#137 Dick Ricketts (Rookie Star)

Here we have our first 'special' card out of the '59 set. I'm not overwhelmed by the Sporting News Rookie Stars cards but I don't find them hideous either. I think Topps improved on them in 1960 (the orange background cards) and 1961 (newsprint style cards).

EDIT.........my original post for this card was wrong. I had this card on the top of my stack, assumed it was 'Dave' Ricketts (he's the Ricketts brother I was familiar with) and wrote away, oblivious to the fact it was 'Dick' Ricketts' card I had just uploaded. What a stupid I am. Mike Clark caught my embarrassing gaffe and was kind enough to provide the Dick Ricketts background in the comments section without pointing out that I was/am such a dumbass. I'm reposting this using the info Mike provided. So I guess that makes him my first guest blogger! Take it away Mike Clark......................

Dave was Dick's brother, I believe - both played for the Cardinals - one was a pitcher (Dick) the other caught (Dave). Dave had the longer MLB career. Wikipedia says:Richard James Ricketts, Jr. (December 4, 1933–March 6, 1988) was an American professional basketball player.
A 6'7" forward from Duquesne University, Ricketts was selected by the St. Louis Hawks with the first pick of the 1955 NBA Draft. He played three seasons in the NBA with the Hawks and the Rochester and Cincinnati Royals and scored 1,974 career points. Ricketts, a strong 225-pounder, was drafted #1 overall by the NBA Hawks because he was also property of the Major-League baseball Cardinals. Pitching largely for the Rochester Red Wings, Ricketts became part of that NBA franchise there as well. When the team relocated to Cincinnati, the forward/center played the 1957-58 season there. Ricketts was affected by the tragic injury of teammate Maurice Stokes in March, 1958 and retired from pro basketball following that season.
Ricketts was also signed as an amateur free agent pitcher by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1955. In 1959 he appeared in 12 games for the Cardinals, including 9 starts. He had a 1-6 record, with a 5.82 ERA in 55 2/3 innings. His brother Dave Ricketts played six years in the major leagues.

The part about Dick being affected by the injury to Maurice Stokes is real interesting, isn't it? I remember seeing Stokes appear as a guest at some NBA games in the early 60s and his story being featured on the ABC broadcasts of NBA games during that time. Here is his page at Wikipedia.


Again, thanks to Mike Clark for his input and I hope anyone reading this with an interest in 59s won't be put off by my rookie blogger mistake.

#514 Bob Gibson

This is by far the worst conditioned card in my 1959 set. But it's also the one that means the most and the reason I'm filling up a binder with this great group of cards. This Bob Gibson is the only '59 Topps that has survived from my childhood. Besides that, even given the condition it's in ("Poor" would be a generous grade) I love this one. Gibby looks happy to be posing for his rookie card and he's smiling out at us from an outrageously inappropriate pink setting. This is a 'high number' card, note the red and black on white reverse. One day I'll upgrade this card but I'm not in any hurry. This old warhorse of a card will anchor my set for the time being.

I don't remember how the tape got on the back but it doesn't detract from the card in my eyes. Neither do the creases or rounded corners. It had hidden in a copy of the first Beckett Price Guide as a bookmark and sat forgotten in a storage box in my closet. Sorting through the box a couple of summers ago brought Gibby's card back into my hands and the answer to the question I'd been asking myself for some time ("Which vintage set do I want to collect") was answered.

I was fortunate enough to see Gibson pitch and believe me, he was a real badass on the mound. My favorite memory comes, ironically, from 1975, his last season and the final time I saw him perform. I attended this game in mid-August with a friend of mine who happens to be a lifelong Cardinal fan. As Gibby's career came to an end he struggled through a year that saw him saddled with a 3-10 record and an ERA over five. But on this day Gibson came into the game after the Cards had taken a one run lead in the top of the eleventh. I distinctly recall watching from seats behind the Cardinal dugout as he stalked out to the mound with that look that few pitchers had. My friend and I both saw it and said to one another 'Game over." And it was. Gibby blew away three Astros (looking!!) to wrap up the game. Awesome.