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One-card wonders, update 13

 
The last time I wrote one of these posts, back in March, I said I wanted to start digging into the 1990s to see if there were any One-Card Wonders. It seems impossible that such a player existed in the '90s -- managing to appear on just one major-release in their career -- but I had already found one, and I wanted to see if there were others.
 
But nothing is ever easy. Even for the player I found, he also appeared on an insert in Fleer that same year, and now I have to figure out whether an insert qualifies for appearing on a second major-release card? Thanks a lot, 1990s, for making things extra complicated ... again.

This is what I discovered while searching through '90s cards looking for that One-Card Needle In The Hey That's Way Too Many Card Sets. I couldn't continue. It was much too time-consuming. I don't know if I'll ever go back.

To get that out of my system, I went entirely in the other direction -- the 1950s. I haven't checked any '50s sets for One-Card Wonders yet. The earliest year I've examined is 1965.

So I went to work with 1959. This is what I found:


One-Card Wonders, 1959 Topps

#49 - Bill Hall, Pirates
#91 - Herb Moford, Red Sox
#120 - Chuck Coles, Reds
#121 - Bob Conley, Phillies
#126 - Eddie Haas, Braves
#134 - Jim McDaniel, Pirates
#140 - Charlie Secrest, Athletics
#192 - Charley Beamon, Orioles
#211 - Bob Blaylock, Cardinals
#214 - Marcelino Solis, Cubs
#254 - Zeke Bella, Athletics
#281 - Walt Craddock, Athletics
#283 - Russ Heman, Indians
#321 - Bob Giallombardo, Dodgers
#362 - Dolan Nicols, Cubs
#504 - Ossie Alvarez, Tigers
#522 - Gene Snyder, Dodgers
#529 - George Bamberger, Orioles
#532 - Mark Freeman, Athletics
#537 - Rodolfo Arias, White Sox
#539 - Gary Blaylock, Cardinals
#544 - Lee Tate, Cardinals

What the heck! That's 22 One-Card Wonders! The previous most for any year I've researched is 10! (1978 Topps).

Even if you remove Eddie Haas and George Bamberger from this list -- they both appeared on cards much later as managers (I don't know what to do here either) -- that's still 20 cards of dudes who showed up on a card in 1959 and then vanished.

That baffled me and I wondered whether there was more of this kind of stuff back in the '50s. I mean even in 1965 there were just four OCWs.

So I decided to look at 1958 Topps next:


One-Card Wonders, 1958 Topps

#65 - Von McDaniel, Cardinals
#83 - Bob Hazle, Braves
#96 - Joe Durham, Orioles
#126 - Stan Palys, Reds
#129 - Jim Derrington, White Sox
#131 - Bobby Henrich, Reds
#151 - Buddy Pritchard, Pirates
#182 - Joe Caffie, Indians
#218 - Dick Rand, Pirates
#231 - Lloyd Merritt, Cardinals
#243 - Larry Raines, Indians
#283 - Ray Shearer, Braves
#322 - Harding Peterson, Pirates
#376 - Charley Rabe, Reds
#391 - Dave Melton, Athletics
#442 - Phil Paine, Cardinals
#449 - Gene Fodge, Cubs
#451 - Joe Taylor, Cardinals
#461 - Ed Mayer, Cubs

Wow. That's 19 players, still very high in comparison to later years.

I've tried to carefully pick out the OCWs, which isn't easy for cards from the '50s. I can breeze right through sets from the '70s and '80s and a OCW will jump right out at me because I'm familiar with all the names. That's not the case with earlier cards, especially the '50s and early '60s.

It also doesn't help that Topps often changed the first name of players from set to set in the '50s. Chuck Thompson, a backup catcher, was "Chuck" in the 1954 Topps set, then he shows up as "Tim Thompson" in the 1958 set. "Hershell" Freeman becomes "Bud" Freeman. There were several of these. Maybe even the guys I listed above went by a different name on another set!

