1954 Bowman

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Card #112 - Andy Pafko

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In 1954, Bowman was competing so hard against the Topps Chewing Gum Company for market dominance that they issued one of the scarcest, most sought-after cards of the post-World War II era. They also printed their cards so quickly that about 40 of the set's 224 cards contained statistical errors.

For its 1954 effort, Bowman featured a design that had a little more detail than the one used in 1953. The card fronts feature a color photo as in the 1953 sets (although the quality was off), but they were accompanied by a small color box at the bottom corner which housed a facsimile autograph of the player. For a small number of cards, the facsimile autograph was replaced with block lettering. The only other element featured on the front of the card was a white border.

Card backs had a diagram of a baseball and a bat across the top. The ball encircled the card number, while the bat featured the name of the player. Below the player's name are his biographical data and a short biography. Statistics for the previous season and career totals were found on the right side in a small box, and a trivia question ran across the bottom, with the answer just below the stats.

As previously mentioned, the fierce competition between Bowman and Topps caused problems that were evident in the sets of both companies. In 1953, Topps had six cards that were never issued because it lost those players to Bowman contracts; in 1954, Topps received its reward by signing an exclusive contract with superstar Ted Williams, who had been serving in Korea with the U.S. Marines for the previous three years. As a result of this contract, Bowman was forced to pull card #66 of Williams from its set and replace it with a card of Jimmy Piersall (who was also featured on card #210). This short-printing of Williams's card created one of the most sought-after cards of the hobby's modern era. Bowman's set featured several other players who were not found in the 1954 Topps set: Mickey Mantle, Robin Roberts, Roy Campanella, Bob Feller and Pee Wee Reese among them.

Several variations exist in this set because of statistical errors that were subsequently corrected. Few of these variations have been proven to be scarce and therefore hold no added value; the only exceptions are with cards #33 and #163, which mention trades; cards which mention trades are more valuable than those that do not. Also interesting are the cards of Baltimore Orioles players. After the 1953 season, the St. Louis Browns moved to Baltimore, and Bowman's artists had no idea what the Oriole uniforms would look like. So they simply made the uniforms up.

Team collectors, take note: Bowman numbered all its 1954 cards based on the player's team. A rotation was used where every sixteenth card in the set featured a player from the same team. For instance, the Yankees had card 1, 17, 33, 49, etc; the Red Sox were on cards 2, 18, 34, 50, etc. Each team set has fourteen cards.

A complete 1954 Bowman set does not include #66 Ted Williams or all variations.

Card #132 - Bob Feller (Back)

1954 Bowman 5-cent Wax Pack	1954 Bowman Display Box

1. Phil Rizzuto
2. Jack Jensen
3. Marion Fricano
4. Bob Hooper
5. William Hunter
6. Nelson Fox
7. Walter Dropo
8. James Busby
9. Dave Williams
10. Carl Erskine
11. Sid Gordon
12a. Roy McMillan (551/1290 at bat)
12b. Roy McMillan (557/1296 at bat)
13. Paul Minner
14. Gerald Staley
15. Richie Ashburn
16. Jim Wilson
17. Tom Gorman
18. Walter "Hoot" Evers
19. Bobby Shantz
20. Artie Houtteman
21. Victor Wertz
22a. Sam Mele (213/1661 putouts)
22b. Sam Mele (217/1665 putouts)
23. Harvey Kuenn
24. Bob Porterfield
25a. Wes Westrum (1.000/.987 field avg.)
25b. Wes Westrum (.982/.986 field avg.)
26a. Billy Cox (1.000/.960 field avg.)
26b. Billy Cox (.972/.960 field avg.)
27. Dick Cole
28a. Jim Greengrass (birthplace Addison, NJ)
28b. Jim Greengrass (birthplace Addison, NY)
29. Johnny Klippstein

