Vintage Baseball Cards: 1961 Topps

1961-reds-pinson-bell-robinson-2In celebration of the 65th anniversary of Topps baseball cards, my collection is going to be the subject of this year-long series.

Shortly after starting my obsession in 1971, the goal was to have at least one Topps card from every year.

Although the 1952 set is considered to be the first released by Topps, the company issued two series that was a part of the game a year earlier.

My favorite card from 1961 highlights the Cincinnati Reds, who won the National League pennant and eventually lost to the New York Yankees in the World Series.

The three players featured on this card are all members of the Reds Hall of Fame. The Reds had finished in sixth place in 1960 with a 67-87 record. Through some trades and players performing at a higher level the Reds were successful.

Gus Bell was a four-time all-star for the Reds during the 1950s and he was near the end of his career as he supplied a veteran presence for the Reds in his final year with the club. He was picked by the New York Mets in the 1962 expansion draft.

Bell played 15 years in the majors with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Reds, Mets and Milwaukee Braves. He hit 206 homers with 942 RBI. After his career ended early in 1964, he was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame later that year.

Vada Pinson played 18 years in the majors with 11 of them in Cincinnati. Pinson was a two-time all-star with the Reds in 1959 and 1960 when he led the NL in doubles.

In 1961, he played in all 154 games for the Reds and finished third in the Most Valuable Player race behind teammate Frank Robinson, who won the award for the first time. Pinson led the league in hits with a career-high 208, while batting a team-high .343 with 16 homers and 87 RBI.

Two years later, Pinson led the league in hits with 204 and triples with 14. He was traded to St. Louis prior to the 1969 season ending his time in Cincinnati with 186 homers and 814 RBI with 221 steals.

He retired in 1975 after playing with the Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, California Angels and Kansas City Royals. He was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame in 1977.

Robinson joined the Reds in 1956 and blasted 38 homers to earn the Rookie-of-the-Year Award. He would be an all-star with the Reds six times and earn six more selections later in his career that would span 21 years.

His 37 homers and 124 RBI would lead the Reds in 1961, while batting .323. In his 10 years with the Reds, he hit 324 homers with 1,009 RBI with a batting average of .303.

After leaving the Reds after the 1965 season, Robinson became the player in Major League history to win the MVP in both leagues. He won his second award with the Baltimore Orioles in 1966 as he won the triple crown and led his team to the World Championship.

Leaving the Orioles after the 1971 season, Robinson finished his career with the Indians, Angels and Los Angeles Dodgers.

In 1975, Robinson became the first African-American manager when he took the helm of the Indians. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982, after being honored by the Reds in 1978.