Helmar This Great Game #119 Ted Kluszewski Cincinnati Reds

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From the card back: Kluszewski is one of the biggest men in the game, and it comes by his genes. His father was so strong that neighbors would ask the senior Big Klu to come over to their home to lift furniture and farm equipment with one hand. Ted is built like a moose, and he uses his Kluszewski family brawn to crush baseballs instead of lifting tractors. He pummeled 40 homers in 1953 for Cincy, and followed it up with 49 in 1954. With swatting like that an MVP award could be in his future.

About the Player

The short bio from the Helmar-R319 card back: “Big Klu” tore up the league while with the Cincinnati Reds. In 1954 he led the NL with 49 round trippers and 141 RBI. The next year he led the league with 192 hits, and also set a modern league mark by scoring in 17 straight games. He averaged 43 homers and 116 RBI from ’53 to ’56. A fan favorite in Cincinnati, at the end of 1957, Klu was traded to Pittsburgh for Dee Fondy. We will see how well that trade works out for the Reds. He bats left and throws left. He is a meaty 6’2” and 225 pounds.

About the Series

This series marks a step in a new direction for Helmar. For the first time we take a serious look at baseball in the 1950's and then, perhaps, the 1960's. The game found itself changing dramatically in this post WWII era, influenced by both the larger society and technological innovation. The color barrier may have been officially broken in 1947 but the acceptance of black players by the big league clubs came slowly, if surely. Reliable and inexpensive air transportation paved the way for geographic expansion. The game, which had been centered in the East and Midwest, found new opportunities along the West Coast.

The very center of the baseball world through the decade was New York City. New York teams competed in every World Series through the decade except for 1959. In many of those years both teams competing were from the city. Interestingly, New York also became the center of the art world at the same time. Migration after WWII brought many creatives to the Big Apple and movements such as abstract, modernism, surrealism and avant-garde.

Studying the era has inspired Helmar to use bold, often surreal colors in this series. We hope that you will join us as we explore this era of change.

Card size: 3' x 4'

Individually Numbered 1-20

Related Cards in the Series

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Also, click on card number to see card information or player name to see player information page!

Helmar This Great Game, Cincinnati Reds
Card #	Thumbnail Pic	Player Name	Position	Top Auction Price
14		Post, Wally	Batting follow through	$ 84.99
23		ROBINSON, Frank	With bat, chest up	$ 117.50
28		Blackwell, Ewell	Throwing follow through	$ 30.00
37		Burgess, Smokey	Batting cage	$ 85.99
108		Nuxhall, Joe	Slump shoulders; reading sign	$ 101.00
109		Pinson, Vada	Orange sky	$ 85.55
115		Temple, Johnny	Batting cage	$ 86.55
116		Bell, Gus	Reaching out of frame	$ 72.89
119		Kluszewski, Ted	blue buildings	$ 86.00
126		Bailey, Ed	two flags	$ 74.00
127		Brosnan, Jim	glove lower left	$ 76.55

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