As collectors attuned to such issues know properly, the primary two Topps playing cards of the Nice One in 1955 and 1956 had been the one ones to make use of his most well-liked identify (also referred to as his identify!) Roberto till 1970.
For causes not solely identified however typically surmised, Topps “bobbled” the identify from 1957-1969, a stretch of 13 seasons that included twelve All-Star picks, 9 Gold Gloves, 4 batting titles, and a Most Invaluable Participant award. How about displaying a little bit respect, Topps!
If nothing else, nevertheless, Clemente was in good firm. The 1957 set included twenty-four Bob playing cards and 6 Bobby playing cards however not a single Robert or Roberto.
In the event you’re questioning if thirty is so much, the reply is sure. Bob/Bobby was by far essentially the most incessantly occurring identify within the 1957 set. Actually, Bob/Bobby accounted for extra 1957 Topps playing cards than Tom (9), Dick (9), and Harry (2) mixed.
Trying additional on the first names in 1957 Topps one other development jumps out. Diminutives dominated the day. There have been twenty topics named Jim however none named James. Add to that one other twenty named Invoice, Billy, Willie, or Willy however none named William. And for all of the Dons, Toms, Eds, and Dicks, there have been no Donalds, Thomases, Edwards, and Richards.
Among the many greater than 300 topics within the set assigned diminutives, I’m unaware of any past Roberto Clemente and Henry Aaron who might need most well-liked their given identify. Both means, I feel the near-universal use of diminutives provides vital context to how Topps approached its Roberto Clemente playing cards.
I received’t analyze the remainder of the “Bob” Clemente period as extensively, however I’ll nonetheless current the assorted Bob, Bobby, Rob, Robert, and Roberto playing cards from every set. (Spoiler alert: Not one of the units may have Roberts.)
1958
In 1958, Topps had no fewer than twenty-nine Bob playing cards and eight Bobby playing cards whereas eschewing Robert/Roberto solely.
1959
The Bobby depend dropped by one in 1959, however the Bob depend jumped from twenty-nine to thirty-four, counting the Nice One. As soon as once more, the names Robert and Roberto weren’t used in any respect.
1960
Eight topics got the Bobby identify in 1960 to go along with twenty-nine Bob topics. As standard, each Robert and Roberto had been shut out.
1961
Not solely did Bobbies drop to solely seven however even Bobs dropped to solely twenty-six, counting Clemente.
1962
Following the dip in 1961, Robert/Roberto diminutives bobbed upward in 1962. Counting Clemente, Topps used Bob for thirty-six topics (together with Bob Veale and Bob Moorhead on a single Rookie Parade card) and Bobby for six others.
1963
The Bobby and Bob counts dropped to 4 and thirty-four respectively in 1963 and as soon as once more the Robert/Roberto depend remained at zero.
1964
Bobbies got here charging again with eight in 1964 whereas Bobs got here in at thirty-one, counting Clemente. An Angels Rookie Stars card even paired Bobby Knoop and Bob Lee. Once more, there have been no Robert/Roberto playing cards.
1965
The 1965 Topps set included seven Bobbies and, counting Clemente, thirty-one Bobs, roughly par for the course. Nonetheless, the set introduced not less than one shock.
For the primary time since 1956, the set included a Roberto card. Nonetheless, it was not Clemente. Quite, it was Dominican infielder Roberto Peña of the Cubs, who would stay Roberto for his total Topps profession (1965-66, 1969-71).
1966
The presence of a Roberto within the 1965 excessive quantity sequence might need supplied Clemente followers hope that change was within the air at Topps. Actually, the 1966 set did finish a protracted drought, simply not that one. Quite, collectors fortunate sufficient to trace down the excessive numbers had been handled for the primary time to a Rob!
Together with Rob Gardner and Roberto Peña, the 1966 set additionally included six Bobbies and, counting Clemente, thirty-one Bobs.
1967
In 1967, for the primary time within the “Bob” Clemente period, the variety of Roberto/Robert/Rob/Bobby/Bob playing cards within the set fell under thirty: simply twenty-six Bobs (counting Clemente), Rob Gardner, Bobby Knoop, and Bobby Wine.
Collectors determined for a Roberto within the 1967 Topps design weren’t solely shut out, nevertheless. The set commonly known as Venezuelan Topps (however possible not produced by Topps) included a card of Valencia pitcher Roberto Muñoz.
1968
Although the variety of Bobby topics doubled to 4 and Rob Gardner held regular in 1968, the variety of Bob topics fell to its lowest degree in additional than a decade at simply twenty-three.
1969
If the 1969 set’s Nationwide League ERA Leaders card made one factor clear, regardless of the downturn of the earlier yr, Topps had loads of Bobs left within the tank.
What’s extra, the 1969 Topps set established a brand new highwater mark for Roberto playing cards with two. After all Clemente was not one among them.
Add to that 9 Bobbies, the Nice One, and twenty-six extra Bobs and the general depend reaches thirty-eight.
Then and Now
Even because the Bob depend bobbed up and down from 1956-1969, the identify Bob was an absolute mainstay of the late Fifties and early Nineteen Sixties.
Immediately, not a lot. Taking 2025 Topps flagship for instance, the as soon as ubiquitous baseball identify is restricted to Bobby Witt, Bobby Miller, Robert Suarez, Rob Refsnyder, and Robbie Ray. Regardless of the wealth of Latin stars immediately, not a single Roberto cracks the guidelines.
The precipitous decline in Robert-adjacent names on baseball playing cards is properly defined by the overall decline within the identify’s recognition over the last decade. A reputation that after went to greater than 5 % of U.S.-born males went to at finest 1% by the point most of immediately’s gamers had been born and has since gone virtually extinct.
Because the graph maybe suggests, the interval from 1957-1969 actually was the Golden Age of Bobs so far as baseball playing cards had been involved, even when not less than one cardholder was within the membership somewhat reluctantly.
Sure, many people fortunate sufficient to have Topps Clemente playing cards relationship again to the “Bob” period will undoubtedly curse Topps each time we have a look at our playing cards, muttering about how a lot better Roberto would have appeared. On the similar time we would quickly discover ourselves holding those self same playing cards and pondering to ourselves, “Bob! Now that was a fantastic ballplayer identify you simply don’t see anymore!” (By the way in which, I’m calling it now. Your 2045 Topps set, nevertheless Bob-much less, might be jam-packed with Liams, Noahs, and Olivers.)
Additional for Specialists
The occasional Bob-pologist would possibly notice that “Roberto Clemente” is a somewhat lengthy identify for the area afforded on varied Topps baseball card designs. Counting the area between Roberto and Clemente, it checks in at sixteen characters, which is 2 characters greater than Al Aber and Don Lee mixed!
On the similar time, Roberto Clemente was one character shorter than 4 different names used within the 1957 set: Vito Valentinetti, George Strickland, Jerry Schoonmaker, and (most instructively) Johnny Klippstein, whose first identify may have simply been shortened to John had area been any concern.
Although the 1957 examples must be sufficient to refute any “identify too lengthy” theories, right here is the whole leaderboard for all the 1957-1969 interval in query. Whereas Roberto Clemente would have been one of many longer names in every of the units, there have been all the time names even longer than his.
Longest Title (Base Playing cards Solely)
And eventually, for these of you interested by much more Roberto vs. Bob content material, the Playing cards That By no means Had been web site has a terrific article that features the usage of Roberto on Topps card backs and by different card makers, amongst different issues.
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