This card is the reason why I decided to start this blog in the first place. On the surface, it looks pretty much like every other card in the set; a bunch damaged corners with a little bit of ink on the front that doesn't match his uniform number. It's when we turn the card over when the real story begins. But let's start with the front, shall we? Waitkus' career path was very much like many other baseball players of the era. He got a cup of coffee with the Chicago Cubs in 1941 before spending the next three years in the Army fighting in World War II. Waitkus was awarded four Bronze Stars for bravery during the War. When he returned to baseball, he quickly became one of the better players in the game - finishing 13th in MVP voting in 1946. Waitkus made the All-Star team in 1948. In that off season, he was traded to Philadelphia with Hank Bowory for Monk Dubiel (awesome name) and Dutch Leonard (not too shabby either). That 1949 season was going very well for Waitkus, ...