don zimmer through the mail success!

don zimmer signed and returned this 1963 topps card in just 10 days. i love this card. zim came back to the dodgers prior to the 1963 season. he had last played for them in 1959. he was traded to the cubs prior to the 1960 season, and then selected by the mets in the expansion draft prior to the 1962 season. they traded him to the reds a month into the season. zim spent only a few months with the dodgers in 1963 as he was purchased by the senators in june that year. he closed out his playing career with the senators in 1965. after all that, this card shows him in a cubs uniform and an airbrushed hat. you can kind of see the cubs' 'c' if you look closely. the inset picture must be from his first tenure with the dodgers, so it's at least 3 years old.

zimmer shares a nickname (popeye) with steve garvey. for zim, it was because of his face rather than his forearms, though. i just started reading pete rose's book, and was surprised to find that his dad and zimmer's dad were pals. it sounds like the reds missing out on zimmer (an undersized player) contributed to their signing rose (another undersized player), or at least giving him a shot. zimmer has lived a life of baseball - player, coach, manager, advisor, he's done it all. he was even married at home plate! his many adventures (and mis-adventures) are too numerous to touch on here, so why not read one of his books?

btw, this is the third ttm auto i have received from a member of the 1955 world champions. that's pretty cool! thanks zim!