1934-1936 Diamond Stars: #6 Max Bishop

Sunday, January 7, 2024

#6 Max Bishop - Boston Red Sox

Max Frederick Bishop

Boston Red Sox

Second Base

Bats: Left Throws: Right Height: 5'8" Weight: 165

Born: September 5, 1899, Waynesboro, PA

Major League Teams: Philadelphia Athletics 1924-1933; Boston Red Sox 1934-1935

World Series Appearances: Philadelphia Athletics 1929-1931

Died: February 25, 1962, Waynesboro, PA (62)

Nicknamed "Camera Eye" for his discerning knack for laying off bad pitches, Max Bishop was the second baseman and leadoff hitter for the Athletics' dynasty of the early 1930s. Bishop set the tone for Connie Mack's (#142) team, finishing in the top ten in on-base percentage in eight different seasons between 1925 and 1933. His career .423 OBP is currently 17th all-time. Bishop finished in the top three in the league for walks eight times, leading the league with 128 walks in 1929, and his 1,156 career walks are currently 72nd all-time. Reaching base at the top of the line-up allowed for the Athletics' trio of Al Simmons (#2), Jimmie Foxx (#64) and Mickey Cochrane (#9) to bring him home. Philadelphia won three American League pennants in 1929, 1930 and 1931, clinching World Championship titles in those first two years.

Also one of the best fielders of his era, Bishop led all second baseman in fielding percentage in 1926, 1928 and 1932. In December 1933, with the Athletics waning and Mack in need of finances, Bishop, Lefty Grove (#1) and Rube Walberg were dealt to the Red Sox. Bishop would play in parts of two seasons with Boston, and he'd appear in the minors as a player/manager in 1936 before retiring as a player. He batted .271 for his career with 1,216 hits. Bishop was the head baseball coach at the U.S. Naval Academy between 1938 and 1962, compiling a 306-143 record. The Midshipmen's baseball stadium was renamed Max Bishop Stadium in his honor.

Building the Set

December 8, 2023 from Chadds Ford, PA (MnM Vintage Toys & Sportscards) - Card #98

This was a difficult card for me to track down, and a card I've seen offered for sale a surprisingly few times in the three years I've been collecting this set. It showed up unslabbed and at the low price of $40 in a recent eBay auction from MnM Vintage Toys & Sportscards out of nearby Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. I won the auction in November, and it took its time getting here, ultimately arriving in early December. I was attending our son Doug's first indoor track meet in Toms River when the card arrived, and I'm proud to say Doug tied his personal pole vaulting record at the first meet of the season.

Variations Available

1 - 1934 / green back / 1933 statistics / 1934 copyright

2 - 1935 / green back / 1934 statistics / 1934 copyright ✅

The Card / Red Sox Team Set

National Chicle must have thought Bishop looked lonely on this card, so they gave him a random infielder in the background making a play. The back of the card discusses Bishop's talent for drawing walks, and the importance as a batter to get ahead in the count. The last line is great: "A sharp eye and a cool nerve are the first laws of good hitting."

1935 Season

In his final season in the majors, Bishop appeared in 60 games for the Red Sox, batting .230 with a .377 on-base percentage, the lowest of his career. His big league career over, Bishop signed a contract with the Portland Beavers in the Pacific Coast League to join that team as their player/manager for the 1936 season.