#267 Jim Marshall

Jim Marshall  Boston Red Sox

Career: Jim Marshall broke in with the Orioles in 1958 after spending time at Long Beach State, with three different minor league systems and (I'm assuming here) some military service time. In Baltimore he was behind Bob Boyd in the first base pecking order. Marshall was traded during his rookie season to the Cubs and played for the Giants, Mets, and Pirates over five seasons totaling just over 400 games. Despite being listed with Boston on this card he never played for them (see below).

A career .240ish Hitter, Marshall played in the inaugural game for the 1962 Mets, and was the second pinch-hitter called on by Casey Stengel on Opening Day. Three weeks later, with Marshall hitting .344 as a bench piece, he was traded to the Pirates where he ended his playing day later that season.

When his major league career was done Marshall took his bats to Japan and had three successful seasons with the Chunichi Dragons. He displayed the power he had flashed back in AAA ball and was an All-Star.

He was back in the US after that, managed in the Cubs' chain, and had stints as a big-league manager with the Cubs and Athletics. He later scouted the States for the Japanese Leagues, held a job scouting for the Yanks and eventually became the chief scout for the Diamondbacks in the Pacific Rim. At last report, he still holds that job.

In 1960: After being acquired via trade from the Cubs the previous November, Marshall was traded by the Red Sox TWICE before the season even started. They dealt him to the Indians on March 16 along with Sammy White for Russ Nixon. When White refused to report to Cleveland the deal was voided as of March 25th. Four days later Marshall was headed to the Giants for pitcher Al Worthington.

With the Giants, Marshall served as a pinch hitter and filled in at first and in left. He got into 75 games and hit ..237 with a pair of homers over 188 at-bats.

Off The Charts:  Marshall, an Los Angeles area native, was good enough at basketball in high school to receive a scholarship offer from John Wooden at UCLA. He instead played a year of baseball at Long Beach State before he was signed by the White Sox.

Like this snippet from an interview Marshal did a few years back for this blog:

 A trade to the Orioles finally gave Marshall his shot at the majors in 1958 when he was 27 years old.   He roomed with 21-year-old Brooks Robinson that year. "There was never any doubt about his fielding, but he really wasn't a very good hitter back then. We're still friends. In fact, I just talked to him recently. I always tell him, 'I knew you before you could hit.' But he really worked hard on his hitting and he made himself into a very, very good hitter. That's always impressed me. And you have to give [Orioles manager] Paul Richards credit, he stuck with him because he couldn't hit anything at first. Richards could see what Brooks would become."

The Card: Just a bit of his Cubs' cap logo peeking out over the brim in this one.

#266 Joe Jay

Joe Jay   Milwaukee Braves

Career: Joey Jay was among the first players to sign under the 'Bonus baby' rule. That regulation forced a team who signed a youngster to a contract above a certain threshold to keep him on the major league roster for two seasons. When the Braves signed him in 1953 he spent a couple of seasons watching and waiting and has said he was ignored in the clubhouse and 'felt like the batboy'.

He was able to impress with his first start which came in the form of a shoutout in late 1953. Jay stuck with the big league club until the middle of 1955 when he was sent to the minors and he stayed there (with mixed results) until reappearing on the big league staff in 1958. He still didn't get a lot of work but he had impressive stats that year. An arm issue kept him off the World Series roster for the Braves that season. Jay's numbers regressed over the '59 and '60 seasons and he was traded to the Reds for 1961.

In Cincinnati, he found his form and won 21 games in each of his first two seasons with the Reds. He was an All-Star in 1961 and made two starts in the Series. He won Game Two with a four-hitter in Yankee Stadium that tied the Series at 1-1. He then returned in Game Five and the Yanks proved they had figured him out and Jay didn't get out of the first inning.

Jay never again approached the success he'd had in those first two seasons with the Braves. He stuck around through 1966 and even had a return engagement with the Braves when he was traded to the Atlanta version of the club midway through 1966. That was his last big league run.

