#7 Lew Fonseca MG - Chicago White Sox

Lewis Albert Fonseca

Chicago White Sox

Manager

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'10"  Weight:  180

Born:  January 21, 1899, Oakland, CA

Major League Teams:  Cincinnati Reds 1921-1924; Philadelphia Phillies 1925; Cleveland Indians 1927-1931; Chicago White Sox 1931-1933

As a Manager:  Chicago White Sox 1932-1934

Died:  November 26, 1989, Ely, IA (90)

Injuries prematurely shortened the playing career of infielder Lew Fonseca, but he batted over .300 in six different seasons, winning the American League batting title in 1929.  He's credited as one of the first players to use film to analyze games and study both his own and opposing players, and he'd enjoy a second career producing baseball films following his playing days.  Fonseca spent the first four years of his career with the Reds as a part-time player and appeared in a then career-high 126 games with the Phillies in 1925.  Holding out for a larger contract, Fonseca found himself in 1926 playing for the independent Newark Bears where he had his best professional season.  He batted .381 with 40 doubles and 21 home runs, and the Bears sold the popular player to the Indians following the season.  Fonseca began the most successful stretch of his career with Cleveland in 1927, batting over .300 in three straight seasons, culminating with his league leading .369 average in 1929, to go along with 44 doubles and 103 RBIs.  He had come back from a broken leg suffered during the 1928 campaign, making his career year even more impressive.

He'd join the White Sox in 1931, being named as the club's player-manager following that season.  Still on the active roster, he'd appear sparingly in 1932 (18 games) and 1933 (23 games), and no games in 1934.  His White Sox clubs went 49-102 in 1932 and 67-83 in 1933, and got off to a 4-11 start in 1934 before Fonseca was dismissed and replaced with Jimmy Dykes (#42).  He continued to put his interest in film to good use, working as director of promotions for the major leagues, and serving as director, editor and occasional narrator of the official World Series highlight films between 1943 and 1969.  You can see and listen to a sample of his work with the 1950 World Series highlight film, found here, featuring the Yankees facing off against the Phillies.

Building the Set

October 11, 2022 from Chadds Ford, PA - Card #65

It was quite the unexpected October for Phillies fans, as the team surprisingly advanced to the postseason on October 3rd with a 3-0 win over the Astros in Houston.  The Phillies hadn't been to the postseason since a shocking defeat to the Cardinals in the 2011 NLDS.  It was on this day I added three more cards to my Diamond Stars set, starting with the Jim Bottomley (#59) card and then adding this Fonseca card along with a Roy Mahaffey (#10) variation card from eBay store MnM Vintage Toys & Sportscards, located in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania.  The Mahaffey and Fonseca cards arrived on October 11th, right after the start of NLDS Game 1 between the Phillies and Braves.  I took the picture shown here in the second inning of that game, before Phillies starting pitcher Ranger Suarez had fallen apart, and way before the Phillies eventually closed out a 7-6 win.

Variations Available

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

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

The Card / White Sox Team Set

Fonseca is an interesting subject for a card in this set, especially as one of the first cards released in the first series, given he had appeared in only 23 games and batted .203 during the 1933 season.  He was likely still enjoying some popularity as a result of his 1929 batting title though.  The back of the card references he was a former first baseman, but makes no mention he began the 1934 season as Chicago's manager.  The baseball tip explains the importance of a first baseman being able to stretch to receive a throw from an infielder.

1934 Season

As mentioned above, Fonseca lasted just 15 games as manager of the White Sox at the start of the 1934 season.  Owner Lou Comiskey named Dykes as the new player-manager, but didn't inform Fonseca before the game on May 9th.  With Dykes playing third base and Fonseca unaware of his fate, the White Sox defeated the Senators, 8-1, and the win was later credited to Dykes.

