1960 Fleer Autograph Project - Part 18

I decided to knock this one out before I head out for vacation at the end of the week.  It is the 18th signed 1960 Fleer card in my collection, out of 43 possible. This card is the sole thing I have bought for my collection in nearly 2 months.  

This card, which came with a JSA certificate, is somewhat rare. I am led to understand from a friend that exclusively collects autographed cards that many of the signed Derringer cards floating around were ghost signed by his wife.  So, despite having lived until 1987, his autograph is not particularly common.

The research for this post wasn't nearly as enjoyable as others.  Derringer was not necessarily a sympathetic character, having anger management issues that plagued him through out his career and may have contributed to having been thrice married.  To be fair though, his last marriage lasted 27 years.

Anyways:

1. Derringer had a 15-year major league career, starting with the Cardinals for 2 full and 1 partial season.  This was followed by 10 years with the Redlegs and concluded with 3 years with the Cubs.
2. In 1933, he started three games for St Louis and put up a 0-2 record. On May 7, he was dealt to Cincinnati in a six-player deal that saw Leo Durocher head in the opposite direction.  In the Queen City, he put up an anemic 7-25 record across 31 starts and 2 relief appearances.  Interestingly, modern sabermetrics rate his '33 season better, giving him a roughly league average 103 ERA+ and credit for 2.0 WAR.
3. In that season, he was being upbraided by Reds GM Lee McPhail for a baserunning error.  He picked up an ink well off of the desk and threw it at McPhail, thankfully missing.
4. On June 27, 1936 his temper got the better of him and he attacked one Robert Condon (a highly decorated soldier who had enlisted as a private and retired as a Brigadier General) in Philadelphia. Condon, at that time a member of the executive committee of the American Legion, Derringer lost the resulting lawsuit and had to pay (with help from the team) the sum of $8,000. The equivalent sum in 2024 is $181,000.
5. He put up four 20-win seasons with the Reds in 1935 and 1938 through 1940, with 1939 being hte best with a 25-7 record and a third-place finish in NL MVP voting.
6. He appeared in four World Series, 2 with Cincy and one each with the Cards and Cubs.  He pitched to a 2-4 record and a 3.42 in those series that saw his teams win 2 and lose 2.
7. He never got along with Dizzy Dean and their mutual dislike led to a fistfight in 1939.
8. After his MLB career was over, he put in one last minor league season with the 1946 Indianapolis Indians.  In a game against the Montreal Royals, he decided to throw at Jackie Robinson to see "what he was made of."  After being dusted in his first at bat, Robinson hit a line drive single. Repeating his challenge in the next face off, Derringer saw Jackie hit a triple. Paul commented afterward to Royals manager Clay Hopper that "he will do."  This led Hopper to let Branch Rickey know that Robinson was ready to move up.
9. After his career, he worked as a plastics salesman and a troubleshooter for the American Automobile Association (AAA)

This puts me up to date on 1960. But I am still woefully behind with 1961. 28 cards behind to be exact.  With the holidays coming up, I really don't expect much hobby spending until after New Year.  So, maybe I can post more of my signed 1961 Fleer cards. 

What I am listening to: Will It Go Round in Circles by Billy Preston