I had something different planned for this post but I heard of Don Newcombe's passing this morning. I don't really have a dedicated Newcombe collection but he was one of those guys who just happened to have a lot of great cards. Here's my favorite, his 1954 Bowman:
Newcombe was, of course, a terrific pitcher and competitor, the first-ever Cy Young winner. But he was much more. He spent much of his post-career time helping others fight a battle he had won earlier, the rocky road to sobriety. It's a subject close to my heart.
I did a Newcombe post back in 2015. That was a spin-off of a Night Owl post featuring Newcombe's '56 Topps card a few weeks prior. Tonight, as I thought he would, Greg has a nice tribute to the late Dodgers star. Plenty of cool cards on that one, both vintage and modern. If you haven't already done so, check it out. You'll see what I mean about Newcombe having so many sweet cards.
R.I.P.
I live near Nashua NH, where Newcombe and Roy Campanella played together in 1946. I often pass by this mural https://flic.kr/p/ecxRj.
ReplyDeleteYour mini collection is really great, especially the '54!
ReplyDeleteI was just reading about his struggles with alcohol in the 50's and 60's... and how he later helped others to fight substance abuse. Wish I had learned more about him before his passing.
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