Phillies Career

On March 30, 1925, Fonseca was selected off waivers from the Reds by the Phillies.  Seemingly finding a new home and semi-regular playing time, he batted .319 in 126 games, hitting seven home runs and 60 RBIs.  He was the club's opening day second baseman, starting 65 games overall at second base and 52 games at first base.  The Phillies were going through the franchise's darkest stretch and when Fonseca held out for more money following the season, the team sent his contract to the Newark Bears, as mentioned above.

1929 Kashin Publications (R316)

1933 Goudey #43

1933 Tattoo Orbit (R305)

1961 Fleer Baseball Greats #27

1972 TCMA The 1930s #335

Other Notable Baseball Cards

First Mainstream Card:  1929 Kashin Publications (R316)

Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A

Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1991 Conlon Collection TSN #283

38 - Fonseca non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 11/5/22.

Sources:

Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

Previous Card:  #6 Max Bishop - Boston Red Sox

Next Card: #8 Joe Vosmik - Cleveland Indians

#10 Roy Mahaffey - St. Louis Browns (Variation)

Lee Roy Mahaffey

St. Louis Browns

Pitcher

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  180

Born:  February 9, 1904, Belton, SC

Major League Teams:  Pittsburgh Pirates 1926-1927; Philadelphia Athletics 1930-1935; St. Louis Browns 1936

World Series Appearances:  Philadelphia Athletics 1931

Died:  July 23, 1969, Anderson, SC (65)

After a few brief appearances with the Pirates and successful seasons with the Columbia Comers in 1928 in the South Atlantic League and with the Portland Beavers in 1929 in the Pacific Coast League, Roy Mahaffey was acquired by Connie Mack in January 1930 to bolster his Athletics pitching staff.  Mahaffey was a 15-game winner in 1931 and a 13-game winner in both 1932 and 1933.  He pitched just an inning in the 1931 World Series in which the Athletics lost to the Cardinals in seven games.  Relying on a fast ball and a slow curve, Mahaffey went 64-43 during his years in Philadelphia with a 4.82 ERA.  He was sold to the Browns following the 1935 season and he'd struggle through 21 games in St. Louis before retiring from the majors.  He continued pitching through 1941 with various textile league teams throughout South Carolina.

Building the Set

October 11, 2022 from Chadds Ford, PA - Card #65

It was quite the unexpected October for Phillies fans, as the team surprisingly advanced to the postseason on October 3rd with a 3-0 win over the Astros in Houston.  The Phillies hadn't been to the postseason since a shocking defeat to the Cardinals in the 2011 NLDS.  It was on this day I added three more cards to my Diamond Stars set, starting with the Jim Bottomley (#59) card and then adding this Mahaffey variation card and the Lew Fonseca (#7) card from eBay store MnM Vintage Toys & Sportscards, located in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania.  The Mahaffey and Fonseca cards arrived on October 11th, right after the start of NLDS Game 1 between the Phillies and Braves.  I took the picture shown below in the second inning of that game, before Phillies starting pitcher Ranger Suarez had fallen apart, and way before the Phillies eventually closed out a 7-6 win.

Variations Available

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

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

3 - 1936 / blue back / 1935 statistics / 1934 copyright / "now St. Louis Browns" on back ✅

I added the 1935 variation of this card to my set back in December 2020.  This Browns variation is one of 10 variations I'll be tracking down for my version of a master set, as that card removes the "A" from the front of Mahaffey's jersey.

It's impressive to me that National Chicle actually bothered to update the bio on the bottom of the cards issued in multiple years.  The 1934 version of Mahaffey's card notes he's 31 years old and that he "Won 13, lost 10 games in 1933."  In 1935, that's updated to note Mahaffey is now 32 years old and he "Won 6, lost 7 games in 1934."  This final variation, issued in 1936, notes Mahaffey is 33 years old and he "Won 8, lost 4 games with Phila. in 1935."

