1958 Back-O'-The-Card: Jim Turner

One of the most respected pitching coaches in baseball, Milkman Jim has greatly helped the major league careers of former Yankee farmhands Vic Raschi, Whitey Ford, Tom Morgan, Bob Grim, Tom Sturdivant and others. He's also molded the talents of young veterans acquired in trades such as Don Larsen and Bob Turley.
After toiling in the minor leagues for 14 seasons, Jim enjoyed an outstanding rookie season with Boston's National Leaguers in 1937. The 33-year-old won 20 games with a league-high five shutouts and a circuit-best 2.38 ERA. Jim was an All-Star in 1938, and in 1940 posted a 14-7 record for Cincinnati's most recent World Series winner. He concluded his playing days as a valuable relief pitcher for the Yankees.
When this longtime baseball man returned to the Bronx as Yankee pitching mentor, he was no stranger to manager Casey Stengel. Jim had pitched for the 'Old Perfesser' in Boston and managed against him in the Pacific Coast League.

1958 Back-O'-The-Card: Bob Turley

"Since joining the Yankees after a year in Baltimore, Bob has cut down on his bases on balls. He also picked up a sharp breaking curve ball to go with his hard one.
Bob came to the Yankees via a huge 17-man trade in 1955. He's won 38 games in his last three seasons and lost 23. Bullet Bob led the American League in both walks and strikeouts with Baltimore in 1954."

-1958 Topps No. 255

Sport Magazine '58 All-Star Selection
"Bob is definitely one of the big pitchers in the American League this season. Although he had a fine year in '57, he's bent on surpassing it in '58. During the first two months of the season, he won 10 games- all complete jobs- including four shutouts.
Bob's bullet-like fastball makes him plenty tough to hit. He does not use a full windup."

-the editors, Sport Magazine (1958 Topps No. 493)

1958 Back-O'-The-Card: Virgil Trucks

"Fireball is nicknamed after his terrific fast ball. He won 14 and lost 13 last season with a 3.78 ERA and fanned 123 batters to rank among the top ten in the whiffing department. Virgil has a fine lifetime major league record- all with Detroit- of 68 victories and 32 defeats."

-1949 Leaf No. 5

"Virgil spent five seasons in the minors and then joined the Tigers for the end of the 1941 season. The next year he won 14 games for them while dropping eight. He spent 1944 and most of 1945 in military service. Last season he won 14 and lost 13.

In 1941 with Buffalo he pitched a nine-inning no-hitter against Montreal and lost the game in the tenth."

-1949 Bowman No. 219

"In 1949 Virgil won 19 and lost 11. His earned run average (2.81) was second lowest in the league and he was strikeout king for the league, with 153.

In 1941, with Buffalo, Virgil pitched a nine-inning no-hitter against Montreal and lost the game in the tenth. He joined the Tigers at the end of 1941 after five seasons in the minors. He spent 1944 and most of 1945 in military service."

-1950 Bowman No. 56

"A sore arm stopped 'Fire' Trucks from repeating in 1950 the excellent record he made in 1949. In 1950 he was in only seven games, winning 3 and losing 1. In 1949, he won 19 and lost 11, his earned run average (2.81) was second lowest in the league and he led the league with 153 strikeouts.
Virgil came to the Tigers near the end of the 1941 season. He was in military service in 1944 and most of 1945."

-1951 Bowman No. 104 (Bowman Gum, Inc.)

"Virgil pitched his first major league no-hit, no-run game in May of 1952 against the Senators. In his next turn on the mound, he hurled six and one-third innings before giving up a hit.
A big leaguer since 1941, when he came up to the Tigers from Buffalo, he had great seasons in 1942 (14-8), 1943 (16-10), 1946 (14-9), and 1949 (19-11). In '49, Virgil led the American League in strikeouts with 153 and had a 2.81 ERA.
In 1938, his first year in the minors, he won 25 games and fanned 418."

-1952 Topps No. 262

"Virgil won only five games for the Tigers in 1952, while losing 19, but the first and last of his five wins were no-hit ball games. The first was over the Senators and the other over the Yankees, no mean trick.
He began in 1938 and came to the majors at the end of the 1941 season with Detroit. He remained with them until traded to the St. Louis Browns for the 1953 season."

-1953 Bowman No. 17

"By firing two no-hitters in 1952, Virgil equaled a major league record. He came to the Browns during '52 after putting in 10 seasons with the Tigers; in every season except '47, he won more than he lost.
'Fire Trucks' had a 19-11 record and led the American League in strikeouts in 1949. Some of Virgil's better years in Detroit were '42 (14-8), '43 (16-10), '46 (14-9), '48 (14-13) and '51 (13-8).
He came up to the AL after leading the International League with 204 strikeouts in 1941."

