1958 Topps Race to the Finish

[Blackie]

[B]Hey guys, im closing in on a complete SGC graded set of 1958 Topps baseball and am looking to close in on a few more Strong EXNM to NMT cards that im needing....raw or graded. If you know of where to find any or see any good deals out there let me know. I know everyone is busy but if by chance you run across any.......

Here is my list




15 Jim Lemon
28 Jim Busby
41 Dave Hillman
48 Chuck Harmon
49 Smoky Burgess
59 Dick Sisler
73 Pete Daley
77 Don Zimmer (white team)
110 Johnny Logan
126 Stan Palys
134 Phil Phillies team card
137 Russ Kremmer
156 Dick Hyde
158 Clevland Indians
166 Danny O'Connell
171 Harry Anderson
184 Elvin Tappe
193 Jerry Lumpe
207 Solly Hemus
208 Cal McLish
210 Wally Moon
213 Red Wilson
216 St Louis Cardinals
231 Lloyd Merritt
242 Johnny Klippstein
243 Larry Raines
244 Don Demeter
268 Granny Hamner
276 Bobby Avlia
278 Mack Burk
287 Sam Jones
290 Dick Donovan
297 Don Buddin
298 Jim Hearn
301 Randy Jackson
303 Neil Chrisley
305 Clem Labine
306 Whammy Douglass
308 Paul Giel
313 Bob Rush
317 Albie Pearson
319 Lou Skizas
323 Elmer Valo
327 Chiago Cubs
332 Jim King
345 Jim Hegan
348 Chico Fernandez
394 Jim Grant
387 Detroit Tigers (alaphabetical)
405 Ken Aspromonte
413 Jim Davenport
422 Norm Zauchin
423 Phil Clark
430 Bobby Thomson
449 Gene Fodge
463 Vito Valentinetti
474 Roman SemprochB]

[ALR-bishop]

Do you have card 145 yet ?

[Blackie]

Let me check

[Blackie]

Do you have card 145 yet ?



Very funny there is not a card#145 in the set. I was thinking that when i see it but checked anyway... If u by chance have this deleted card please share.

[Blackie]

Card 145 was supposed to be Ed Bochee

[ALR-bishop]

Right. He is on the Phils team card checklist as 145 but latter checklists leave that number blank. Topps apparently canceled the card after his suspension from baseball for legal issues. A lot of us have looked for a possible proof card or a card that may have been part of an early run before such cancellation, but none apparently exist .

I only raised it because I know a couple of creative guys currently working on a mock card 145.

There are several early 50s Topps sets with missing numbers. Some initially suspected Topps of "creating" missing numbers on purpose to keep kids buying packs to find the missing cards, but it appears most of the missing cards were the result of contract disputes with Bowman over exclusive player rights. But Bouche was intentionally pulled following his legal difficulties after his very good 1957 season.

Good luck with finishing the set, it was the second set I finished and the first one I started...in 1958. I have some dupes but not in the condition you need since they were cards I upgraded later.

[Samsdaddy]

Right. He is on the Phils team card checklist as 145 but latter checklists leave that number blank. Topps apparently canceled the card after his suspension from baseball for legal issues. A lot of us have looked for a possible proof card or a card that may have been part of an early run before such cancellation, but none apparently exist .

I only raised it because I know a couple of creative guys currently working on a mock card 145.

There are several early 50s Topps sets with missing numbers. Some initially suspected Topps of "creating" missing numbers on purpose to keep kids buying packs to find the missing cards, but it appears most of the missing cards were the result of contract disputes with Bowman over exclusive player rights. But Bouche was intentionally pulled following his legal difficulties after his very good 1957 season.

Good luck with finishing the set, it was the second set I finished and the first one I started...in 1958. I have some dupes but not in the condition you need since they were cards I upgraded later.

Al, what were his legal difficulties? Bouche have a Topps card in following years?

[ALR-bishop]

Yes, he has a nice 1959 card, but after a very promising rookie year he pleaded guilty to a morals charge involving some young girls. He was then suspended by MLB, but reinstated in July of 1958. If you google his name you will find accounts of the incident, which if it occurred today would likely have ended his career on the spot and may have resulted in prison time and a sex offender label. After this incident his career tailed off dramatically.