The Card / Browns Team Set

As noted above, this is the 1936 version of Mahaffey's Diamond Stars card and the back has been updated to reflect his 1935 won-loss record.  The pitching tip on the back concerns the necessity of the pitcher to be able to field his position, especially after "hard line drives through the box."  The photo used for the front of the card lends itself to this lesson as Mahaffey is shown set evenly on his feet, ready for whatever is coming his way.

National Chicle removed the "A" from the front of Mahaffey's jersey, but they didn't update the color of the jersey's pinstripes from the blue of the A's to the orange of the Browns.

1936 Season

Mahaffey was sold by Athletics' owner-manager Connie Mack (#142) to the Browns on January 29, 1936.  He didn't fare well in his final season in the majors, making 21 appearances, including nine starts, and going 2-6 with a 8.10 ERA in 60 innings pitched.  The sole bright spot of his season came on April 25th when he threw a complete game against the Indians, earning the first of only two wins of his season.  Mahaffey would last appear in the majors on July 28th, throwing a scoreless inning of relief against the Red Sox.

He'd pitch for the Milwaukee Brewers of the American Association in the latter half of the 1936 season, helping the club reach the Little World Series where they defeated Buffalo in five games.  He'd also later pitch for Appleton Mill in a textile league, with that team going 11-1 in the fall and winning the Anderson County League title.

1933 Goudey #196

1935 Goudey 4-in-1 #31

1992 Conlon Collection TSN #603

Other Notable Baseball Cards

First Mainstream Card:  1933 Goudey #196

Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A

Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1992 Conlon Collection TSN #603

14 - Mahaffey non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 11/5/22.

Sources:

Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database

Previous Card:  #2 Al Simmons - Detroit Tigers (Variation)

Next Card: #12 "Dixie" Walker - New York Yankees (Variation 1)

#59 Jim Bottomley - Cincinnati Reds

James Leroy Bottomley

Cincinnati Reds

First Base

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  180

Born:  April 23, 1900, Oglesby, IL

Major League Teams:  St. Louis Cardinals 1922-1932; Cincinnati Reds 1933-1935; St. Louis Browns 1936-1937

World Series Appearances:  St. Louis Cardinals 1926, 1928, 1930-1931

As a Manager:  St. Louis Browns 1937

Died:  December 11, 1959, St. Louis, MO (59)

Hall of Fame Induction:  1974

Nicknamed "Sunny Jim" as a result of his cheerful personality, slugger Jim Bottomley starred for the Gashouse Gang Cardinals throughout the 1920s, helping his team reach four World Series, winning titles in 1926 and 1931.  Bottomley's first big season came in 1924 when he crossed the 100-RBI plateau for the first of six consecutive seasons.  On September 16, 1924 against the Brooklyn Robins, Bottomley set an all-time single-game record with 12 RBIs, going 6 for 6 with a double and two home runs.  As the regular first baseman for the Cardinals, he enjoyed a career-year in 1925, leading the league in hits (227) and doubles (44) while batting .367 with 128 RBIs.  

He batted .345 in the 1926 World Series, as the Cardinals defeated the Yankees in seven games, giving St. Louis its first franchise series title.  Bottomley consistently hit for average and provided power for the Cardinals, culminating in 1928 when he won National League MVP honors after his league-leading 20 triples, 31 home runs and 136 RBIs.  He nearly won a batting title in 1931, finishing with a .3482 average with Bill Terry (#14) hitting .3486 and winner Chick Hafey (#18) hitting .3489.

Dealt to the Reds following the 1932 season, Bottomley would continue to be productive at the plate although his overall numbers started to decline.  He wrapped up his career with the Browns, spending part of his final season in the majors as the team's player-manager.  Bottomley batted .310 for his career with 2,313 hits, 465 doubles, 219 home runs and 1,422 RBIs, with he and Lou Gehrig (#130) becoming the first two major leaguers to collect 150 or more doubles, triples and home runs.  He was inducted posthumously into the Hall of Fame in 1974 by the Veterans Committee, and was among 22 inaugural players and personnel inducted into the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2014.

