Thursday, December 20, 2018

Three from 1959 Topps

I toy with the idea of pursuing a 1959 Topps set.  One point in favor is that it's much smaller than the 1972 Topps set I'm currently working on, which clocks in at 787 cards.  The 1959 Topps only has 572, which seems like it wouldn't take as long.  One point against the 1959 set is the Bob Gibson rookie card.  So we'll see.  Maybe someday.  In the meantime, I have ordered a few cards here and there, and today I'll feature three of them.
Del Ennis.
Del Ennis is featured here with the Cincinnati Redlegs.  This is of interest to me for two reasons: one is the team name, the Redlegs, changed from the Reds during the height of the anti-communist Red Scare period.  I remember watching WKRP in Cincinnati and hearing newsman Les Nessman still call the team the Redlegs decades later.  Second, Del Ennis was a power hitter on the 1950 Phillies Whiz Kids team, leading the NL in RBI with 126.  My dad was a little kid that season, and was a fan of those Phillies, his hometown team.
Chuck Tanner.
Opening up, we have Chuck Tanner, beloved skipper of the 1979 World Series champion Pirates.  Tanner closed out the epic two-decade run of the Pirates in which they won the World Series at the beginning, middle, and end of the twenty-year period 1960-1979.  Of course the 1960 and 1971 wins were led by Danny Murtaugh (who should be in the Hall of Fame!), and featured Roberto Clemente as well.  The team had a lot of talent and Tanner pulled them over the line to win the series against Baltimore.  As a player, Tanner had an undistinguished career between 1955 and 1962 with the Braves, Cubs, Indians, and Angels.
Bernie Daniels.
Finally, we have Rookie Star Bennie Daniels, pitcher for the Pirates.  Like many rookie stars, Daniels didn't pan out as a star but had a major league career for a few years, 1957 through 1965, with the Pirates and Senators.  His best season was 1961, his first with Washington, when he went 12-11 with a 3.44 ERA.

Thanks for reading!

1 comment:

  1. I love the '59 set, and would really like to work on it -- the only thing keeping me from doing so is that darn Bob Gibson rookie!

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