My 1956 Topps Project

[Eric72]

After completing the Phillies team set, I decided to set my sights on the Big Apple. In 1956, baseball fans in New York had not yet felt the sting of losing two of their three teams. The Yankees were perennial favorites, the Dodgers had just won their first World Series, and the Giants captured a championship the year before. New York was the center of the baseball universe, and most of the brightest stars played their home games in the city that never sleeps.

The background picture on this Bob Cerv card exhibits many of the small details I enjoy from the 1956 Topps set. The stands are filled with fans, giving the scene a lively feel. Adding to the energy of this image is the twisted body of Cerv as he rounds first base. There is also a small cloud of dust around his feet, further displaying Cerv's somewhat frenetic movement.

Perhaps the most interesting detail is one that I missed when first looking at the card. At a spot roughly halfway between Cerv's chest and the ear of his portrait, there is a white sphere. Sure enough, it's a baseball. There are even visible stitches on the thing. Its size makes the ball appear closer (to the viewer) than the rest of the subjects in this scene. Additionally, it leaves me to wonder what happened to the ball before and after this precise moment in time.

Such a detail reinforces the depth and realism Topps likely sought to present with this image. It also truly brings me into the action. I can almost imagine being along the first base line on a late afternoon, watching the action up-close as the shadows grew longer and the game sped towards its conclusion.

EDIT TO ADD: I'm still not entirely sure Cerv is rounding first base here. the curvature of the dirt and presence of the foul line certainly led me to believe it was first. However, the stands in the background also seem to be located along the first base line. That scene even appears to include a dugout. Maybe Topps fused two images together? I'd love to hear some theories.

[56Horsehide]

Originally Posted by Eric72

Such a detail reinforces the depth and realism Topps likely sought to present with this image. It also truly brings me into the action. I can almost imagine being along the first base line on a late afternoon, watching the action up-close as the shadows grew longer and the game sped towards its conclusion.

EDIT TO ADD: I'm still not entirely sure Cerv is rounding first base here. the curvature of the dirt and presence of the foul line certainly led me to believe it was first. However, the stands in the background also seem to be located along the first base line. That scene even appears to include a dugout. Maybe Topps fused two images together? I'd love to hear some theories.

I think he is sliding into 3rd base and that is the 1st base dugout in the background. As a result of your posts, I am certainly going to take a much closer look at my '56 cards (57-60 too!).

[JollyElm]

The problem, though, is the curvature of the dirt. Unless I'm wrong, you don't see that on the inside of the infield area, just on the outside.

[nat]

Maybe that's not a dugout? Could it be a centerfield bullpen enclosed by a fence (that we're too far away to see)? I don't know enough about 1950s stadia to have any idea if that's something that they had, but otherwise it looks geometrically impossible.

[jchcollins]

Thanks for this thread, Eric. It's nice to see you pointing out the simple beauty and joy even in the commons. It's too often lost these days in a hobby where slabs and dollar signs seem to rule the day.

I've only been saying I should "do" the '56 set off and on for about 20 years now. It would be pretty easy to offiically start. I have the Mantle, the Williams, 2 Clemente's (both a white and gray back) and a pile of commons. I think it is hands down the best Topps set of all-time. So much of it just screams the 1950's.

I will look forward to your future posts!

-John

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by jchcollins

Thanks for this thread, Eric. It's nice to see you pointing out the simple beauty and joy even in the commons. It's too often lost these days in a hobby where slabs and dollar signs seem to rule the day.

I've only been saying I should "do" the '56 set off and on for about 20 years now. It would be pretty easy to offiically start. I have the Mantle, the Williams, 2 Clemente's (both a white and gray back) and a pile of commons. I think it is hands down the best Topps set of all-time. So much of it just screams the 1950's.

I will look forward to your future posts!

-John

John,

Thanks for your kind words. I really appreciate the feedback. If you do decide to pursue a '56 Topps deck, good luck and have fun.

Best regards,

Eric

[Eric72]

Roger Craig is a name with which I have seemingly always been familiar. As a youngster in the late 70’s, I became aware of Craig though seeing him pictured on the 1979 Padres team card. As a teenager in the late ‘80s, I knew him as the manager of a very good San Francisco Giants team. Acquiring this 1956 Topps rookie card of Craig took me back to both of those times in my life.

It is not surprising Topps included the young pitcher in their final oversized offering. The Brooklyn Dodgers had captured their first (and, as it turned out, their only) World Series the year before. Craig was not only a member of this championship club, he started game 5 of the series and picked up a win.

This fact is captured on the back of Craig’s card, presented within one of the cartoons displayed on most of the cards from this set. Additionally, Roger’s date of birth appears directly above this cartoon. Interestingly, Topps appears to have printed the wrong year. Craig was actually born in 1930. I didn’t give this much thought at first. There are quite a few uncorrected errors in Topps sets from this era. However, while looking through Beckett to confirm this was Craig’s rookie, I noticed the error was not catalogued as such. Although I doubt I’m the first one to notice this, it was neat to “discover” a mistake the guide didn’t have.

As for the front of the card, it depicts the tall, lean hurler following through on a pitch. The position of Craig’s left arm suggests that he put his whole body into throwing the ball. In his portrait, Roger bears a look of confidence befitting a world champion. The background, while not especially prominent, does offer up one notable and puzzling detail.

Between the nameplate and Roger’s cap, there are a few pennants waving in the breeze, along with something which looks like a fence of some sort. This “fence” also appears on the other side of Roger’s cap. I cannot, for the life of me, figure out (a) what this “fence” is and (b) what it is doing there. Any ideas you all may have would be greatly appreciated.