30. Del Rice
31. "Smoky" Burgess
32. Del Crandall
33a. Victor Raschi (no traded line)
33b. Victor Raschi (traded line)
34. Sammy White
35a. Eddie Joost (Quiz answer is 8)
35b. Eddie Joost (Quiz answer is 33)
36. George Strickland
37. Dick Kokos
38a. Orestes Minoso (.895/.961 field avg.)
38b. Orestes Minoso (.963/.963 field avg.)
39. Ned Garver
40. Gil Coan
41a. Alvin Dark (.986/.960 field avg.)
41b. Alvin Dark (.968/.960 field avg.)
42. Billy Loes
43a. Bob Friend (20 shutouts in quiz question)
43b. Bob Friend (16 shutouts in quiz question)
44. Harry Perkowski
45. Ralph Kiner
46. Eldon Repulski
47a. Granville Hamner (.970/.953 field avg.)
47b. Granville Hamner (.953/.951 field avg.)
48. Jack Dittmer
49. Harry Byrd
50. George Kell
51. Alex Kellner
52. Myron Ginsberg
53a. Don Lenhardt (.969/.984 field avg.)
53b. Don Lenhardt (.966/.983 field avg.)
54. Alfonso Carrasquel
55. Jim Delsing
56. Maurice McDermott
57. Hoyt Wilhelm
58. "Pee Wee" Reese
59. Robert Schultz
60. Fred Baczewski
61a. Eddie Miksis (.954/.962 field avg.)
61b. Eddie Miksis (.954/.961 field avg.)
62. Enos Slaughter
63. Earl Torgeson
64. Ed Mathews
65. Mickey Mantle
66a. Ted Williams
66b. Jim Piersall
67a. Carl Scheib (.306 pct. with two lines under bio)
67b. Carl Scheib (.306 pct. with one line under bio)
67c. Carl Scheib (.300 pct.)
68. Bob Avila
69. Clinton Coutney
70. Willard Marshall
71. Ted Gray
72. Ed Yost
73. Don Mueller
74. Jim Gilliam
75. Max Surkont
76. Joe Nuxhall
77. Bob Rush
78. Sal Yvars
79. Curt Simmons
80a. John Logan (106 runs)
80b. John Logan (100 runs)
81a. Jerry Coleman (1.000/.975 field avg.)
81b. Jerry Coleman (.952/.975 field avg.)
82a. Bill Goodman (.965/.986 field avg.)
82b. Bill Goodman (.972/.985 field avg.)
83. Ray Murray
84. Larry Doby
85a. Jim Dyck (.926/.956 field avg.)
85b. Jim Dyck (.947/.960 field avg.)
86. Harry Dorish
87. Don Lund
88. Tommy Umphlett
89. Willie Mays
90. Roy Campanella
91. Cal Abrams
92. Ken Raffensberger
93a. Bill Serena (.983/.966 field avg.)
93b. Bill Serena (.977/.966 field avg.)
94a. Solly Hemus (476/1343 assists)
94b. Solly Hemus (477/1343 assists)
95. Robin Roberts
96. Joe Adcock
97. Gil McDougald
98. Ellis Kinder
99a. Pete Suder (.985/.974 field avg.)
99b. Pete Suder (.978/.974 field avg.)
100. Mike Garcia
101. Don Larsen
102. Bill Pierce
103a. Stephen Souchock (144/1192 putouts)
103b. Stephen Souchock (147/1195 putouts)
104. Frank Shea
105a. Sal Maglie (Quiz answer is 8)
105b. Sal Maglie (Quiz answer is 1904)
106. "Clem" Labine
107. Paul LaPalme
108. Bobby Adams
109. Roy Smalley
110. Al Schoendienst
111. Murry Dickson
112. Andy Pafko
113. Allie Reynolds
114. Willard Nixon
115. Don Bollweg
116. Luke Easter
117. Dick Kryhoski
118. Robert Boyd
119. Fred Hatfield
120. Mel Hoderlein
121. Ray Katt
122. Carl Curillo
123. Toby Atwell
