A Special 1955 Bowman 100th Birthday: Bobby Shantz

After a long hiatus, this is the 6th installment of my series featuring players from the 1955 Bowman set that would have turned 100 this year. Players featured thus far:

• Red Schoendienst - February 2, 2023
• Jim Hughes - March 21, 2023
• Solly Hemus - April 17, 2023
• Bob Kuzava - May 28, 2023
• Marion Fricano - July 15, 2023

While I was away, I missed many 100th birthdays, including Gil Hodges in April 2024 and Yogi Berra in May of this year. 

I decided to return briefly because today's featured player is still with us. Bobby Shantz turns 100 today! He is featured on two cards in the set, #139 (with his brother Billy) and his own card, #140. 

Here are my actual cards of Mr. Shantz. I needed a set upgrade for the first card, and this signed card was approximately the same price as unsigned copies, so that's how I ended up with the signed copy of Bobby with his brother Billy. The second is a card I sent to Bobby through the mail several years ago and he signed it for his very reasonable $5 fee. 

Date of Birth: 

September 26, 1925

First Year in Organized Baseball:

1948 with the Lincoln (NE) A's, a Class A affiliate of the Philadelphia Athletics.

Ticket stub from an apparent exhibition game between the Lincoln A's and the parent club.
Courtesy: https://www.nebaseballhistory.com/lincoln1948.html 

Link to a Really Old Baseball Guy:

Shantz's first manager in the majors was the legendary Connie Mack, who was born in 1862 and began his major league managerial career in 1894! (You may have already spotted him on the ticket stub above.)

1911 Pinkerton Cabinets #505 - Connie Mack

Link to a Much Younger Baseball Guy:

In 1964, Shantz's final year in the majors, he played for three different National League teams, the Cardinals, Cubs, and Phillies. A fellow member of the Phillies' pitching staff was Rick Wise, who ended his career in 1982 with the San Diego Padres.

1982 Donruss #170 - Rick Wise

Other interesting facts about Bobby Shantz: 

• Shantz was one of the players sent to the Cubs as part of the 1964 trade that sent Lou Brock to the Cardinals. 
• Shantz was voted the 1952 AL Most Valuable Player, winning 24 games for the 4th place Philadelphia A's team. 
• When he graduated from high school, Shantz was not quite 5 feet tall, but he eventually grew to 5'6". Once he reached the 5-foot mark, he was able to join the U.S. Army in December 1944. He went on to serve briefly in the Philippines during World War II and received an honorable discharge in 1946.

Happy Birthday Bobby Shantz!

Sources:

https://www.nebaseballhistory.com/lincoln1948.html

Bobby Shantz – Society for American Baseball Research

MLB Stats, Scores, History, & Records | Baseball-Reference.com

A 1955 Bowman 100th Birthday: Marion Fricano

Welcome to the fifth installment of my series featuring players from the 1955 Bowman set that would have turned 100 this year. Players featured thus far:

• Red Schoendienst - February 2
• Jim Hughes - March 21
• Solly Hemus - April 17
• Bob Kuzava - May 28

Today's featured player is Marion Fricano (card #316), who I'm spotlighting on what would have been his 100th birthday. 

My actual 1955 Bowman card of Marion Fricano:

Date of Birth: 

July 15, 1923

First Year in Organized Baseball: 

1947 with the Johnstown (PA) Johnnies, a Class C affiliate of the Brooklyn Dodgers. 

Link to a Really Old Baseball Guy:

Fricano's manager on the 1951 St. Paul Saints (AAA - Dodgers) was Clay Hopper, who was born in 1902 and whose first year in organized baseball was 1926. 

1952 Mother's Cookies #52 - Clay Hopper (MGR)

Link to a Much Younger Baseball Guy:

In his last year in organized baseball (1961), Fricano played for the Dallas-Fort Worth Rangers (AAA affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels). One of his teammates was Jim Fregosi, who interestingly retired as a player during the 1978 season, and two days later, became the manager of the California Angels.

1978 Topps #323 - Jim Fregosi

1979 Topps #424 - California Angels/Jim Fregosi

Other interesting facts about Marion Fricano:

• Served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, beginning in 1943 and completing his service after the war, in 1947.
• Spent five full years in the minor leagues before his major league debut, and six full years in the minors after his final major league appearance in 1955.
• Died May 18, 1976.

Marion Fricano - BR Bullpen (baseball-reference.com)

Marion "Frick" Fricano: WW2 Vet, pitched for the Phila & KC A's - Italian Americans in Baseball (baseballamore.com)

A 1955 Bowman 100th Birthday: Bob Kuzava

Welcome to the fourth installment of my series featuring players from the 1955 Bowman set that would have turned 100 this year. Players featured thus far:

• Red Schoendienst - February 2
• Jim Hughes - March 21
• Solly Hemus - April 17

Today's featured player is Bob Kuzava (card #215), who I'm spotlighting on what would have been his 100th birthday. 

My actual 1955 Bowman card of Bob Kuzava:

Date of Birth: 

May 28, 1923

First Year in Organized Baseball:

1941 with the Mansfield (OH) Braves, a Class D team for the Cleveland Indians organization. 

Link to a Really Old Baseball Guy:

Bob Kuzava was managed by Jack Knight while playing for the Charleston (WV) Senators (Class C affiliate of the Cleveland Indians). Knight began his playing career in 1917 and was born in 1895.

