My vintage card of the week: The 1950 Bowman Bob Feller. One primary focus of my collection is dominant pitchers. When I was looking for a Bob Feller card to add to my collection a few years ago, this one just immediately jumped out at me. I absolutely love the image of Feller warming up in front of the dugout with fans looking on from the stands. This was also my first vintage Bowman card. I love this set all around.

These oversized 1937-38 Dixie Lid ice cream premiums are beautiful, and none more so than the Bob Feller. ‘Rapid’ Robert had 107 wins and 1233 strikeouts by age 22 (when he went off to WW2)...

“That was the test... He was the best and I wanted to be the best, and three days before he pitched I would start thinking Robert Feller, Bob Feller. I’d sit in my room thinking and seeing him, thinking about him all that time. God, I loved it. That was a personal challenge. I’d always get my rest and I’d weigh my bat that day. Allie Reynolds of the Yankees was tough and I might think about him for twenty-four hours before a game, but Robert Feller, I’d think about him for three days.” - Ted Williams

(‘Summer Of ‘49’, Halberstam, p.192)

Late in 1946, feller had his sites on Rube Waddell’s Single season strikeout mark of 349, established in 1904. Entering his final start, Feller needed six. He was one shy with two outs in the ninth, but Detroit’s Hoot Evers failed to cooperate.

Although feller was pitching in his penultimate season in 1955, and his searing fastball was long gone, he was a legend at the time. He was part of the very first topps set in 1952 and also in 53 but appeared in neither 1954 nor 1955. He received his final card in his final campaign of 1956, however, bade farewell with a prestigious round number number 200 on the checklist.

It’s beat up but they don’t pop up often so when I had the chance to trade for it, I did just that!