Building the Set

October 6, 2022 from Ambler, PA - Card #64

It was quite the unexpected October for Phillies fans, as the team surprisingly advanced to the postseason on October 3rd with a 3-0 win over the Astros in Houston.  The Phillies hadn't been to the postseason since a shocking defeat to the Cardinals in the 2011 NLDS.  It was on this day I added three more cards to my Diamond Stars set, starting with this Bottomley card from eBay seller ercr3727 from Ambler, Pennsylvania.  The card is a bit beat up, but after I had added the card to my watch list the seller sent me a very reasonable discount for the card, and I ended up pulling the trigger.  This card arrived quickly on October 6th with the two other Diamond Stars cards I purchased - Roy Mahaffey (#10) and Lew Fonseca (#7) - arriving on October 11th.  I took the picture shown below in the second inning of NLDS Game 1, before Phillies starting pitcher Ranger Suarez had fallen apart, and way before the Phillies eventually closed out a 7-6 win.

Variations Available

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

The Card / Reds Team Set

It's appropriate to see Sunny Jim smiling here, and there are three uncredited Reds teammates getting ready for the game in the dugout behind him.  A Getty Images search shows the photo is from way back in 1923 and was taken by famed baseball photographer Charles Conlon.  The back explains batting line-up makeup, crediting Bottomley with being a good three or four hole hitter given his power numbers, and further explaining that first baseman are expected to "drive the runs around."  Also name checked in this tutorial are Jimmie Foxx (#64), Gehrig, Terry and Jimmy "Rip" Collins (#116).

Photos of Bottomley show that he was prone to wearing his baseball cap either tilted to the side or turned completely sideways, as modeled on his 1933 Goudey card.

1935 Season

In his final season with the Reds, Bottomley appeared in 107 games, making 96 starts at first base.  He batted .258 with one home runs and 49 RBIs for the Chuck Dressen-led team that finished with a 68-85-1 record.  On March 21, 1936, the Reds dealt Bottomley to the Browns for Johnny Burnett, as Bottomley reunited with Browns' manager Rogers Hornsby (#44).  The two future Hall of Famers had been long-time teammates with the Gashouse Gang, and the extended Diamond Stars set issued in 1981 shows National Chicle intended to include a combo card (#119) for the two Cardinals' legends.

1923-24 Exhibits (W461)

1929-30 R315

1933 Goudey #44

1940 Play Ball #236

1980 SSPC HOF #142

Other Notable Baseball Cards

First Mainstream Card:  1923-24 Exhibits (W461)

Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A

Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2018 Panini Diamond Kings #47

180 - Bottomley non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 11/5/22.

Sources:

Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
National Baseball Hall of Fame
SABR
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

Previous Card:  #58 Glenn Myatt - Cleveland Indians

Next Card: #60 Charley "Red" Ruffing - New York Yankees

#89 Joe Stripp - Brooklyn Dodgers

Joseph Valentine Stripp

Brooklyn Dodgers

Third Base

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  175
Born:  February 3, 1903, Harrison, NJ

Major League Teams:  Cincinnati Reds 1928-1931; Brooklyn Dodgers 1932-1937; St. Louis Cardinals 1938; Boston Bees 1938

Died:  June 10, 1989, Orlando, FL (86)

Known for his glove and his consistent hitting, Joe Stripp played 11 years in the majors, primarily as a third baseman for the Dodgers in the early to mid-1930s.  Acquired by the Reds in 1928 for a then high price of $50,000 and five players from the Double-A Columbus Senators, Stripp's best season with Cincinnati was 1931 when he batted a career-high .324.  He was then part of a six-player trade involving future Hall of Famers (see below) sending him to Brooklyn for the 1932 season.  With the Dodgers, and as their regular third baseman, he collected career highs in hits (162) and RBIs (64) while batting .303.  Stripp would bat over .300 in six of his 11 seasons, primarily as a singles and doubles hitter. He was an adobe-average fielder, leading the league in fielding percentage for third baseman twice (1936 and 1938) with his .961 career mark currently 66th all-time.  Stripp retired in 1939 with a .294 career average, 1,238 hits and 464 RBIs.

