#42 John Roseboro

Johnny Roseboro is primarily remembered for the terrible 1965 confrontation he had with Juan Marichal and that's a shame because he was an outstanding big league catcher. After five seasons in the minors and a year in the service, Roseboro was thrust into the new spotlight of Dodger baseball in Los Angeles by the unfortunate accident that befell Roy Campanella in the winter of 1957.

Roseboro went on to make the NL All-Star squad that first full season and had a 14-year career that included three more All-Star teams, two Gold Gloves, and three World Series rings in four tries.

After a decade of catching the likes of Koufax, Drysdale, Osteen, and Sutton he was traded to the Twins where he helped win a division title in 1969.  He finished up with a year with the Senators. He later coached with a couple of major league clubs and served as a hitting instructor as well. Roseboro caught two of Sandy Koufax' no-hitters.

For those who have never seen them here are some outstanding pics of the 1965 incident.

Neil Leifer photograph and another.

#25 Don Drysdale

Seems to me that Don Drysdale got a disproportionate number of portrait shots on his Topps cards. Here's another one.

Drysdale, a Hall of Fame pitcher who spent his entire career with the Dodgers, won 209 games and a Cy Young while earning three WS rings in six tries. He had a reputation as a guy who was unafraid to throw inside and was a fine hitting pitcher as well. It was not unusual for him to hit eighth in what was traditionally a light-hitting Dodgers lineup for much of the 60s. Paired with Sandy Koufax they made one of the most dominant 1-2 pitching combos ever. 

In 1968, a year 'owned' by pitchers, Drysdale had a streak of six consecutive shutouts and a run of nearly scoreless 59 innings. As an aside (not a judgment), in 2018 no pitcher in either league had more than one shutout or two complete games 

He did some television acting while an active player and was a broadcaster after his playing days. He died of a heart attack at the age of 56 in 1993.

Here's a clip of him on the popular Donna Reed show in 1964. 

#16 Charley Neal

Posed action shots are few and far between in the '58 set but when they pop up I love 'em. 'Charley' Neal's card is no exception. You also have to love the fact that the card attributes his power to "lightning wrist action".

First of all, this is the last time for a few years that Topps referred to him as 'Charley'  Beginning in '59 he was the more common 'Charlie'. Then in '62, it was back to 'Charley'. For whatever that's worth. 

Neal debuted in the low minors in the Dodgers chain in 1950. For a brief time he was on the roster of the Atlanta Black Crackers of the Negro Southern League. He fought his way up the ladder before debuting in Brooklyn in 1956. He grabbed a regular role the next season as the club's second baseman. He kept a starting job, either at second or short, for the better part of five seasons.

His 1959 season stands out. Neal made the first of two consecutive NL All-Star squads, led the NL in triples and sac hits, won a Gold Glove and finished #8 in the MVP voting. To say nothing of earning a ring as the Dodgers won the World Series. Oh, that Series? He was 10 for 27 with two homers.

His play fell off in 1960/61 and he was traded to the expansion Mets in December of 1961. After a season and a half in the Polo Grounds he was dealt to the Reds partway through 1963. That was his final big league season.