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1956 Topps:
My set is 20% NM 60% Ex-Mt and 20% Ex. I'm interested in Ex or
better cards, or VG-EX with NO creases.
I'm a VERY tough grader, Make sure you are too.
#135 Mantle (need an upgrade to Ex or Better)
#190 Furillo
1975 Topps:
My set is 50% NM/MT and 50% MINT. I'm only interested in NM/MT
or better.
1 (Aaron RB), 15, 18 (tigers team), 50 (b. Robinson), 79,
87, 201 (63 MVP), 228 (Brett RC, graded 8 or up only), 262,
284, 300 (Jackson), 561 (A's team), 660 (Aaron)
1977 Topps:
My set is from Vending. I'm only interested in NM/MT or better.
1,2,5,8,11,18,19,27,31,34,36,40,44,45,46,
51,54,56,57,58,60,64,71,74,75,79,83,90,95,96,
101,115,116,118,119,121,122,123,128,
148,158,162,168,175,176,177,179,181,182,184,
189,194,195,199,208,211,214,215,218,
219,,224,230,232,256,262,263,266,267,268,275,
279,283,285,286,288,296,298,311,312,313,318,
319,323,325,331,335,337,340,341,343,352,356,
357,374,376,377,378,379,380,381,382,384,386,
389,407,410,412,413,420,421,422,423,426,429,
433,435,436,442,443,444,447,450,451,453,
454,455,461,464,467,468,474,477,482,483,484,
485,490,496,498,499,503,506,509,512,513,
514,516,519,520,521,523,525,529,531,532,533,
548,551,554,555,558,560,562,563,568,569,570,
573,577,591,592,602,609,610,622,623,630,
632,636,640,641,642,645,649,653,655,656,658
1982 Topps:
My set is from Vending. I'm only interested in NM/MT or better.
14,31,34,62,65,74,89,109,117,120,148,159,173,
175,196,197,198,200,204,215,223,225,238,248,
255,259,262,263,266,268,289,290,292,304,315,
326,328,335,347,372,375,380,391,419,423,428,
431,434,437,471,490,524,577,588,592,600,607,
632,633,638,639,656,662,667,671,694,727,754,
774
Who the heck is Hal Trosky and why do you collect
him?
Like most stories I tell it's a little long. But, way back when
I was 11-12 I got one of those dice activated games like APBA. I
put together an "all time" team for every team and played them against
each other. I'd run stats after every 5 games to see who the league
leaders were. Well everytime I ran them the HR, RB, TB leaders came
back something like this: 1. Ruth, 2 Williams, 3 Trosky, 4 Foxx, 5 Mantle.
Well you probably have heard of the other four guys. After 20-25
games I decided to do check on the Trosky guy in the Baseball Encyclopedia.
Well he came up in the early 30's to Cleveland. Had a couple of huge
years. Had an injury listed as "broken finger" in 41, then vanished
from the majors for 2 years, returning as a marginal player in 44 and 46.
Seemed strange to me. Usually when a player has a promising career
cut short by injury there's a little legand around him.
Well Hal showed up again in the late 80's for me. During that
RC card craze I was looking for a good indicator on HOF potential.
Turns out one of the best is players who hit 30 HR's and have 100 RBI before
age 21. That list is: Foxx, Ott, Trosky, Williams, Mathews
and I think Mantle. (oh yeah Ruben Sierra, anyone want a couple hundred
87 Topps Sierra's). Up to the time I ran that, everyone who did it,
hit 500 HR's and ended up in the HOF except Trosky. Spured my interest
a little more.
Then in the late 90's I was watching a TV show (20/20 I think) on migraine
headaches. My wife has had them for years, and at the time I had
just started to get them after having a concussion playing hockey.
The report had a short bit on: Hal Trosky. Turns out he did
break a finger in 41 but it was a minor injury and kept him out for only
a couple weeks. Hal had suffered from migranes since he was
a teen and a few events in 41 seem to have pushed it from a bad condition
to a terrible one.
The Indians got a new manager in 41. From what I've read he was
just plain mean and nasty to the players with no good reason. One
guy was so updet he basically quit the team. The players had a meeting
and asked Trosky if he would go to the team owner and see if something
couldn't be done about the manager. Well the press got it and turned
the story into a players rebellion with Trosky in the lead.
Still a quite farm boy at heart, he couldn't take the pressure.
Fans booed him in Cleveland and every city as leader of the "cry baby Indians".
The press road him almost everyday. The migranes got worse and worse
until he was bed ridden. He couldn't get the headaches to go away
and retired before the 42 season.
He returned in 44 and again in 46, but had lost his timing and was a
little out of shape. (His 34 Goudey list him at 6'2: 220 and early
pictures of him he looks more like a modern NFL wide reciever than a baseball
player from the 30's) I haven't been able to confirm but one report
was he was drafted in 42 (he was 29) and declared 4F due to the migranes,
and went to work in some war related industry. He died in 1979.
I think a couple of things have kept him an obscure hero. One
Cleveland was not very good when he was at his best. Two, of course,
his career was so short. Three his injury was a little mysterious
at the time and not visiable. Four he played First Base in the AL
at the same time as Foxx, Gehrig, and Greenberg. Which is like Richie
Ashburn playing centerfield at the same time as Mays, Mantle and Snider.
Hard to get on an All Star team.
For a few years he was as good a player in the AL as anyone. He
was fast, and hit for great power and average. Cleveland was not
a good HR park in the 30's, but his average season was still around 35HR
130 RBI 320BA. His name pops up on all kind of impressive obscure
trivia list Besides the HR, RBI before 21 list, he is one of 4 players
to have over 100 RBI's in each of his first 6 seasons (DiMaggio, Al Simmons,
Frank Thomas). From 34-41 he was always in the top 10 in HR's and
RBI's. He had a bad time as a fielder when he came up and almost
everything you read about him comments on the improvements he was making.
I think a modern similiar player might be Jose Canseco, without the strikeouts,
or probably better would be Fred McGrif or Rafeal Palmiero who also play
1st base.
Anyways here's a short check list:
1934 Goudey (High number) This is a tough one. I've got
one ungraded in g-vg and a PSA 7. Last years PSA report shows 3 7's
and 1 8. I'd love to find an 8.
1935 Diamond Star. Probably his second most common card.
I've got a PSA 8 and an ungraded Ex-Mt.
1935 Goudey (4 in 1) He shares it with Averill (HOF), need one
of these. I've seen it every now and then but not at the right price
and grade.
1936 Goudey Wide Pen Premium R314 - I have a vg copy and the original
master photo which I picked up at the SF Labor day show.
1940 Playball (2 in 1) Has one card with Case and one with Keltner.
I have the Kelter in Ex-Mt.
1941 Playball His most common card. I have a few the best
is NM.
1961 Fleer - I have a nice Ex-Mt
I think he also has a Exibit Salutation and a Bread Pin from the 33
Toledo Mudhens.
I've also have a collection of photos, newspapers, sporting news, and
the such, and a nice cut autograph.
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