He had a shot with the Phils in 1967 but he wasn't effective in a few starts with their minor league club in Clearwater and that was that. He retired to a career and a business owner (oil drilling, taxi cabs, and building cleaning and maintenance. 


In 1960: Jay went 9-8 over 32 games including 11 starts. His ERA was 3.24, better than it had been in '59, but the Braves thought they had better prospects for their rotation and he was on to the Reds that winter.

Off The Charts: Jay had nothing to do with baseball once he left. Here is a paragraph or so from his SABR bio:

Jay, a western Florida resident, adopted a life without baseball. He declined to attend card shows or fantasy camps and embraced a very low profile contrasted to his former public life. “I don’t live in the past, like most ballplayers,” he said. “I don’t wear my World Series rings, my mother has my scrapbooks, and if someone offered me a baseball job, I’d turn it down in a minute. When I made the break, it was clean and forever. It’s infantile to keep thinking about the game. It gets you nowhere. Most ex-ballplayers keep on living in some destructive fantasy world. Not me. I’m happier than ever since I left. And do me a favor. Don’t mention where I live.”

I don't recall ever hearing him referred to as 'Joe' Jay. It was always 'Joey'. Topps used the more formal version on this and (I think) all his cards. Other companies mixed and matched.

I'd always thought he was credited with being the first Little League World Series winner to play in the majors. Apparently, he was the first LL'er, period.

#265 Rip Repulski

Rip Repulski  Los Angeles Dodgers

Career: Eldon 'Rip' Repulski was signed by the Cardinals after a top-notch career as a baseball and football player at his Minnesota high school and St. Cloud State University. He spent six seasons moving up the Cards' chain. That wasn't unusual given the depth of talent some franchises held in those days.

Repulski made the St. Louis roster in 1953 and laid claim to the starting centerfield job. He had a solid season and got some Rookie of the Year consideration. He played four seasons for the Redbirds and hit .276 over that span. He had a reputation as a good defensive player, too. He made his only All-Star squad in 1956 and them was promptly traded to the Phils after the season.

In Philly, Ripulski hit 20 homers in 1957 but had a sub-par '58 and was traded again, this time to the Dodgers. His days as a regular were over and Repulski spent a couple of seasons in both LA and Boston coming off the bench as a pinch-hitter and spare outfield glove. The Sox released him mid-year in '61 and he caught on with the Twins AAA club. He retired after that and returned to his hometown to operate his bar.

In 1960: In May, after just a handful of at-bats with the Dodgers, Repulski was traded to the Red Sox. He hit .243 as their primary right-handed pinch-hitter and occasional starter in left. BTW... Repulski hit a grand slam at Fenway Park in his first American League at-bat. He hit it in the bottom of the eighth on May 10 against the White Sox. Ted Williams had drawn an intentional walk to load 'em up for Repulski who was batting for Gary Geiger who'd been announced as a pinch hitter before a pitching change by Chicago. His blast broke open a 5-5 game. The Red Sox hung on for a 9-7 win.

Off The Charts: Rip drew an intentional walk in his only at-bat in the 1959 World Series. In the bottom of the eighth inning of Game Five, after Ron Fairly was announced as a pinch-hitter for Don Demeter with Chicago up 1-0, the Sox countered by bringing Billy Pierce in from the bullpen. Repulski was then sent in for Fairly and drew his pass. Dick Donavan relieved Pierce and got out of the inning. The Dodgers would have to wait until Game Six in Chicago to wrap up the title.

According to his SABR bio, Repulski owned and operated a bar in St. Cloud, Minnesota, not far from where he was raised and where he went to college. A couple of paragraphs pretty much sum up his persona:

Repulski was a “hands-on” owner of his liquor establishment, frequently coming out from behind the bar to share tales of his baseball career with anyone who might have even a dim connection with the sport.

Never one to allow anything to get in the way of a good story, Rip regaled his audiences with tales of his ball-field exploits: how he escaped death in plane and bus crashes, that he could still hit left-handed pitching, that the Cardinals kept him in the minors too long, and that his lifetime batting average was the same as Yogi Berra’s (it wasn’t). The stories went on and on until closing time.

