The Only Stan Spence Card

I've managed a post every day in 2019 so far.  Without looking, I think that might be my best run to start a year in all the time I've been writing this blog.  Let's keep it rolling today with the first graded card to appear in 2019...

Another card towards my 1949 Bowman Red Sox team set!  This time it's the under-rated outfielder Stan Spence.  I have to confess that I didn't really have an awareness of Spence when I picked this card up.  That's one of the many reasons I enjoy vintage I guess, gives me a great excuse to do some research and learn about some of the players from before my time.

I did just that in this case, and it turns out Stan was a damn good hitter.  As in finished third in the batting race during his first full season (1942) good.  As in a .282 career average and career OPS north of .800 good.  As in received MVP votes in four separate seasons good!  Oddly, despite being issued during the final year of his MLB career, this card is considered a Stan Spence "RC".  In reality this is due to the fact that it was the only mainstream card of Spence released during his playing career (1940-1949).

Of course, I'd be remiss if I failed to mention that, like so many of his generation, Stan missed a season during the prime of his career to serve in the Army during WWII.  I say this every time it comes up, but it's a sign of the times and fascinating to me that all these guys stepped up during that conflict.  Baseball accolades aside, you have to respect the man for his service to his country alone.

I'd say this one is an early contender to make my "Top 19 of 2019" countdown at the end of the year.  Just a beautiful card, and I'm really happy to be able to have Stan Spence represented within my Red Sox collection.

Best of all, this card officially pushes me past the halfway point as far as the 15-card Red Sox team set goes.  There are at least a couple of cards in the extremely tough, hard to find, and generally expensive high series, but I'll just keep plodding away and worry about those when the time comes or when I stumble upon one at a bargain.  I'm starting to think I may finish this project off someday after all...