He also had Topps cards in 1960, 1961 and 1962 l. Bob Lemke has just posted a custom 1958 Ed Bouche "card that never was" # 145 on the CU board

[Bob Lemke]

Here's my custom creation of a '58 Bouchee #145
59632

[7nohitter]

Bob,

That's a great looking custom card!

[Blackie]

I agree...........may have to print it out and put in a card saver I just to have one in the set......LOL

[Samsdaddy]

Here's my custom creation of a '58 Bouchee #145
59632

Very nice.

Mr. Lemke, on a side note, I still have the very first issue of Baseball Cards magazine in 1981 that you helped write and create.

I treasured that magazine. Actually, I still do. The magazine is still completely intact but I have had to use tape to keep the cover from tearing more than it has.

Sorry, did not mean to hijack this thread.

[Bob Lemke]

Thanks, Erik,

I consider the Spring, 1981, issue (#1) of Baseball Cards magazine to be the highlight of my 32+ years with Krause Publications. I was able to convince the owner and the publisher of a multi-million dollar hobby publishing company that baseball cards were the next hot collectible (well, at that time they were).

BBC was the first baseball card magazine to include full-size, full-color images of cards, and was the ever to be sold on national newsstands. The 125,000 print run of that first issue was the largest circulation of any card periodical ever and blew away the combined circulation of every other card publication at that time.

Putting even that rudimentary price guide into the public's hands really cheesed off the motel buyers who were rampant at that time, stealing shoe box collections for pennies on the dollar.

[Samsdaddy]

Thanks, Erik,

I consider the Spring, 1981, issue (#1) of Baseball Cards magazine to be the highlight of my 32+ years with Krause Publications. I was able to convince the owner and the publisher of a multi-million dollar hobby publishing company that baseball cards were the next hot collectible (well, at that time they were).

BBC was the first baseball card magazine to include full-size, full-color images of cards, and was the ever to be sold on national newsstands. The 125,000 print run of that first issue was the largest circulation of any card periodical ever and blew away the combined circulation of every other card publication at that time.

Putting even that rudimentary price guide into the public's hands really cheesed off the motel buyers who were rampant at that time, stealing shoe box collections for pennies on the dollar.


If I am not mistaken, you even mention that in your editorial in the first issue of BBC regarding the fact some dealers/sellers are going to upset with you for publishing the magazine and including the price guide.

Two memories of that first issue stick out. The article on plastic sheets ruining collections and the two page full color spread of some of the most collectible baseball cards of all time provided by the late Larry Fritsch.

[Tomman1961]

Samsdaddy/Bob Lemke. I also remember the fear of PVC sheets with plastisizer added for softness. What is the thought today? I worked for a company in 2002 that had samples of PVC products made in 1970, stored for customers.By 2002 the samples were a gooey mess. If I bought sheets made in 1979, will they turn my complete 1955 Topps set into a gooey mess?

[ALR-bishop]

I have a copy of the #1 issue as well and also took note of that article. It caused me to move my older sets ( 48 and 51 to 80) to non PVC sheets. That was a lot of work. And after 82 my sets are also in non PVC sheets.

But just to see what would happen I left my 81 and 82 sets in the old sheets and check them from time to time. So far the cards seem fine but the sheets do stick together some, and you can feel some residue on those sheets. But the cards still can be removed ok and do not seem to have lost color or have the feel of the sheets.

[Volod]

My first strong aversion to album storage came as a result of buying some cards through the mail in 1983 and noticing the revolting odor of vinyl that filled the air when they fell out of the mailer. They had obviously been stored in cheap plastic for two or three decades, since that was primarily all that was available for albums before the '80's. I felt like refunding them, but just chalked it up to experience and only bought cards over the counter for several years after that.

[Samsdaddy]

Samsdaddy/Bob Lemke. I also remember the fear of PVC sheets with plastisizer added for softness. What is the thought today? I worked for a company in 2002 that had samples of PVC products made in 1970, stored for customers.By 2002 the samples were a gooey mess. If I bought sheets made in 1979, will they turn my complete 1955 Topps set into a gooey mess?

