SPECIAL INSERT: 1951 BLUE-BACK JOE DiMAGGIO

Up on the blog today, my special insert for my "Whole Nine: Series 2" set released a few months ago, this being a fun 1951 Topps Blue-Back Joe DiMaggio card:

Really fun to get this in that set as a special little bonus, hand-cutting each one by hand but well worth the effort!

As we all know the "Yankee Clipper" never did get on a Topps card as his career was wrapping up just as Topps was getting into the card market in the early-50s.

DiMaggio spent his late-teens putting up softball type numbers with the San Francisco Seals between 1932 and 1935 before taking the Majors by storm.

Over that time in the Minors he hit as high as .398 (1935), collecting 270 hits, with a staggering 456 total bases!

The kid was giving everyone a glimpse of what to expect when he reached the Major Leagues in 1936, instantly becoming one of the greatest to put on a Big League uniform.

"Joltin' Joe" put together a legendary career that eventually made him an American Icon, taking home three league MVP Awards, hitting safely in a record 56 straight games in 1941 and being a part of a staggering NINE World Champion teams between 1936 and 1951.

If not for his military service, losing three years during his prime between 1943 and 1945, his already lofty numbers would have been even better.

One of my favorite career stats for the guy? Let's admire his incredible feat of hitting 361 home runs while striking out only 369 times over his Big League tenure.

Now, while I certainly don't think he was the game's "greatest living ballplayer" as they voted him later on, the man was definitely up there, especially capturing the nation's attention the way he did.

A true legend.

MINOR LEAGUE DAYS: LEGENDS EDITION- JOE DiMAGGIO

Good day all!

On the blog today we add the great "Yankee Clipper", Joe DiMaggio to my 1971 "Minor League Days Legends Edition" sub-set, celebrating all-time baseball legends and their time in the Minors:

DiMaggio spent his late-teens putting up softball type numbers with the San Francisco Seals between 1932 and 1935.

Over that time he hit as high as .398 (1935), collecting 270 hits, with a staggering 456 total bases!

The kid was giving everyone a glimpse of what to expect when he reached the Major Leagues in 1936, instantly becoming one of the greatest to put on a Big League uniform.

"Joltin' Joe" put together a legendary career that eventually made him an American Icon, taking home three league MVP Awards, hitting safely in a record 56 straight games in 1941 and being a part of a staggering NINE World Champion teams between 1936 and 1951.

If not for his military service, losing three years during his prime between 1943 and 1945, his already lofty numbers would have been even better.

One of my favorite career stats for the guy? Let's admire his incredible feat of hitting 361 home runs while striking out only 369 times over his Big League tenure.

Now, while I certainly don't think he was the game's "greatest living ballplayer" as they voted him later on, the man was definitely up there, especially capturing the nation's attention the way he did.

A true legend.

VINTAGE CUSTOM SPOTLIGHT: 1950 DRAKE'S "EXTENDED" SET: JOE DiMAGGIO

Today on the blog, I begin to post customs from my 1950 Drake's "extended set, which I released in limited edition last year, beginning with a card for the "Yankee Clipper" Joe DiMaggio:

I love the Drake's set, and as with many of the oddball sets released in the 1950's, there were always many of the game's top players missing, so I decided to release a special set, in ultra-special packaging, on genuine thick card stock to help "fill-out" the checklist.

Obviously "Joltin' Joe" was an easy choice, as he put together a legendary career that had become an American Icon, taking home three league MVP Awards, hitting safely in a record 56 straight games in 1941 and being a part of a staggering NINE World Champion teams between 1936 and 1951.

If not for his military service, losing three years during his prime between 1943 and 1945, his already lofty numbers would have been even better.

One of my favorite career stats for the guy? Let's admire his incredible feat of hitting 361 home runs while striking out only 369 times over his Big League tenure.

Now, while I certainly don't think he was the game's "greatest living ballplayer" as they voted him later on, the man was definitely up there, especially capturing the nation's attention the way he did.

A true legend.

1970 FANTASY COACH CARD- JOE DIMAGGIO

Of course if I was creating a 1970’s “coach-card” set, you know eventually I’d come around to “Joltin Joe” DiMaggio and his time spent as a coach for the Oakland A’s at the end of the 1960’s, allowing me to create this 1970 card for him:

Almost 20 years after his retirement as a player, DiMaggio found himself a couple of years short of the highest level of pension from the Major Leagues, and owner of the Oakland A's franchise, Charlie Finley, was happy to oblige the “Yankee Clipper” with a title of Vice President while he suited up in the Oakland green for the 1968 and 1969 seasons, which was near his hometown.
Convenient all-around, no?
Needless to say, the stunt got DiMaggio what he wanted, and Finley was able to leverage the legend of DiMaggio with the fans of the organization’s new home out west, where they moved from Kansas City after the 1967 season.

RANDOM QUICKIE: "JOLTIN' JOE" APPEARS ON A 1970'S CARD SET?!

I could be wrong here, but I think I'm seeing this correctly:

Check out Topps' 1970 Oakland Athletics team card (#631), and try focusing on the first row, fourth from the left: I swear that's Joe DiMaggio!

 

Is that "Joltin' Joe" in the front row, fourth from left?

 

He did coach for the Athletics in 1969 so it would make sense if he was indeed caught in a team photo used for the 1970 set.

But I've never heard anyone mention a DiMaggio "appearance" on that team card.

Anyone know for sure if that's him on a knee?

I've tried downloading about ten images of this card, and it seems the original card had a bad quality image, so this is about as clear as it gets.

If it is DiMaggio, that is pretty cool.

The "Yankee Clipper" actually on a Topps card from the 1970's.

I checked the 1971 Athletics team card, which has a nicer/clearer image, and he's not in that photo (even though he coached the A's in 1970 as well).

That does look like him on the 1970 card though.

If anyone knows for sure please let me in on it!