Building the Set

September 15, 2022 from San Diego, CA (Kit Young Cards) - Card #63

This Stripp card was part of a larger stress-induced purchase from Kit Young Cards in mid-September.  The stress was all work related, and while some people choose to relieve stress through less productive means, I opted to purchase several vintage baseball cards.  The centerpiece of the haul was the 1965 Topps Carl Yastrzemski card, which dropped the number of cards needed for that complete set down to five.  Joining Yaz were Stripp, the Diamond Stars card of Lloyd Waner (#16), and a League Leaders card from the 1969 Topps set, which will be my focus after the last five cards needed from 1965 are tracked down.  

September 2022 was a blur.  I travelled for work the better part of two weeks, school started, the boys' fall sports schedules (cross country and baseball) were non-stop and there was little to no time to rest or to enjoy baseball card purchases.  

Taking a mental health day in early October, I'm happy to have the time to catch my breath and truly appreciate the new baseball cards that helped get me through the last month.

Variations Available

1 - 1936 / blue back / 1935 statistics / 1936 copyright

The Card / Dodgers Team Set

For the third series of its Diamond Stars set, National Chicle featured less baseball tips and more pure biographical information.  A lot of the space on the back of the card goes to summarizing Stripp's career transactions, including the trade from March 14, 1932 (four years earlier) that sent him from the Reds to the Dodgers.  Stripp, Tony Cuccinello (#55) and Clyde Sukeforth went to Brooklyn in exchange for Wally Gilbert, Babe Herman (#135) and Ernie Lombardi (#36).

1936 Season

Again back at third base for the Dodgers, Stripp played in 110 games, batting .317 with a single home run and 60 RBIs.  Managed by Casey Stengel (#150), the Dodgers would finish in seventh place in the National League with pitcher Van Mungo (#19) the club's de facto most valuable player with 18 wins.

1933 George C. Miller (R300)

1934 Goudey #46

1935 Goudey 4-in-1 (R321)

1993 Conlon Collection TSN #809

Other Notable Baseball Cards

First Mainstream Card:  1933 George C. Miller (R300)

Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A

Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1993 Conlon Collection TSN #809

19 - Stripp non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 10/3/22.

Sources:

Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

Previous Card:  #88 Geo. Selkirk - New York Yankees

Next Card: #90 Ray Hayworth - Detroit Tigers

#16 Lloyd Waner - Pittsburgh Pirates

Lloyd James Waner
Pittsburgh Pirates
Oufield

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'9"  Weight:  150
Born:  March 16, 1906, Harrah, OK
Major League Teams:  Pittsburgh Pirates 1927-1941; Boston Braves 1941; Cincinnati Reds 1941; Philadelphia Phillies 1942; Brooklyn Dodgers 1944; Pittsburgh Pirates 1944-1945

World Series Appearances:  Pittsburgh Pirates 1927

Died:  July 22, 1982, Oklahoma City, OK (76)

Hall of Fame Induction:  1967

Lloyd "Little Poison" Waner, along with his brother Paul "Big Poison" Waner (#83), served as cornerstones of the Pirates outfield throughout the 1930s, eventually setting the major league record for hits by a pair of brothers with 5,611.  Lloyd, the younger Waner brother, settled in as the everyday center fielder for the Pirates in 1927, leading the league with 133 runs scored, collecting a career-high 223 hits and finishing sixth in the league's MVP voting.  Waner's 223 hits in his first year still stands as the all-time single season record for National League rookies.  He'd see his only postseason action that year, batting .400 (6 in 15) in the World Series ultimately won by the powerhouse Yankees in a four-game sweep.  Waner continued his steady output throughout the late 1920s and 1930s, leading the league in triples with 20 in 1929, and hits with 214 in 1931.  With little power, Little Poison led the league in singles four times, and had a batting average over .300 in 11 seasons.  He made his only All-Star team in 1938.