-1953 Topps No. 96

"Virgil made a great comeback in 1953, winning 20 games for the first time in his major league career, and losing 10. His 2.93 earned run average was third in the league. He struck out 149 men, second in the league. Virgil began the season with the St. Louis Browns, and after 16 games was sent to Chicago.
In the preceding season, Virgil compiled one of the oddest records any pitcher ever amassed. He won 5 and lost 19- the first and last of his five wins were no-hitters."

-1954 Bowman No. 198

"Virgil hurled two no-hitters in 1952. In 1949 and 1952 he led the American League in shutouts. While in the minors, he pitched four no-hit games."

-1956 Topps No. 117

"A smart veteran, Virgil has pitched six no-hitters [four in the minors] in his career. In 1952 he hurled two such classics against Washington and New York."

-1957 Topps No. 187

"Virgil was once able to fog the ball past the hitters, but he now must rely on being able to outsmart them. The A's are his fourth major league team, but he had his best years with the Tigers, with whom he won 108 games.
Trucks has six no-hitters to his credit, including two in the majors. He also tied a record for pitchers with five putouts in one game."

-1958 Topps No. 277

1958 Back-O'-The-Card: Marv Throneberry

"Marv's long-ball hitting ability tags him as one of the top prospects for 1958. Twice he's led his league in homers and RBI's. Formerly addicted to strikeouts, Marv is cutting down on his whiffs.
His brother Faye plays for Washington."

1958 Topps No. 175

1958 Back-O'-The-Card: Tom Sturdivant

"Last season, Tom had the finest won-lost average in the American League [16-6] and was second in ERA [2.54]. Starting at Beaumont in 1952 as an infielder and part-time hurler, he advanced to Birmingham and won 10 in 1953, then 8 at Kansas City in '54."

-1958 Topps No. 127

1958 Back-O'-The-Card: Casey Stengel

Casey is the best manager in baseball. And he ranks among the greatest in the annals of America's pastime.
In nine seasons as Yankee skipper, he has won eight pennants and six World Championships, including an unprecedented five world titles in a row. Yet no one doubts this baseball legend wants to lead the Yankees to one more World Series triumph before he retires to his beautiful home in California.

1958 Back-O'-The-Card: Enos Slaughter

"Enos is starting his 18th year of major league ball this season. He's been in four World Series- two as a Cardinal and two in Yankee flannels. Enos also holds a remarkable .381 batting mark in 10 All-Star Games.
He led the National League in RBIs with 130 in 1946. He was the top outfielder in 1953."

-1958 Topps No. 142

1958 Back-O'-The-Card: Bill Skowron

"Bill unleashes awesome power to all fields. The Yankees converted him to a first baseman before bringing him up in 1954 when he batted .340 as a rookie. He has been over the .300 mark every season since. He led all first basemen in double plays in 1956.
Moose started out as a bruising football player at Purdue."

-1958 Topps No. 240

Sport Magazine '58 All-Star Selection
"Bill rates with the cream of the major league crop thanks to his tremendous hitting ability. Since joining the Yankees in 1954, he has never dipped below the .300 mark.
An example of his dramatic batting efforts was shown in 1956 when he poled a grand slam homer in the World Series. Only five other players have ever done this."

-the editors, Sport Magazine (1958 Topps No. 477)

1958 Back-O'-The-Card: Harry Simpson

"Harry's left-handed slugging was a big factor in the Yankee pennant drive last year. He also gave them insurance at first base and played the outfield. He was the Yankees best triple hitter (9) last season.
Harry formerly played for the Cleveland Indians and Kanas City A's. 'Suitcase' led the Pacific Coast League with 156 RBIs at San Diego in 1950."

-1958 Topps No. 299

1958 Back-O'-The-Card: Norm Siebern

"Norm is one of the heavy reinforcements called in to help regain the Championship this year.
In the minors, he hit .331 at McAlister in 1951 and .324 at Joplin in 1952, before spending two years in military service. While in spring training with the Yankees in 1956, he was injured and spent the first half of the season at Denver. Last year, Norm was the batting champ of the American Association."

-1958 Topps No. 54

1958 Back-O'-The-Card: Bobby Shantz

"Although the National League won the 1952 All-Star Game, shortened by rain, Bobby made headlines as he fanned three batters in one inning. Before he had a chance to match Carl Hubbel's record, the rains fell.
Bobby was the American League's MVP in 1952. He once pitched nine consecutive no-hit innings after relieving a teammate in the 3rd inning."

-1958 Topps No. 419

"Shantz, who started two games in the 1957 Series, and relieved in another one, was the comeback story of the year. He registered 11 wins for the Yankees and turned in a 2.45 earned run average- the best in the American League."

-1958 Topps No. 289