1952 Back-O'-The-Card: Don Bollweg and Archie Wilson

DON BOLLWEG
"Hitting .313 at Rochester in 1950 and .303 at Kansas City in 1951, Don is a good prospect to stick in the majors this year. He had two brief stints with the Cardinals in '50 and '51 but didn't make the grade.
An Army veteran, Don started in organized ball in 1942 and has batted in 60 or more runs every season. In 1947 at Columbus, he drove in nine runs in one game. As a Yankee farmhand at Kansas City in '51, he clouted 20 homers."

-1952 Topps, No. 128


ARCHIE WILSON
"Archie began the 1952 season as a Yankee. Traded to the Senators on May 3, the next day he helped Washington win both games of a doubleheader. Archie got five hits in the two games, including a triple and a double.
He broke into baseball in 1951 with San Francisco, then went to Buffalo. He hit .316 for the season."

-1952 Bowman No. 210

"Archie came to the Yankees in September of 1951. He was traded to the Senators in May of '52 and went to the Red Sox in June. Archie had a great season with Buffalo of the International League in '51 when he led the league in hits, total bases and runs batted in.
He started in pro ball in 1947 after attending the University of California for three and a half years, and was with Kansas City in '49 and '50."

-1952 Topps No. 327

1952 Back-O'-The-Card: Ewell Blackwell

"Tall and thin, Blackwell looks like a spider when he winds up. His wicked side arm delivery develops a speed that has put him among the top flight pitchers.

In 1947, he won 22 games and lost 8. His phenomenal feat of striking out 193 batters and also winning 16 straight games will be talked about in baseball for many years.

Ewell has been playing organized baseball since 1942 with three years out for military service."

-1948 Bowman No. 2

"Ewell is a youthful veteran who scored 22 wins in 1948 with a brilliant 2.47 earned run average, hurling six shutouts and fanning 193 batters to lead the league.

A sore arm stopped him most of last season, with Ewell finally ending up with a 7-9 record. He still managed to strike out 114 opponents- sixth best in the league.

In his first full year- 1946- he won only 4 games and dropped 13, but hurled at the rate of 2.46 earned runs per game."

-1949 Leaf No. 39

"Ill health cut Ewell's effectiveness in 1948 and 1949, but it looks as though the batters are headed to buggy-whip trouble in 1950.

Ewell had a 22-8 record in 1947. He won the most games, pitched the most complete games and got the most strikeouts (193). He hurled a no-hitter and set a modern National League record for most consecutive games won by a right-hander."

-1950 Bowman No. 63

"Ewell made a great comeback last season after ill health had cut down his effectiveness in 1948 and 1949. His earned run average of 2.97 was the third most effective in the league. His win-loss record was 17-15 with a weak-hitting team. Ewell pitched a no-hitter against Boston in 1947; his record that season, 22-8.

Famous for a buggy-whip sidearm delivery, Ewell has a world of stuff to keep hitters in a state of confusion."

-1951 Bowman No. 24 (Bowman Gum, Inc.)

"'The Whip' was on every National League All-Star team from 1946 through 1951. In 1947 he had a 22-8 record, topped the league in strikeouts (193), won 16 straight games, threw a no-hitter against the Braves and had a 2.47 ERA. In 1948 he had an arm ailment, in 1949 a kidney operation and in 1950 won 17 despite an appendectomy.
Ewell started in pro ball in 1942 with Syracuse and was in the service in 1943, '44 and '45."

-1952 Topps, No. 344

"One of the best pitchers in baseball, the string-bean right-hander has been plagued by illness the last few years. He appeared in 38 games for the Reds in 1951, winning 16 and losing 15. His earned run average was 3.44.
Ewell pitched a no-hitter against Boston in 1947. He won 22 games in 1947 to lead the league. He has been with the Reds since 1942, although he spent three years in the service."