Link to a Much Younger Guy:

Kuzava played with Joe Hoerner on the 1960 Charleston (SC) White Sox (A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox). Kuzava also served as last of three managers of the team that year. Joe Hoerner retired after the 1977 season. 

1977 Topps Joe Hoerner

Interesting Facts: 

• Served in the Army during World War II. Rose to the rank of Sergeant, and later became known by the nickname of Sarge in the baseball world.
• Earned saves for the Yankees in the final game of both the 1951 and 1952 World Series.
• Died May 15, 2017, at the age of 93.

A 1955 Bowman 100th Birthday: Solly Hemus

Welcome to the third installment of my series featuring players from the 1955 Bowman set that would have turned 100 this year. Players featured thus far:

• Red Schoendienst - February 2
• Jim Hughes - March 21

Today's featured player is Solly Hemus (card #107), who I'm spotlighting on what would have been his 100th birthday. 

My actual 1955 Bowman card of Solly Hemus:

Date of Birth: 

April 17, 1923 (card incorrectly says 1924)

First Year in Organized Baseball:

1946 with the Pocatello (ID) Cardinals, a Class C team for the St. Louis Cardinals organization. 

Link to a Really Old Baseball Guy:

Hemus played with 36-year-old Joe "Ducky" Medwick on the 1948 Double-A Houston Buffaloes. Medwick began his pro career in 1930 and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1968.

1934-36 National Chicle Diamond Stars (R327) #66 - Joe "Ducky" Medwick

Link to a Much Younger Guy:

Hemus played with Tim McCarver on the 1959 St. Louis Cardinals, when McCarver was a 17-year-old rookie. McCarver retired after the 1980 season.

1981 Fleer - Tim McCarver

Interesting Facts: 

• Served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
• Acted as player-manager for the 1959 Cardinals, and also managed the team in 1960 and 1961.
• Hemus died October 2, 2017, at the age of 94.

A 1955 Bowman 100th Birthday: Jim Hughes

Welcome to the second edition of my series featuring players from the 1955 Bowman set that would have turned 100 this year. The first player featured was Hall of Famer Red Schoendienst on February 2. Today's featured player is Jim Hughes (card #156), who I'm spotlighting on what would have been his 100th birthday. 

My actual 1955 Bowman card of Jim Hughes:

Date of Birth: 

March 21, 1923

First Year in Organized Baseball:

1946 with the Madisonville (KY) Miners, a Class D team in the Chicago White Sox organization. 

Link to a Really Old Baseball Guy:

Jim Hughes was teammates with Jo-Jo White on the 1950 Hollywood Stars (AAA affiliate of the Brooklyn Dodgers). White began his playing career in 1928.

1934-36 National Chicle Diamond Stars (R327) #45 - Jo Jo White

Link to a Much Younger Guy:

Hughes played with Harmon Killebrew on the 1958 Indianapolis Indians (AAA affiliate of the Chicago White Sox). Killebrew retired after the 1975 season. 

1975 Topps - Harmon Killebrew

Interesting Facts: 

• Served in the Marines during World War II
• Became a firefighter in Chicago after his baseball career.
• Died August 12, 2001.

Jim Hughes (hugheji02) - BR Bullpen (baseball-reference.com)

A 1955 Bowman Birthday: Red Schoendienst (A New Series)

Boosted by a Christmas gift card boom, I have been adding to my 1955 Bowman set build. Between eBay, COMC, and TCDB, I have added a big chunk of cards in the last couple of months. I'm now at 242 out of the 320 card set. Recent notable additions include:

Nellie Fox

Lou Boudreau

Bobby Thomson

Bobby Shantz

Enos Slaughter

Gil McDougald

Phil Cavarretta

Roy Campanella 

Carl Erskine

Bob Lemon

Carl Furillo

Early Wynn

There were some high number acquisitions along with a few commons, too. But today's featured card is another recent find, card #29 Al "Red" Schoendienst, another Hall of Famer. Why am I featuring this card today? Well, today would have been Red's 100th birthday. I plan to feature all the cards I have of players that would have turned 100 this year. This gets a little tricky, though, because a not insignificant number of cards have the wrong birth year for the player. But some cross-referencing never bothered me. In fact, it will be necessary for this series, as I try to provide some interesting info about the players.

Here's my actual card of Red Schoendienst:

Date of Birth: 

February 2, 1923

First Year in Organized Baseball:

1942 with the Albany (GA) Cardinals and the Union City (TN) Greyhounds, both Class D teams in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. 

Link to a Really Old Baseball Guy:

Schoendienst's manager in his first MLB season (1945) was Hall of Famer Billy Southworth, who was born in 1893 and began his minor league playing career in 1912.

Definitely not a card I own.

Link to a Much Younger Guy:

Managed Ray Lankford on the 1990 Cardinals. 

1990 Upper Deck - Ray Lankford

Interesting Facts: 

• Red was actually inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1989 by the Veterans Committee. Most people still around today would better remember him as a manager. He managed a total of 14 years in MLB, leading the Cardinals to the World Series title in 1967. His managerial success no doubt boosted his Hall of Fame case. 
• 10-time All-Star
• Played or managed in the Cardinals organization in 32 separate seasons.
• Died June 6, 2018 at the age of 95.

There appears to be 11 more 100th birthdays from the 1955 Bowman set to celebrate this year (pending double-checks of their birth years). Quick math tells us these players would have been either 31 or 32 during the 1955 season. As a result, no coach cards or umpire cards will be featured. I'll try to get to those in other posts.