Heroes nobody knows: Cecil Travis

One of the best recurring stories in baseball concerns the ballplayers who took a break from their careers to fight in WWII, men like two of this site's favorites, Virgil Trucks and Lou Brissie. These men deserve all the praise that goes their way, but until I read Brissie's book I had never thought about the players who fought but DIDN'T resume their careers, men like Cecil Travis.

I know, "Who is Cecil Travis?" According to one blog he might be the best player never to receive a single vote for the HOF. Is that hyperbolic? Maybe, but a lot of his contemporaries thought he was a HOFer. Check his stats from '34-'41. His last year before the war, at age 27, Travis posted a monster 150 OPS+ as a shortstop. Bill James projects Travis to have been a HOFer if not for the war, and from age 22-27 Travis's most similar batters are all HOFers.

Post-WWII, however, Travis was never the same. He played only 3 years after returning, retiring in '47.

I wonder what it says about us as a society that we continually celebrate the greats who left and returned without missing a beat and yet seldom acknowledge the sacrifices of those who also served, also sacrificed, and yet because of their demons and/or injuries were never able to achieve in the ways they had before. I mean, in all the much-deserved adulation of Ted Williams and others of that era, I don't recall ever hearing about Travis or many others mentioned in Brissie's book. I have some conflicting thoughts and would love to hear anyone's comments.

At any rate, a book about his life recently came out and I hope to grab a copy soon. After a few months of ebay hunting I finally grabbed the above card (which is great for lots of reasons) for $7.50 with shipping. Like any collector I dig my cards, but this is one I'm really proud to have in my collection as corn ball as that may sound.

Have a good one everybody and good night Pumspie Green, wherever you are!

A Guy Walks into a Bar: Shoeless Joe Reprints from Iowa

Which after Kinsella's book and the movie, may as well be Shoeless Joe's second home. Being from SC, one one my growing interests is ballplayers from my home state and the Carolinas in general. Makes me feel connected to my roots despite the fact I'm 3000 miles away in an igloo just down the block from Capt'n Canuck. My correspondence with one of the dean's of Carolina ball, Lou Brissie, has been particularly awesome.

So, when I came across these in Iowa last month I pulled the trigger. I asked the guy, "Can I take a look at those," to which he responded, "You know those are reprints, right?"

Now, I'm reasonably intelligent and was rather non-plussed. I mean, the cards were marked $1 (with a 50% discount), and anyone would assume that these cards were reprints. I will never be able to afford the real thing, and even if I had the cash must admit I'd be more likely to make ginormous charitable donation than throw down for one of these.

I dig the Play Ball cards in general, and this one is AMAZING. Joe taking a huge rip, with an expression on his face like he's watching the ball far off in the distance. Even looks like there's some chaw in his right cheek. That back is also nice:

That's one thing people don't know about Shoeless Joe: he was traded around a lot before going to the Sox. Connie Mack of the A's thought he was just an illiterate, homesick rube. Each their own, but as a SC boy way up here in the snow, I can say I'm feeling a little Shoeless Joe these days. No pine forests, no Spanish moss, no oyster roasts, damn right I'm homesick now and again.

Next up:

Oh yes, the Cracker Jack. One day I'd like to own a common from this set, or maybe a Charles Bender in terrible condition. This card will never be mine, but the reprint is fine by me. I wonder if that's his bat Black Betty in this photo or the one above. Or if Betty survived UD's wood chipper. Hope to God the answer is yes. The back of this card is also pretty awesome:

Unlike the Play Ball card, this one gets his birthplace correct, as in it's SC, not NC. There is a difference. Moreover, my mom is from Pickens County, where Shoeless Joe was born, and that's a big point of pride for a lot of folks in that area. I wonder how much 100 boxes of Cracker Jacks would have cost so you could land the whole set.

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

Waiting for Brissie: No More!

I posted this a while back, on a ttm I got from Lou Brissie.

It would took some saving up of monies, but I decided I HAD to ask him to sign a '49 Bowman and a '48 Leaf. Both are available on the 'bay for double-digit BINs, so I decided to wait to see if anything turned up. I imagine hunting large game is roughly the same, as a) I was gnawing off a limb in the interim, just waiting to pull the trigger and b) there aren't a whole lot of folks out there who run auctions of cards from the '40s, much less auctions of any given player.

