My 1956 Topps Project

[cardsagain74]

Originally Posted by Eric72

Congrats on the Mantle! I'm super happy for you. It's a great feeling to snag a classic baseball card, isn't it?

Thanks Eric. Looking forward to adding the Mantle and my new '56 commons to my '55 set to make a bigger hybrid combo set that, once I find the '56 team cards too, will cover everyone and everything that both years have to offer. It should all mesh well since the design and player photos are so similar

But I still love the longer journey you're taking with this. Sometimes I wish I had that patience!

[Eric72]

My next card from the Philly show pickup is this copy of #127. I'm not sure what's more appealing, the action shot or the remarkable nickname.

Willie "Puddin Head" Jones played with the Phillies for 13 years and earned two All-Star nods in the early fifties. He joined the team in 1947, as a 21 year-old who had recently been discharged from the Navy and played some semipro ball.

The focal point of this card is the action shot, in which Jones is pictured sliding into home. An umpire looks on as the opposing catcher attempts to apply the tag, apparently too late.

There is something else which caught my attention. Within the yellow box in the upper left, "3rd base PHILADELPHIA PHILS" is noticeably tilted. Interestingly, this appears the same on the other examples I've seen pictured online, including a Mint 9 copy pictured on the PSA website.

[cardsagain74]

Almost directed you to all the '56 T offered today, but I see you found it already

[Eric72]

My next Philly Show pickup is this Glen Gorbous, a light-hitting outfielder with a relatively short career in the Major Leagues.

The backdrop of this card is awash with green. Seemingly everything has an emerald tint, including the rather lengthy fence and stands visible behind him. In the foreground of the action shot, Gorbous stands with hands on knees and his eyes gazing upwards. Perhaps he is contemplating one of his four career home runs. More likely, he is tracking an imaginary fly ball as he poses for the picture.

There is a certain stillness and sadness about the images on this card. For a kid in his mid-20s playing pro baseball, Gorbous isn't smiling. Quite the contrast when compared to some of the other cards in the 1956 Topps set.

[Eric72]

Of the cards I picked up at the Philly Show, there was exactly one of a Hall of Famer. Robin Roberts was the ace of the Phillies staff in the 1950s, racking up 199 wins and securing seven All-Star selections during the decade. Roberts also finished in the top 10 of MVP voting five times in a seven year stretch, a further indication of just how good the right-hander was.

This particular example is on the lower end of the condition range I'm looking for, as it sports a crease in the bottom left corner. Still, the card displays nicely and the crease does not distract from any of the features or images.

Roberts' portrait stands out to me for several reasons. For starters, his eyes are intensely focused, almost penetrating. Also, the way his eyebrows are shaped, he has a somewhat sinister look about him. It almost seems that he is staring intently at me, through the cardboard, from a moment captured 64 years ago. Additionally, and almost comically, there is Roberts' cap. He hasn't quite pulled it down as far as other players would. It makes me think he didn't want to mess up his hair that day. Given the seriousness of his facial features, this looks (to me, anyway) hilarious. Rather than wear his cap, Roberts put the thing gently atop his head.

One other thing grabbed my attention. In the top left quadrant, underneath the nameplate, there is an orange box. Contained within this box are the position and team name. As with some other cards in this set, there is a definite slant. As stated previously, little imperfections such as this are neat to me. They serve as reminders of the time in which they were made...and the time frame in which they were put together.

Lastly, there is the action pose, which is simple yet effective. It captures Roberts as he enters into a wind-up, amidst a plain yet beautiful background. All in all, this is a very attractive card of one of the best pitchers to ever wear a Phillies uniform.