1952 Topps Survivors

I was just reading the "Night Owl" post from June 3rd, about how the players of our youth seem to be passing away at an alarming rate.  Specifically, players from the 1975 Topps set.  It reminded me of another blogger who passed away a little over 4 years ago, Bob Lemke.  Bob kept tabs of who was still alive from the 1952 Topps set. 

Obviously, the list hasn't been updated in quite a while, so here is Bob's last update from November 2016  (Link Here).  This was his list of surviving players from the 1952 Topps set: 

PLAYER                     1952 TOPPS   BIRTH          TEAM
                        `           CARD NO.      DATE
Wally Westlake           38                    11/08/1920   SLC
Eddie Robinson           32                    12/15/1920   CWS
Sam Mele                    94                    01/21/1922   WSH
Gil Coan                      91                    05/18/1922   WSH
Red Schoendienst       91                    02/02/1923    SLC
Solly Hemus                196                  04/17/1923   SLC
Bob Kuzava                 85                    05/28/1923   NYY
Ed Fitz Gerald             236                  05/21/1924   PIT
Charlie Silvera             168                  10/13/1924   NYY
Irv Noren                     40                    11/29/1924   WSH
Wayne Terwilliger         7                      06/27/1925   BRO
Bobby Shantz              219                  09/26/1925   PHA
Ned Garver                 212                  12/25/1925   SLB
Bob Borkowski            328                  01/27/1926   CIN
Randy Jackson           322                  02/10/1926   CHC
Howie Judson             169                  02/16/1926   CWS
Bob Miller                    187                  06/16/1926   PHI
Bobby Morgan             355                  06/29/1926   BRO  
Johnny Groth              25                    07/23/1926   DET
Roy Sievers                 64                    11/18/1926   WSH
Carl Erskine                250                  12/13/1926   BRO
Carl Scheib                 116                  01/01/1927   PHA
Charlie Maxwell           180                  04/08/1927   BRS
Cloyd Boyer                280                  09/01/1927   SLC
Bob Kelly                     348                  10/04/1927   CHC
Tommy Brown             281                  12/06/1927   PHI
Dick Gernert                343                  09/28/1928   BRS
Joe Presko                  220                  10/07/1928   SLC
Bob Ross                    298                  11/02/1928   WSH
Curt Simmons             203                  05/19/1929   PHI
Ted Lepcio                  335                  07/28/1929   BRS
Ike Delock                   329                  11/11/1929   BRS
Del Crandall                162                  03/05/1930   BOS
Vern Law                     81                    03/12/1930   PIT
Johnny Antonelli          140                  04/12/1930   BOS
Dick Groat                   369                  11/04/1930   PIT
Bob Friend                  233                  11/24/1930   PIT
Willie Mays                  261                  05/06/1931   NYG
Tony Bartirome           332                  05/09/1932   PIT
Dick Brodowski           404                  07/26/1932  BRS
Bobby Del Greco         353                  04/07/1933   PIT

His list of 41 has now dropped to just 15.  The oldest being Eddie Robinson at 100 years and the youngest being the "Say Hey Kid" at a youthful 90.

Here is the current list of the '52 survivors: 

• Eddie Robinson           32                    12/15/1920   CWS
• 
  
  
  
  
• Bobby Shantz              219                  09/26/1925   PHA
• 
  
  
  
  
• Bobby Morgan             355                  06/29/1926   BRO  
• 
  
  
  
  
• Johnny Groth              25                    07/23/1926   DET
• 
  
• 
   
• Carl Erskine                250                  12/13/1926   BRO
• 
  
  
  
  
• Charlie Maxwell           180                  04/08/1927   BRS
• 
  
  
  
  
• Cloyd Boyer                280                  09/01/1927   SLC
• 
  
  
  
  
•  Bob Kelly                     348                  10/04/1927   CHC
• 
  
  
  
  
•  Tommy Brown             281                  12/06/1927   PHI
• 
  
  
  
  
•  Bob Ross                    298                  11/02/1928   WSH
• 
  
  
  
  
•  Curt Simmons             203                  05/19/1929   PHI
• 
  
  
  
  
•  Ike Delock                   329                  11/11/1929   BRS
• 
  
  
  
  
•  Vern Law                     81                    03/12/1930   PIT
• 
  
  
  
  
•  Dick Groat                   369                  11/04/1930   PIT
• 
  
  
  
  
•  Willie Mays                  261                  05/06/1931   NYG
• 
  
• 

It really strikes me how beautiful these cards truly were.  As much as Topps (or anyone else) tries to replicate these, I don't think they quite capture the artistry of the original set.

Lastly, since this is a Cards That Never Were blog, I feel obliged to include at least one custom card.  So here is my custom card of Bob Lemke himself.  I'm not sure if he coined the phrase "Cards That Never Were" but it's the first place I'd heard it.  He was a huge influence on this blog and the card community as a whole: