Showing posts with label 1981. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1981. Show all posts

Sunday, April 7, 2024

#120 Lon Warneke - Chicago Cubs


Lonnie Warneke
Chicago Cubs
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  185
Born:  March 28, 1909, Mount Ida, AR
Major League Teams:  Chicago Cubs 1930-1936; St. Louis Cardinals 1937-1942; Chicago Cubs 1942-1943, 1945
World Series Appearances:  Chicago Cubs 1932, 1935
Died:  June 23, 1976, Hot Springs, AR (67)

Lon Warneke spent his entire 15-year career with the Cubs and Cardinals, and was a 20-game winner in three seasons in the early 1930s.  Warneke joined the Cubs' starting rotation in 1932, going 22-6 while leading the league with a 2.37 ERA.  With no Cy Young Award yet for the league's top pitcher, Warneke finished second that season in the league's MVP voting behind Chuck Klein (#139).  He'd lead the league in complete games in 1933 with 26 and pitched four innings of relief for the National League All-Stars in the first All-Star Game.  Warneke holds the distinction of collecting the first triple and scoring the first National League run in All-Star Game history.  He was a 20 game winner again in 1935, helping the Cubs to their second pennant in four years.

Warneke continued his success with the Cardinals following an October 1936 trade to St. Louis.  He won 18 games in 1937, and 17 games in 1941, while also throwing a no-hitter against the Reds on August 30, 1941.  He retired following the 1945 season with a lifetime record of 192-121 and a 3.18 ERA in 445 pitching appearances.  Warneke recorded 1,140 career strikeouts.  He became an umpire in the Pacific Coast League in 1946, and joined the ranks of National League umpires in 1949, resigning the position following the 1955 season.  Warneke is the only person to have played and umpired in both an All-Star Game and a World Series game in major league history.

Building the Set
December 11, 2020 from San Diego, CA (Kit Young Cards)
On the night I impulsively decided to collect the original Diamond Stars set, and I subsequently purchased the Harvey Hendrick (#41) card from Kit Young Cards, I also added the complete, and first, extended set to my cart for the very reasonable price of $7.50.  The 12 cards in this first extended set were originally issued in 1981.

In the early 1980s, a family member of a former National Chicle employee discovered an uncut sheet of 12 unused cards presumably meant as a 1937 continuation of the Diamond Stars set.  As originally advertised, and as mentioned on the back of every card issued, the company had intended for the set to contain 240 subjects.  They only produced 108 cards before production was halted, and the theory is this newly found sheet represented a "lost" continuation of the set.  Fortunately, the images of the cards made their way into the collecting world and a 12-card "what if" set was created.  (More on the uncut sheet can be found here from SABR's Baseball Cards Research Committee and from this Ryan Cracknell article for Beckett.)

Another great article was recently published to SABR's Baseball Cards Research Committee website taking a closer look at these extended cards.

The Beckett online database lists the set as "1981 Diamond Stars Continuation Den's" and the set's description notes "This set was created and produced by Denny Eckes.  Hobbyist Mike Galella was involved in bringing this sheet to the the public.  These cards were originally available from the producer for $3."  The back of the cards have a 1981 copyright attributed to Den's Collectors Den, the company belonging to the aforementioned Eckes.

The 12 cards include more ambitious geometric designs than the original Diamond Stars cards,  although the overall color template remains the same as their 1934 to 1936 counterparts.

Variations Available
1 - 1981 / blue back / 1936 statistics / 1981 copyright

The Card / Cubs Team Set
If this card was intended to have been released in 1937, the write-up on the back would have indicated Warneke had recently joined the Cardinals - see below.  Thematically consistent with the original Diamond Stars set, the tip on the back encourages pitchers to know how to field their position and to know where to position himself for each potential scenario when a ball is put into play.

1937 Season
On October 8, 1936, the Cubs traded Warneke to the Cardinals for Ripper Collins (#116) and Roy Parmelee.  He'd initially slot in as the Cardinals' number three starter behind Dizzy Dean (#124) and Si Johnson, with Warneke eventually outperforming them both.  He'd go 18-11 with a 4.53 ERA in 36 games, while throwing 18 complete games and a pair of shutouts.

1933 Goudey #203
1933 DeLong Grum #16
1939 Play Ball #41
1940 Play Ball #114
1955 Bowman #299

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1933 Goudey #203
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1994 Conlon Collection TSN #1106

71 - Warneke non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 4/6/24.

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Sunday, March 31, 2024

#118 Vernon Gomez - New York Yankees


Vernon Louis Gomez
New York Yankees
Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  173
Born:  November 26, 1908, Rodeo, CA
Major League Teams:  New York Yankees 1930-1942; Washington Senators 1943
World Series Appearances:  New York Yankees 1932, 1936-1939
Died:  February 17, 1989, Greenbrae, CA (80)
Hall of Fame Induction:  1972

Lefty Gomez pitched for 14 seasons, appearing in 368 games, with all but his final game coming with the Yankees.  Gomez was an ace for the Yankees dynasty that went to the World Series five times between 1932 and 1939, winning championship titles each time.  Carrying over his regular season success to the World Series, Gomez was 6-0 with a 2.86 ERA in seven World Series starts.  He was a 20-game winner in four different seasons, including his career year in 1934.  That year he was 26-5 with a 2.33 ERA, with 25 complete games, six shutouts and 158 strikeouts in 281 2/3 innings pitched, leading the American League in all those categories.  Gomez was a seven-time All-Star, and was the winning pitcher for the American League in the first ever All-Star Game in 1933.  He had two seasons in which he won the pitching Triple Crown - most wins, lowest ERA, most strikeouts - 1934, as mentioned above, and 1937 when he was 21-11 with a 2.33 ERA and a career-high 194 strikeouts.

1934 Butterfinger Premiums (R310)
Gomez had a lifetime record of 189-102 with a 3.34 ERA and 1,468 strikeouts over 2,503 innings pitched.  He threw 173 complete games and 28 shutouts.  Known for his wit, Gomez became a sought after public speaker following his retirement.  The Veterans Committee unanimously inducted him into the Hall of Fame in 1972.

Building the Set
December 11, 2020 from San Diego, CA (Kit Young Cards)
On the night I impulsively decided to collect the original Diamond Stars set, and I subsequently purchased the Harvey Hendrick (#41) card from Kit Young Cards, I also added the complete, and first, extended set to my cart for the very reasonable price of $7.50.  The 12 cards in this first extended set were originally issued in 1981.

In the early 1980s, a family member of a former National Chicle employee discovered an uncut sheet of 12 unused cards presumably meant as a 1937 continuation of the Diamond Stars set.  As originally advertised, and as mentioned on the back of every card issued, the company had intended for the set to contain 240 subjects.  They only produced 108 cards before production was halted, and the theory is this newly found sheet represented a "lost" continuation of the set.  Fortunately, the images of the cards made their way into the collecting world and a 12-card "what if" set was created.  (More on the uncut sheet can be found here from SABR's Baseball Cards Research Committee and from this Ryan Cracknell article for Beckett.)

The Beckett online database lists the set as "1981 Diamond Stars Continuation Den's" and the set's description notes "This set was created and produced by Denny Eckes.  Hobbyist Mike Galella was involved in bringing this sheet to the the public.  These cards were originally available from the producer for $3."  The back of the cards have a 1981 copyright attributed to Den's Collectors Den, the company belonging to the aforementioned Eckes.

The 12 cards include more ambitious geometric designs than the original Diamond Stars cards,  although the overall color template remains the same as their 1934 to 1936 counterparts.

Variations Available
1 - 1981 / blue back / 1936 statistics / 1981 copyright

The Card / Yankees Team Set
Gomez was known for his overpowering fastball, referred to as "hopping" on the back of this card.  Given his success in 1933, it's surprising National Chicle didn't include him in its original checklist.  The photo used for the card was first seen in the 1934 Butterfingers Premium set, shown above.

1937 Season
As mentioned above, this was Gomez's second Triple Crown season.  He was the winning pitcher in the All-Star Game, pitching three shutout innings and allowing just one hit.  Gomez was 2-0 in the World Series, both complete games, allowing three earned runs in 18 innings pitched, as the Yankees overtook the Giants in five games.  He finished ninth in the MVP voting, with teammate Red Ruffing (#60) the only pitcher getting more votes than Gomez.

1933 Goudey #216
1933 DeLong Gum #14
1939 Play Ball #48
1941 Play Ball #72
1960 Fleer Baseball Greats #54

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1933 Goudey #216
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2018 Panini Diamond Kings #27

399 - Gomez non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 3/30/24.

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Sunday, February 25, 2024

#117 Linus Frey - Brooklyn Dodgers


Linus Reinhard Frey
Brooklyn Dodgers
Second Base

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  160
Born:  August 23, 1910, St. Louis, MO
Major League Teams:  Brooklyn Dodgers 1933-1936; Chicago Cubs 1937; Cincinnati Reds 1938-1943, 1946; Chicago Cubs 1947; New York Yankees 1947-1948; New York Giants 1948
World Series Appearances:  Cincinnati Reds 1939-1940; New York Yankees 1947
Died:  September 13, 2009, Coeur d'Alene, ID (99)

Lonny Frey was a veteran of 14 major league seasons, finding his most success as the All-Star second baseman for the Reds in the late 1930s and early 1940s.  Frey spent his first four seasons with the Dodgers, struggling defensively at shortstop and batting as a switch-hitter.  He led the league twice in errors in 1935 and 1936.  Joining the Reds in 1939, Frey abandoned switch-hitting and moved to second base, where he proved to be one of the league's best second baseman, with the glove and the bat, of his era.  Frey was an All-Star in 1939, 1941 and 1943, leading the league with 22 stolen bases in 1940 and in fielding percentage in 1941 and 1943.  He helped lead the Reds to the World Series in 1939 and 1940, missing most of the victorious 1940 series after he had dropped the iron lid of the dugout water cooler on his foot.  Frey missed all of 1944 and 1945 while serving in the military during World War II, and upon his return in 1946 he settled in as a back-up and pinch-hitter for three more seasons.

1935-36 Diamond
Matchbooks (U3-1)
Frey collected 1,482 hits and batted .269 in 1,535 big league games.  He scored 848 runs, collected 263 doubles and 105 stolen bases.  He was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1961 and was selected as the Reds' all-time best second baseman during the team's centennial celebration in 1969.

Building the Set
December 11, 2020 from San Diego, CA (Kit Young Cards)
On the night I impulsively decided to collect the original Diamond Stars set, and I subsequently purchased the Harvey Hendrick (#41) card from Kit Young Cards, I also added the complete, and first, extended set to my cart for the very reasonable price of $7.50.  The 12 cards in this first extended set were originally issued in 1981.

In the early 1980s, a family member of a former National Chicle employee discovered an uncut sheet of 12 unused cards presumably meant as a 1937 continuation of the Diamond Stars set.  As originally advertised, and as mentioned on the back of every card issued, the company had intended for the set to contain 240 subjects.  They only produced 108 cards before production was halted, and the theory is this newly found sheet represented a "lost" continuation of the set.  Fortunately, the images of the cards made their way into the collecting world and a 12-card "what if" set was created.  (More on the uncut sheet can be found here from SABR's Baseball Cards Research Committee and from this Ryan Cracknell article for Beckett.)

The Beckett online database lists the set as "1981 Diamond Stars Continuation Den's" and the set's description notes "This set was created and produced by Denny Eckes.  Hobbyist Mike Galella was involved in bringing this sheet to the the public.  These cards were originally available from the producer for $3."  The back of the cards have a 1981 copyright attributed to Den's Collectors Den, the company belonging to the aforementioned Eckes.  I found the ad shown here within the pages of the The Sport Americana Baseball Card Price Guide, published in 1982.

The 12 cards include more ambitious geometric designs than the original Diamond Stars cards,  although the overall color template remains the same as their 1934 to 1936 counterparts.

Variations Available
1 - 1981 / blue back / 1936 statistics / 1981 copyright

The Card / Dodgers Team Set
While Linus was his given first name, Frey preferred the nickname Lonny.  The photo used here was first seen back in the 1935-36 Diamond Matchbooks (U3-1) set, shown above.  The back of the card gives a tip on cheating up as a middle infielder, which speeds up potential double plays.  The text, written in the early 1980s, is somewhat incorrect in identifying Frey as a second sacker at this stage of his career, as he was still a regular shortstop.  Frey made 116 starts at shortstop and 26 starts at second base for the Dodgers in 1936.

1937 Season
On December 5, 1936, the Dodgers traded Frey to the Cubs for Woody English and Roy Henshaw.  Frey's first stint with the Cubs lasted only one season, and he filled in as a back-up at second base, shortstop, third base and left field.  He batted .278 in 78 games, with a home run and 22 RBIs.  On February 4, 1938, the Cubs sold Frey to the Reds, beginning the best stretch of his career.

1934 Goudey #89
1939 Play Ball #161
1940 Play Ball #76
1941 Double Play #5
1993 Conlon Collection TSN #812

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1934 Goudey #89
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1993 Conlon Collection TSN #812

38 - Frey non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 2/4/24.

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Sunday, February 18, 2024

#115 Gene Moore - Boston Bees


Eugene Moore
Boston Bees
Outfield

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  175
Born:  August 26, 1909, Lancaster, TX
Major League Teams:  Cincinnati Reds 1931;  St. Louis Cardinals 1933-1935; Boston Bees 1936-1938; Brooklyn Dodgers 1939-1940; Boston Bees 1940; Boston Braves 1941; Washington Senators 1942-1943; St. Louis Browns 1944-1945
World Series Appearances:  St. Louis Browns 1944
Died:  March 12, 1978, Jackson, MS (68)

Slugger Gene Moore played in 14 major league seasons, finding his most success as a member of the Boston Bees between 1936 and 1938.  Moore played sparingly for the Reds and Cardinals between 1931 and 1935, finally getting a chance as an everyday player with the Bees in 1936 as their regular right fielder.  Moore batted .290 that season with 13 home runs and 67 RBIs.  A year later he'd be named to the National League All-Star team and reach career highs in both home runs (16) and RBIs (70).  Moore had a strong throwing arm and twice led all outfielders in assists in 1936 and 1937.  He continued to find regular playing time into the mid-1940s, finishing up his career with the Browns with two straight seasons of at least 50 RBIs in 1944 and 1945.  Moore saw his only World Series action in 1944 with the Browns, but his team fell to the city rival Cardinals in six games.  In 1,042 major league games, Moore collected 958 hits and batted .270, with 58 home runs and 436 RBIs.

Building the Set
December 11, 2020 from San Diego, CA (Kit Young Cards)
On the night I impulsively decided to collect the original Diamond Stars set, and I subsequently purchased the Harvey Hendrick (#41) card from Kit Young Cards, I also added the complete, and first, extended set to my cart for the very reasonable price of $7.50.  The 12 cards in this first extended set were originally issued in 1981.

In the early 1980s, a family member of a former National Chicle employee discovered an uncut sheet of 12 unused cards presumably meant as a 1937 continuation of the Diamond Stars set.  As originally advertised, and as mentioned on the back of every card issued, the company had intended for the set to contain 240 subjects.  They only produced 108 cards before production was halted, and the theory is this newly found sheet represented a "lost" continuation of the set.  Fortunately, the images of the cards made their way into the collecting world and a 12-card "what if" set was created.  (More on the uncut sheet can be found here from SABR's Baseball Cards Research Committee and from this Ryan Cracknell article for Beckett.)

Another great article was recently published to SABR's Baseball Cards Research Committee website taking a closer look at these extended cards.

The Beckett online database lists the set as "1981 Diamond Stars Continuation Den's" and the set's description notes "This set was created and produced by Denny Eckes.  Hobbyist Mike Galella was involved in bringing this sheet to the the public.  These cards were originally available from the producer for $3."  The back of the cards have a 1981 copyright attributed to Den's Collectors Den, the company belonging to the aforementioned Eckes.

The 12 cards include more ambitious geometric designs than the original Diamond Stars cards,  although the overall color template remains the same as their 1934 to 1936 counterparts.

Variations Available
1 - 1981 / blue back / 1936 statistics / 1981 copyright

The Card / Bees Team Set
Boston's National League team changed its name to the Bees between 1936 and 1940, but the back of this card still refers to Moore's team as the Braves.  As has been the case with all of these extended cards from 1981, the write-up on the back stays true to the spirit of the original Diamond Stars cards.  Moore's card contains a tip for being ready, but relaxed, in the outfield, ready to react to a batted ball "with the carck of the bat."

1937 Season
As mentioned above, this was one of Moore's best seasons and he played in 148 games for the fifth place Bees.  His bWAR of 5.5 was the top among all offensive players for the Bees, and second on the team to only pitcher Jim Turner (bWAR 6.1) who was 20-11 with a 2.38 ERA.  Moore made 148 starts in right field, and interestingly enough the only games in which he wasn't the starting right fielder were the Bees' first two and last two games.  Moore was named to but didn't get into the All-Star Game.

1935 Goudey 4-in-1 (R321)
1939 Play Ball #160
1941 Double Play (R330) #122
1941 Play Ball #25
1991 Conlon Collection TSN #77

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1935 Goudey 4-in-1 (R321)
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1991 Conlon Collection TSN #77

15 - Moore non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 1/31/24.

