1952 Yankee of the Past: Don Johnson

"Pitching in American Legion ball in 1943, Don won 20, lost 1 and hurled six no-hit games. The next year, he was with Kansas City and Newark.  1945 and '46 were spent in military service where he pitched for a team that won 40 straight games.
In 1947, Don became a Yankee and had a 4-3 record. Sent down in '48, he returned to the Yankees in '50 and was traded to the Browns. A radio announcer during the winter, he came to the Senators in '51."

-1952 Topps No. 190

1952 Yankee of the Past: Billy Johnson

"'Billy the Bull' began the 1951 campaign with the Yankees. After appearing in 15 games for them, he was sent to the Cardinals.  In 124 games for the Birds, batting .262, Billy had 14 homers and drove in 64 runs.
He began in baseball in 1936 and was in the minors until 1943. He joined the Yankees at that time."

-1952 Bowman No. 122

"1951 was Billy's first year in the National League and he led the league's third basemen in fielding. He came to the Cardinals from the Yankees, whom he had played with since 1943, except for two years in the Army Infantry.
Named Rookie of the Year in 1943, Billy also made the Major League All-Star team and led the American League at third in putouts and assists. His best years at the plate were 1947 and 1948 when he hit .285 and .294."

-1952 Topps No. 83

1952 Yankees of the Past: Frank Hiller and Ken Holcolmbe

FRANK HILLER
"Frank was traded to the Reds by the Cubs in January of 1952.
He was in 24 games for the Baby Bruins in 1951 and won 6 and lost 12. He pitched 141 innings and gave up only 31 walks against 50 strikeouts.
Frank began in organized baseball in the Yankee chain. He was traded to the Cubs in 1950."

-1952 Bowman No. 114

"Traded to the Reds by the Cubs in 1952, Frank broke into organized ball with Newark in 1943. Posting a 39-27 mark in three years, the Yankees called him up in 1946. Sent to Kansas City in '47, he won 15 and was recalled in '48, having a 5-2 record as a Yankee.
Frank returned to Kansas City in '49 and the Cubs got him. In 1950 as a Cub, he won 12 and lost 5. In '51, he pitched a 1-hitter against the Cardinals, facing only 27 batters."

-1952 Topps No. 156


KEN HOLCOMBE
"This is Ken's 15th year in pro ball. He started in the minors in 1938 and after a 15-11 record at Norfolk in '41 and 17-10 at Newark in '44, he came up with the Yankees in 1945 to win 3 and lose 3. Sent down in '46, he got a trial in '48 with the Reds but didn't stick.
In 1949 at Sacramento, Ken won 19 games, struck out 108 and had a 2.85 earned run average. The White Sox brought him up in 1950 and he's made the grade."

-1952 Topps No. 95

1952 Yankee Farmhand of the Past: Earl Harrist

"Earl did a lot of relief hurling for the White Sox in 1947 and the Senators in '48. He was with the Reds in '45.
He broke in with El Dorado of the Cotton States League in 1938 and won 20 for that club in '39. He was in military service during 1942, '43 and '44.
Earl is getting another crack at the majors after two good seasons with Oakland in '50 and '51. He won 18 for the Oaks in '50 and 16 more in '51."

-1952 Topps No. 402

1952 Yankee of the Past: Randy Gumpert

"Randy had a 9 and 8 record in 33 games for the Chicago White Sox in 1951. He worked 142 innings, struck out 45 batters, gave up 34 bases on balls and recorded an earned run average of 4.31.
He entered baseball with Connie Mack's A's in 1936. He's now with the Red Sox."

-1952 Bowman No. 106

"Randy started in organized ball with the A's in 1936 and had a 1-2 record. In '37, he was sent to the minors and got another trial in '38. Sent down again, Randy played in the minors until he went into the Armed Forces in 1943.
Upon his discharge, he joined the Yankees in 1946, winning 11 and losing 3. He had a 4-1 mark in '47 and went to the White Sox in '48. 1951 was his first winning year with Chicago. He was traded to the Red Sox in November 1951."

-1952 Topps No. 247

1952 Yankee of the Past: Monk Dubiel

"Monk pitched three years in the minors before coming up with the Yankees in 1944. At Newark in 1943, he won 16 and pitched a 7-inning no-hit game. In two seasons with the Yankees he won 23 and lost 22 and was sent down in 1946.
The Phillies brought him up again in 1948 and traded him to the Cubs in '49. As a Cub in 1949-50, Monk had 6-9 and 6-10 records. He spent part of 1951 at Springfield, but the Cubs recalled him in July.
His special pitch is a sinkerball."

-1952 Topps No. 164

1952 Yankee of the Past: Karl Drews

"Karl has been with 13 different clubs since 1939 when the Yankees signed him for their Butler team. The Yankees brought him up to the majors after Karl had compiled a 19-9 record with Newark in '45.
He was released to the Browns in '48, and after leading International League pitchers in complete games (21) in '51, Karl joined the Phillies. He was an important factor in the Dodger loss of the '51 pennant when he beat Don Newcombe with an 8-hitter in the last week of the season."

-1952 Topps No. 352