I am very interested in buying any Cincinnati Reds team issued postcards that you do not see in the next 3 pages. Even if you are not interested in parting with your cards I would hope you would send me the images. I am hopeful, someday, of showing complete year sets so that other enthusiasts would have someplace to go and see what cards there are so they could complete their own collections. I know there are many of you out there that have been doing this a lot longer than I have and are curious what they are still missing.
THE 1954 & 1955 REDS TEAMS
The Cincinnati Reds were one of the first Major
League teams to issue postcards of the entire team starting in 1954. These were
given to the players so that they could answer their fan mail. In most cases the
player would autograph the card and then mail it to the fan who had asked for
it. The 1954 and 1955 issues are always combined because the cards are identical
and there is no way to tell them apart except for those players who only played
for the team in one of those years.
These postcards are the only ones that were printed, from 1956 on
all issues were glossy real photo postcards. These cards also did not have a
postcard box on the back but were definitely made to be mailed. As you can see
from the sample back of one, seen in the first row, the back is divided by a
black line and in the top left corner it says: Cincinnati Baseball Club. Crosley
Field, Cincinnati, Ohio. The front of the card has a 3/4 inch white space along
the bottom where the player could sign his name. Many of these cards have a
light blue stamped autograph and, as you can see on this card, they were also
stamped on the back ( this card has the stamped name on both sides). I have
turned these card into black and white (the way they are) so the blue signature
is black on some of them. A second type has the name of the player plus
Cincinnati Redlegs (as they were called then) typed along the bottom leaving
room for the player to sign it. You have to pay attention to be able to
determine if the card was stamped or is actually signed by the player. There are
around 70 different cards in this set with many players having more than one
card (Ted Kluszewski has 9 different). Obviously this is not complete by far.
Birdie Tebbetts manager
1953 to
1958
Dick Bartell coach Tom Ferrick coach
1954 &
1955
1954 to 1958
Doctor Wayne Anderson
PITCHERS
Jackie Collum LHP
1953-1955
Art
Fowler
Howie Judson Joe
Nuxhall LHP 1944, 1952-1960
RHP
1954-57
RHP
1953-54
1962-1966
Some knucklehead has trimmed the first card but it does appear to be a real autograph.
Autographed
Bud Podbielan Ken
Raffensberger Frank
Smith
Jerry Staley
Corky Valentine Herm
Wehmeier
RHP
1952-57
LHP
1947-54
RHP
1950-54
RHP
1955
RHP 1954-55
RHP 1945-54
1956
Autographed
Autographed
Harry Perkowski
Hersh Freeman
LHP 1947-54
RHP 1955-58
CATCHERS
Autographed
Matt
Batts
Hobie Landrith Andy
Seminick
1955-1956
1950-1955
1952-1955
OUTFIELDERS
Autographed
Gus
Bell
Bob Borkowski Jim
Greengrass Lloyd
Merriman
Stan
Palys
1953-1961
1952-1955
1952-1955
1949-1954
1955-56
Autographed
Wally Post 1949, 1952-1957, 1960-1963
INFIELDERS
Bobby
Adams Rocky
Bridges Roy
McMillan Johnny Temple
1946-1955
1953-1957
1951-1960
1952-1959
Ted
Kluszewski 1948-1957
UTILITY
Chuck Harmon
1954-1956
1956 REDS TEAM
The 1956 team issue is the first set using glossy
real photos and as you can see below the back now has a stamp box. There are, at
least, two different backs for this issue (see below). I will state under each
image what type back that card has. They all have
the players name and Cincinnati Redlegs along the bottom. The players are seen
mostly in portrait poses wearing gray uniforms and a few with sleeveless
uniforms.
Thanks to information graciously supplied by Kevin
Grace I can tell you that it was the longtime photographer for the Cincinnati
Post, Jack Klumpe, who took these pictures. Jack took most of the Reds
photographs from the late 50s thru the 60s.
Type
#1
Type #2
It has been pretty well established that the following postcards were produced by The Quality Photo Shop. The above POSTAL CARD was sent out by the Reds office, in the mid-fifties, to those fans who wanted to order pictures of the Reds players. It gives the address as 2631 Vine Street, Cincinnati.
Frank McCormick
#1 Tom Ferrick
#1
Coach
1956-57 Coach
1954-58
PITCHERS
Autographed
*
Tom Acker
#2 Hal
Jeffcoat #1 Brooks Lawrence #1
Larry Jansen
RHP
1956-59
RHP 1956-59
RHP 1956-60
RHP 1956
The Brooks Lawrence card might belong in the 1958 set, need help identifying this one.
CATCHERS
Autographed
Back
Ed Bailey #2
Cat. 1953-61
INFIELDERS
Bruce Edwards #1
Cat./2B/3B 1956
OUTFIELDERS
Autographed
Autographed
Stan Palys
#1 Bob Thurman
#2 Frank Robinson #2
OF
1955-56
OF 1955-58
1B/OF 1956-65
1957 REDS TEAM
The 1957 Reds issue uses the same layout as the 1956 set except in this issue the players wore sleeveless uniforms with dark undershirts. I do have two "Birdie" Tebbetts cards and one of them has a rather unusual back. It is, once more, missing the stamp box and this type will also be found on the 1958 team issues, this card also says Manager while the other one does not.
Type
#1
Type #2
#1 Birdie Tebbetts
#2
Jimmie Dykes #1
Manager
1953-58
Coach 1955-58
PITCHERS
Back
Autographed
*
*
Tom Acker #1 Art Fowler
#1 Hersh Freeman #1
Don Gross #1
RHP 1956-59 RHP 1954-57 RHP
1955-1958 LHP
1955-57
Autographed
*
*
Warren Hacker
#1 Brooks Lawrence #1 Joe Nuxhall
#1 Raul Sanchez #1
RHP
1957 RHP
1956-60 LHP 1944,
1952- RHP 1957,
1960
1960,
1962-1966
CATCHERS
Ed Bailey #1
1953-61
OUTFIELDERS
Autographed
Gus Bell
#1 Jerry Lynch #1
Wally Post #1 Frank Robinson #1 Pete Whisenant #1
1953-61
1957-1963
1949-57
1956-65 1957-61
1960-63
INFIELDERS
Back
Autographed Autographed
George Crowe #1 Alex
Grammas#1
Don Hoak
#1 Roy
McMillan #1 Johnny Temple #1
1B
1956-58
Inf. 1956-58 SS
1951-1960 2B 1952-59, 1964
3B 1957-58
*
Ted
Kluszewski
1B 1948-1957
FOR MORE
REDS TEAM ISSUES 
