1958 Topps Race to the Finish

[Blackie]

Card 145 was supposed to be Ed Bochee

[ALR-bishop]

Right. He is on the Phils team card checklist as 145 but latter checklists leave that number blank. Topps apparently canceled the card after his suspension from baseball for legal issues. A lot of us have looked for a possible proof card or a card that may have been part of an early run before such cancellation, but none apparently exist .

I only raised it because I know a couple of creative guys currently working on a mock card 145.

There are several early 50s Topps sets with missing numbers. Some initially suspected Topps of "creating" missing numbers on purpose to keep kids buying packs to find the missing cards, but it appears most of the missing cards were the result of contract disputes with Bowman over exclusive player rights. But Bouche was intentionally pulled following his legal difficulties after his very good 1957 season.

Good luck with finishing the set, it was the second set I finished and the first one I started...in 1958. I have some dupes but not in the condition you need since they were cards I upgraded later.

[Samsdaddy]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Right. He is on the Phils team card checklist as 145 but latter checklists leave that number blank. Topps apparently canceled the card after his suspension from baseball for legal issues. A lot of us have looked for a possible proof card or a card that may have been part of an early run before such cancellation, but none apparently exist .

I only raised it because I know a couple of creative guys currently working on a mock card 145.

There are several early 50s Topps sets with missing numbers. Some initially suspected Topps of "creating" missing numbers on purpose to keep kids buying packs to find the missing cards, but it appears most of the missing cards were the result of contract disputes with Bowman over exclusive player rights. But Bouche was intentionally pulled following his legal difficulties after his very good 1957 season.

Good luck with finishing the set, it was the second set I finished and the first one I started...in 1958. I have some dupes but not in the condition you need since they were cards I upgraded later.

Al, what were his legal difficulties? Bouche have a Topps card in following years?

[ALR-bishop]

Yes, he has a nice 1959 card, but after a very promising rookie year he pleaded guilty to a morals charge involving some young girls. He was then suspended by MLB, but reinstated in July of 1958. If you google his name you will find accounts of the incident, which if it occurred today would likely have ended his career on the spot and may have resulted in prison time and a sex offender label. After this incident his career tailed off dramatically.

He also had Topps cards in 1960, 1961 and 1962 l. Bob Lemke has just posted a custom 1958 Ed Bouche "card that never was" # 145 on the CU board

[Bob Lemke]

Here's my custom creation of a '58 Bouchee #145
bouchee f and b.jpg

[7nohitter]

Bob,

That's a great looking custom card!

[Blackie]

I agree...........may have to print it out and put in a card saver I just to have one in the set......LOL

[Tomman1961]

Blackie-
Back to your post. I do not have time today,but will look tomorrow, as I THINK, I have some beautiful 1958T Team cards I bought in a Team lot that might grade for you.How do we work this? I can send to you so you can look at? Or a scan?But again-I am posting quickly that I might have them.Not sure.I have to do some digging tomorrow.

[Samsdaddy]

Originally Posted by Bob Lemke

Here's my custom creation of a '58 Bouchee #145
Attachment 59632

Very nice.

Mr. Lemke, on a side note, I still have the very first issue of Baseball Cards magazine in 1981 that you helped write and create.

I treasured that magazine. Actually, I still do. The magazine is still completely intact but I have had to use tape to keep the cover from tearing more than it has.

Sorry, did not mean to hijack this thread.

[Bob Lemke]

Thanks, Erik,

I consider the Spring, 1981, issue (#1) of Baseball Cards magazine to be the highlight of my 32+ years with Krause Publications. I was able to convince the owner and the publisher of a multi-million dollar hobby publishing company that baseball cards were the next hot collectible (well, at that time they were).

BBC was the first baseball card magazine to include full-size, full-color images of cards, and was the ever to be sold on national newsstands. The 125,000 print run of that first issue was the largest circulation of any card periodical ever and blew away the combined circulation of every other card publication at that time.

Putting even that rudimentary price guide into the public's hands really cheesed off the motel buyers who were rampant at that time, stealing shoe box collections for pennies on the dollar.