But even amid the confusion, I pressed on.


One-Card Wonders, 1957 Topps

#191 - Joe Margoneri, Yankees
#266 - Ken Kuhn, Indians
#276 - Jim Pyburn, Orioles
#321 - Red Murff, Braves
#337 - Rene Valdes, Dodgers
#386 - Lyle Luttrell, Senators
 
Just six. That's a lot more in line with what I found for the sets I've examined from the '60s, 70s and '80s. (Ken Kuhn actually appears again -- in the 1960 Leaf set -- but it's on Chuck Tanner's card, they screwed up the ID. So since it wasn't technically Kuhn's card, I'm still counting him as a OCW).

I'm still trying to determine why there were so many OCWs in the 1958 and 1959 sets. One reason, for 1959, might be the Rookie Stars cards as five of those Rookie Stars players never showed up again. But that still would give 1959 a considerable 17 One-Card Wonders. Also, that doesn't explain 1958, which managed 19 OCYs without any Rookie Stars cards.

I traveled into 1960 for just one more OCW tour.


One-Card Wonders, 1960 Topps

#128 - Bill Harris, Dodgers
#139 - Carl Mathias, Indians
#141 - Jim Proctor, Tigers
#144 - Al Stieglitz, Giants
#146 - Ted Wieand, Reds
#169 - Jake Striker, White Sox
#296 - Nelson Chittum, Red Sox
#359 - Buddy Gilbert, Reds
#521 - Mike Lee, Indians
#528 - Ben Johnson, Cubs
#538 - Frank Barnes, White Sox

11 OCWs is quite a lot compared with how many there are for sets like 1965, 1967 and 1969, which averaged around five. If the Rookie Stars in this set are removed, that trims the OCYs to six for '60 Topps.

Now for 1960 Leaf:


One-Card Wonders, 1960 Leaf

#61 - Vic Rehm, Braves
#62 - John Gabler, Yankees
#91 - Fred Hopke, Phillies
#93 - Wally Shannon, Cardinals
#99 - Marshall Renfroe, Giants
#108 - Tom McAvoy, Senators
#114 - Stover McIlwan, White Sox

Seven OCWs is a fair amount for a set with just 144 cards. Stover McIlwan is an interesting one that I'll probably devote a Cardboard Appreciation post to (it's not really Stover McIlwan).

So, as of now, 1959 Topps is far-and-away the leader for the most One-Card Wonders in a set.

As a tribute, here are just a few One-Hit Wonders from that year:


Sleep Walk - Santo & Johnny


 
Sea Of Love - Phil Phillips
 
 

Pink Shoelaces - Dodie Stevens
 
 
 
 
And here's the updated list for all of the OCW for the years and sets I've done so far:
 
1957 Topps

#191 - Joe Margoneri, Yankees
#266 - Ken Kuhn, Indians
#276 - Jim Pyburn, Orioles
#321 - Red Murff, Braves
#337 - Rene Valdes, Dodgers
#386 - Lyle Luttrell, Senators
 
1958 Topps

#65 - Von McDaniel, Cardinals
#83 - Bob Hazle, Braves
#96 - Joe Durham, Orioles
#126 - Stan Palys, Reds
#129 - Jim Derrington, White Sox
#131 - Bobby Henrich, Reds
#151 - Buddy Pritchard, Pirates
#182 - Joe Caffie, Indians
#218 - Dick Rand, Pirates
#231 - Lloyd Merritt, Cardinals
#243 - Larry Raines, Indians
#283 - Ray Shearer, Braves
#322 - Harding Peterson, Pirates
#376 - Charley Rabe, Reds
#391 - Dave Melton, Athletics
#442 - Phil Paine, Cardinals
#449 - Gene Fodge, Cubs
#451 - Joe Taylor, Cardinals
#461 - Ed Mayer, Cubs
 
