1934-1936 Diamond Stars: #52 George Stainback

Sunday, July 18, 2021

#52 George Stainback - Chicago Cubs

George Tucker Stainback

Chicago Cubs

Outfield

Bats: Right Throws: Right Height: 5'11" Weight: 175

Born: August 4, 1911, Los Angeles, CA

Major League Teams: Chicago Cubs 1934-1937; St. Louis Cardinals 1938; Philadelphia Phillies 1938; Brooklyn Dodgers 1938-1939; Detroit Tigers 1940-1941; New York Yankees 1942-1945; Philadelphia Athletics 1946

World Series Appearances: New York Yankees 1942-1943

Died: November 29, 1992, Camarillo, CA (81)

George "Tuck" Stainback was a journeyman back-up outfielder who played for seven different teams during his 13-year big league career. His finest season was perhaps his first as he played in a career-high 104 games for the Cubs as a rookie in 1934, batting .306. He was a member of the 1935 Cubs team that advanced to the World Series, and while he didn't appear in any games, he was ejected during Game 3 for yelling at the home plate umpire from the Cubs' bench. After four seasons with the Cubs, Stainback was one of three players (along with $185,000 cash) traded to the Cardinals in early 1938 for pitcher Dizzy Dean (#124). He played in only six games for the Cardinals before moving on to the Phillies, Dodgers and Tigers over the next two seasons. He found a stable home for four seasons with the Yankees, filling a key outfield role for the club in 1943, the year they defeated the Cardinals in five games in the World Series.

With the Phillies in 1938

After spending the 1947 season with the Cubs' top farm team in Los Angeles, and a comeback attempt with the Spokane Indians in 1949 at the age of 37, Stainback retired as a player. For his career, he appeared in 817 major league games and batted .259 with 17 home runs and 204 RBIs. He joined the Dodgers' front office in 1956 in anticipation of the team's move west to Los Angeles. Working in their ticket office, he established the club's first group sales program and he continued to work for the Dodgers until his retirement in 1977.

Building the Set

May 21, 2021 from Lebanon, NH (Card Agents) - Card #18

Browsing eBay one afternoon, I came across this reasonably priced card with a Buy It Now price along with a Best Offer option. I sent the seller, Card Agents from Lebanon, New Hampshire, a counteroffer and they accepted. This card arrived during a few day period in which several bubble mailers appeared in our mailbox with 1965 Topps commons I had added over a several-day, mid-May buying binge.

Variations Available

1 - 1935 / green back / 1934 statistics / 1935 copyright

The Card / Cubs Team Set

This is Stainback's first baseball card appearance, and most likely due to his frequent moves, he didn't appear on many cards during his playing days. There are two unidentified teammates lurking in the background. The write-up on the back is a bit odd as it discusses Stainback's ability to judge the type of pitch he's about to receive when up at bat. The author could have discussed his speed on the base paths or even his strong throwing arm from the outfield.

1935 Season

Managed by Charlie Grimm, the Cubs captured the 1935 National League pennant with a record of 100-54. Stainback was the fifth outfielder on the club with Chuck Klein (#139), Augie Galan and Frank Demaree getting most of the playing time and Kiki Cuyler (#31) serving as the team's fourth outfielder. Still, Stainback appeared in 47 games, making one start in center field and 19 starts in right. He batted .255 with three home runs and 11 RBIs.

Phillies Career

The Phillies selected Stainback off waivers from the Cardinals on May 26, 1938. He appeared in 30 games, batting a respectable .259 with a home run and 11 RBIs. Stainback started 19 games for the Phillies - ten in left field, three in center field and six in right field. Less than two months after acquiring him, the Phillies dealt Stainback to the Dodgers for outfielder Gibby Brack with Brack having to persevere in Philadelphia through the rest of the team's 103-loss season.