Waner spent the latter part of his career bouncing around a bit, but finishing back with the Pirates in 1944 and 1945.  He was a lifetime .316 batter with 2,459 hits and 1,201 runs scored.  The Veteran's Committee voted Waner into the Hall of Fame in 1967, and he was part of the inaugural Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame Class in 2022.

Building the Set

September 15, 2022 from San Diego, CA (Kit Young Cards) - Card #62

This Waner card was part of a larger stress-induced purchase from Kit Young Cards in mid-September.  The stress was all work related, and while some people choose to relieve stress through less productive means, I opted to purchase several vintage baseball cards.  The centerpiece of the haul was the 1965 Topps Carl Yastrzemski card, which dropped the number of cards needed for that complete set down to five.  Joining Yaz were Waner, the Diamond Stars card of Joe Stripp (#89), and a League Leaders card from the 1969 Topps set, which will be my focus after the last five cards needed from 1965 are tracked down.  

September 2022 was a blur.  I travelled for work the better part of two weeks, school started, the boys' fall sports schedules (cross country and baseball) were non-stop and there was little to no time to rest or to enjoy baseball card purchases.  

Taking a mental health day in early October, I'm happy to have the time to catch my breath and truly appreciate the new baseball cards that helped get me through the last month.

Variations Available

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

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

3 - 1936 / blue back / 1935 statistics / 1934 copyright

The Card / Pirates Team Set

In my opinion, this is one of the most iconic cards of the set, and the bright art deco colors are on full display behind the posed shot of Waner reaching for the ball.  The tip on the back of the card implores outfielders to catch fly balls high above your head, in order to give yourself a second chance in case you bobble and drop the ball.  I can't say I've ever heard this as the reason for catching a fly ball above your head before.

1934 Season

Now a veteran on the Pirates, Waner was again the team's regular center fielder, appearing in 140 games and batting .283 with 173 hits.  Older brother Paul made 145 starts in left with Lloyd to his left in center field for 139 starts.  The Pirates finished in fifth place with a 74-76-1 record with third baseman Pie Traynor (#99) taking over as the club's manager a few months into the season.

Phillies Career

Waner was released by the Reds on October 8, 1941, signing as a free agent with the Phillies less than two months later on December 4th.  If that date seems vaguely familiar it's because Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japanese forces three days later on December 7th, sending the U.S. into World War II.  Because of current events, I imagine the signing of the aging Waner went largely unnoticed by Phillies fans.

The 1942 Phillies would lose 109 games.  Waner was the team's opening day center fielder, and he'd make 70 starts overall at the position.  In 101 games, he'd bat .261 with just 10 RBIs, the lowest total of any of the team's regular players.  His time in Philadelphia lasted just the one season as he was dealt to the Dodgers on March 9, 1943 with infielder Al Glossop for first baseman Babe Dahlgren.

1933 Goudey #164

1934-36 Batter-Up (R318) #17

1939 Play Ball #89

1961 Fleer Baseball Greats #84

1983 Donruss Hall of Fame Heroes #22

Other Notable Baseball Cards

First Mainstream Card:  1933 Goudey #164

Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A

Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2018 Panini Diamond Kings #13

267 - Waner non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 10/3/22.