Rip did a VW Wagon commercial. No date available for this. Clever stuff.

#264 Robin Roberts

Robin Roberts   Philadelphia Phillies

Career: Hall of Famer Robin Roberts was an Illinois native (and Michigan State alum) who won 286 games while pitching for mostly mediocre ballclubs. He had a brief but highly successful taste of the minors in 1948 and then was called up to the Phils. He quickly became one of the best right-handers in the game. He pitched a ridiculous 305 complete games. Between 1950 and 1956 he averaged 22 wins and 26 complete games a season. LOL


Each year from 1952 through 1955 Roberts led the NL in wins. Over that span, he was 97-52 (.651) while the Phils were 322-294 (.523) as a team. 

After his time in Philadelphia, just as it began to look like all the innings had degraded his arm, he found his way to Baltimore in 1962 where he had a resurgence and he pitched very well as a mid-rotation starter for the better part of three years. He finished up with some time with the Astros and Cubs. He was inducted into the Hall in 1976 after four election cycles.

Notable Achievements

• 7-time NL All-Star (1950-1956)
• 4-time NL Wins Leader (1952-1955)
• 5-time NL Innings Pitched Leader (1951-1955)
• 2-time NL Strikeouts Leader (1953 & 1954)
• 5-time NL Complete Games Leader (1952-1956)
• NL Shutouts Leader (1950)
• 15 Wins Seasons: 10 (1949-1956, 1958 & 1959)
• 20 Wins Seasons: 6 (1950-1955)
• 25 Wins Seasons: 1 (1952)
• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 14 (1949-1960, 1963 & 1964)
• 300 Innings Pitched Seasons: 6 (1950-1955)
• Baseball Hall of Fame: Class of 1976

In 1960: This was Roberts' last relatively effective year in Philadelphia. His ERA was just over 4 and he went 12-16. He allowed the most homers among NL pitchers (although that wasn't unusual for Roberts).

Off The Charts:  Roberts made one start in the 1950 World Series against the Yankees. He pitched a complete game in Game Two and took the 2-1 loss against Allie Reynolds.

Roberts worked a season in the Phils' radio booth after he retired and then became the head baseball coach at the University of South Florida. He had diverse interests both during and after his career. He was involved in the Players Association for many years. Roberts owned a seafood company and played basketball during his offseasons with a team of other ballplayers.

The Card: Roberts had 221 wins, was a seven-time All-Star, had led the league in wins and strikeouts several times when 1959 had ended. Yet, he didn't rate a 'star' number on the checklist? I don't get it.

#263 Darrell Johnson

Darrell Johnson  St. Louis Cardinals

Career: Johnson's major league career came in bits and pieces spread over a decade for six different teams. He came out of Nebraska-Kearney and he caught in the St. Louis Browns' system beginning in 1949. He made their roster in 1952 but from there it was a journey through Chicago (Sox), New York (Yankees), back to St. Louis (Cardinals), Philly, Cincinnati, and Baltimore.

Johnson's numbers through all that don't add up to full seasons worth of games but he learned a lot and it came in handy when he managed three teams later in life. He logged nearly a thousand games in the minors, was a player/coach for the Cardinals, and went on to manage the Red Sox (winning the '75 pennant), the Mariners (he was their first), and finally, briefly, the Rangers.

He was a career .234 hitter with one homer off Virgil Trucks and another one off Johnny Podres.

In 1960: Johnson started the season as a spare catcher and coach. When the Cards recalled top prospect Tim McCarver they took Johnson off the active roster and he was officially a coach for the rest of the year. He'd had just twenty-six at-bats over eight games hitting .154 with an RBI.

Off The Charts: Johnson ended his playing days with the Orioles and then began managing in their chain. He was pushed aside by the Rochester owner in favor of Earl Weaver and he moved on to scouting with the Yanks and then got back into managing. He took over the Red Sox job in 1974, finished third, and then took them to the Series.

