Unique Writeups on Card Back?

[AMPduppp]

Addie Joss's T205 is well-known for the unique tribute on the back following his passing. It got me thinking...what are some other notable or unique examples of writeups on the card back?

[Leon]

I like this one. The quite rare Ty Corn on the Cobb...

[jakebeckleyoldeagleeye]

Still get a chuckle out of the cartoon on the back of Don Rudolph's 1959 Topps card where it says his wife is a professional dancer. Her stage name was Patti Waggin and she was a burlesque dancer but it doesn't say that.

[Georj]

Many of Eddie Waitkus' cards mention this incident on his cards

[AMPduppp]

Great cards so far. Here’s my favorite on the back of Eckersley’s rookie card

[Jay Wolt]

Originally Posted by Georj

Many of Eddie Waitkus' cards mention this incident on his cards

When I saw the title of this thread, I initially thought of Waitkus '55 Bowman,
after all being shot by a deranged girl, was his Biggest Thrill"

[vansaad]

The back of the Old Gold Robinson's are pretty neat.

[vansaad]

Apparently Dave Bennett had a time machine.

[Kawika]

This thread makes me think of Cubs pitcher Johnny Klippstein's '53 Topps card that mentions that he was a mailman in the off-season. Not too many players working Joe jobs like that anymore.

[Leon]

"though a full blooded Indian he is mild mannered"

I wonder what other full blooded Indians would say about that?

There are quite a few politically incorrect sayings on cards that would never pass societies muster today. This one even made me cringe a tiny bit

[vansaad]

Originally Posted by Leon

"though a full blooded Indian he is mild mannered"

I wonder what other full blooded Indians would say about that?

There are quite a few politically incorrect sayings on cards that would never pass societies muster today. This one even made me cringe a tiny bit

Yikes. Jackie's Old Gold was more subtle with the reference to Jackie being "even-tempered and modest."

[jingram058]

He helped the Indians win the 1948 World Series, but that is insignificant next to his WW 2 exploits.

[wolf441]

I have a friend who is an astronomer as well as a baseball card collector and this card back drives him crazy. When he talks about astronomy, I like to ask him if Mercury is in retrograde!

[G1911]

A sadder one:

[G1911]

Originally Posted by jingram058

He helped the Indians win the 1948 World Series, but that is insignificant next to his WW 2 exploits.

Lou Brissie's cards are similar. Bowman resisted the urge to talk about it in 1952.

[G1911]

The aforementioned Don Rudolph card referencing his wife's 'profession'.

[Carter08]

Originally Posted by Leon

"though a full blooded Indian he is mild mannered"

I wonder what other full blooded Indians would say about that?

There are quite a few politically incorrect sayings on cards that would never pass societies muster today. This one even made me cringe a tiny bit

Holy cow

[mikemb]

Originally Posted by G1911

The aforementioned Don Rudolph card referencing his wife's 'profession'.

What is sad is Don died in a traffic accident in 1968, only 37 years old.

Mike

[G1911]

Originally Posted by mikemb

What is sad is Don died in a traffic accident in 1968, only 37 years old.

Mike

Didn't know that, only 2 years after he hung up his cleats.

[jakebeckleyoldeagleeye]

His truck overturned and he was thrown out of it and the truck rolled over and crushed him.

[brianp-beme]

1911 Obak card writeups are a fun blend of corniness and generic statements, quite often with a focus on either lesser or nonconsequential aspects of the game, as well as sometimes really exaggerating the player's abilities. Here are 16 winners from the set, and I will highlight key features of each in case you are unable/unwilling to read all the backs.


Thorsen - is "a young giant of husky build" who "fields his position in average style"

Ables - another "giant" who is "one of the few men in baseball who can cover the entire ball with his hand"

Mitze - is "clever at tagging runners, is sure on foul flies and displays good judgement in all points of the game"

Pearce - is "one of the largest men as catchers in baseball" (size theme becoming evident), who "works hard at winning and is always trying"

Pyfl - evidently "plays a snappy game", but is also an "enthusiastic worker, with a good supply of "ginger""

Rodgers - is one who "puts up a clever game at second base", and "is noted for his snap and vim and ground covering tendencies" (if only all of us could be blessed with such tendencies)

LaLonge - is one "of the smallest catchers in the League" who "shoots the ball around in lively style" and is known as " a peppery player and a dangerous hitter" (despite a 3 year .195 batting average)

Lerchen - is the "youngest and smallest short stop in the League" who is "very clever on double plays" who also "shows rare skill in tagging base runners"

Mohler - besides being a "wizard on ground balls", Mohler is "the cleverest man in the League at tagging base runners". Not to mention that his "clever inside work has been responsible in a large measure for his team's success", as well as being "a very clever batsman" (over 40% of 1911 Obak writeups have either the word 'clever', 'cleverest' or 'cleverly', but I believe Mohler is the only player bestowed with it three times)

Schmidt - not only is Schmidt "a very clever throwing catcher" who "shoots the ball to the bags in dazzling style", but his "throws have prevented many a stolen base", which shouldn't overshadow how "strong on foul flies" he is, nor that he possesses that rare ability of a player who "runs the bases with judgement"

Carson - was left on the short end of the writeup schtick, merely possessing "a cracker-jack underhand curve"

Raleigh - is "one of the cleverest left-handed pitchers in the League" who "has shown rare form and has been getting away with his games in good style"

Bues - "fields in great form and is a corking good hitter" who, unlike other of his slacker teammates and fellow opponents, "is a valuable base runner"

Cooney - this says it all: "A clever base-runner, a fine run-getter and a player who is up to all the tricks in the game." Ok, maybe he has more to offer, as he is also "a hard man to play for, owing to his clever bunting"

Zimmerman - he is "a clever utility man" and a very clever base-runner" who "has made quite a name for himself as a heady player" (double cleverness and headiness don't often mix, but Zimmerman somehow pulls it off in good form)

Erickson - is one of the "big right-handers" who is "pitching gilt-edged ball" and tops it all off with being "a wonderful fielding pitcher for such a big chap"


Brian

[G1911]

Ron Kline just gets roasted on his card:

[Vintagedeputy]

Cock fighting!

[BobC]

Originally Posted by Vintagedeputy

Cock fighting!

WOW!

That would go over great today, huh?

[Vintagedeputy]

Originally Posted by BobC

WOW!

That would go over great today, huh?

Yeah, probably not. Always cracked me up though.

[ALBB]

Patti Waggin was quite a character !

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by Vintagedeputy

Cock fighting!

Big Yeddy is making a biiiig mistake, Yeddy!

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by Kawika

This thread makes me think of Cubs pitcher Johnny Klippstein's '53 Topps card that mentions that he was a mailman in the off-season. Not too many players working Joe jobs like that anymore.

Johnny was such a nice, modest guy. He seemed to have the perfect mixture of self confidence and humility. If you ever met him, this became clear right away. Really glad that I knew him. He did really well for himself in the corrugated container industry. Even into his 60's, he was working three jobs at once in spite of not needing to. He always looked far younger than his years. He married teammate Dutch Leonard's niece, who had a sister with special needs and was unable to live independently. Selflessly, they took her in and cared for her. I can't believe he's been gone nearly 20 years.

Funny, I remember asking Johnny about working as a mailman because of that card!

[Kawika]

Thanking you for sharing your recollections of Johnny Klippstein. Just read his SABR bio. Eighteen years in the bigs, never quite met the high expectations but many flashes of brilliance. By all accounts a good, humble man. It was said that he was one of the most-liked players of his time. You're lucky to have been his friend.