1959 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, Bob Turley and Ryne Duren.

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.

1959 Back-O'-The-Card: Bob Turley

 "The 1958 World Series hero, Bob won the fifth game and repeated with a seventh-game victory. He posted the best Yankee winning percentage in 24 years."

-1959 Topps No. 60

"Bullet Bob had a tremendous season in '58, posting the American League's best won-lost percentage. He hurled six shutouts and won the Pitcher of the Year Award.

In the Series, Bob was masterful and provided the most dramatic moments. Blasted out of the box in the 2nd game, he returned to beat the Braves with a spectacular 5-hit shutout in the 5th game. In the crucial 7th contest, he hurled six and two-thirds innings in relief and held the Braves to two hits for the victory. In addition, Bob knocked in two runs in the 5th game."

-1959 Topps No. 237

'59 ALL-STAR SELECTION

"His 21 victories earned him the Cy Young Award."

-1959 Topps No. 570

1959 Back-O'-The-Card: Virgil Trucks and Murry Dickson

VIRGIL TRUCKS

"The Yankees gave him his release in April."

-1959 Topps No. 417

Virgil can look back proudly over 18 years as a major leaguer. Following a 16-10 mark with a 2.84 ERA in 1943, the right-hander missed all of the 1944 season and almost all of 1945 serving in the Navy. In '45 he returned in time to win the final game of the season to help Detroit edge out Washington in a tight pennant race. Nicknamed "Fire," he evened the World Series with a victory over the Cubs in Game 2 in a Fall Classic later won by the Tigers.

In 1952 Virgil tossed no-hitters against both the Senators and Yankees. In '53 he registered a 20-10, 2.93 performance in a season split between the Browns and White Sox. He was acquired by the Yankees from KC in a four-man swap in June of '58.

MURRY DICKSON

Having come to the majors to stay in 1942, Murray enters his 18th season as a big leaguer even with 1944 and '45 spent in military service. He was acquired by the Yankees from Kansas City last August, having been exclusively a National Leaguer until 1958.

His impressive rise through the Cardinal chain saw Murry go 22-13 with a 3.25 ERA for Houston of the Texas League in 1939; 17-8, 3.33 for the Columbus Redbirds of the American Association in 1940, and concluding his journey through the farms with an impressive 21-11, 3.30 with 22 complete games for a first place Columbus club in 1941.

Murry was a pitching mainstay of the Cardinal pennant winners of 1942, '43 and '46. His 15-6 mark in 1946 gave him a .714 winning percentage, best in the National League, and the 47 games he appeared in were good for second in the circuit.

With a seventh place Pittsburgh team in 1951, Murry amazed with a 20-16 record. Two years later he saved an All-Star Game victory for the senior circuit by pitching the final two innings at Crosley Field. With the Phillies in 1954 and '55, the undersized hurler registered four shutouts each season, both times good for second best in the NL.

1959 Back-O'-The-Card: Marv Throneberry

 "Marv was used sparingly last season but a player with his homer potential can't be kept inactive long. For two years he was the American Association's homer champ and added RBI titles both times.

Marv's brother Faye is also in baseball."

-1959 Topps No. 326

1959 Back-O'-The-Card: Ralph Terry

"Ralph posted the finest E.R.A. on the A's staff last season. After toiling in the Yankee chain for four seasons and compiling a 38-22 record, he was brought up to the Yanks late in the 1956 season.

He has a zipping fastball and is stingy with walks. Ralph was an all-state high school football player in Oklahoma."

-1958 Topps No. 169

"After waiting for his chance in the Yankee organization, Ralph finally came of age when he joined the Athletics in 1957. He immediately proved to be a first-string pitcher and is one of the mainstays of the Kansas City mound corps. He owns a mean fastball.

Ralph is a football fan."

-1959 Topps No. 358

1959 Back-O'-The-Card: Tom Sturdivant

 "After two big seasons for the Yankees, Tom ran into bad luck last year. A painful injury sidelined him for a month and a half and prevented him from flashing his truly excellent form. In 1957, Tom tied for the American League lead in won-lost percentage.

Tom owns a baffling fastball and a good curve. He was an outfielder before switching to pitching."

-1959 Topps No. 471

1959 Back-O'-The-Card: Casey Stengel

"The success of a major league manager can often be counted in pennants. Using this yardstick, few managers in the history of baseball have been more successful than the 'Ole Perfessor,' Charles Dillon Stengel. Since becoming head man of the Yankees in 1949, he has won nine pennants and seven world championships in ten years. He has the magic touch to make good hitters better and fine hurlers great.

As a player, Casey was an outfielder and saw service with the Dodgers, Pirates, Phillies, Giants and Braves. It is ironic that in nine years as a manager in the National League he never finished in the first division."

-1959 Topps No. 383

'59 ALL-STAR SELECTION

"Sly Ol' Casey- the pennant winning genius who dotes on double-talk."

-1959 Topps No. 552

1959 Back-O'-The-Card: Enos Slaughter

Enos is a career .300 hitter who played in 10 All-Star Games for the Cardinals. In the Redbirds' World Series-winning season of 1942, his National League-leading 188 hits included circuit bests of 127 singles and 17 triples. He also topped the NL with 292 total bases and 61 extra-base hits.

Following three years of military service, the man known as Country sparked St. Louis to another World Championship in 1946 while playing all-out in all of the club's games and leading the NL with 130 RBIs. He topped the campaign with a .320 World Series average and some legendary base running.

Enos has been part of two more Series winners since being acquired by the Yankees as a hustling extra outfielder whose timely hits have been of great value to the club. Ten years after his World Series glory of '46, Country hit .350 over six games in New York's seven-game triumph over Brooklyn in '56.

1959 Back-O'-The-Card: Bill Skowron

"In the seventh game of the 1958 World Series, Moose sealed the lid on the Braves with a three-run homer. Homering in autumn classics is not new to him. In '56 he belted a grand slammer against the Dodgers.

Purdue University lost a great football prospect when Bill decided to play baseball."

-1959 Topps No. 90

'59 All-Star Selection

"The Moose's three-run homer clinched the seventh game of the 1958 World Series."

-1959 Topps No. 554

1959 Back-O'-The-Card: Norm Siebern

"Norm came to the Yankees last year for the second time and entered the charmed circle of .300 hitters. Before becoming a big leaguer, he hit a cool .313 in five minor league seasons. Norm's big year was 1957 when he was the terror of the American Association and was voted Minor League Player of the Year."

-1959 Topps No. 308