Cards from the Old Man Part 20: Warren Spahn

This is the twentieth in a series of posts about cards I received from the old collector in our town who had library card catalogs full of cards from the 1950's-1970's. You can see those original posts here and here if you missed them.

I don't have any pre-1953 cards in my collection. Yet. If I did, one of those might be my favorite card. As it stands right now, this gem from 1962 is one of my favorite cards that doesn't fit into any of my specific collections.

Like many of the older cards I got from the old man, I didn't know who this was at first. I remember taking this card home and holding it up to the wood paneling in my bedroom. It almost matched. When I got a bit older and read a little about Warren Spahn, I was amazed at the numbers he put up.

Spahn played for 21 years, 19 of them for the Boston/Milwaukee Braves. He pitched in 750 games, compiling a record of 363-245 with a 3.09 ERA. His other career numbers are just as gaudy.

We'll start with the 5,243.2 innings pitched and the 2,583 strikeouts. Oh, how about the 382 complete gamess, 63 shutouts and let's tack on 29 saves for good measure. He won 20+ games 13 times. He threw 20+ complete games 12 times! He won 16+ games 17 times. In a row. A ROW people. Mind boggling.

To put those numbers in perspective, you have to look at them from the All-Time standpoint. He had the 2nd most complete games by a southpaw. He ranks 5th on the All-Time win list and holds the top spot in wins for lefties.



The back of the card mentions the second of Spahn's 2 no-hitters. He was a 7 time All-Star. He pitched in 3 World Series for the Braves, winning one title with the 1957 squad. He was the Sporting News Pitcher of the Year 4 times and unbelievably, only managed one Cy Young Award (1957).

Spahn was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1973 by the BBWAA. He died November 24, 2003.