Sources:

Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
National Baseball Hall of Fame
SABR
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

Previous Card:  #15 Dick Bartell - Philadelphia Phillies

Next Card: #17 Frankie Frisch MG - St. Louis Cardinals

#56 "Gus" Suhr - Pittsburgh Pirates

August Richard Suhr
Pittsburgh Pirates
First Base

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  180
Born:  January 3, 1906, San Francisco, CA
Major League Teams:  Pittsburgh Pirates 1930-1939; Philadelphia Phillies 1939-1940

Died:  January 15, 2004, Scottsdale, AZ (98)

A steady slugger who rarely missed a game, Gus Suhr played 11 seasons in the majors, primarily with the Pirates.  Suhr starred for five seasons with the Pacific Coast League's San Francisco Seals between 1925 and 1929, and compiled one of the best all-time single seasons in 1929.  He batted .381 that year with 51 home runs and 177 RBIs, causing the Pirates to acquire him and immediately name him their everyday first basman.  Suhr would hit at least 10 home runs in five different seasons, and drove in at least 100 runs in three seasons.  He compiled a National League record 822 consecutive games played streak beginning in 1931, that stood until broken by Stan Musial in 1957.  His career year came in 1936 for the fourth place Pirates when he was named to the National League All-Star team, and finished the season batting .312 with 11 home runs and 118 RBIs.  Suhr concluded his major league career playing parts of two seasons with the Phillies, and he'd return to the Seals for three seasons between 1943 and 1945 for a few more successful years.

Suhr collected 1,446 major league hits while batting .279 with 84 home runs and 818 RBIs.  He ranks in the top 100 among all first baseman with 1,406 games played (78th) and 13,103 career putouts (70th). 

Building the Set

September 9, 2022 from La Verne, CA - Card #61

In early September, I found myself taking the first of two required work trips and I purchased Wifi access on a flight to Orlando in order to catch up on work e-mails.  Dutifully catching up, and not having enough time to watch a full movie, I turned to eBay for the duration of the flight and found this Suhr card for sale at the very reasonable But It Now price of $32.50 from seller earhart47.  Not wanting the card to travel by itself from La Verne, California, I found four more cards for future set builds at reasonable prices and from high above somewhere over Georgia I clicked Add to Cart on those four cards too.  The Suhr card and its traveling companions were waiting for me when I got home late on the night of September 9th.  Sadly, during the second work trip, this time to Dallas, no new baseball cards were purchased while in flight.

Variations Available

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

The Card / Pirates Team Set

Given the angle of this photo, Suhr has caught the ball at first, forcing out the runner who continues to run down the first base line unaware of his fate.  The back of the card discusses the abilities needed from a first baseman to start double plays.  Suhr is a great subject for this tip, as he led the league twice in double plays turned by a first baseman, with 142 in 1930 and 150 in 1938.  His 1,086 double plays at the position are currently ranked 80th all-time.

1935 Season

Suhr was named the Pirates' team captain before the start of the season, and he appeared in all 153 games, starting all but 11 games at first base.  He batted .272 with 10 home runs and 81 RBIs, third on the team behind the RBI tallies of Arky Vaughan (#151) and Pep Young with 99 and 82, respectively.

Phillies Career

The Pirates traded Suhr to the Phillies on July 28, 1939 for pitcher Max Butcher.  He had held out on a contract extension from the Pirates for the third time in five years that spring and lost his starting job to prospect Elbie Fletcher in June.  With the Phillies, Suhr took over regular first base duties from Jack Bolling and Gibby Brack, making 59 starts over the remaining months of the season.  He'd return in 1940, starting the first seven games of the Phillies season at first base, before being replaced for good by Art Mahan.  Batting just .160 in his final big league season, Suhr was released by the Phillies on May 14, 1940.  In 70 games with the club spanning two seasons, Suhr batted .300 with five home runs and 29 RBIs.

1933 Goudey #206

1934-36 Batter-Up (R318) #41

1936 Goudey Wide Pen Premiums (R314) #A96

1939 Play Ball #83

1940 Play Ball #94

Other Notable Baseball Cards

First Mainstream Card:  1933 Goudey #206

Topps Flagship Set Appearances (0):  N/A

Most Recent Mainstream Card:  1972 TCMA The 1930s #170

49 - Suhr non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 10/3/22.

Sources:

Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

Previous Card:  #55 Tony Cuccinello - Brooklyn Dodgers

Next Card: #57 "Cy" Blanton - Pittsburgh Pirates