1940 Play Ball Roy "Beau" Bell

Baseball Reference has always listed Roy "Beau" Bell as a University of Houston alum making it appear that he played there prior to his days at Texas A&M. The only problem with that is that the UH baseball didn't start until at least 1947. Bell might have played club ball while attending UH but he certainly never played at the intercollegiate level.

He ranks third in almost every stat category among pro players listed as UH alums according to BR. He's behind Tom Pacoriek and Micheal Bourn.

I wasn't aware of this when I added Bell to my Houston alum collection. But it's no big deal. I'm happy to add another Play Ball card to my collection. They don't get much love on the blogs. I think the black and white format and the humdrum card backs probably account for that.

Bell played seven years in the American League from 1935 through 1941. He played primarily for the Browns but spent time with the Tigers and Indians as well. His best seasons were 1936 and 1937. He hit over .340 both years and he led the league in hits and doubles in '37 while making his only All Star team.

In addition to this card Bell appeared on at least one Detroit regional issue and on a Wheaties panel.

1940 Play Ball "Bill" Hershberger

A blog I really enjoy is the Infinite Baseball Card Set authored by Gary Cieradkowski. He is a graphic artist and the cards he designs are fabulous. What makes his blog even more of a treat is the well written historic texts that accompany the cards. Most of the players he features are not the superstars we are all so familiar with but rather ordinary players with extraordinary stories.

One such player that was recently profiled is Willard 'Bill' Hershberger who was famed catcher Ernie Lombardi's back up from 1938 through 1940. That club produced two pennants (1939 and 1940) and a World Series title in 1940. Playing for a powerhouse club like those Reds teams was not enough to allow Hershberger to fight off the demons that had haunted him since he, at the age of 18, was awaked by the sound of his father's suicide by gunshot and he himself found the body.

It's not a happy story by any means. But Cieradkowski does a great job of chronicling the years that led up to Hershberger being the only major league player to commit suicide during a regular season. It's definitely worth reading the entries that make up the whole story.  Part One is here and Part Two is here.

As a matter of happenstance I've been looking at a few 1940 Play Ball cards, one I purchased and a couple that I have dug out of my collection. The Hershberger story got me digging around the 'net and I found this clean and sharp copy of Hershberger's 1940 PB. It was priced pretty cheaply so I bought it.

I've already discussed the merits of this great set. This card stands out because Gum, Inc. added a 1939 pennant to the front of (all?) the Reds in the set to signify their NL crown the previous year.

"Line Drive" Nelson 1940 Play Ball

A couple of weeks back I posted about Babe Dahlgren and I mentioned that I thought the '39 Play Ball of his that I had was the only one I owned. And I suppose that's true but I did come across a 1940 Play Ball of righty pitcher Lynn 'Line Drive' Nelson that I had gotten off eBay once upon a time. I'd completely forgotten that I had a few of these squirrelled away.

Nelson had a great nickname and was a pretty interesting guy. He was a really good hitter who played some outfield for the Phils in the late 1930s. He was used regularly as a pinch hitter. In fact his hitting numbers are better than his pitching numbers. He hit a career .281 in almost 400 plate appearances. On the hill he ended up 33-42 with a 5.25 ERA over his seven seasons in the majors with the Cubs, A's and briefly the Tigers.

Oh, that nickname. I thought it might have been given him for his hitting prowess. But Bill James states it was because most of what he threw up at the hitter was rocketed back at him. Sounds like poor ol' Charlie Brown.



He also reminds me of my grandfather.