Tuesday, May 26, 2015

#389 1959 World Series Game #5 "Luis Swipes Base"



The Card: This is the first I've posted of the World Series subset that chronicles the 1959 Dodgers' championship. One card was issued for each game and a seventh shows the Dodgers 'celebration and has Series total stats on the back. The cards use painted game action photos.

This one, purportedly showing Game Five action has Luis Aparicio of the Sox sliding into second with a steal while Maury Wills takes the catcher's late throw.

Interestingly the action shown is actually from Game Four of the Series. Corbis' website had the original image and caption. The photo is dated October 5. And that's the date of Game Four in which Aparicio walked and stole second to lead off the top of the first.


Original caption: Luis Apariclo, Sox ss, steals second in the first inning after getting on base with a walk. John Roseboro's throw to Maury Wills was late. Note ball just reaching Wills glove.
In a further bit of ironic card trivia Maury Wills was famously not included in Topps sets of the day. He wasn't offered the standard Topps $5 contract and by the time he made a splash in the majors he had signed an 'exclusive' contract with Fleer. If you want some background on this the LA Times had a nice article in 2011.

3 comments:

  1. I'm a big fan of the World Series Subsets, the 1960 version is interesting for being vertical instead of horizontal. The exceptions to the rule on the 1960 set are worth a second look

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  2. Great find of this original photo! It also settles the question whether Maury Wills appeared on a Topps card as a Dodger (prior to his first named card as a Pirate in 1967). Looks like the answer is yes.

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  3. I just noticed something I wonder if someone could shed some light on. In the online Beckett Price Guide, it lists this card with a different "A" version:


    1960 Topps #389 World Series Game 5/Aparicio Steals Base/w/Maury Wills

    and


    1960 Topps #389A World Series Game 5/Aparicio Steals Base/w/Maury Wills WB


    The 2nd one says "389A" and "WB". Anyone know if this is a variation and what it is? What does WB stand for? Thanks!

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