1955 Granny Hamner Red Man Tobacco Card

Wow! After having none of the 1955 Red Man Tobacco cards for the first 59 years of their existence, I now have my 2nd card in three months. Now that's progress!

A few weeks ago, I returned to the same Pennsylvania Dutch-area antique store where I found this card, and snared another Phillie: the Whiz Kids' SS/2B Granny Hamner.

(The card back is identical to the Simmons card.) 

Hamner's major-league career spanned from 1944 to 1962, and he was the Phillies' regular shortstop (and later their 2nd baseman) from 1949 to 1957. Traded to the Indians during the 1959 season, he played in the minors from 1960-62 before retiring.

1955 Curt Simmons Red Man Tobacco card

Here's an unusual find - not from the 1960s, but the player was still active in the 1960s.

Last weekend I was out and about to several flea markets and antique stores in my area, and I found this Curt Simmons card. This is a 1955 Red Man Tobacco card, which appears to be cut out of a box, similar to the early-1960s Post and Jell-O cards. The bottom edge is a little rough, which I have cropped in the photo of the card front.

I had no idea these cards even existed, but this vendor had the Simmons card, along with a 1955 Granny Hamner and a 1953 Robin Roberts (both Red Man cards).

In the same display case were other assorted Topps baseball cards from the 1950s - 1970s. The only one that jumped out at me was a 1973 Roberto Clemente card, issued in the year after his untimely death.

At that point in my day, I only had enough money left for one of these cards, so the vintage Simmons card (from a set that I had no other cards from) won out over the '73 Clemente. Maybe next time, Roberto.