I am no expert in this area but my thinking is why not just buy new sheets. You know today's sheets are top quality, won't damage your cards and are fairly inexpensive. Sure it will be a pain to transfer all your sets over but you will have peace of mind.

I do not have a huge collection as I have returned to the hobby after being away for a while. All my cards are in penny sleeves and then inserted into Top Loaders or Card Saver 1's. I used to have some sets in sheets but some of the cards would creep up in the sheets exposing the top and it drove this OCD guy insane.

[Tomman1961]

Samsdaddy:
Point well taken.Time to get them into new pages, and stop asking the question.I think it is time I break down and buy new pages for my sets instead of crossing my fingers. Maybe we are saying to collectors that have this fear-spend the pennies to save your cards.
In my post I was saying I worked for a company in 2002 that had customer samples stored away. The samples were the size of an index card, and used as color matches for their vinyl products. 30 years later after the customers were long gone, I decided to clean out the samples room.The samples were 3 x 5 by about 1/8" thick. And slimy.
Tomorrow I buy 8 pocket pages for by 1953-1956 Topps.
Thank-Tom

[Tomman1961]

Blackie-
Back to your post. I do not have time today,but will look tomorrow, as I THINK, I have some beautiful 1958T Team cards I bought in a Team lot that might grade for you.How do we work this? I can send to you so you can look at? Or a scan?But again-I am posting quickly that I might have them.Not sure.I have to do some digging tomorrow.

[Samsdaddy]

Samsdaddy:
Point well taken.Time to get them into new pages, and stop asking the question.I think it is time I break down and buy new pages for my sets instead of crossing my fingers. Maybe we are saying to collectors that have this fear-spend the pennies to save your cards.
In my post I was saying I worked for a company in 2002 that had customer samples stored away. The samples were the size of an index card, and used as color matches for their vinyl products. 30 years later after the customers were long gone, I decided to clean out the samples room.The samples were 3 x 5 by about 1/8" thick. And slimy.
Tomorrow I buy 8 pocket pages for by 1953-1956 Topps.
Thank-Tom

Good idea Tom. It will be a wise purchase.

As I have said before, the 1958 Topps All-Star Sub set is one of my all time favorite group of cards. Musial, Mays and Mantle are the best IMO.

[Bob Lemke]

We took a lot of heat for running that PVC-sheets article . . . mostly from those who sold the sheets. But I knew we were right at the time, and the passage of time has proved it.

[Volod]

Krause advertisers too, I'll bet. Probably 95% of companies with a vested financial interest in a product will attack the messenger rather than take a hard look at the product when questions are raised...money overrules common sense.

[Blackie]

Here is my list........looking for Strong EXNM or better..........


28 Jim Busby
34 Bob Thurman
41 Dave Hillman
48 Chuck Harmon
49 Smoky Burgess
59 Dick Sisler
73 Pete Daley
77 Don Zimmer (white team)
110 Johnny Logan
126 Stan Palys
134 Phil Phillies team card
137 Russ Kremmer
156 Dick Hyde
158 Clevland Indians
166 Danny O'Connell
171 Harry Anderson
184 Elvin Tappe
193 Jerry Lumpe
198 Bill Virdon
207 Solly Hemus
208 Cal McLish
210 Wally Moon
213 Red Wilson
216 St Louis Cardinals
231 Lloyd Merritt
242 Johnny Klippstein
243 Larry Raines
244 Don Demeter
268 Granny Hamner
276 Bobby Avlia
278 Mack Burk
290 Dick Donovan
297 Don Buddin
298 Jim Hearn
301 Randy Jackson
303 Neil Chrisley
305 Clem Labine
306 Whammy Douglass
308 Paul Giel
313 Bob Rush
317 Albie Pearson
319 Lou Skizas
323 Elmer Valo
327 Chiago Cubs
332 Jim King
345 Jim Hegan
348 Chico Fernandez
394 Jim Grant
387 Detroit Tigers (alaphabetical)
405 Ken Aspromonte
413 Jim Davenport
422 Norm Zauchin
423 Phil Clark
430 Bobby Thomson
449 Gene Fodge
463 Vito Valentinetti
474 Roman Semproch