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The black-and-white cards had blank backs and were oversized, measuring approximately 3-¼" by 5-¼". This desirable Killebrew issue is one of his most difficult and valuable cards, but beware of reprints and counterfeits. At one point, the salesman at the dealership asked the young Bill Zimpleman if he liked baseball and he excitedly responded that he did. "So, he came over and handed me a stack of these pictures," recollected Zimpleman. "I didn't really know what they were at the time, although I did watch Home Run Derby on TV," he recalled.
"If you were going to hang on to a card, it would probably be your favorite ballplayer and not the host of the show." Another tough card to obtain in top grade is the single devoted to host Mark Scott. Of the 19 submitted, the five PSA EX 5s represent the highest-graded examples.
Atlanta Braves Legend #3
"So I'm assuming that Zenith TV was a sponsor in the New York area since the cards had nothing on them about who sponsored them. They may have been sponsored all around the country by many different types of products." Zimpleman, who was the part-owner of a card store in the 1980s and worked for Shoebox Cards for more than 25 years, has heard that these cards were also distributed by companies other than AMC. "I kept all of those," recalled Karl, who was six or seven when his dad gave him the cards. Karl believes that some AMC dealerships continued to distribute these cards well past 1960. He remembers his dad bringing these cards home to him from business trips to the U.S. "I'm assuming that these were for people that came in to look at cars," he said.
The highest grades currently listed are PSA 8 (NM-MT), with only eight of those reported. Mantle, the set’s key player, appears the most in the Pop Report , and even mid-grade slabbed versions can bring $15,000 to $20,000. Hodges and Dodgers teammate Duke Snider experienced limited success on the TV show, but they did contribute to a World Series title over the Chicago White Sox in 1959.
Collecting 1959 Home Run Derby Cards
When you are not batting, talk baseball with the host while the other takes his licks. If you are looking for the glitz and glamor of Today's HOME RUN hitting contests, then you better look elsewhere. This charming little series is nothing more than two guys hitting baseballs on a summer day, trying to best the other guy. Although the competition is serious, and for serious (well, serious for the day!) cash, no one seems to take it too seriously.
This card features the legendary, five-tool slugger in a batting pose staring intensely at the camera. AĆ PSA 6 sold for $4,500 in a Robert Edward Auctions sale in May 2018. The switch-hitting great batted right during the Home Run Derby and is pictured in the follow-through of his right-handed swing. Of the 37 evaluated, there has been one PSA NM-MT 8 and two PSA NM 7s.
Graded
All include Mantle, two of him in the batter’s box and one standing alongside host Scott. A good example is Cleveland slugger Rocky Colavito, the 1959 co-American League home run champion. Stunningly, especially for his feverish local fan base, Cleveland shipped “The Rock” to the Tigers right before the 1960 regular season. Indians home attendance immediately nosedived as a result — and for several seasons.
Each single showcases a black-and-white photo of one of the sluggers that participated in the Home Run Derby television show that ran from January 9 to July 2, 1960. The short-lived TV show was the brainchild of renowned writer/director Lou Breslow, amongst others. An inset circle within this photo encouraged people to watch Home Run Derby. The player's name and team were highlighted in black print in the white border at the bottom. The Home Run Derby TV show ran for 26 episodes, with each show pitting two big league sluggers against each other in a nine-inning contest.
Yet, all that info aside, after so many decades it likely will continue to be known as a 1959 offering. Several all-star batters will take similar swings on Monday during the fan-favorite Home Run Derby, an All-Star Game staple since 1985.
Normally listed as a 1959 set, it really should be labeled a 1960 collection. The copyright year on the episodes reads 1960, and the cards debuted during that season. The American Motors Corporation sponsored the show and distributed a 20-card Home Run Derby trading card set featuring all of the program’s hitters. The issue presumably found its way to collectors through prospective vehicle buyers (and their families, with kids likely along for the “car-buying ride”) at AMC dealerships. The inaugural MLB Home Run Derby was held in 1959 in a minor league ballpark in Los Angeles.
In 1959, American Motors produced an unnumbered 20-card set to help bring attention to the new television program Home Run Derby. Hosted by Mark Scott, this fun competition pitted many of the best sluggers in the league against each other. The participants came away with a cash prize, with the winner receiving $2,000 and a chance to return the following week. As one of the show’s participants, Killebrew was included in the set along with the likes of Hank Aaron, Mantle, and Mays.
But with Gil Hodges entering Cooperstown this summer, the former first baseman and slugger and manager ratchets that total to 10. The 1959 Home Run Derby baseball card set consists of 20 cards measuring 3-1/8" by 5¼". The 1959 Home Run Derby baseball cards were promotional cards released to publicize the Home Run Derby. The original Home Run Derby cards can cost as much as $1500 in Near Mint condition. The winner received a check for $2,000 and was invited back for the next week's episode against a new opponent ; the runner-up received a check for $1,000.