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Sunday, July 2, 2023

#114 Roger Cramer - Boston Red Sox


Roger Maxwell Cramer
Boston Red Sox
Outfield

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'2"  Weight:  185
Born:  July 22, 1905, Beach Haven, NJ
Major League Teams:  Philadelphia Athletics 1929-1935; Boston Red Sox 1936-1940; Washington Senators 1941; Detroit Tigers 1942-1948
World Series Appearances:  Philadelphia Athletics 1931; Detroit Tigers 1945
Died:  September 9, 1990, Manahawkin, NJ (85)

Doc Cramer was as a successful lead-off hitter and center fielder for 20 seasons, leading the American League seven times in at-bats between 1933 and 1942.  Originally signed by the Athletics, Cramer's break-out year came in 1932 when he batted .336 for Connie Mack's club.  Cramer would bat .295 in 1933, attaining a career-high with 75 RBIs.  He was an All-Star five times, and while he didn't hit for power, he was regularly among the league leaders in singles, doubles and triples.  An excellent fielder, Cramer was often at the top of the leaderboard for all center fielders, leading the league in assists twice, putouts three times and fielding percentage three times.  He hit for the cycle on June 10, 1934.

Cramer's last big season came in 1945 with the Tigers.  Now 39, he batted .275 and helped lead his team to the World Series, where he batted .379 (11 for 29).  The Tigers defeated the Cubs that year in seven games.  His last major league action came in 1948, and he'd retire with 2,705 hits (currently 69th all-time), 1,357 runs scored, 396 doubles, 109 triples and 9,140 at-bats (currently 67th all-time).  Owning an impressive .296 career batting average, Cramer has the most hits of any player to have retired before 1975 and not gain election into the Hall of Fame.  He'd serve as a coach with the Tigers in 1948 and with the White Sox between 1951 and 1953.

Building the Set
December 11, 2020 from San Diego, CA (Kit Young Cards)
On the night I impulsively decided to collect the original Diamond Stars set, and I subsequently purchased the Harvey Hendrick (#41) card from Kit Young Cards, I also added the complete, and first, extended set to my cart for the very reasonable price of $7.50.  The 12 cards in this first extended set were originally issued in 1981.

In the early 1980s, a family member of a former National Chicle employee discovered an uncut sheet of 12 unused cards presumably meant as a 1937 continuation of the Diamond Stars set.  As originally advertised, and as mentioned on the back of every card issued, the company had intended for the set to contain 240 subjects.  They only produced 108 cards before production was halted, and the theory is this newly found sheet represented a "lost" continuation of the set.  Fortunately, the images of the cards made their way into the collecting world and a 12-card "what if" set was created.  (More on the uncut sheet can be found here from SABR's Baseball Cards Research Committee and from this Ryan Cracknell article for Beckett.)

The Beckett online database lists the set as "1981 Diamond Stars Continuation Den's" and the set's description notes "This set was created and produced by Denny Eckes.  Hobbyist Mike Galella was involved in bringing this sheet to the the public.  These cards were originally available from the producer for $3."  The back of the cards have a 1981 copyright attributed to Den's Collectors Den, the company belonging to the aforementioned Eckes.  I found the ad shown here within the pages of the The Sport Americana Baseball Card Price Guide, published in 1982.

The 12 cards include more ambitious geometric designs than the original Diamond Stars cards,  although the overall color template remains the same as their 1934 to 1936 counterparts.

Variations Available
1 - 1981 / blue back / 1936 statistics / 1981 copyright

The Card / Red Sox Team Set
The photo used is a retouched picture from 1932 or 1933, which originally featured Cramer in an Athletics uniform.  Given his star status, Cramer would have been a good pick to be included if National Chicle had produced a fourth series of Diamond Stars cards in the 1930s.  The back of the card highlights Cramer's success as a contact hitter.  He hit 37 career home runs, with his season high coming in 1933 with eight.  He had five seasons with at least 600 plate appearances and zero home runs.

1937 Season
Cramer was again the everyday center fielder for the Red Sox, appearing in 133 games overall and batting .305 with 51 RBIs.  His average was third on the team behind shortstop Joe Cronin (#123) and right fielder Ben Chapman (#38), who both batted .307.  Cramer was named to his second All-Star team, but he'd not play in the game.  He led the American League with 17 sacrifices.

1933 Worch Cigar
1934 Goudey #25
1934-36 Batter-Up (R318) #53
1940 Play Ball #29
1989 Pacific Legends II #181

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1934 Goudey #25
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2001 Fleer Boston Red Sox 100th Anniversary #17

48 - Cramer non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 6/24/23.

