1957 Yankee Propsect of the Past: Cal Neeman

CALVIN NEEMAN

Ht: 6-2, weight: 190. Born February 18, 1929. Bats right, throws right.

Drafted from Denver (AAA) where he hit .265 in first 32 games of '56 before finishing out year at Richmond (AAA) with .249 in 62 games. In Yankee chain since '49, his best year was '55, when he hit .294 in 111 games for Birmingham (AA) and led Southern Association catchers in chances. In '54 made Eastern League (A) All-Star team with Binghamton. Hit only five homers and only one triple last year.

German ancestry. Home: East St. Louis, Illinois. Married, one son.

Scouting Report: "Not impressive; Triple-A probably his peak. Average receiver with average arm."

-Baseball Digest, March 1957

"Cal stepped into the Cub lineup and was away to a fast start polling two early season homers. A bear for work, he even caught both ends of the first Chicago doubleheader.

As a student at Illinois Wesleyan College, Cal was a star baseball and basketball player. After coming to the Yankees' spring training camp in 1949 uninvited, he impressed NY scouts enough to sign a contract. In '54 he was elected to the Eastern League All-Star team."

-1957 Topps No. 353

1957 Yankee of the Past: Sherm Lollar

HE MADE UMP BALK

"A few years the White Sox were playing the Yankees and, after several scoreless innings, the Yanks filled the bases with none out. And the Yankees had Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra and Johnny Mize to bat. Sherman Lollar, the Chicago catcher, began to stride to the mound to talk to Pitcher Sandy Consuegra, who understood no English. But already at the mound were shortstop Chico Carrasquel, the interpreter whenever anyone wished to have words with Consuegra, and Second Baseman Nellie Fox, who merely had stepped up to pat Sandy on the back. So the plate umpire- the late Bill McGowan- stopped Lollar and said: 'You can't go out there, Sherm. You know the rules prohibit more than two players talking to the pitcher.' Lolllar handed the game ball to McGowan and drawled: 'That's dandy. You just to out there and tell Consuegra how to pitch to Mantle and Berra.' McGowan let Lollar confer with Sandy."

-David Condon, Chicago Tribune, Baseball Digest, August 1957

"Sherm got hot early last season and didn't cool off. He ended the year with his best major league batting mark and captured defensive honors for American League backstops. Getting into his first All-Star Game in 1956, Sherm came through with a pinch-hit safety.

This year he celebrates his 15th  year in baseball."

-1957 Topps No. 23