First up, go vote in Round 1/Group 24. The ridiculousness is out of control.
I have, today, four vintage TTM successes that have been sittin' around much too long. It's nice having a small connection to Reds whose entire career was over well before I was born.
Drew 'Buddy' Gilbert made 23 lifetime plate appearances in 7 games, all in 1959, all for the Reds. Enough to immortalize him in the 1960 Topps set, his only major release. From a Knoxville, TN news article, on his minor league time with Curt Flood, "Curt Flood mentioned in his autobiography that in all the years he
played baseball there was one white boy from Knoxville, Tennessee, that
always treated him like a human — Buddy Gilbert. That broke my heart.
That’s the nicest compliment I think I have ever had in my lifetime.” Signed is a 1960 Topps RC #359.
Gene Freese played in the majors for 6 teams over 12 years, including 3 with Cincinnati. His best year was for the 1961 pennant winning Reds team in which he hit .277 with 26 homers. Freese passed away this June. Signed is a 1963 Topps #133.
Bob Skinner also enjoyed a 12 year major league career, 2 of which in Cincy. He was a 2-time All-Star with the Pirates and later was named manager of the Phillies. Skinner has logged over 50 years playing and coaching. Signed is a 1964 Topps #377.
Bob 'Rocky' Johnson played for 7 teams over 11 years which included a 1-year stop in the 'Nati. There, he only saw 17 of his over 2500 lifetime plate appearances. He was a member of the 1966 Baltimore Orioles World Series championship team. Signed is a 1968 Topps #338.
Go Reds.
No comments:
Post a Comment