SIGNING OFF
"Billy Meyer, the Pittsburgh manager, tells this story about Cliff Mapes. The big strong outfielder played in the Yankee system for Meyer at Kansas City and was a powerful hitter.
'Mapes hit the longest ball anyone ever saw at Kansas City,' Meyer related. 'It must have gone 600 feet over the center field fence. No one has ever done it since that I know of.
'The funny part was the sign on the center field fence must have been 500 feet away. It was only about the size of a hat and was put there by a jeweler in Kansas City. If anyone hit the circle he was to receive a diamond ring. Well, no one ever came close, but when Mapes hit the ball over the fence, the jeweler had the sign removed the next afternoon."
-Jack Hernon in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Baseball Digest, October 1952)
"Cliff divided the 1951 season between the Yankees and the Browns (45 games for Yanks, 56 for Brownies). His combined batting average was .262. Cliff was traded to the Detroit Tigers on February 14, 1952 in a deal involving seven players.
He has been a pitcher, catcher and first baseman."
-1952 Bowman No. 13
"With six years of minor league ball and two years of military service behind him, Cliff got his first chance in the big leagues with the Yankees in 1948. The year before, he hit .308, batted in 117 runs and walloped 21 homers at Kansas City.
Owner of one of the best throwing arms in baseball, Cliff played with the Yanks three years and was traded to the Browns in '51. The Browns sent him to the Tigers this year.
His hobby is raising homing pigeons."
-1952 Topps No. 103
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