#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

 

 
 

 

#104 Yogi Berra

#104 Yogi Berra

58 of 274

21.2% complete

"His Walk About" - Between 1946-1964, Yogi played 19 seasons of Major League Baseball, all with the New York Yankees.  He made fifteen straight All-Star games during one stretch and won ten World Series Rings (that's still the all-time record).  Chances are you've heard of him.  He won three MVP awards, and was runner up on two other occasions.  Perhaps I am a victim of my "participation trophy" generation up-bringing, but I find Yogi's accomplishments to be rather impressive.  However, in 1971, the BBWAA was not as easily impressed, and Yogi received only 65% of the Hall of Fame vote and was subsequently not a first ballot inductee.  The following year he squeaked in with 85% of the vote.  Which means 15% of the voters didn't think Yogi was Hall worthy not once, but twice.  And before you rush to defend them and say, "well, there was still a log jam of old-timers back then,"  not a single individual garnered 75% of the vote in 1971 and no one was inducted.

"That's Not a Knife" - It's a "malapropism." A malapropism is the mistaken use of an incorrect word in place of a word with a similar sound.  Yogi was known for them, for example, he was once quoted as  saying "Texas has a lot of electircal votes."  Then again, maybe he didn't say it, as he was also quoted as saying "I didn't really say everything I said."

"More of a love bite really..." - There is nothing wrong with this card, it's one of my favorites in my collection.  It's Yogi Berra, it's over 65 years old, and the idea of nit picking over something as trivial as it's condition just strikes me as absurd.

"Down Under" - Berra is card #191 in the 1952 set. As much as I love this '53, I still prefer the '52 card.  Maybe I'm just sentimental, as the '52 Berra was one of the first "high dollar" card purchases I ever made, and it felt pretty momentous when it arrived, but biased or not, I prefer it to the '53.  That cuts the '53 set's lead to 25-20-7.

"At the Oscars"

Inducted to Baseball Hall of Fame '72

3x AL MVP '51, '54, '55

15x All-Star

10x World Series Champion

2nd AL RBI's '54

3rd AL RBI's '50

3rd AL RBI's '55

4th AL RBI's 53

4th AL RBI's 56

5th AL RBI's '52

3rd AL Home Runs '52

3rd AL Home Runs '56

4th AL Home Runs '51

4th AL Home Runs '53

4th AL Home Runs '55

4th AL Runs '50

4th AL Runs '52

4th AL Hits '50

4th AL Doubles '54

4th AL Doubles '56

#27 Roy Campanella

#27 Roy Campanella

45 of 274

16.4% complete

"His Walk About" - Roy played for ten seasons, all as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers.  A three-time MVP and eight-time All-Star during his decade in Brooklyn, Roy helped lead the Dodgers to Five National League Pennants and a World Series Title in 1955.  Campanella is on the short list in the discussion of greatest catcher of all-time.

"That's Not a Knife" - It's another would be base stealer being thrown out.  "Campy" threw out 57% of runners who tried to steal on him over the course of his career, that remains the highest percentage in Major League history.  He owns five of the seven highest single season percentages in Major League History as well.

"More of a love bite really..." - I don't know how much "love" was involved, but it's definitely a bite.  This card's upper left corner isn't rounded, it's just missing.  Thankfully, nearly all of the relevant information on the back of the card remains untouched.

"Down Under" - Campanella is card #314 in the 1952 set.  It's the only '52 high number card in my collection.  This is a tough call, as I really like both of these cards, but I'm going to have to say I slightly prefer the '53 over the '52.  I may feel differently tomorrow, but today's the day I'm doing the post, and today I prefer the '53.  That extends the '53 set's lead to 21-16-2.

"At the Oscars"

1st Ballot Hall of Famer 1969

3x NL MVP ('51, '53, '55)

8x NL All-Star ('49-56)

1955 World Series Ring

5x NL Pennant Winner ('49, '52, '53, '55, '56)

Led NL RBI's '53AL All-Star '53

4th NL Batting Average '51

4th NL Batting Average '55

10th NL Batting Average '53

3rd NL Home Runs '51

3rd NL Home Runs '53

5th NL Home Runs '50

7th NL Home Runs '52

8th NL Home Runs '55

4th NL RBI's '51

6th NL RBI's '52

8th NL RBI's 55

3rd NL Doubles '51

#1 Jackie Robinson

#1 Jackie Robinson

38 of 274

13.9% complete

"His Walk About" - Jackie Robinson played for ten Major League seasons, though every major league player still wears his number annually once a year.  A six time All-Star, and '49 NL MVP, Robinson was a .311 career hitter.  He retired with 1,518 hits and 137 home runs, numbers that seem comically trivial given his impact and legacy, both on and off the field.  During his decade with the Brooklyn Dodgers, he helped "The Bums" win six NL Pennants and the 1955 World Series.

