Don Mossi's 1961 Topps card #14 is shown here, both
front and back:

http://home.triad.rr.com/ovis/images/014_Mossi-a.jpg

http://home.triad.rr.com/ovis/images/014_Mossi-b.jpg

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alright, let's get the ear jokes over with first. Bill James
wrote an entire article on Don's lack of good looks in
his "Abstract" book, and chose Don as the Ugliest
player of the 1950's.

"The Sphinx"

That was his nickname. James said in the article that
Don's ears looked like, "...they had been borrowed from
a much larger species, and reattached without proper
supervision."

But Mossi could pitch.

The Cleveland Indians brought Don up in the spring of
1954 to try him out, after he had spent 5 years in the
minors. Don was ready to quit baseball if he had not
made the team that year. Fortunately for the Indians,
and Don, he was assigned as a left handed reliever.

In his rookie year, coming out of the bullpen, Don
went 6 & 1, with a 1.94 ERA, and helped lead the
Indians to the World Series. In the '54 Series, Don
pitched in relief in 3 games, allowing no earned runs,
but the New York Giants swept the series in 4 games.

Don remained a reliever with the Indians in 1955
and 1956, before being given the chance to start in
1957. Although going 11 &10, with a 4.13 ERA in
'57, Don was selected to the A.L. All Star Team that
year. He was back to reliever status in 1958.

After the '58 season, Don and fellow reliever Ray
Narleski were traded, along with Ossie Alvarez to
the Tigers for Billy Martin and Al Cicotte.

He was again a starter, this time for Detroit, and
his first year he was 17 & 9 with a 3.36 ERA, and
was 4th in the league in wins, and in won/loss%.

Two years later, in 1961, the year of this card,
Don went 15 & 7 with a 2.96 ERA, and led the
league in fewest walks per game, and was 3rd
in ERA.

Before the start of the 1964 season, Don was
shipped off to the White Sox, where he was
back to his duties as a reliever. Chicago
released him after the season, and he signed
with the Kansas City Athletics for 1965, his
last year.

Don, aside from his looks, was known for his
control. He was in the top-5 in fewest walks
per game from 1959 through 1962.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Wade