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John Calvin Klippstein
Minnesota Twins
Pitcher
Born: October 17, 1927, Washington, DC
Signed: Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent before 1944 season
Major League Teams: Chicago Cubs 1950-1954; Cincinnati Reds 1955-1958; Los Angeles Dodgers 1958-1959; Cleveland Indians 1960; Washington Senators 1961; Cincinnati Reds 1962; Philadelphia Phillies 1963-1964; Minnesota Twins 1964-1966; Detroit Tigers 1967
Died: October 10, 2003, Elgin, IL (age 75)
Johnny Klippstein enjoyed an 18-year major league career, playing for eight different teams and winning a World Series ring with the Dodgers in 1959. Klippstein spent the first eight seasons of his career with the Cubs and Reds as a swing man, appearing in at least 30 games and making at least 11 starts in each season between 1950 and 1957. He was at his peak in 1955 and 1956 with the Reds, going 21-21 over the two-year period with a 3.82 ERA over 76 games pitched, including 14 complete games and two shutouts. He went 4-0 for the National League Champion Dodgers in 1959, and was often on the move over the next eight seasons. Along with Jack Baldschun (#555), he was one of the Phillies' most effective relievers in 1963, pitching to a 1.93 ERA over 49 appearances and saving eight games. Klippstein also played a key role in the Twins' clinching of the American League pennant in 1965, as he appeared in 56 games, all in relief, while compiling an impressive 2.24 ERA over 76 1/3 innings pitched.
He retired following the 1967 season having appeared in 711 games. Klippstein had a record of 101-118 with a 4.24 ERA and 1,158 strikeouts to go along with 65 career saves.
Building the Set
December 4, 2021 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards, Babylon, NY) - Card #402
You'll be seeing this particular passage on my 1965 Topps blog for quite some time as we added a whopping 97 cards to our set during the December Philadelphia Sports Collectors Show. If I'm ambitious and compose posts for five cards a week, I should be completely caught up by the end of May. If I'm not as ambitious, I might still be going through this stack by the time we hit July. Either way, I'll enjoy the process and I'm looking forward to taking my time. I've posted a complete summary of this fantastic show over at The Phillies Room.
The Card / Twins Team Set
My best guess is that Klippstein is wearing a Phillies jersey here, and the photo is from the same session that yielded the photo used for his 1964 Topps card. Flipping to the back, Klippstein would add one more team to the seven mentioned as he'd appear in five games for the Tigers in 1967. He pitched as a 16-year-old for the Allentown Cardinals in 1944, in the Class B Interstate League.
Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card: 1951 Bowman #248
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (15): 1952-1954, 1956-1967
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1994 Topps Archives 1954 #31
53 - Klippstein non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 12/30/21.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
December 4, 2021 from The Philly Show (Uncle Dick's Cards, Babylon, NY) - Card #402
You'll be seeing this particular passage on my 1965 Topps blog for quite some time as we added a whopping 97 cards to our set during the December Philadelphia Sports Collectors Show. If I'm ambitious and compose posts for five cards a week, I should be completely caught up by the end of May. If I'm not as ambitious, I might still be going through this stack by the time we hit July. Either way, I'll enjoy the process and I'm looking forward to taking my time. I've posted a complete summary of this fantastic show over at The Phillies Room.
Looking to kill some time while we were waiting for our number to be called for Doug's autograph from Jim Thome, I found a bargain bin of 1965 Topps cards at Uncle Dick's and I texted Doug that I'd be standing at the table where the dealers were wearing neon green shirts. This Klippstein card was one of 15 from that first batch of purchases, totaling $40, and it was a little less than $3 after the dealer discount. After getting the Thome autograph, and grabbing a slice of pizza from the "food court" upstairs, I'd settle in at Uncle Dick's for my second and biggest haul of the show.
The Card / Twins Team Set
My best guess is that Klippstein is wearing a Phillies jersey here, and the photo is from the same session that yielded the photo used for his 1964 Topps card. Flipping to the back, Klippstein would add one more team to the seven mentioned as he'd appear in five games for the Tigers in 1967. He pitched as a 16-year-old for the Allentown Cardinals in 1944, in the Class B Interstate League.
1965 Season
Two veterans bolstered the Twins' bullpen in 1965 - Klippstein at 37 and closer Al Worthington (#216) at 36. Only Worthington appeared in more games and threw more innings than Klippstein. He was 9-3 and second on the club with five saves, behind the 21 tallied by Worthington. While the Twins lost to the Dodgers in seven games in the World Series, Klippstein delivered two scoreless outings - an inning in Game 3 and 1 2/3 innings in Game 7.
Phillies Career
The Reds sold Klippstein to the Phillies on March 25, 1963, and he was the team's best reliever that season. He made one spot start, but relieved in 48 games, going 5-6 over 112 innings pitched. Five of his relief appearances went at least six innings, and he was one of the reasons the Phillies finished with 87 wins, their highest total since 1952. Klippstein saw his role in the bullpen diminish in 1964 and he was used only 11 times in the team's first 61 games. Needing a roster spot for returning starting pitcher Cal McLish, Klippstein was placed on waivers and eventually had his contract sold to the Twins. The Twins and Phillies fortunes went in opposite directions from that point forward. In 60 games with the Phillies, Klippstein was 7-7 with a 2.28 ERA and nine saves.
Two veterans bolstered the Twins' bullpen in 1965 - Klippstein at 37 and closer Al Worthington (#216) at 36. Only Worthington appeared in more games and threw more innings than Klippstein. He was 9-3 and second on the club with five saves, behind the 21 tallied by Worthington. While the Twins lost to the Dodgers in seven games in the World Series, Klippstein delivered two scoreless outings - an inning in Game 3 and 1 2/3 innings in Game 7.
The Reds sold Klippstein to the Phillies on March 25, 1963, and he was the team's best reliever that season. He made one spot start, but relieved in 48 games, going 5-6 over 112 innings pitched. Five of his relief appearances went at least six innings, and he was one of the reasons the Phillies finished with 87 wins, their highest total since 1952. Klippstein saw his role in the bullpen diminish in 1964 and he was used only 11 times in the team's first 61 games. Needing a roster spot for returning starting pitcher Cal McLish, Klippstein was placed on waivers and eventually had his contract sold to the Twins. The Twins and Phillies fortunes went in opposite directions from that point forward. In 60 games with the Phillies, Klippstein was 7-7 with a 2.28 ERA and nine saves.
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First Mainstream Card: 1951 Bowman #248
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (15): 1952-1954, 1956-1967
Most Recent Mainstream Card: 1994 Topps Archives 1954 #31
53 - Klippstein non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 12/30/21.
Sources:
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
SABR
The Trading Card Database
Wikipedia
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