1952 Back-O'-The-Card: Ralph Houk

"Ralph showed his mettle when he rose from a Private to a Major in the Army Rangers during World War II. Known as a real scrapper, he had trials with the Yankees in 1947, '48 and '49 and finally stuck in 1950. A good receiver, he's been used mostly as a bullpen catcher and a pinch hitter.
Ralph started in pro ball in 1939 and had his best year at Kansas City in 1948 when he hit .302. In 1947, he appeared in 41 games for the Yankees, hitting .272."

-1952 Topps No. 200

1952 Back-O'-The-Card: Johnny Hopp and Jerry Snyder (Kansas City Blues)

JOHNNY HOPP
"This is 'Cotney's' 13th active year in the majors since he came up with the Cardinals at the end of the 1939 season. He's also played with the Braves, Pirates and Dodgers and came to the Yankees as first base and outfield insurance during the 1950 pennant drive.
Johnny has played in five World Series and ranks 10th among active National League players in hits. In 1944, he led all National League outfielders in fielding. Johnny hit .303 in 1941, .336 in '44, .333 in '46, .306 in '49 and .340 in '50."

-1952 Topps No. 214


JERRY SNYDER  (Kansas City Blues)
"Jerry came to the Senators from the Yankees early in the 1952 season. He began the 1951 campaign with the Yankees' Kansas City farm team. After appearing in 20 games with a batting average of .269, he went to Beaumont of the Texas League, where he hit .290 for 105 games."

-1952 Bowman No. 246

1952 Back-O'-The-Card: Bobby Hogue

"Bobby really made the rounds in 1951. He started off with the Braves and went to the Browns in May. The Browns sent him to Kansas City in August and then the Yankees brought him up to strengthen their relief corps.
The Braves brought Bobby up in 1948 after he won 16 games and pitched a no-hit game for Dallas in 1947. His first year up he won eight and lost two, but won five while losing seven the next two years.
Bobby served in the Armed Forces."

-1952 Topps No. 9

1952 Back-O'-The-Card: Bill Dickey

"One of the greatest catchers that ever donned the mask and mitt, Bill was chosen as the backstop on the 50-year All-Time Yankee Team. He set a record by catching in 100 or more games for 13 straight seasons. Bill batted over .300 in 11 of the 16 years he was a Yankee and played in more World Series games than any other catcher- 38.
His playing career started and ended in Little Rock. Bill was a rookie there in 1925 and player-manager in 1947. He managed the Yankees in 1946."

-1952 Topps No. 400

1952 Back-O'-The-Card: Frankie Crosetti

"Crosetti was a star of the Yanks during their golden days. His career as a player with New York extended from 1932 through 1948.
He was one of the outstanding shortstops of the game and also played second and third. As a leadoff man, Crosetti was one of the best- he had a great knack for getting on base."

-1952 Bowman No. 252

"The wiry ex-shortstop has been a Yankee coach since 1947.
He played with just two teams in his 20-year career as an active player. Breaking with San Francisco in 1928, Frankie played four seasons on the West Coast before being brought up by the Yankees. He retired after the 1948 season.
Frank holds the record for most games played in the World Series by a shortstop (28). He led the American League in stolen bases in 1938 and was chosen to the League's All-Star Team in 1936."

-1952 Topps No. 384

1952 Back-O'-The-Card: Joe Collins

"Counted on as the Yanks' regular first sacker during the 1952 season, Joe suffered a bad spike wound during an exhibition game and was kept out of the lineup at the beginning of the campaign.
He hit .286 in 125 games in 1951 and drove in 48 runs. Joe can also play the outfield."

-1952 Bowman No. 181

"In organized ball since 1939, Joe impressed the Yankees with a home run against them in an exhibition game while playing for Amsterdam in 1942. A World War II veteran, he joined the Yanks at the end of the 1948 season.
Sent down to Kansas City in 1949, Joe hit .319 and was recalled to finish the season in New York. Playing 108 games at first base and in the outfield in 1950, he hit .234 but boosted his average 52 points in 1951. Joe didn't start the 1952 season because of an injury."

-1952 Topps No. 202

1952 Back-O'-The-Card: Jerry Coleman

"Jerry was called back to active duty by the Marine Corps early in 1952.
Shackled by a batting slump in 1951, his .249 average was a drop of 38 points from that of 1950. He batted in 43 runs, however.
Jerry began in baseball in 1942 and hit the majors in 1949. He's one of the league's snappiest fielders."

-1952 Bowman, No. 73

"Recalled to active duty as a Marine pilot in May 1952, Jerry put in three years of service in World War II.
He had a year of minor league ball under his belt when he came out of the service and spent 1946 at Binghamton. With Kanas City in '47 and Newark in '48, Jerry joined the Yankees in 1949.
In his first year of big league ball, Jerry hit .275, led all American League second basemen in fielding and was named Rookie of the Year. A great 'clutch' player, he hit .287 in 1950."

-1952 Topps, No. 237