1959 Topps

#49 - Bill Hall, Pirates
#91 - Herb Moford, Red Sox
#120 - Chuck Coles, Reds
#121 - Bob Conley, Phillies
#126 - Eddie Haas, Braves
#134 - Jim McDaniel, Pirates
#140 - Charlie Secrest, Athletics
#192 - Charley Beamon, Orioles
#211 - Bob Blaylock, Cardinals
#214 - Marcelino Solis, Cubs
#254 - Zeke Bella, Athletics
#281 - Walt Craddock, Athletics
#283 - Russ Heman, Indians
#321 - Bob Giallombardo, Dodgers
#362 - Dolan Nicols, Cubs
#504 - Ossie Alvarez, Tigers
#522 - Gene Snyder, Dodgers
#529 - George Bamberger, Orioles
#532 - Mark Freeman, Athletics
#537 - Rodolfo Arias, White Sox
#539 - Gary Blaylock, Cardinals
#544 - Lee Tate, Cardinals
 
1965 Topps

#169 - Dave Vineyard, Orioles
#494 - Jay Ritchie, Red Sox
#529 - Jerry Fosnow, Twins
#543 - Ed Connolly, Red Sox 

1967 Topps

#344 - Ossie Chavarria, A's
#388 - Arnold Earley, Cubs
#489 - Doug Clemens, Phillies
#497 - Ron Campbell, Cubs

1969 Topps:

#317 -- Bruce Look, Twins
#361 -- Gary Holman, Senators
#378 -- Jose Herrera, Expos
#437 -- Luis Alcaraz, Royals
#632 -- Jon Warden, Royals

1974 Topps:

#8 - George Theodore, Mets
#33 - Don Newhauser, Red Sox
#37 - Dave Sells, Angels
#77 - Rich Troedson, Padres
#421 - Dan Fife, Twins
#457 - Chuck Goggin, Braves
#573 - Mike Adams, Twins 

1975 Topps

#288 - Bruce Ellingsen, Indians
#407 - Herb Washington, A's
#508 - Bob Hansen, Brewers
#524 - John Doherty, Angels
#587 - Chris Ward, Cubs
#651 - John Morlan, Pirates 

1977 Topps

#118 - Rick Jones, Mariners
#132 - Chip Lang, Expos
#137 - Jeff Terpko, Rangers
#616 - Tommy Sandt, A's
#641 - Dan Larson, Astros 

1978 Topps:

#224 - Jerry Tabb, A's
#303 - Sam Hinds, Brewers
#311 - Jose Baez, Mariners
#386 - Bob Gorinski, Twins
#502 - Pat Rockett, Braves
#516 - Gary Beare, Brewers
#521 - Steve Staggs, Blue Jays
#591 - George Zeber, Yankees
#667 - Jeff Byrd, Blue Jays
#719 - Randy Elliott, Giants 

1979 Topps:

#172 - Mike Bruhert, Mets
#222 - Bob Beall, Braves
#292 - Don Reynolds, Padres
#336 - Bobby Thompson, Rangers
#363 - Craig Skok, Braves
#371 - Jeff Holly, Twins
#427 - Andy Replogle, Brewers
#658 - Taylor Duncan, A's
#676 - Johnny Sutton, Twins

1980 Topps:

#59 - Eddy Putman, Tigers
#72 - Fred Howard, White Sox
#156 - Tony Brizzolara, Braves
#221 - Joe Cannon, Blue Jays
#233 - LaRue Washington, Rangers
#291 - Randy Scarberry, White Sox
#347 - Harry Chappas, White Sox

1981 Topps:

 #491 - Gordy Pladson, Astros

1982 Topps:

#356 - Denny Lewallyn, Indians

1984 Topps:

#116 - George Bjorkman, Astros
#159 - Darryl Cias, A's
#163 - Lorenzo Gray, White Sox
#337 - Kevin Hagen, Cardinals
#382 - Chris Nyman, White Sox
#474 - Greg Bargar, Expos