-1952 Red Man, National League No. 3

1952 Back-O'-The-Card: Yogi Berra

"Yogi gained the nod as the American League's Most Valuable Player for the 1951 campaign. He batted .294 in 141 games, hit 19 doubles and 27 home runs, and his total of runs batted in was 88.
One of the game's most colorful personalities, Yogi came up from the Missouri sandlots."

-1952 Bowman, No. 1

"The Most Valuable Player in the American League in 1951, Yogi became a Yankee at the end of the 1946 season.
He spent 1943 at Norfolk, 1944-45 in the Navy and 1946 at Newark, where he hit .314. A power hitter, Yogi drove in 98 runs and hit .305 in 1948, and in 1949 clouted 20 homers and had 91 RBIs. In 1950, he hit .322 with 28 home runs and 124 RBIs and made the Major League [Sporting News postseason] All-Star Team.
Yogi is the first player to ever pinch-hit a homer in the World Series (1947)."

-1952 Topps, No. 191

"Yogi, one of baseball's most colorful personalities, was the American League's Most Valuable Player in 1951. An iron man, he appeared in 141 games. His 161 hits were good for a total of 269 bases and he had 19 doubles, four triples and 27 home runs. He batted in 88 runs and hit .294.
With the Yankees since the end of the 1946 season, Yogi hit .322 in 1950."

-1952 Red Man No. AL3

1952 Back-O'-The-Card: Hank Bauer

"Hank's triple with the bases loaded drove in the winning runs in the final game of the 1951 World Series, and his catch with two out in the ninth saved the game he had helped win.
Hank batted .296 for 118 games during the season. He had 10 homers, three triples and 19 doubles among his 103 hits."

-1952 Bowman, No. 65

"A triple with the bases full and a spectacular catch to stop a Giant rally in the 9th inning made Hank the hero of the final game of the 1951 World Series.
After a year in pro ball, he served in the Marines in 1942-43-44-45 and won a Purple Heart. In 1946 at Quincy, Hank hit .323, [followed by] .313 at Kansas City in 1947. The Yanks brought him up at the end of the '48 season after he hit .305 with 23 homers and drove in 100 runs at Kansas City. As a Yankee, in 1949 and '50, he hit .272 and .320."

-1952 Topps, No. 215

1951 New York Yankees Backs-O'-The-Cards Roster

MGR - Casey Stengel 37

CH - Frankie Crosetti 2

CH - Bill Dickey 33

CH - Tommy Henrich 15

CH - Jim Turner 31

C - Yogi Berra 8

C - Charlie Silvera 29  

1B - Joe Collins 41

1B - Johnny Hopp 38

2B - Jerry Coleman 42

2B - Billy Martin 1 (SS)

3B - Gil McDougald 12 (2B)

3B - Bobby Brown 6 

3B - Billy Johnson 24

SS - Phil Rizzuto 10

LF - Gene Woodling 14

CF - Joe DiMaggio 5

RF - Hank Bauer 25

OF - Mickey Mantle 7

OF - Jackie Jensen 27

PH - Johnny Mize 36 (1B) (retroactive designated hitter)

P - Allie Reynolds 22

P - Ed Lopat 30

P - Vic Raschi 17

P - Tom Morgan 52

P - Johnny Sain 11

P - Jack Kramer 18

RP - Bob Kuzava 21

RP - Fred Sanford 39*

RP - Stubby Overmire 20*

MGR - George Sellkirk 43* (Kansas City Blues)

MGR - Lefty O'Doul 46* (San Francisco Seals)

MGR - Harry Craft 35* (Beaumont Roughnecks)

C - Roy Partee 32* (Kansas City Blues) 

SS - Eddie Lake 34* (San Francisco Seals)

OF - Cliff Mapes 13*

OF - Ford Garrison 9* (Beaumont Roughnecks)

P - Bob Porterfield 23

P - Whitey Ford 16

P - Hank Wyse 45* (Kansas City Blues)

RP - Bob Muncrief 44*

RP - Tommy Byrne 28

RP - Tom Ferrick 26

RP - Spec Shea  19

RP - Joe Page 00*

* unofficial uniform number

1951 Yankees Bowman Cards

MGR - Casey Stengel 37 

CH - Bill Dickey 33  

CH - Tommy Henrich 15  

C - Yogi Berra 8  

1B - Johnny Hopp 38  

2B - Jerry Coleman 42  

3B - Bobby Brown 6  

3B - Billy Johnson 24  

SS - Phil Rizzuto 10

LF - Hank Bauer 25  

CF - Gene Woodling 14  

RF - Mickey Mantle 7  

OF - Jackie Jensen 27  

OF - Cliff Mapes 13*  

PH - Johnny Mize 36 (1B)  

P - Allie Reynolds 22  

P - Ed Lopat 30  

P - Vic Raschi 17  

P - Jack Kramer 18 

P - Whitey Ford 16 

RP - Fred Sanford 21 

RP - Stubby Overmire 19  

RP - Tommy Byrne 28  

RP - Tom Ferrick 26  

RP - Joe Page 11  

* unofficial uniform number

1951 suggested cards:

1950 AL Slugging Percentage Leader: Joe DiMaggio (.585)

1950 AL Extra-Base Hits Leader: Joe DiMaggio (75)

1950 AL Singles Leader: Phil Rizzuto (150)

1950 AL Sacrifice Hits Leader: Phil Rizzuto (19)

1950 AL Plate Appearances Leader: Phil Rizzuto (735)

1950 AL At-Bats Per Strikeout Leader: Yogi Berra (49.8)

1950 AL Pinch-Hit Home Run Leader: Tommy Henrich (3)

1950 AL Pinch-Hit RBI Leader: Tommy Henrich (13)

1950 AL Winning Percentage Leader: Vic Raschi (.724)

1950 AL Games as a Catcher Leader: Yogi Berra (148)

1950 AL Putouts by a Catcher Leader: Yogi Berra (777)

1950 AL Assists by a Catcher Leader: Yogi Berra (64)

1950 AL Double Plays by a Catcher Leader: Yogi Berra (16)

1950 AL Runners Caught Stealing by a Catcher Leader: Yogi Berra (34)

1950 AL Games as a Shortstop Leader: Phil Rizzuto (155)

1950 AL Putouts by a Shortstop Leader: Phil Rizzuto (301)

1950 AL Fielding Percentage as a Shortstop Leader: Phil Rizzuto (.982)

1950 AL Assists by a Leftfielder Leader: Gene Woodling (16)

1950 AL Double Plays by a Leftfielder Leader: Gene Woodling (3)

1950 AL Fielding Percentage as a Pitcher Leader: Tommy Byrne (1.000)

1950 AL All-Star: Yogi Berra*

1950 AL All-Star: Tommy Byrne

1950 AL All-Star: Jerry Coleman

1950 AL All-Star: Joe DiMaggio

1950 AL All-Star: Tommy Henrich

1950 AL All-Star: Vic Raschi*

1950 AL All-Star: Allie Reynolds

1950 AL All-Star: Phil Rizzuto*

1950 AL All-Star Manager: Casey Stengel

1950 AL All-Star Coach: Frankie Crosetti

1950 AL All-Star Coach: Bill Dickey

1950 All-Star Game Radio Announcer: Mel Allen

1950 Best MLB Regular Season Record: Yankees (98-56, .636)

1950 Babe Ruth Award Winner: Jerry Coleman

1950 World Series Radio Announcer: Mel Allen

1950 Sporting News All-Star: Yogi Berra

1950 Sporting News All-Star: Vic Raschi

1950 Sporting News All-Star: Phil Rizzuto

1950 AL Most Valuable Player: Phil Rizzuto

1950 Sporting News Major League Player of the Year: Phil Rizzuto

1950 Hickok Belt Winner: Phil Rizzuto

1950 Sporting News Major League Rookie of the Year: Whitey Ford

1950 Sporting News Executive of the Year: George Weiss

*All-Star Game starter

1951 Back-O'-The-Card: Gene Woodling

"Gene was acquired by the Pirates from the Cleveland Indians in 1947 and saw limited action with his new team. He got into only 22 games but he showed real promise as a hitter by batting .266 in 79 at-bats. Included among his 21 hits were two doubles and two triples and he also knocked in 10 runs. Gene also demonstrated a keen batting eye by striking out only five times.

