Charley Neal and the Schaefer Scoreboard

Just a quick, single card post today featuring a card that was waiting for me in my mailbox when I returned from traveling for work this past week:

1957 Topps - #242 - Charley Neal

This card is everything a '50s baseball card should be.  1957 Topps is hit or miss in my book, but the ones that work best are the cards featuring photographs that showcase the ballparks of the era.  They often seem to be taken, as this one appears to be, during pre-game warmups.  This shot features a stoic Charley Neal posing in front of the iconic Schaefer scoreboard at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn.  Just fantastic.

Charley would be a regular contributor for the Dodgers franchise for a while after this card came out, appearing in 100+ games with the team for five straight seasons beginning in 1957.  He was ultimately dealt to the New York Mets after the 1961 season.  If I had an unlimited card budget, I would definitely track down every single vintage Brooklyn Dodgers card I could get my hands on.

Oh yeah, and go Bruins!