1953 Topps Ben Wade

Card #4
Ben Wade
Brooklyn Dodgers
Pitcher

• Played 5 seasons in the majors - 3 years with the Dodger and parts of seasons with the Cubs, Cardinals and Pirates.
• Played with the Army Air Force team during World War Two.
• Hit three home runs in sixty at bats in 1952. 
• Was a scout for the Dodgers from 1962-1973 and was promoted to Scouting Director from 1973 to 1990. 

The second Brooklyn card in the set after #1 Jackie Robinson. Ben is also the second card in the set where the only background is peaceful, fluffy clouds. He's not even the first Wade in the bigs, his brother Jake made his debut for Detroit in 1936. Ben had a short Major league career but had a huge impact on the Dodgers as a scout and later as Scouting Director. Drafting Orel Hershiser and Mike Piazza more than makes up for his 15.43 ERA in the 1953 World Series.

One reason I love the '53 set is the odd things they tried in the design. The facsimile signature in red behind the biographical paragraph is one of those strange but cool things they tried. Look at that autograph. That's a serious autograph.