Garagiola's death shortens '52 Topps survivors list

Joe Garagiola's death at age 90 on March 23 brings the total of surviving players who appeared in the 1952 Topps baseball card set to 46.

Garagiola wasn't a Hall of Famer, or even a star player, but his lone career-contemporary Topps card in the 1952 set enjoyed a premium collectible value due to his popularity as a speaker, author, broadcaster, game show host, etc. after his playing days were over.

I had a few interactions with Garagiola in the early 1980s in connection with his work with B.A.T., the Baseball Assistance Team. He'd sometimes call to vet a show promoter with whom he was arranging an autograph appearance for an old-timer who was new to the card-show circuit. 

Once or twice he popped into a card show in the L.A. area. If I recall correctly, he was emcee at the luncheon for the 1985 Anaheim National. He had a quick wit, a ready smile and an inexhaustible font of baseball stories.

Here's the current list of living players from '52 Topps.

PLAYER                     1952 TOPPS   BIRTH

                        `           CARD NO.      DATE

Wally Westlake           38                    11/08/1920

Eddie Robinson           32                    12/15/1920

Sam Mele                    94                    01/21/1922

Gil Coan                      91                    05/18/1922

Harry Perkowski          142                  09/06/1922

Red Schoendienst       91                    02/02/1923

Solly Hemus                196                  04/17/1923

Bob Kuzava                 85                    05/28/1923

Ed Fitz Gerald             236                  05/21/1924

Turk Lown                   330                  05/30/1924

Charlie Silvera             168                  10/13/1924

Irv Noren                     40                    11/29/1924

Wayne Terwilliger         7                      06/27/1925

Bobby Shantz              219                  09/26/1925

Bob Addis                    259                  11/06/1925

Ned Garver                 212                  12/25/1925

Ralph Branca              274                  01/06/1926

Bob Borkowski            328                  01/27/1926

Randy Jackson           322                  02/10/1926

Howie Judson             169                  02/16/1926

Bob Miller                    187                  06/16/1926

Bobby Morgan             355                  06/29/1926

Johnny Groth              25                    07/23/1926

Roy Sievers                 64                    11/18/1926

Carl Erskine                250                  12/13/1926

Carl Scheib                 116                  01/01/1927

Charlie Maxwell           180                  04/08/1927

Cloyd Boyer                280                  09/01/1927

Bob Kelly                     348                  10/04/1927

Tommy Brown             281                  12/06/1927

Dick Gernert                343                  09/28/1928

Joe Presko                  220                  10/07/1928

Bob Ross                    298                  11/02/1928

Joe DeMaestri             286                  12/09/1928

Curt Simmons             203                  05/19/1929

Ted Lepcio                  335                  07/28/1929

Ike Delock                   329                  11/11/1929

Del Crandall                162                  03/05/1930

Vern Law                     81                    03/12/1930

Johnny Antonelli          140                  04/12/1930

Dick Groat                   369                  11/04/1930

Bob Friend                  233                  11/24/1930

Willie Mays                  261                  05/06/1931

Tony Bartirome           332                  05/09/1932

Dick Brodowski           404                  07/26/1932

Bobby Del Greco         353                  04/07/1933