In memory of Bob Lemke - 1952 Topps living players
dennis07
Posts: 1,842 ✭✭✭
In memory and honor of a Baseball card collecting icon, Mr. Bob Lemke who passed away I am posting his list from his blog of the current living players from '52 Topps set.
Here is a list of the remaining living players. Updated 2//3/2021
PLAYER 1952 TOPPS# BIRTH DATE TEAM
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Bobby Shantz 219 09/26/1925 PHA
Bobby Morgan 355 06/29/1926 BRO
Carl Erskine 250 12/13/1926 BRO
Charlie Maxwell 180 04/08/1927 BRS
Tommy Brown 281 12/06/1927 PHI
Bob Ross 298 11/02/1928 WSH
Vern Law 81 03/12/1930 PIT
Dick Groat 369 11/04/1930 PIT
Willie Mays 261 05/06/1931 NYG
Comments
Ned Garver passed away in February
IMF
List updated. Thanks
Thinking of sports and longevity - would be interesting to compare the percent of baseball players alive in the the 52 Topps set to the percent of football players alive in the 52 Bowman set.
http://www.tradingcarddb.com/ViewAllSet.cfm/sid/3194
I have also been keeping this list for a few years. I agree with your list showing 39 players still living. Ned Garver and Roy Sievers are the only two to pass in 2017.
EDITED TO ADD: Gil Coan's number is 291, not 91. Bob had it incorrect.
Doug
Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
This thread is morbid. Why in the hell does it exist. Publicizing who is due to die Is unfathomable even for us folks who think GOD is a clown act still attracting....well hypocrites.
Exists mainly for people who collect the '52 set in autographed form.
Doug
Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
I couldn't disagree more. Thank you for your input though.
Gil Coan number changed to 291. Thanks.
..
bob lemke passed away ? did not know that ..i can't believe it.. i commisioned some cards from him last year ..he was the best
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_players_from_Panama
Sam Mele passed away at age 95. RIP.
Dennis - Thanks for posting. I missed this.
RIP Mr. Mele.
Doug
Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
Sam (a member of the 1954 Orioles and who registered their first RBI) was a great signer TTM
RIP
IMF
I maintain a similar list for living Brooklyn Dodgers. Sadly, it is a fast shrinking list.
Bob Kuzava played 10 years in the bigs including 1951-54 with the Yankees. He passed away on May 15, 2017. RIP
I have a plaque presented to him back in 1965 and signed on the back.
Yup, we are now down to 37 players from the '52 Topps set who are still with us.
Doug
Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
Partial Obituary for Solly Hemus passed away Oct. 2, 2017 RIP / Also, Bob Kelly passed away Oct. 25, 2017 RIP
In 1941, at the age of 17, Solly joined the Navy. His mother had to go with him to enlist since he was a minor. He spent four years in the Navy as a chief aviation ordnanceman.
After Solly was discharged from the military, he was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers and went to spring training in Florida. Unfortunately, he did not last too long with the Dodgers and was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1946. He first went to Pocatello, Idaho to play with the Pocatello Cardinals, a single A team for the Redbirds. In 1947, Solly was moved up to AA ball and sent to Houston, Texas to play with the Houston Buffs (Buffalos). He played for the buffs from 1947 to 1949. Solly finally made it to "The Show" in 1949 and played with the St. Louis Cardinals as a second baseman and short stop until 1956. In May of 1956, he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies and played there until 1958. In the fall of 1958, Solly was reacquired by the St. Louis Cardinals and was named player-manager by owner August "Gussie" Busch. Solly remained with the Cardinals until 1962.
After Solly left the Cardinals organization, he was a coach for the New York Mets from 1962-1963, and the Cleveland Indians from 1964-1965. In 1966, Solly was a manager for the Met's top farm club, the Jacksonville Sun, and this was his final appearance in baseball.
In 1966, Solly came to Houston, Texas to begin his career in the oil business. He worked out of his home making deals and some money, and eventually moved into a small office. In the 1970's, he hired Leah Fash as his secretary and Paul Barenkamp as his landman. Solly became a success in the oil business with the help of Paul, Hal Hudgins, Sonny Cabiness and so many other businessmen in the oil industry. He retired from the oil business in 2011.
According to the US Social Security Death Index, John Kastan Jr. (1952 Bowman FB #81) died on 15 May 2002.