"That's Not a Knife" - It's another Varsity Letter from UCLA.  Jackie won Varsity Letters in four sports while attending UCLA.  He was an All-Conference running back on the unbeaten 1939 Bruins Football team that finished 7th in the Nation (they had a few ties).  He was named the West Coast Conference MVP for Basketball with UCLA in 1940 and in Track and Field Robinson was the 1940 NCAA Long Jump Champion.  Baseball was his "worst" sport at UCLA, where his accolades failed to match those in his other three sports.

"More of a love bite really..." - This card is well worn, but is still on the short list for "favorite" in my entire collection.   There are no serious flaws and you can't help but feel as though you are holding a small piece of American History when it's in your hand.  If you own one in a PSA jail, I strongly suggest you crack it loose and give it a try.  You won't be disappointed.

"Down Under" - Robinson is card #312 in the 1952 set.  Given that it's high number, and Jackie Robinson being Jackie Robinson, it's not one I own nor expect to own anytime soon.   Maybe my mind would change if I saw one in hand, but for now, I think prefer this '53 by a wide margin.  That extends the '53 set's lead to 20-15-2.

"At the Oscars"

Inducted in The Baseball Hall of Fame 1962
1949 National League MVP
6x All-Star
Inuagural Rookie of the Year Award Winner '47
1949 NL Batting Champ
Led NL in Stolen Bases '47 & '49
Led NL in OBP '52
2nd NL Batting '50
3rd NL Batting '51
4th NL Batting '52
2nd NL RBI's '49
2nd NL Hits '49
2nd NL OBP '49 & '53
3rd NL OBP '50 & '51
3rd NL Doubles '49, 50, & '51
3rd NL Triples '49
3rd NL Stolen Bases '51 & '52
Led NL Hit By Pitch '48
2nd NL Hit By Pitch '47, '49, '52, & '54

#77 Johnny Mize

#77 John Mize

25 of 274

9.1% complete

"His Walk About" - Mize made his MLB debut in 1936 with the St. Louis Cardinals.  Over the next 18 years he'd play 15 MLB seasons (he lost three years to military service in his prime) and be named to ten All-Star teams.  Along the way, he played for the Cardinals, New York Giants, and New York Yankees, making at least one All-Star team with each squad.  A 4x League Leader in Home Runs, Mize would retire with 359 homers, 2,011 hits, and a .312 lifetime average.  In 1939 Mize just missed winning a Triple Crown, when he led the NL in home runs and batting average, but finished 3rd in RBI's.  Before ending his walkabout with an induction ceremony in Cooperstown, Mize won five World Series Rings with the New York Yankees.

"That's Not a Knife" - But it is some extremely impressive baseball pedigree.  Mize's wikipedia page describes him as being a distant cousin of Ty Cobb, and a "second cousin married" to Babe Ruth.  I'm not sure what that means, but when you lead the league in homers four times, and make ten All-Star teams I'm inclined to think it means something.

"More of a love bite really..." - This card may have been glued to inside a scrap book at some point in its history, given the stain pattern on the back and the way the wrinkles along the front edge give the appearance of having been peeled off of a page.  That said, it's still a very nice looking card.

"Down Under" - Mize is card #129 the 1952 set.  Let me first say, that I really like this 1953 card.  Particularly the way it names Mize as "John" on the front.  That said, there's really no debate here.   Between the Yankee Stadium facade and the three bats, the '52 is a far superior looking card.  With this Mize, the sets are now all tied up at 12-12-1.

"At the Oscars"

Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee 1981
10x All-Star 
5x World Series Champion
Led NL Home Runs 4x ('39, '40, '47, '48)
NL Batting Champion '39
Led NL RBI's 3x ('40, '42, '47)
Led NL Runs '47
Led NL Doubles '41
Led NL Triples '38
2nd NL MVP voting '39
2nd NL MVP voting '40
3rd NL MVP voting '47
5th NL MVP voting '42