My 1956 Topps Project

[Eric72]

As a lifelong Phillies fan, I have long been familiar with the name Jim Konstanty. As a member of the pennant winning Whiz Kids, he won the 1950 National League MVP award. I was a young kid in the late '70s, and I often heard Phillies fans speak of that 1950 team, since they were the last Phillies club to reach the World Series.

By 1956, Konstanty was on the New York Yankees, the team which beat the Phillies in that Fall Classic. He was nearly 40 years old, and at the end of his career. In that year, Topps captured the veteran pitcher on card #321.

The portrait of Konstanty accurately depicts an athlete at the end of their playing days. It would not have surprised me to see "coach" or "manager" on the front nameplate rather than a position. He looks wise and learned; however, does not appear to be wildly energetic.

The background image intrigues me. At first glance, it appears to be a typical ballpark scene. As I looked more closely, though, I discovered that something simply did not add up. Furthest from the viewer, there is an outfield wall, visible stands, and some architectural features. It seems like the sight one would see from the third base dugout. Then, in the foreground, Konstanty is following through after throwing the ball...seemingly into that same dugout.

Additionally, take a look at the right edge of the card, near Konstanty's ear. There appears to be a fence and a treeline. I'm no photo expert; however, I believe the perspective is off here. In total, the action shot seems to have been crafted from three different pictures:

- Konstanty throwing
- The large outfield scene under the nameplate
- The small outfield scene near the right edge

As I continue to collect this set, it is becoming apparent that Topps took some creative license with the artwork for their cards. Not that there's anything wrong with them doing this. In a way, it actually adds to the appeal of the cards. Topps chose to produce something which would bring fans, predominantly children, closer to the game.

[Eric72]

Be honest, would you have guessed that Tommy Carroll finished his career with a .300 batting average? Granted, Carroll only played in a total of 64 games and collected only 30 at-bats. Still, not many players have compiled that magical lifetime mark.

His 1956 Topps card offers many interesting details which caught my eye, For starters, there's the background image. Take a look at Carroll's right foot. It certainly makes me wonder what took place the instant after this photo was taken. This fairly normal looking infield scene may very well have turned quite chaotic.

Aside from a potential kick-to-the-groin, there are some other things that I noticed on the card front which weren't in any of the other cards I have seen thus far. Carroll seems to have either run or slid so hard that his cap fell off. Now, this is a common scene in the game, especially when the runner in question is a teenager - Carroll was 19 years old when this issue was released. However, I simply had not yet sen a '56 Topps card depicting it.

Another thing that struck me as odd was the bill of Tommy Carroll's cap. In the portrait image, it appears much smaller than those worn by other players. In a way, it seems reminiscent of the caps worn by players in the 19th and early 20th centuries.