A gifted outfielder, Gene showed excellent hands and a better than average arm, indicating he will be an everyday player in the very near future."

-1947 Play Ball No. 40 (1985 TCMA)

"Gene was in 122 games in 1950, hitting .283, had 127 hits, good for 185 bases, and drove in 60 runs.
He entered organized baseball in 1940 and made the majors at the end of the 1943 season with the Indians. In the service for the next two years, Gene returned to Cleveland in 1946 and was with Pittsburgh in 1947.
In the minors in 1948, Gene was up to the Yanks in 1949, took part in 112 games that year and had a .270 batting average."

-1951 Bowman, No. 219 (Bowman Gum, Inc.)

1951 Back-O'-The-Card: Casey Stengel

"Casey Stengel, who claims he got his nickname in his hometown where they called him 'Strikeout or Home Run Casey,' is one of baseball's most colorful managers. A witty and understanding manager,  Casey has been piloting Boston since 1938. He had previously piloted the Brookly Dodgers from 1934 through 1936 and coached the Dodgers in 1932 and '33.

As a player, Casey was an outfielder and will be remembered most for the two home runs he hit in the 1923 World Series for the Giants, each homer, one on the 10th of October, the other on the 12th, winning the ball game. His World Series batting mark- he played with Brooklyn in the 1916 Series and with the Giants in 1922 and '23- is a nifty .393."

-1940 Play Ball No. 141

"Peppery Casey Stengel is a baseball veteran of 36 seasons. He was a speedy, hard-hitting outfielder who performed with Brooklyn, Pittsburgh, the Philadelphia Phillies, the New York Giants and the Boston Braves.

He has managed the Dodgers, Braves, Worcester, Toledo, Milwaukee, Kansas City and now Oakland. Casey is noted for his ability to develop young players."

-1947 Smiths Oakland Oaks

"The umpire baiter of the Oaks is Casey Stengel, long-time manager and player. He has had a long baseball career, starting back in Kansas City where he went to high school. He is 5'10", throws left and bats left. He played with the Giants and later started managing- handling seven clubs over a period of 23 years.

Stengel is a showman of the diamond and one of the best story tellers of the sport."

-1948 Signal Gasoline Oakland Oaks

"Casey Stengel, the smart-as-a-fox manager of the Oaks, has been in baseball for 37 years. He played with Brooklyn, Pittsburgh, the Philadelphia Phillies, the New York Giants and the Boston Braves as a speedy, hard-hitting outfielder. Casey has managed the Dodgers, Braves, Worcester, Toledo, Milwaukee and Kansas City. He has managed Oakland since 1946."

-1948 Smiths Oakland Oaks

"Casey played the outfield for 21 years, beginning in 1910. In the majors he played for the Dodgers, Pirates, Phillies, Giants and Braves.

He was first a manager in 1925. The club was Worcester of the Eastern League. He managed the Dodgers from 1934-36 and the Braves from 1938-43.

Casey's greatest triumph was leading the injury-plagued Yankees to the championship in 1949."

-1950 Bowman No. 217

"In two years as manager of the Yankees, Casey has led the team to two American League pennants and two World Championships.

An outfielder for 21 years, beginning in 1910, his playing career in the majors included the Dodgers, Pirates, Phillies, Giants and Braves. Casey was first a manager in 1925- the club was Worcester of the Eastern League. He managed the Dodgers from 1934-1936 and piloted the Braves from 1938-1943."

-1951 Bowman, No. 181 (Bowman Gum, Inc.)