Well, I managed to catch an off grade '49 Bowman for cheap ($5!!!) so I was really stoked about that. Shortly thereafter I won a '48 Leaf Lou Brissie, only to have it never show. After three weeks the seller refunded my money, which I appreciated, but still...three weeks wasted. Rather than pack up my weapons and head back out into the savannah, I went BIN and scored one for around $20 including s/h. That's WAY too much, but it's a seller's market with those kinds of cards, and it's one I really wanted. I'm also really reticent to try a ttm with a card that cost that kind of money (I know, for most it ain't that much, but for my budget it's a TON), but again the situation forced my hand.

Mr. Brissie is from SC, which I still can't get over. I wrote him another letter, thanking him for the first ttm he did for me, requesting two more sigs (a little much, I know), and telling him how proud I am to have a player like him be from my home state.

This past Friday, these returned to ND:

First, I know: $20 for a card with a crease like that?!? Let me tell you, having Mr. Brissie's signature on it makes it worth the expense. The '48 is a classic set, and I love the info on the back. I can't imagine being a young man in the late '40s whom Connie Mack calls "Another Left Grove." That's pretty amazing praise. I know that in the current 24-news cycle we're constantly bombarded by "next-Nolan Ryans" and "next-Roger Clemens" on a daily basis, but back then, and from a HOF manager like Mack, that's A+ praise. It's also a Philadelphia A's card, which is another plus.

Next, the '49 Bowman:

There's a lot to like about the '49 Bowmans in general. The layered effect of the printing on the front, the multicolored back...they are nice cards, though generally completely overshadowed by the amazing '50 and '51 sets. I love how the '48 Leaf lists Brissie's hometown as Ware Shoals and the '49 Bowman lists it as Anderson. Both are in the upstate, and both are small towns, but Ware Shoals makes Anderson look like NY City in terms of size. I also dig the advert for the baseball bank on the back, if only because that kind of superfluous stuff irritates collectors so much on cards in 2009. It takes up 1/2 the card! I wonder if kids in '49 got angry about it or just sent away for the bank---has anyone ever seen one of those?

Mr. Brissie, thank you so much for the autographs! It's really excellent to have the signature of a ball player from SC on those cards.

Have a great one everybody, and have a good night Pumpsie Green, wherever you are!

Waiting for Brissie

I might have said it before, but I'm from SC, a state that has given the nation this guy, that guy, and her. And Shoeless Joe. Yep, even when we get it right something tends not to go right. One of the greatest hitters ever, but not eligible for the HOF.

Which is why I wrote Lou Brissie. Now, the career numbers aren't HOF worthy, but he was an AS in 1949 and played from historically bad A's teams. He also played with only one good leg. See, he was wounded pretty badly in WWII and doctors came close to amputating his leg, only Brissie told them "no." He rehabbed, learned to get around with a brace, and when he came home went back to pursuing a MLB career. As for me, what I could be doing other than writing a blog about baseball and baseball cards: astronaut? cure for cancer finder? communist revolutionary? We'll never know. Lou Brissie looks at the rest of us SCinians and hangs his head. I mean, we've kinda dropped the ball as of late.

See, Mr. Brissie is actually one of the guys who IS a hero, despite the fact when live in a culture where "hero" is everything from the dog walker who bailed you out this morning to your spouse who remembered to grab your favorite beer at the store. (Note to compa: no, I don't mean that, the heroism you displayed in remembering the Sierra Nevada will never be forgotten!!!!) I'm proud to be from the same state as he.

Anyway, I wrote Mr. Brissie a while back before I knew any of the backstory. I had simply picked up a '51 Bowman of his and, being overexcited about finding a ball player from SC, sent it off. Here's what he sent back:

I know, the card ain't the prettiest pig in the pen (SC metaphor), and looks to be in worse shape than the cars my cousin Fritz keeps on blocks in the front yard (cultural reference) but the auto is sweet. Mr. Brissie was also kind enough to answer my questions. Best thing about being an All-Star in 1949? "All of it. Just being there with the players." When I think about it, that might be the best response to that question, ever.

He has a new biography out written by Ira Berkow, The Corporal Was a Pitcher. I don't have it yet, as my parents want to get it for me for Christmas. Seriously. So I have to wait....

After finding out more about him, I also ordered two late 1940s Brissie card to send to him. For which I am waiting...about a week now...

I'll let you know how things turn out, but thank you Mr. Brissie for the auto, but even more so for your service to our country both in WWII and for the inspiration you continue to give to those who were wounded in action in Iraq and Afghanistan. It shows what we can all do to work towards making the world a better place!!

Have a great evening everyone!