Lew Burdette and Bobby Shantz, facing off in the 1957 World Series. Lou, I mean Lew, got the better of Bobby as he won three complete game victories against the Yanks in the Series. Bobby was in his first year with the Yankees after being involved in a ridiculous 13 player deal between New York and the Kansas City A's that also saw Clete Boyer become a Yank. Bobby won the AL MVP in 1952 with a 24-7 record for Philadalhia. He went 13-26 for the A's the next four years and was finally dumped to the Yankees in '57. Bobby had a bit of a comeback in New York, and went 11-5 with a league leading ERA. Shantz finished up his career as a pretty good relief pitcher for the Yanks, Cardinals, Colt 45's, Pirates, Cubs and Phillies. Lew and Bobby faced off as startes in game 2 of the series and met again in game 7 as Shantz came in to relieve Don Larsen. I have a suspicion the real reason Topps put these two on the same card is because 6'2" Burdette looks like a monster next to 5'6" Shantz.
I got this card pretty cheap in that vintage haul a few weeks ago. It's one more hole filled in my 1958 Topps team set that I'll never finish. No, I'm not worried about finding the Aaron. I'll pick up one of those sooner or later. It's that damned Mickey Mantle - Hank Aaron combo card that's going to ruin me. People are absolutely insane about vintage Mantle cards. One of these days I'll find one that a dog chewed up or was put in the bicycle spokes one time too many or that fell behind a cushon in the couch and got all moldy from crumbs. It will still be damned expensive though. I wonder if an A-Rod - Ryan Howard World Series combo card will be as coveted in 50 years?
3 comments:
A-Rod / Utley combo card, maybe.
A-Rod / Howard...meh.
Hurling rivals! Fantastic.
It is indeed a great card.
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