#262 Hank Bauer

Hank Bauer  Kansas City Athletics

Career: Bauer, whose reputation as a tough ex-Marine is widely known, had a 14-year playing career, twelve of those seasons were with the Yankees. His career peaked with the powerhouse early-to-mid 50s Yankees clubs and Bauer was an All-Star from 1952 through 1955. He picked up MVP votes in five straight years beginning in 1952 as well.

Bauer played in nine World Series with the Yanks, winning seven including five straight from 1949 to 1953. He is sixth on the list of World Series at-bats and hit seven Series homers including four in the '57 Series. The card's cartoon mentions the fact that Bauer holds the record for hits in consecutive World Series games. He still holds the record. His streak included 1956 WS games 1-7, 1957 WS games 1-7, and 1958 WS games 1-3. warren Spahn's two-hit shutout of the Yanks in Game Four of the '58 Classic ended Bauer's run. He got the last laugh though, as he homered off Spahn in his first at-bat in Game Six and he got his ring in the end.

He finished his career with the Athletics in '60/'61. He was the As' player/manager for part of his final active season.

Bauer managed the A's in both KC & Oakland, as well as the Orioles and he won another ring when the '66 Birds swept the Dodgers.

There is a lot more to the Hank Bauer story than I can include here so I'll point you to his SABR bio for a long but entertaining read.


In 1960: Bauer came to the Athletics in the December '59 trade that sent Roger Maris to the Yankees. He got into 95 games and hit a respectable .275 which is right about his career average.

Off The Charts: Bauer's WWII Marine story as told by Wikipedia...

One month after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Bauer enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served with the 4th Raider Battalion and G Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines. While deployed to the Pacific Theater, Bauer contracted malaria on Guadalcanal, however he recovered from that well enough to earn 11 campaign ribbons, two Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts (for being wounded in action) in 32 months of combat and the Navy Commendation Medal. Bauer was wounded his second time during the Battle of Okinawa, when he was a sergeant in command of a platoon of 64 Marines. Only six of the 64 Marines survived the Japanese counterattack, and Bauer was wounded by shrapnel in his thigh. His wounds were severe enough to send him back to the United States to recuperate.

Hanks's next-to-last career homer was an inside-the-park job off his pal, Whitey Ford in June of 1961 at Yankee Stadium. I bet they laughed about that one over beers a time or two. Baseball-Reference's home run log says it was hit to 'deep' centerfield. In Yankee Stadium that likely means it rolled to the monuments.

The Card: Topps had their artist paint the A's logo on to Bauer's cap but so little of it is visible on the color shot you wonder why they bothered.

#261 Pete Burnside

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Pete Burnside  Detroit Tigers

Career: Burnside was a high school phenom who wowed the scouts with a blazing fastball. His control, however, was another matter. He never quite got a handle on where his ball was going. And too frequently it went over the fence.

He'd signed with the Giants in 1949 but his road to the majors was a bumpy one. His results never matched his talent and he suffered a few injuries and got detoured by Uncle Sam. He finally stuck with the Giants in 1957 but two rough years later he was traded to the Tigers.

Burnside still had that tantalizing arm strength but his results never matched it. He pitched for the Senators, Orioles, and in Japan for a few seasons without ever having much success.

In 1960: After a season in the Tigers pen, he was given a shot at starting. He started 15 of his 30 games and went 7-7. That win total was the best of his career. His other numbers were pretty lackluster and the Tigers let him go in the expansion draft.

Off The Charts: Coming out of New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois Burnside was sought after by the Cubs, his favorite team. But Burnside wanted to attend Dartmouth College and the Cubs didn't sign him. He was offered (and accepted) a deal by the Giants that allowed him to attend school and report to the team when his spring semester ended. In 1952 he graduated with a double-major in history and sociology.

During his time in the service, pitching for the Fort Leonard Wood (Missouri) Hilltoppers in October 1953, he gained national attention by striking out the first 17 batters in an inter-service game.

After his two seasons in Japan ended he returned to Illinois, got his Masters at Northwestern, and began his second career as a teacher and coach at New Trier. He retired from there in the early 90s.