land in two Topps sets.  Hopefully he has grandkids that appreciate this.  I prefer his '52 to his '53, but they're both nice cards, and in another stroke of luck for Campos, they're not too similar. That cuts the '53 set's lead to 35-31-7.

"At the Oscars"

Nothing in the Majors

Batting Champ in "Tri-State B-League" '51

 

 

#47 Bubba Church

#47 Bubba Church

90 of 274

32.9% complete

"His Walk About" - Bubba went 15-11 with a 3.53 ERA and 15 complete games for the Phillies in 1951, the best season of his six year MLB career.  He retired with a record of 36-37 and 4.10 ERA, compiled as a Phillie, Red, and Cub.

"That's Not a Knife" - It's a "Whiz Kid." Church was a member of the Pennant winning Philadelphia Phillies as rookie in 1950. 

"More of a love bite really..." - This cards color has dulled a little over the last 70 years, but it doesn't have any major issues to speak of.

"Down Under" - Church is a high number, card #323, in the 1952 set and not one that I am in possession of. From the pictures I've found, I slightly prefer his '52 over his '53. That cuts the '53 set's lead to 35-30-7.

"At the Oscars"

4th NL Shutouts '51

9th NL Shutouts '50

3rd NL Doubles '49

6th NL Triples '47

7th NL Home Runs '46

 

#45 Grady Hatton

#45 Grady Hatton

89 of 274

32.5% complete

"His Walk About" - Grady spent parts of 9 seasons with the Cincinnati Reds.  He appeared in a total of 12 seasons, suiting up for the Red Sox, Cubs, Orioles, White Sox, and Cardinals over his final 3.5 years in the league.  He retired with 1,068 hits, 91 homers, and a .254 career average, but was known primarily for his glove.  In 1952 he made his only All-Star team despite batting a meager .212, well below his career average.

"That's Not a Knife" - It's a lot of ties to Texas.  Hatton was born in Beaumont, Texas in 1922, attended the University of Texas, and managed minor league teams in Houston and San Antonio after he retired.  Prior to the 1966 season he was named manager of the Houston Astros while also holding the titles of club Vice-President and Co-General Manager.  

"More of a love bite really..." - The corners long ago lost their points, but I don't see any thing else to complain about.

"Down Under" - Hatton is card #6 in the 1952 set. This is a rare instance where I prefer the "boring" yearbook photo to the semi-action shot.  I don't know, I guess the artist won me over with the water tower and other background flair on the '53.  As a side note, the backgrounds on the 53's are all artistic liberties, and many of them repeat.  There are also a lot of "Topps" billboard ads sprinkled in the backgrounds of the cards. That extends the '53 set's lead to 35-29-7.

"At the Oscars"

1.6% Hall of Fame Vote '66

NL All-Star '52

3rd NL Doubles '49

6th NL Triples '47

7th NL Home Runs '46

 

#40 John Lipon

#40 John Lipon

88 of 274

32.1% complete

"His Walk About" - Johnny Lipon appeared in 9 MLB seasons, with a three year gap in the middle lost to military service.  He retired with 690 hits and a .259 career average.  He spent parts of seven seasons with the Detroit Tigers, but also made cameos with the Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, and St. Louis Browns.

"That's Not a Knife" - But it probably still really annoyed Bob Feller.  In 1951 while facing Bob Feller and Cleveland, Lipon reached base on error, stole 2nd, reached 3rd on an errant pick-off attempt and then scored on a sacrifice fly.  It was the only Detroit run while Feller threw a no-hitter, and the Indians won 2-1.  

"More of a love bite really..." - This card doesn't have the look of one that got around much.  It's very well preserved and in about as good of shape as I can hope for.

"Down Under" - Lipon is card #89 in the 1952 set. I'm not entirely sure that the artist didn't use the photo for both cards, so in a close one, I'm going with the '53. That extends the '53 set's lead to 34-29-7.

"At the Oscars"

5th AL Stolen Bases '50

7th AL Hits '50

10th AL Runs '50