Topps All-Star Misses: 1958 NL Battery

After a long holiday break, I have a few more All Star Cards That Never Were to share.  In 1958, Topps created the first All Star series of cards to appear as part of the regular set. In that set, Topps had Bob Friend as the "Sport Magazine '58 All Star Selection".  Warren Spahn was the left handed "selection".

As it turns out, Spahn was the starting pitcher for the NL in the 1958 ASG and Friend was the first righty to come on in relief.  Solid, picks by Topps, specially seeing how this was a late enough series in the 1958 set and they most likely used the power of hindsight.  

But just for the sake of argument, and to be consistent with my own agenda, here is a couple cards that never were based on the 1957 ASG.  In 1957 Curt Simmons was the starter and Lew Burdette was the first righty to come on in relief.

Here is where Topps takes a turn that only Topps could.  For their "58 All Star Selection" they chose Ed Bailey, who was the starter in the 1957 game.  Del Crandall was the starter in the 1958 ASG.  Crandall was also the Sporting News All Star selection for 1958. 

 

Topps All-Star Misses: 1962 NL Outfield

 The 1962 Topps All Star NL outfield is a bit of mixed bag.  They had Aaron, Mays and Frank Robinson.  The actual outfield in both 1961 games was Mays, Clemente and Cepeda.  Now, Topps did have an All Star card of Cepeda at 1st base.  In 1962 he did move back to 1st and was the starter at 1st in both '62 games.  He was also a 1962 Sporting News All Star selection at 1st base in 1962.  So that checks out.  Frank Robinson was also a Sporting News All Star in 1961 and 1962. Still good so far. But Where is Clemente? He started all 4 ASGs in 1961 and 1962.  He was also a 1961 Sporting News All Star.  The other missing Star was Tommy Davis.  He was a starter in both 1962 games and was a 1962 Sporting News All Star.

Who probably didn't merit inclusion in the 1962 Topps All-Star set, but was in it anyway?

Hank Aaron:

This almost feels blasphemous, but the Hammer probably didn't belong.  He was a reserve for all 4 ASGs in 1961 and 1962, but not a starter.  He wasn't a Sporting News All Star selection either year. 

Topps All-Star Misses: 1961 NL Infield

 There were two All Star Games in 1960 and in 1961 Topps had Panch Herrera as their All Star first baseman, Mazeroski at second, Ken Boyer at 3rd and Ernie Banks at short.  Only Maz and Banks started in the 1960 games.  Although Boyer didn't start in the 1960 ASGs he was the 1961 Sporting News All Star selection at 3rd base.  Here are a few cards that could have been included in that All Star subset.

At first Topps could have included Joe Adcock who actually started both 1960 ASGs.  They also could have had Orlando Cepeda who was The Sporting News actual 1962 All Star selection at 1st base.

At second, they could have included Frank Bolling.  He was the 1962 Sporting News All Star selection at second base.  And at third, his teammate, Eddie Mathews, started both 1960 ASGs.

At short, The Sporting News All Star was Maury Wills.  Of course, he was famously not under contract with Topps at the time.  So here is what could've been:

Who probably didn't merit inclusion in the 1961 Topps All-Star set, but was in it anyway?

Frank (Pancho) Herrera:

Herrera was 2nd place in Rookie of the Year voting in 1960, far behind Frank Howard. He also led the league in errors at first base and had a then MLB record of 136 strikeouts.  He wasn't a 1960 All Star, nor was he a Sporting News All Star.  He is an interesting side note though.  He played from 1955-1974 in pro ball. Only parts of three seasons were at the Major League level.  In that time he amassed 305 homers at all levels.  He was elected to the International League Hall of Fame in 2008.

Topps All-Star Misses: 1960 NL Battery

The 1960 Topps All Star set were supposedly "Sport Magazine" selections.  Unfortunately, I can't find any list to verify that.  The Sporting News also selects an All Star team.  Their National League battery included Ernie Broglio, Vern Law, Warren Spahn and Del Crandall.  That's one lefty handed pitcher, two right handed and one catcher.  At first I thought that maybe one of those pitchers was a reliever, but all three are starters.  I'm not sure why TSN included 3 pitchers.  Del Crandall was already included in the Topps set, but the three pitchers who were "Sporting News" selections were not.  Therefor this may be a bit of a stretch for this project.  Nonetheless, Here they are:

Topps All-Star Misses: 1962 NL Infield

 While the Topps 1962 "Sporting News National League All-Star" infield didn't quite match the 1961 MLB All Stars, it was very similar to the actual "Sporting News" All Star selections with one glaring omission.  TSN had Cepeda at 1st, Mazeroski at 2nd, Ken Boyer at 3rd and Maury Wills at short.  Topps had Cepeda, Maz, Boyer and Roy McMillan?? McMillan was last selected to the All Star team in 1957 when Reds fans stuffed the ballot boxes.  The four below represent the actual NL infield in both 1961 ASGs.  Around the horn we have Bill White at 1st, Frank Bolling at 2nd, Wills at short and Eddie Mathews at 3rd.

Who probably didn't merit inclusion in the 1962 Topps All-Star set, but was in it anyway?

Roy McMillan:

McMillan was undoubtably included due to Topps not having Wills under contract. And I suspect it was a big reason for the gap from 1963-1967 when Topps had no All Star cards at all.

1957 Topps Football Cards as Baseball Cards

 In 1957 both Topps baseball and football cards became the modern standard size of 2.5" x 3.5".  The football cards featured side by side photos, one head shot and one "action" photo.  Here is George Blanda's 1957 Topps card.

And here is the 1957 NL MVP Hank Aaron on a 1957 Topps football styled card.

