Description

1948 Swell Sports Thrills card number 10 featuring Johnny Vander Meer's back-to-back no-hitters in 1938. Recently graded SGC 1. Johnny Vander Meer (November 2, 1914 - October 6, 1997) is the only player in Major league history to throw back-to-back no-hitters when he no-hit the Boston Bees at Crosley Field, then four days later no-hit the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field in 1938. The Cincinnati Reds hurler carried his no-hit string into the fourth inning of his third start, setting a National League record of 21 hitless innings. Johnny was named the 1938 The Sporting News Major League Player of the Year, heavily based on his extraordinary feat. Vander Meer pitched for 13 seasons in the Majors with the Reds (1937-1943, 1946-1949), the Chicago Cubs (1950) and the Cleveland Indians (1951). From 1941-1943, Johnny Vander Meer was the first of four Major League pitchers to lead their respective league in strikeouts in three consecutive seasons (Warren Spahn, Randy Johnson, Tim Lincecum). Johnny won 10 or more games six times in his 13-year career, topping 15 wins in five of those years and was named to four MLB All-Star Games. Johnny Vander Meer finished his career following the 1951 season with a 119-121 record, amassed 1,294 strikeouts, 131 complete games and 29 shutouts while posting a 3.44 ERA. The 1948 Swell Bubble Gum Sport Thrills baseball set is comprised of 20 cards, each measuring approximately 2-7/16” by 3”. Produced by the Philadelphia Gum Company, the set honors the National Pastime’s most thrilling moments up to the post-war world. The cards have a black-and-white image framed with a baseball-themed border, the title “Sports Thrills Highlights in the World of Sport” at the top of the card, and the title of the card along the bottom. The backs give the story of the event pictured on the front. Most also promote Bob Feller’s then-recently printed “How to Pitch” book. The set is anchored by Dramatic Debut: Jackie Robinson ROY (#3), Most Dramatic Homer: Babe Ruth Points (#12), Great Slugging: Lou Gehrig’s Four Homers (#14), and Three Run Homer in Ninth: Ted Williams’ Homer (#16). Card #s 9, 11, 16, and 20 are more difficult to obtain than the other cards in this set, although the entire set is a challenge to secure in high grades due to their unusual sizes, resulting in many being found with folds or wrinkles along the edges.