If your a fan of the show you will know why I am posting this card - Don Draper's birth name is Dick Whitman.
The real Dick Whitman had a six year Major League career which started in 1946 as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers and finished with the Phillies in 1951. While he was basically a part time player who only got into 285 games he was fortunate enough to play in back to back World Series. The first Series was as a member of the '49 Dodgers, followed by the 1950 campaign with the Philles Whiz Kids. While in the majors Whitman tallied 165 hits two of which were Home Runs.
Dick Whitman was also a World War II Veteran who served in Europe prior to his Major League career. He suffered shrapnel wounds and frostbite during the Battle of the Bulge. Whitman was awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star for Bravery.
His baseball related honors include induction into Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1982.
Whitman retired to Peoria Arizona in the 1990s, he passed away in 2003 at the age of 82. During his retirement years Whitman became an avid fan of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Sources
SABR Bio - Ted Smith
Baseball-ref
Oregon Sports Hall of Fame
1 comment:
So excited. I picked up a Dick Whitman card for the same reason. Now if there were only a player named Roger Sterling... Or better yet, Ted Cheough.
Post a Comment