The Squirrel Strikes Again: Roy Sievers Part II

Not so long ago I posted about some mail from Roy "Squirrel" Sievers, 1949 ROY and a hard-hitting OF/1B for 17 seasons with the Browns, Senators, White Sox, and Phillies. He was kind enough to sign two cards for me, as well as answer a few questions about his career.

When I first sent those cards off, unbeknownst to me, Daddy D had stuck a 1961 Sievers in the mail that arrived a few days after I wrote Mr. Sievers. Additionally, my dad and I had several conversations about mid-50's baseball, all of which in one way or another made their way back to the Washington Senators and a friend of my dad's who today might be the only Nats fan in existence. Well, really wished I included Daddy D's card (as a surprise for him later) and I really wanted to give the others to my dad and his friend, but that's three cards and I only had two. Great idea, poor execution.

Until I decided to write to Mr. Sievers again and (quite humbly) ask for a couple of more autos. I hope I wasn't too annoying, and a big "Thank you" is on the mail, but these are really going to make a Merry Christmas for the old men in my life.

First up: 1953 Topps.

I really, really dig this card. It's happy Mr. Sievers, having returned to the majors after a brief stint back in the minors. LOVE the two-tiered grandstand over his right shoulder, sparsely populated with fans before or after a game, hints of the cityscape filling in the rest of the space behind him. There are even a few clouds up there: an absolute classic from the '53 set. Here's the back:

The '53s are slightly oversized for modern cards and awesome. The kind of info included on the back reminds up how much the game has changed culturally in the past 60 years. Not only did Mr. Sievers have an off-season job, but he was an inspector in an auto plant. Can't imagine ANYONE playing in the Series doing anything like that.

And then there's this card, 1950 Bowman:

It's the RC, and it's signed ROY '49. There's some really nice symmetry in that. This card is beautiful, and everything I dig about the best of the early '50s Bowmans. I even picked up another copy just to have an unsigned copy. It looks like Mr. Sievers is in foul territory behind the left field line, with the center field stands being behind him. We've got the large scoreboard and the empty stands back there, maybe a few smokestacks beyond that. It's a great posed shot, and the colors are tremendous, but it really gives you a sense of the player in a down moment, before or after a game, when there's no one else around but some guys taking extra swings in the cage and some rookie named Sievers posing for his first baseball card in a time when baseball cards were no big deal.

Thanks again Mr. Sievers!

Have a good one everybody and goodnight Pumpsie Green, wherever you are!