 

Topps All-Star Misses: 1959 NL Outfield

 In 1959 Topps got it nearly right in the NL outfield. They had Aaron and Mays who were not only the starters from the 1958 All Star Game, but also selected to The Sporting News All Star roster. In 1959 The Sporting News All Stars weren't separated AL and NL and the 3rd outfielder was the great Ted Williams. But the 1958 ASG starting left fielder Bob Skinner was left out.

Which begs the question why Covington? Topps included Wes Covington in their All Star Subset although he never made an All Star team in his career. He also was never named to The Sporting News All Star team.  He had a career year in 1958 with personal bests in batting average, homeruns and RBIs, but only his HR total broke the top ten in the NL.  He even was 16th in NL MVP voting, coincidentally just one behind Bob Skinner.  Another Topps mystery.

Topps All-Star Misses: 1958 NL Infield

Topps choices for the 1958 All Star cards are a bit murky. This is for two reasons, the first being Topps attributing the player selection to the editors of "Sport" magazine, not the actual starters of the 1957 or 1958 All Star games.  Instead they attribute them as "Sport" magazine All Star selections.  

The other issue was ballot box stuffing involving Cincinnati in 1957.  Seven of their position players made the starting roster.  The only non-Redlegs position player chosen by the fans was Stan Musial.  The commissioner stepped in and replaced Cincinnati outfielders Gus Bell and Wally Post with Aaron and Mays. Infielders Don Hoak and Roy McMillan started but were replaced by the NL manager after just one at bat. Eddie Mathews and Ernie Banks replaced them respectively.

So who actually deserves a 1958 Topps All Star card and who doesn't?  Hoak and McMillan, were technically the 1957 starters, so arguments can be made for them.  

The 1958 Sporting News selection for 3rd base was Frank Thomas.  An argument can be made for him as well. This despite Topps clearly labeling these as "Sport" magazine All Star selections.

Eddie Mathews has a card but maybe shouldn't.  I only say this (hesitantly) because he technically wasn't the 1957 starter, nor was he a 1958 "Sporting News" All Star selection.  But since he replaced Hoak after just one at bat in '57, he has a solid claim.  Therefore I am posting his card with some reservation.

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 My latest project is making All Star Cards That Never Year for the years 1958-62 and 1968-70.  During those years Topps decision making on these cards was haphazard and a mystery to everybody but Topps. They were NOT based on the current season's "Sporting News All Stars" nor the previous season's ASG starters.  So I've made additional cards based on this criteria.   

What started as an idea for a small project, ballooned to over 150 cards so I'll be posting these in small doses.  I'll be breaking it down by year, league (NL or AL), and positions (battery, infield and outfield).

Topps All-Star Misses: 1962 NL Battery

 My latest project is making All Star Cards That Never Year for the years 1958-62 and 1968-70.  During those years Topps decision making on these cards was haphazard and a mystery to everybody but Topps. They were NOT based on the current season's "Sporting News All Stars" nor the previous season's ASG starters.  So I've made additional cards based on this criteria.   

What started as an idea for a small project, ballooned to over 150 cards so I'll be posting these in small doses.  I'll be breaking it down by year, league (NL or AL), and positions (battery, infield and outfield).

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With the 1962 set there were a lot of All Stars to choose from.  In 1961 MLB was still running 2 All Star Games each season. Game 2 actually ended on a tie. It was the first tie game in All Star history and it was due to rain.  The only other tie was Bud Selig's 2002 fiasco.

Sandy Koufax:

• 
  Although not a starter in either 1961 ASGs, he was the first lefty to come in relief in game 2.
• All Star reserve in 1961 and 1961. 
• 18th in 1961 MVP voting.
• 24th in 1962 MVP voting.
• Led NL with 269 Ks in 1961.

Bob Purkey:

• Starting pitcher in 1961 AS Game 2.
• All Star reserve in 1961 ASG 1.
• All Star reserve in both 1962 ASGs.
• 1962 Sporting News All Star RHP.
• 3rd in Cy Young voting 1962.
• 8th in 1962 NL MVP voting 1962.

Smoky Burgess:

• Staring Catcher in both 1961 ASGs
• 1961 Sporting News All Star

Del Crandall:

• 1962 Sporting News All Star.
• Missed most of 1961 due to shoulder injury.
• Starting Catcher in bot 1962 ASGs.
• 1962 Gold Glove.

Who probably didn't merit inclusion in the 1962 Topps All-Star set, but was in it anyway?

Johnny Roseboro

Roseboro was a Gold Glove in 1961 and was 19th in MVP voting in 1961. He was a back-up catcher in both 1961 and both 1962 ASGs.  But because he was not selected to the Sporting News All Star team in 1961 or 1962 nor was he a starter in either of those seasons, his inclusion is questionable.

The Hammer

 1934-2021

Today marks another passing of a legend.  Sometimes an over-used term, but not in this case.  Hank Aaron was a hero of my youth.  Unlike some other heroes, I never later learned of a dark side.  My opinion was not tainted over the years.  He was as great off the field as on.

I happen to be tinkering with another project, and had he makings of this card ready.  My project is how Topps got their All-Star cards wrong.  We've all noticed how Topps All-Stars didn't match the actual All-Stars or even The Sporting News All-Stars. So I'm working on correcting that.  In 1969, Hank Aaron was named a Sporting News All-Star, and was a starting outfielder in the 1969 All Star Game.  But Topps left him out of the subset.

I wanted to include this actual card here as well.  I started collecting in 1974 and this card contained two if my favorite players.  Great pictures, too.  It is a shame that they both recently passed.  

I've made countless Cards That Never Were of Hank Aaron.  Here are as many as I can remember at this time.  I'm sure that I'm leaving out a few.