124a. Gus Bell (15/27 errors)
124b. Gus Bell (11/26 errors)
125. Warren Hacker
126. Cliff Chambers
127. Del Ennis
128. Ebba St. Claire
129. Hank Bauer
130. Milt Bolling
131. Joe Astroth
132. Bob Feller
133. Duane Pillette
134. Luis Aloma
135. Johnny Pesky
136. Clyde Vollmer
137. Elmer Corwin
138a. Gil Hodges (.993/.991 field avg.)
138b. Gil Hodges (.992/.991 field avg.)
139a. Preston Ward (.961/.992 field avg.)
139b. Preston Ward (.990/.992 field avg.)
140a. Saul Rogovin (7-12 won/lost with 2 stikeouts)
140b. Saul Rogovin (7-12 won/lost with 62 stikeouts)
140c. Saul Rogovin (8-12 won/lost)
141. Joe Garagiola
142. Al Brazile
143. Puddin Head Jones
144. Ernie Johnson
145a. Billy Martin (.985/.983 field avg.)
145b. Billy Martin (.983/.982 field avg.)
146. Dick Gernert
147. Joe DeMaestri
148. Dale Mitchell
149. Bob Young
150. Cass Michaels
151. Patrick Mullin
152. Mickey Vernon
153a. Whitey Lockman (100/331 assists)
153b. Whitey Lockman (102/333 assists)
154. Don Newcombe
155. Frank Thomas
156a. Everett Bridges (320/467 assists)
156b. Everett Bridges (328/475 assists)
157. Omar Lown
158. Stu Miller
159. John Lindell
160. Danny O'Connell
161. Yogi Berra
162. Ted Lepcio
163a. Dave Philley (152 games with no traded line)
163b. Dave Philley (152 games with traded line)
163c. Dave Philley (157 games with traded line)
164. Early Wynn
165. Johnny Groth
166. Sandalio Consuegra
167. Bill Hoeft
168. Ed Fitzgerald
169. Larry Jansen
170. Duke Snider
171. Carlos Bernier
172. Andy Seminick
173. Dee Fondy
174a. Pete Castiglione (.966/.959 field avg.)
174b. Pete Castiglione (.970/.959 field avg.)
175. Melvin Clark
176. Vernon Bickford
177. Whitey Ford
178. Del Wilber
179a. Morris Martin (44 era)
179b. Morris Martin (4.44 era)
180. Joe Tipton
181. Lester Moss
182. Sherman Lollar
183. Matt Batts
184. Mickey Grasso
185a. Daryl Spencer (.941/.944 field avg.)
185b. Daryl Spencer (.933/.936 field avg.)
186. Russell Meyer
187. Vern Law
188. Frank Smith
189. Ranson Jackson
190. Joe Presko
191. Karl Drews
192. Lew Burdette
193. Eddie Robinson
194. Sid Hudson
195. Bob Cain
196. Bob Lemon
197. Lou Kretlow
198. Virgil Tucks
199. Steve Gromek
200. Connie Marrero
201. Bob Thompson
202. George Shuba
203. Vic Janowicz
204. Jack Collum
205. Hal Jeffcoat
206. Steve Bilko
207. Stan Lopata
208. Johnny Antonelli
209. Gene Woodling
210. Jimmy Piersall
211. Alfred Robertson
212a. Owen Friend (.964/.957 field avg.)
212b. Owen Friend (.967/.958 field avg.)
213. Dick Littlefield
214. Ferris Fain
215. Johnny Bucha
216a. Jerry Snyder (.988/.988 field avg.)
216b. Jerry Snyder (.968/.968 field avg.)
217a. Henry Thompson (.956/.951 field avg.)
217b. Henry Thompson (.958/.952 field avg.)
218. Preacher Roe
219. Hal Rice
220. Hobie Landrith
221. Frank Baumholtz
222. Memo Luna
223. Steve Ridzik
224. William Bruton