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Three-sport high school star Vic Raschi’s athletic ability caught the eye of the Yankees when he was just 15 years old. In his junior year of 1936 the team signed him to an agreement. The team would pay for Raschi’s college education in return for the first right to sign him.

After his 1941 collegiate season, the 22-year old began his professional career in the Canadian-American League. He found immediate success, going 10-6 in 17 starts. His performance earned him a promotion to Class B where he put up a sparkling 2.71 ERA. A big league call up in ’43 seemed likely.

Then World War II intervened.

Raschi spent the next three years as a physical education instructor in the army. By the time he returned to baseball in 1946, Raschi was 27 years old. After some time in the minors, Raschi got a September call up. He pitched well, winning both of his starts as the season wound down.

With the Yanks in ’47 he went 7-2 with six complete games and a shutout. Then in ’48 he had a breakout year, going 19-8 in his first All Star campaign. From 1949-1953, Raschi’s Yankees won 5 consecutive World Series titles. The right-hander teamed with Allie Reynolds and southpaw Eddie Lopat to form New York’s “Big Three”.

During the championship run, it was Raschi, the four-time All Star and three-time 20-game winner who led the team in wins.

Overall Raschi won 132 big league games with 106 complete games and 26 shutouts. Had the war not delayed his MLB start, Vic Raschi just might be in the Hall of Fame.

In the collection is this government postcard signed by Raschi in 1950.

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Vic Raschi is the forgotten star of the Yankee dynasty that won five straight World Series titles. The run from 1949-1953 remains the longest championship reign in the history of the big leagues. During that time, Raschi led all New York hurlers with 92 wins. In the Fall Classic Raschi tallied 5 wins, a 2.24 ERA, three complete games, and a shutout against the best the NL had to offer.

In his first 8 seasons in The Show from 1946-1953, Raschi went 120-50 with 99 complete games and 25 shutouts. The four-time All Star won exactly 21 games three seasons in a row starting in 1949. From ’48-’52 he also received support in MVP balloting.

In 1952 the Yankees made Raschi the highest-paid pitcher in franchise history. When his record slipped to 13-6 in ’53, GM George Weiss offered him a 25% pay cut. Raschi held out and Weiss sold him to the Cardinals.

In his first start with St. Louis, Raschi game up a first inning double to Milwaukee rookie Henry Aaron, the first of Hammerin’ Hank’s 3,771 hits. Eight days later in St. Louis, Raschi surrendered Aaron’s first big league home run.

After giving up 4 runs in 1 2/3 innings in his first start of ’55, the Cardinals released Raschi. The Athletics quickly scooped him up. In Kansas City Raschi made 20 appearances – 18 starts – before calling it quits at the end of the season.

Once eligible for the Hall of Fame, Raschi topped out at 10.2% of the vote in 1975. Raschi died of a heart attack at age 69 in 1988.

Shown here is the back of the government postcard signed by Raschi. Notice the postmark of April 8, 1950. Raschi was about to embark on his second of three straight 21-win seasons. By the end of the regular season, Raschi’s 21-8 mark gave him the highest winning percentage in the league. In Game 1 of the World Series he vanquished NL MVP Jim Konstanty and the Phillies with a two-hit shutout as the Yankees swept the Phillies.

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The record for consecutive World Series titles is held by the Yankees who won five straight from 1949-1953. A large part of the unprecedented success was the starting staff’s Big Three of Vic Raschi, Allie Reynolds and Eddie Lopat.

During the championship run the three hurler combined for 255 victories against just 117 defeats. Each of three had 20-win seasons, with five in total. Reynolds and Lopat both claimed an ERA title. In Fall Classic play the three went 15-6 with 10 complete games and 3 shutouts.

Lopat finished his career with with 166 wins, 164 complete games, and 27 shutouts despite waiting debut until two months shy of his 26th birthday,

Shown here is an index card signed by Lopat. The 1953 American League leader in winning percentage has added the inscription, “1953 % leader and 16-4, 1953 ERA leader 2.43 Best of luck Eddie Lopat”.

More on Lopat can by found on his page on this site by clicking here.

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Vic Raschi had the shortest career of New York’s Big Three. In his ten seasons in the bigs, he appeared in 269 games. He went 132-66 with 944 strikeouts. Eddie Lopat had 88 less strikeouts and more 34 wins in 71 more games. Allie Reynolds led the trio with 434 appearances, 182 victories, and 1,423 Ks.

A six-time All Star, Reynolds was a 20-game winner and two-time ERA champion. In the postseason, he was at his best. In 15 World Series games he went 7-2 with five complete games, two shutouts, four saves, and a 2.79 ERA.

In the collection are these two index cards signed by Reynolds. In the index card above Reynolds outlines his World Series accomplishments and signs his name above that. In the second index card Reynolds pens his name above his nickname “Super Chief”.

More about Reynolds can be found on his page on our website by clicking here.

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Vic Raschi pitched six scoreless innings in his first two All Star appearances. His efforts earned him a win and save.

In 1948 Raschi entered a 2-2 tie in the fourth. After holding the NL scoreless in his first frame, Raschi came to bat with the bases loaded. With a two-run single to left, Raschi put his AL squad ahead to stay. Overall Raschi pitching three scoreless innings, allowing three hits and a walk. His performance earned Raschi the victory.

The 1949 game was a special one. The first integrated Mid Summer Classic, it featured Larry Doby of the Indians and Brooklyn’s Roy Campanella, Jackie Robinson, and Don Newcombe.

With his team ahead 11-7 American League Manager Lou Boudreau summoned Raschi out of the pen in the 7th. The Yankee right-hander held the Senior Circuit scoreless for the final three frames to earn the save.

Raschi didn’t fare as well in his other two All Star appearances. Named the starting pitcher for the 1950 affair, he allowed two runs in three innings of work. His did not figure in the decision in the NL’s 4-3 win.

Raschi’s final All Star season came in 1953. The fifth of Raschi’s six World Series-winning campaigns saw him go 16-6 with a career-low 2.78 ERA. Again the All Star starter, Raschi gave up only one hit – a first-inning homer to Jackie Robinson. He struck out three in the NL’s 3-2 victory.

Shown here is a 14-karat gold wristwatch given to American League President William Harridge on the day of the historic 1949 contest. The Hall of Famer was instrumental in the creation of the All Star Game. The inscription on the back of the watch reads, “All Star Game Brooklyn, July 12, 1949”.

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Henry Aaron hit 755 home runs over the course of his 23-year big league career. The first came off of pitcher Vic Raschi on April 23, 1954 in Aaron’s 7th major league game.

Hitting sixth in manager Charlie Grimm’s Milwaukee Braves lineup, Aaron smashed the ball over the left-field fence in the 6th inning. The contest marked Hank’s first 3-hit game, first RBI, and the first time he scored multiple runs in a game.

Raschi pitched nine innings in his Cardinals 14-inning 7-4 loss.

Shown here is telegram congratulating Aaron on his 715th home run that broke Babe Ruth’s career mark. Hank added his signature.