{"product_id":"1959-ted-kluszewski-baseball-card-topps-no-35","title":"1959 Ted Kluszewski Baseball Card Topps No 35","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1959 Ted Kluszewski Baseball Card Topps No 35 Very Good condition, see photos.\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-528 citation-end-528\"\u003eTheodore Bernard \"Ted\" Kluszewski stands as one of Major League Baseball’s most physically imposing and disciplined sluggers of the post-World War II era.\u003csup class=\"superscript\" data-turn-source-index=\"1\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-527 citation-end-527\"\u003eNicknamed \"Big Klu\" for his massive 6-foot-2, 225-pound frame, the left-handed first baseman famously cut the sleeves off his Cincinnati Reds uniform because the fabric constricted his bulging, 15-inch biceps.\u003csup class=\"superscript\" data-turn-source-index=\"2\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-526 citation-end-526\"\u003eWhile his striking look defined his persona, his legendary plate discipline defined his game.\u003csup class=\"superscript\" data-turn-source-index=\"3\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-525 citation-end-525\"\u003eAcross his 15-year career (1947–1961)—spent primarily with the Reds before later stints with the Pirates, White Sox, and Angels—Kluszewski achieved a feat virtually unheard of for modern power hitters: he routinely hit more home runs than he had strikeouts.\u003csup class=\"superscript\" data-turn-source-index=\"4\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-524 citation-end-524\"\u003eThis remarkable control peaked between 1953 and 1956, a stretch where he earned four consecutive All-Star selections.\u003csup class=\"superscript\" data-turn-source-index=\"5\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"citation-523 citation-end-523\"\u003eHis absolute zenith came in 1954, when he led the National League with 49 home runs and 141 RBIs while striking out a mere 35 times, finishing a close second to Willie Mays in the MVP voting. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-523 citation-end-523\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"citation-522 citation-end-522\"\u003eBeyond his regular-season dominance, Kluszewski was an exceptionally agile defender who led NL first basemen in fielding percentage for five straight seasons.\u003csup class=\"superscript\" data-turn-source-index=\"7\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e Though back injuries eventually sapped his immense power, he remained a dangerous clutch hitter, memorably batting \u003cspan class=\"citation-521 citation-end-521\"\u003e.391 with three home runs and 10 RBIs for the Chicago White Sox in the 1959 World Series.\u003csup class=\"superscript\" data-turn-source-index=\"8\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e He closed out his career finishing with a lifetime \u003cspan class=\"citation-520 citation-end-520\"\u003e.298 batting average, 279 home runs, and 1,028 RBIs.\u003csup class=\"superscript\" data-turn-source-index=\"9\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e Decades later, his legacy as the ultimate muscle-bound pure hitter remains secure, immortalized by a bronze statue outside Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park and the retirement of his iconic No. \u003cspan class=\"citation-519 citation-end-519\"\u003e18 jersey.\u003csup class=\"superscript\" data-turn-source-index=\"10\"\u003e\u003c!----\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"EvoRelic","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49511138427018,"sku":"24567254","price":25.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0694\/2126\/9130\/files\/1959TedKluszewskiBaseballCardToppsNo35.jpg?v=1780829811","url":"https:\/\/evorelic.com\/products\/1959-ted-kluszewski-baseball-card-topps-no-35","provider":"EvoRelic","version":"1.0","type":"link"}