Roberto Clemente Signature "Bob"

[AndrewJerome]

This is a very interesting topic. The Topps usage and changes over time especially. Why would Topps unilaterally make the change to Bob without asking him? And why was the change made to Bob in the first place if no one called him Bob? Surely if he asked for a change back to Roberto, Topps would have made the change for him, right? Certainly for the year after he requested the change. Why would Topps refuse to use the name he wanted? I don’t buy the idea that he allowed “Bob” just so he had a card. There would be a card of him every year either way, why not have it be the name he wanted? And why was the change made to Bob in the first place if no one called him Bob? That’s the part I’m confused about. Some random, rogue Topps employee doing this and having it stick for years doesn’t logically make any sense.

On the flip side, no one calls me Andy, always Andrew my whole life. If I had a card, and it said Andy on it, my initial thought (now) would be like you gotta change that thing asap. Like yesterday. However, when I was a young kid 15 1/2 working my first job, they made a shirt for me that said “Andy” on it. They didn’t ask me, just printed it that way. And I wore it that way the entire time I worked there because I thought it was funny. So who knows!

I guess the threshold question to answer is: as a general matter, do we know what power players had over what exact name was put on a Topps card? And are there other players whose name/nickname changed on the front of their cards over the course of their Topps run?

[EddieP]

Originally Posted by AndrewJerome

And are there other players whose name/nickname changed on the front of their cards over the course of their Topps run?

Dick Allen. When he came up the Phillies called him “Richie” to make him less threatening. Allen hated that name. But his cards from 1964-70 had either “ Richie” or “Rich”.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Someone already mentioned Albert/Joey Belle. Topps decided to use "Rock Raines" on Tim's cards, but I want to say that was only for one year.

Tony Oliva was Pedro on his RC. There have been many others.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Ironically or not, Roberto, Bobby, and Bob Avila all appeared on different cards. Topps used Bobby. Bowman and Red Man used Roberto.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Orestes Minoso.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Ironically or not, Roberto, Bobby, and Bob Avila all appeared on different cards.

One guy who did not mind being called Bob. Signed his name that way all the time.

Then, there's Carlos Trevino, the elder, lesser-known brother of Alex. He had no major issue MLB cards, but was called "Bobby" for reasons unknown to me. He also apparently didn't mind the nickname, as he usually signed "Carlos 'Bobby' Trevino" post-career.

Miguels Gonzalez and de la Hoz are among several Miguels who had no problem being referred to as Mike, as they usually signed with the Americanized version of their first name.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

One guy who did not mind being called Bob. Signed his name that way all the time.

Then, there's Carlos Trevino, the elder, lesser-known brother of Alex. He had no major issue MLB cards, but was called "Bobby" for reasons unknown to me. He also apparently didn't mind the nickname, as he usually signed "Carlos 'Bobby' Trevino" post-career.

Miguels Gonzalez and de la Hoz are among several Miguels who had no problem being referred to as Mike, as they usually signed with the Americanized version of their first name.

Fun stories. Reminds me a bit of my own family history.

My great grandfather, Giuseppe Tranquillo Pinoli, immigrated to the US in 1901, ultimately landing in a rural part of NorCal known as Anderson Valley, along with his 4 brothers. On old maps of the area, there's even a part of Philo labeled as "Ite-Town", showing where the Italians all lived. Shortly after arriving, Giuseppe started to go by Joe. Even went so far as to sign just about everything Joe. After convincing my great-grandmother to move to the US (they were married in San Francisco after she arrived in 1913), and when they started having kids, a family friend convinced them to give the kids all solid American names - Arthur, Inez, Norris, and Raymond. If you happen to go to the Evergreen Cemetery in Boonville, you will notice that even his grave stone uses Joe.

Fast forward a few generations, and after serving a mission in Italy, my father decided all of his kids needed good Italian names. But growing up, everyone at school gave me crap for having a foreign sounding name, so I went by Nick. Took me a while to get a little confidence and realize that I should lean into it a bit more. When I went off to college, I discovered real quick that the ladies all seemed more interested in the exotic fellows. At that point, I dropped Nick and went by my full name Nicolo, and have never gone back.

Of course, if you talk to my mother or any of my siblings, I'm still Nick. And aside from my little nieces who call me Uncle Colo, everyone else calls me by my full name.

Except I guess for BobC, who took it upon himself to call me Nic, and I haven't had the heart to correct him.

[packs]

I would think the overall chances of Roberto Clemente signing his name as "Bob Clemente" would be pretty slim. Think about Giancarlo Stanton. As long as he went by "Mike Stanton" he didn't sign his name Giancarlo Stanton. Even now that he goes by Giancarlo Stanton professionally, he still uses his original "Mike Stanton" signature because I'm guessing that's how he was used to signing his name his entire life before he decided to go by his birth name.

He didn't start signing his name any differently and as far as I know unless specifically asked to sign Giancarlo he doesn't.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by AndrewJerome

And are there other players whose name/nickname changed on the front of their cards over the course of their Topps run?

This guy:

[Peter_Spaeth]

David Ortiz' LAST name changed.

[JollyElm]

George/Jorge Orta. I actually wrote to Topps thinking I found another incredible variation. Alas...

[packs]

Different set of circumstances but there’s Fausto Carmona and Roberto Hernandez.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by packs

Different set of circumstances but there’s Fausto Carmona and Roberto Hernandez.

https://www.si.com/mlb/guardians/opi...fausto-carmona

I remember well for a brief period, namely 2007, he was really quite good. Fortunately for the Red Sox, he didn't have it in either of his starts in the ALCS, got shelled.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

George/Jorge Orta. I actually wrote to Topps thinking I found another incredible variation. Alas...

Same for Bell.

[JollyElm]

Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B

Same for Bell.

OMG, I'm a 'misremembericating' idiot. It was actually Bell I wrote to Topps about. Had Mr. Orta on my mind, for some reason.