It also indicates that Jack Carr Blount died on 14 Oct 2003, and Glen Christian died on 15 Apr 1989.
Steve
That is some good detective work, I'll make the changes. Thanks.
Dennis ... thanks for posting the update. I just checked all the other players and your TOPPS list is updated as of today.
There are now 35 players still alive from that iconic set.
Doug
Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
Dennis - We have lost two more gentlemen from this iconic set.
Bob Borkowski (#328) passed away on November 18, 2017 and
Dick Gernert (343) passed away on November 30, 2017.
Doug
Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
Dennis - did a check on the remaining players from this set. HAPPY to report that all 33 are still with us!
Doug
Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
Thanks, Doug. I missed your post until now.
Never a bother to be reminded of friend and hobby icon Bob Lemke
Bowman Baseball -1948-1955
Fleer Baseball-1923, 1959-2007
Al
I feel very blessed to have become acquainted with Mr. Lemke during the last year or so of his life. I was able to do some impromptu genealogical work for him based on some info. he posted on his blog. He was very appreciative and we exchanged many e-mails. He shared some of his vast knowledge of card collecting with me. It's an honor for me to keep his love of the '52 set alive and I will continue to do so as long as I am able.
Nice to see a number of them are still alive.
Probably on the average, each one is around 90 years old or older.
Carl Scheib passed on March 24th. RIP
@BigMike79 said:
Thank You. Little known fact. Mr. Scheib was the youngest player in American League history. RIP
He seems to have lived an interesting and long life. Can you imagine being a teenager being dropped off in a big city after never having wandered far off the family farm? He said he had never heard of people paying to see people play ball when a scout sought him out.
St. Louis Cardinals legend and Baseball Hall of Famer Red Schoendienst passed away Wednesday. RIP.
Red was one of those people who LIVED baseball. Much like Bob Lemke. I was out of vintage collecting for a couple of years and didn't know Bob had passed until last week. He was a very nice and knowledgeable fellow who I did many deals with. He also sold me my favorite non-card piece in my collection- a 1960 original Topps Flexichrome of Killebrew & Colavito for a HR leaders card that was never released. RIP Bob & Red.
It was mentioned on 54 that Red was the last living HOFer to serve in WWII, and the last survivor of the 48 Bowman set
Bowman Baseball -1948-1955
Fleer Baseball-1923, 1959-2007
Al
Sad. RIP Red.
RIP. I don't have any of his cards, but...
Jim
I am honored to say I am with Bob Miller right now and he is doing great for 92!
Wally Westlake passed away on September 5, 2019.
11/08/1920-09/05/2019 RIP.
Always appreciate the updates to this thread
Bowman Baseball -1948-1955
Fleer Baseball-1923, 1959-2007
Al
"Handsome Ransom" Randy Jackson passed March 20, 2019.
Charlie Silvera 168 10/13/1924 NYY I saw somewhere a week or two ago that Mr. Silvera passed away.
Thanks for the updates.
Randy Jackson 02/10/1926-03/20/2019 RIP
Charlie Silvera 10/13/1924-09/07/2019 RIP
Thanks to the CU member for the message pointing this out.
RIP Bobby Del Greco who passed away on Oct 13, 2019. He had been the youngest member of the remaining Topps '52 club.
April 7, 1933-October 13, 2019.
Looking at the list, I seemed to recall that Bob Friend had passed. Checked and unfortunately he did on 2/3/19.
Couple others as well:
Bob Friend - 2/3/19
Joe Presko - 2/5/19
Tony Bartirome - 6/22/19
Longoria Collector. Love the Longo!
600+ PSA Graded 4,700+ unique Longoria cards scanned on TCDB 800+ different Longo autograph cards Jeff
Thank you for this update: Mr. Bartirome passed 6/22/2018.
RIP to these 3 former players.
List updated:
November 15, 2019 RIP Irv Noren
Didn't Dick Brodowski die?
The list has been updated to include:
Dick Brodowski RIP July 26.1932-January 14, 2019
Cloyd Boyer is the only Cardinals player left. I keep up because of my Topps Cardinals Autograph Collection. I have all 1952 Topps except the 4 high numbers. I have only seen one single Wilmer Mizell and it went for 1.5k I think.
Shane
Ted Lepcio gets off the list