Setting Out on That Old Dusty Trail

One of the many bonuses of 1950s cards are great nicknames. With the exception of Player's Weekend, the nicknames of current ballplayers are seen far less frequently. This card comes thanks to generosity of Greg from The Collective Mind

So who was Dusty Rhodes? Well, if you have the time, I highly recommend reading his SABR biography, written by Warren Corbett, which includes stories of drinking with Giants' team owner Horace Stoneman, and making Vin Scully laugh with quips and one-liners. Rhodes was a pinch hitter in 1954 (as an outfielder, he had poor defense, not to mention playing behind Willie Mays, Monte Irvin, and Don Mueller), but a very effective one. He hit .341 and slugged .695 in 1954, homering once every 10.9 at bats. He was even more efficient in the World Series that year, contributing in each of the first three games as a pinch hitter. He won game 1 with a walk-off round tripper, homered again in game 2, and added another hit in game 3, driving in 2 more runs. He hit .667/.714/1.667 for the series.