The Collector Helps Me Collect 1959 Topps

I realize I've been very heavy on the buyback posts here on the blog recently, but there are many other collecting projects that I have going on.  Two of those involve 1950s baseball sets that I'm casually collecting; 1950 Bowman and 1959 Topps.

Recently Chris, who writes the excellent blog The Collector, was kind enough to send me a pair of singles for my '59 set build.  By the way, if you haven't checked out the "Sports Card Tour" posts he's been featuring in recent months I highly recommend heading over there and catching up on the backlog.  Anyway, Chris made it to a card show recently and as his note to me indicated, he couldn't find a single Topps buyback at the show, so he got me a couple of Topps "originals" instead!

The first card Chris sent along is pitcher Clem Labine of the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Clem was a staple with the Brooklyn/Los Angeles franchise throughout the '50s, and was a big part of the team's 1955 World Series championship.  Fantastic card.  Clem served as a paratrooper in World War II, something I never knew until I received this card and typed up this post.

A big part of the reason I enjoy collecting and blogging as that each and every card is a chance for a learning experience/research.  This card is a prime example, not only for the paratrooper factoid...
 

...but because I learned on the back that Labine is from Woonsocket, RI!  Pretty cool that a key member of the '50s Brooklyn Dodgers hailed from the little state that I was also born in, and that I call home today.  I had no idea!

Here's the other card Chris sent my way, and I should probably note here just how great a condition these two cards are in.  Certainly among the best examples in my binder and cards I'll never even need to consider upgrading.

Constable was sort of a middling reliever who appeared in 56 total games across a handful of seasons.  A nice enough card, especially since I like franchises of the past like the Washington Senators, but as Chris remarked in his note to me the real highlight of this one is the back:

Not because it contains a kick-ass cartoon paying homage to Constable's nickname, the "Sheriff" (though that's a killer nickname if I do say so myself!).  Nope, what makes this one great is the write-up that indicates that Jimmy "retired from baseball in April".

That may have been accurate at the time, but Constable ended up making a comeback that saw him pitch in a handful of games with the Braves in 1962 and the Giants in 1963!  I guess this is an uncorrected error?  Haha.

Chris, it was incredibly thoughtful of you not only to send me this great duo, but also to scour a card show looking for buybacks on my behalf.  Thank you!  I'll make sure to hit you back with some Sox cards here!