1953 Topps Project - Post #8

#103 - Joe Astroth - Philadelphia Athletics

It's been almost 2 weeks since I posted a '53 Topps card, time to get back on track... Joe Astroth is probably the most unsensational player I've reviewed so far. His career as a catcher in the majors spanned 10 seasons, and he played for both the Kansas City and Philadelphia Athletics. I can't for the life of me determine how Joe managed to stick around collecting a paycheck for 10 years. I certainly don't think it was because of his offensive prowess, as he batted .254 with just 13 HR and 156 RBI over 544 career games. He never hit for more than 5 HR or 36 RBI in any one season.

Mr. Astroth also appears to be the strangest looking player I've profiled so far. He seems to be a bit concerned, a trend I've noticed with a few of the '53 Topps cards. Maybe he's thinking to himself, "What did I do to deserve these ears and oddly shaped head?". Or perhaps, "I wonder how my ass-chin is going to come out in this picture?". The Philadelphia Athletics elephant logo is the perfect finishing touch for this card. Well, that's about all I have to say about Joe Astroth. They can't all be superstars...