Vintage Bowmans from the Card Show, Part Two

This is the pair of 1950 Bowmans I picked up at this past weekend's TriStar show. There are two differences between these and the previous season's issue. For one thing, and it's pretty minor, is the back of the cards have changed from a vertical to a horizontal alignment. The bigger change is the added backgrounds on the cards. instead of the previous year's solid color backgrounds the 1950 cards show the player against a ballpark element such as a fence, a brick wall, grandstands or just a sky with clouds. Makes for a much more appealing set, at least in my opinion.

The first card here is Gerry Priddy. He's one of those guys who is a lot more interesting than you'd expect. Priddy, who is sometimes referred to as 'Jerry', was an infielder signed by the Yankees in 1937. He hit very well as he moved up the Yankee ladder and he made the big club in 1941. He boldly told the incumbent second baseman, Joe Gordon, a future Hall of Famer, that he (Priddy) was the better player. That, obviously didn't sit well with the veteran heavy Yankee club and when Priddy hit .213 and spent more time on the bench than not it probably didn't displease those in the clubhouse.

He improved his average to .280 in 1942 but still couldn't get a regular spot in the Bronx and supposedly asked for a trade. Dealt to the Senators Priddy spent a couple of productive seasons in D.C.  sandwiched around two years of military service. But his numbers slipped in 1947 and he was traded to the Browns where he hit .290 or better in both of his seasons there.

Prior to the 1950 season he was dealt to the Tigers and after a couple of productive years he slipped to a part time role in 1952/53. That was his last time in the majors.

He continued playing ball with the Seattle Raniers in the tough PCL for a few years and then tried his hand as a professional golfer without much success.

Now for the interesting part. On June 6, 1973, Priddy was arrested by the FBI in California and charged with trying to extort $250,000 from a steamship company by threatening to put a bomb aboard one of its vessels, the Island Princess. He was convicted and sentenced to nine months in prison. Priddy died in 1980.

Doyle Lade's card shows him warming up down the left field line in Wrigley Field. There is even a fan in the stands included in the backdrop. The Nebraska native was signed by the Indians and played in the White Sox chain as well before being acquired by the Cubs and debuting in 1946 with a brief stint of three games.

From 1947 thriugh 1950 Lade was a spot starter and reliever for the Cubs. His best year was his first full one, '47. He went 11-10 with a 3.94 ERA that year making 25 starts. He didn't approach those numbers or that number of starts in his final three years.

He finished his pro career in the Cubs minor league system and Texas League, retiring after the 1954 season. During his career Lade was known as a good hitting pitcher and he put together a respectable .220 batting average.

So there you have it. Four nicely preserved vintage Bowmans for $12 as I walked out the door. Like a nice wedge shot onto the 18th green from 35 feet this is just enough to make me forget the frustration of the day and bring me back for more card shows.