'59 Topps set build post #10/572 Eddie Miksis

It's been 3 days shy of one month since the last time I popped out a '59 Topps post.   It's not as if I don't have the cards on hand to write about, it's more about the inspiration to do so.   Today I'm feeling inspired, so here's my 10th post about this set.

Card #58:  Eddie Miksis

This card is part of the lot that CommishBob sent me to provide a nice head start to this set.  It's in really nice shape for a 55 year old card, there's no writing or marks on it at all, and the corners are in reasonably good condition as well. 

This is only one of 2 cards that I have so far that feature the light green background with the players name in black letters.

How did he fare in 1959?   He didn't.  Eddie's last major league season was in 1958 with the Reds and Orioles, hitting a combined .135 in 52 ABs.

His career started at the age of 17, appearing as a pinch runner and scoring a run in his first career game, which the Dodgers won 4-3.

The two lines of information that you see on the back of the card describe Eddie's career.   1958 was the last of his career, and he went out by playing every position at least once except for pitcher and catcher.

• The missing 1945 season was spent in the US Navy as an 18 year old.
• Eddie finally became an everyday player after he was traded to the Cubs in the 1951 season.
• The most hits he had off of any pitcher during his career was 22 vs. hall of famer Warren Spahn (.319 average with 2 HRs).
• The more he faced Robin Roberts, the worse it got.  Eddie was 8 for 76 lifetime against Roberts with only 1 XBH (.105 average) 
• He struggled at 2nd base in 1953 for the Cubs, leading the league with 22 errors at the position.  Eddie became a part timer in 1954, and then switched to the outfield for the '55 season, where he led the NL in fielding percentage for outfielders (.989).  Go figure...
• Eddie appeared in the World Series twice, on the losing end in both '47 and '49 to the Yankees.  He went 3 for 11 in the 2 fall classics combined, with one double.

Eddie passed away in 2005 at the age of 78.

thanks for reading, Robert