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Clem Labine's 1961 Topps baseball card #22 is shown
here, both front and back:

http://home.triad.rr.com/ovis/images/022_Labine-a.jpg

http://home.triad.rr.com/ovis/images/022_Labine-b.jpg

Clem Labine was a mainstay in the Brooklyn, and later
Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen for the entire decade of
the 1950s.

He came up to the Dodgers for one game in 1950 before
being sent back down to the minors. He was brought
back up late in the 1951 season when the Dodgers and
Giants were battling it out for the pennant.

In 1952, Clem goes 8-4 with a 5.14 ERA in 25 games,
9 of which he started. The Dodgers win the pennant
and lose a 7 game series to the Yanks.

In '53, He appears is 37 games, 30 as a reliever, and
goes 11-6 with a 2.77 ERA. This time the Dodgers
lose the series to the Yankees in 6 games.

After finishing 2nd to the Giants in the race for the N.L.
pennant in '54, the Dodgers come back in '55 to take
the pennant and finally beat the Yankees to win the
World Series that year.

Clem would appear in 60 games in 1955, and finish
with a 3.24 ERA. His 60 appearances would lead the
league.

Clem Labine was not a threat with the bat. In fact, for
his 13 seasons, he would hit for an average of .075,
which is about as bad as you'd want.

But an amazing thing happened in 1955. No, his
average didn't get any better, in fact he only got three
hits all year, but all three were home runs.

Clem Led the league in saves in 1956 and 1957, and
was selected to the All-Star team both years.

In mid-season 1960, Clem was traded to the Tigers,
who released him a couple of months later. He then
signed with the Pirates, and was part of their 1960
World Series win. He would stay with them until the
end of the '61 season, the year of this card.

He signed with the Mets for the '62 season, but only
pitched a total of 4 innings in 3 games with them
before being released.

Clem had a lifetime ERA of 3.63.
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John Wade