Mickey Vernon played 14 of his 20 years with the Washington Senators. Six of his seven All Star campaigns came in DC as did both of his batting crowns.
After his final season as a player in 1960, the Senators relocated and became the Minnesota Twins. They were replaced in the nation’s capital by the expansion club that bore the name the fans were familiar with – the Washington Senators.
Fresh on the fans’ mind and finished as a player, Vernon as offered the manager’s job. He took it. Predictably, the expansion team did not fare well. In his first two seasons, Vernon guided the club to 100-loss campaigns. In his third season the Senators won just 14 of their first 40 games. Vernon was mercifully fired.
He never managed again.
In the collection are four Mickey Vernon autographed Topps cards, including his first as a manager.
The card on the top right is from 1957, his final year with the Boston Red Sox. That season also snapped a streak of four straight All Star appearances.
The next card features the two-time batting champ with the Indians in the final of his seven All Star seasons.
On the bottom left is the 1959 edition, Vernon’s final Topps card as a player while the bottom right is from the 1961 set, his first card as a manager.
Vernon has neatly signed each of the four cards.