1986 Topps:

#451 - Mark Brown, Twins
#502 - Glen Cook, Rangers
#567 - Jeff Barkley, Indians
 
1987 Topps:
 
#387 - T.R. Bryden, Angels

1994 Topps:

#491 - John Hope, Pirates (maybe)

1986 Donruss:

#32 - Johnny Abrego, Cubs
#42 - Rick Surhoff, Rangers
#461 - Dave Leeper, Royals
#510 - Steve Engel, Cubs
#595 - Carlos Ponce, Brewers
 
1981 Fleer
 
#49 - Jeff Twitty, Royals
#130 - Gary Weiss, Dodgers
#220 - Sheldon Burnside, Reds 
 
1960 Leaf

#61 - Vic Rehm, Braves
#62 - John Gabler, Yankees
#91 - Fred Hopke, Phillies
#93 - Wally Shannon, Cardinals
#99 - Marshall Renfroe, Giants
#108 - Tom McAvoy, Senators
#114 - Stover McIlwan, White Sox
 
Back in March I said I wanted to compile a team-by-team list of the One-Card Wonders, but I've rambled on plenty already and have run out of time for something like that. Maybe next time.
 
Also, maybe I'll cut this off at 1990 or so because I don't know if can handle searching through all those '90s sets year-after-year.
 
The '80s are difficult enough and I think next time I'll knock a few more of those off.

Comments

Yeah the 90s would be tricky, but super fun to see.
dayf said…
Red Murff and Vic Rehm
two of the most 'who the hell are THESE guys' in my collection
definitely a time consuming task. I couldn't imagine attempting the 90's either.
Nachos Grande said…
Topps Total or Upper Deck 40 Man might be good (or terrible?) places to start for 90s/00s stuff.
Old Cards said…
Glad you abandoned the 90s project. The 57-60s projects were more interesting, at least to me. Agree it is very surprising there are so many. Flipping through my cards recently, just learned that Von McDaniel (listed in your 58 OCW's) is Lindy McDaniel's brother. Lindy had regular issue cards from 57 through 75.
bryan was here said…
Joe Caffie is actually from the town I grew up in. One of my sub-collections is players from the Youngstown, Ohio area, and Joe's in there along with Paul Warfield, Matt Cavanaugh, and Bill White.
POISON75 said…
Red Murff later made History when he was a scout for the Mets he found a tall lanky of a pitcher from Alvin,Texas by the name of Nolan Ryan.
POISON75 said…
Also I think I might have mentioned this before but the Bruce Look from 1969 Topps list is the brother of Dean Look who was an NFL Official & both like yours truly attended the same High School as Bruce Fields who was a major league outfield for the Detroit Tigers & Seattle Mariners as well a Hall of Fame basketball player named Earvin Johnson Jr.
peach_was_here said…
I can give you a head start of 1962: Moe Morhardt Cubs
Billy Kingsley said…
Inserts and parallels definitely count. If you can collect different cards of somebody they are not a 1-hit wonder. Guys who later became coaches I would be inclined to include with an asterisk. The good thing about that means you'd only have to do a couple 90s sets, because you know going in any sets with a parallel cannot have a 1-hit wonder.

One of the first posts I did on Cardboard History was to spotlight a one hit wonder for the NBA...but I later found out he had a second card, both regional promos.
Nick Vossbrink said…
With the 1990s I wonder how stuff like the MLB Debut sets will fare here. Also, regarding parallels, there are the Topps Gold cards which replaced checklists o keep in mind. Though I suspect the most likely place for one cards wonders will be in the craft pick cards.
Fuji said…
I don't blame you for cutting things off at 1990. As much as I enjoy collecting inserts, they sure do throw a wrench in projects like this one.

Can't wait to see the team by team post.
Jafronius said…
As much as I'd like to see 90's cards on the list, it makes sense to stop there. Thanks for the research!