'59 Topps Friday Cards 270-277: Dodgers Star Gil Hodges, Who Finally Made the Hall of Fame

We built the iconic 1959 Topps baseball set, and in this series, we’re going through every card to talk about the players, teams and people who made up major league baseball in 1959. Today, we’ll cover cards 270 through 277 in the set. This includes Gil Hodges, the star first baseman of the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers who finally made the Hall of Fame in recent years long after his passing. We also discuss 1957 NL Rookie of the Year Jack Sanford, legendary college baseball coach Jerry Kindall, multi-time 20-game winner Joey Jay and more.
Today's episode was written by Abby and Jake T. O'Donnell.
Do you have a story about one of these people, teams or players to share? Let us know in the comments!
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Here is our source material for today's episode:
Gil Hodges
www.baseball-r...
sabr.org/biopr...
Orlando Pena
www.baseball-r...
sabr.org/biopr...
Jerry Lumpe
www.baseball-r...
en.wikipedia.o...
Joey Jay
www.baseball-r...
sabr.org/biopr...
Others:
Wikipedia, SABR, Baseball-Reference, University of Arizona

[@HassoBenSoba]

The Gil Hodges card is a work of art, as these things go. The L.A. Coliseum in the background, slightly out-of-focus, gives the card that "mythical" look that fascinated me as an 8-year old kid when we collected the set. Fascinating background on the players, as always. A hard-working, WWII-decorated guy like Turk Lown (who I saw pitch at Comiskey that year) who ends up as a mail-carrier for 23 years....now THAT'S a story that the baseball world appreciates hearing about. Everyone should check the cartoon on the back of Orlando Pena's card; WOW! That certainly would not have endeared him to the American baseball public; Fidel's big coup had just occurred on Jan 1st, '59...right about the time these cards were being designed!

[@ken-pr2df]

Congratulations on your 1959 Topps set!! Awesome looking cards!! Great to hear the history of each of these players!! Enjoy your channel!! Keep up the great content!!

[@WaxPackWisdom]

Thanks so much!

[@jimod3724]

As you know, Gil was always one of my favs !

[@WaxPackWisdom]

@@jimod3724 Yes!

[@peterb4871]

Very nice

[@WaxPackWisdom]

@@peterb4871 Thanks!