Final Card: Jerry Lumpe

Announcement: If anyone's interested in football cards, be sure to check out my new football blogs. You can find them through my profile, or on this blog's sidebar, above the baseball card blogroll. (And also here: 1967 1968 1971 1972)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jerry Lumpe (#247) was a 2nd baseman for the Yankees, Athletics, and Tigers. He began his career in the Yankees system, and made his major-league debut with the Yankees in April 1956. He was the Yankees' backup third baseman in 1957 and 1958.

In May 1959, Lumpe was traded, boarding the often-traveled New York/Kansas City express. (Unfortunately for him, he was traveling in the Kansas City direction!) Jerry became the Athletics' regular second baseman, a position he would keep through the end of the 1963 season.



Prior to the 1964 season, Lumpe was traded to the Tigers, in a multi-player deal that saw Rocky Colavito go to the Athletics. Jerry was the Tigers' regular second baseman in 1964 and 1965, and was an all-star selection in 1964.

In 1966, Lumpe played 95 games at second base (making 90 starts), but the remaining starts were made by utility infielders Dick Tracewski and Jake Wood. It seems like Lumpe must have been injured, for the two backups to get so much playing time.

In 1967, Lumpe made almost no starts at second base, as shortstop Dick McAuliffe slid over to become the everyday second baseman. Jerry was released at the end of the 1967 season (1 year short of the Tigers' World Series appearance).