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Sunday, January 15, 2023

#113 Mel Harder - Cleveland Indians


Melvin Leroy Harder
Cleveland Indians
Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  195
Born:  October 15, 1909, Beemer, NE
Major League Teams:  Cleveland Indians 1928-1947
As a Manager:  Cleveland Indians 1961, 1962
Died:  October 20, 2002, Chardon, OH (93)

Mel Harder spent 36 seasons with the Indians' franchise as a successful pitcher, respected pitching coach and briefly, as the team's interim manager.  Harder came up with the Indians in 1928 and appeared in 23 games as an 18-year-old.  He'd win at least 11 games with the team every year between 1930 and 1940, winning a career-high 22 games in 1935.  He won the league ERA title in 1933 with a 2.95 mark and finished second in that category in 1934 with an even lower 2.61.  Harder was named to four All-Star teams between 1934 and 1937, at one point pitching 13 consecutive scoreless innings in the exhibition.  He never pitched in a World Series, and ironically enough the Indians would win the World Championship in 1948, his first season as the club's pitching coach.

Harder earned a lifetime mark of 223-186 in 582 games pitched, and had a 3.80 ERA and 1,161 strikeouts in 3,426 1/3 innings.  His wins, games started (433) and innings pitched all stood as Indians club records until later broken by Bob Feller (#128).  Harder is still the all-time franchise leader for games pitched and losses.  As the team's pitching coach, he helped develop Feller, Bob Lemon, Early Wynn and Mike Garcia.  He'd later coach briefly with the Mets (1964), Cubs (1965), Reds (1966-1968) and Royals (1969).  Harder was inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame in 1951, and had his #18 retired by the team in 1990.  Finally, Harder threw the first pitch at Cleveland's Municipal Stadium in their inaugural game in their new home on July 31, 1932, in which he opposed the Athletics' Left Grove (#1).  He then threw out the ceremonial last pitch in the ballpark following the team's final home game in 1993.

Building the Set
December 11, 2020 from San Diego, CA (Kit Young Cards)
On the night I impulsively decided to collect the original Diamond Stars set, and I subsequently purchased the Harvey Hendrick (#41) card from Kit Young Cards, I also added the complete, and first, extended set to my cart for the very reasonable price of $7.50.  The 12 cards in this first extended set were originally issued in 1981.

In the early 1980s, a family member of a former National Chicle employee discovered an uncut sheet of 12 unused cards presumably meant as a 1937 continuation of the Diamond Stars set.  As originally advertised, and as mentioned on the back of every card issued, the company had intended for the set to contain 240 subjects.  They only produced 108 cards before production was halted, and the theory is this newly found sheet represented a "lost" continuation of the set.  Fortunately, the images of the cards made their way into the collecting world and a 12-card "what if" set was created.  (More on the uncut sheet can be found here from SABR's Baseball Cards Research Committee and from this Ryan Cracknell article for Beckett.)

Another great article was recently published to SABR's Baseball Cards Research Committee website taking a closer look at these extended cards.

The Beckett online database lists the set as "1981 Diamond Stars Continuation Den's" and the set's description notes "This set was created and produced by Denny Eckes.  Hobbyist Mike Galella was involved in bringing this sheet to the the public.  These cards were originally available from the producer for $3."  The back of the cards have a 1981 copyright attributed to Den's Collectors Den, the company belonging to the aforementioned Eckes.

The 12 cards include more ambitious geometric designs than the original Diamond Stars cards,  although the overall color template remains the same as their 1934 to 1936 counterparts.

Variations Available
1 - 1981 / blue back / 1936 statistics / 1981 copyright

The Card / Indians Team Set
As one of the most consistent pitchers of the 1930s, Harder would have been a logical choice to be included in this extension set that never was.  I love the tip on the back, and the wording encouraging pitchers to keep their legs in shape.  I especially enjoy the part of about, "running and sprinting to improve their wind on the days they are not assigned to hurl."

1937 Season
Harder was the Indians' opening day starter, and he'd go 15-12 for the fourth place team.  He appeared in 38 games overall, making 30 starts, pitching 13 complete games in 233 2/3 innings.  Harder's ERA for the season was 4.28.  He appeared in his fourth and final All-Star Game, recording a three-inning save as the American League downed the National League, 8-3.

1933 Tattoo Orbit (R305)
1934 Goudey #66
1934-36 Batter-Up (R318) #134
1960 Topps #460
1989 Pacific Legends II #205

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1933 Tattoo Orbit (R305)
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (1):  1960
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1994 Conlon Collection TSN #1079

70 - Harder non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 1/13/23.

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