The 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team was coming off a successful 1959 season where they finished in second place in the National League with a record of 95-59, just two games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. Manager Danny Murtaugh returned for his third season at the helm and had high hopes that his club could take the next step and win the pennant in 1960. The Pirates featured many stars like Bill Mazeroski, Dick Groat, Bob Skinner, Rocky Nelson, and Vernon Law that made them contenders. Topps was excited to showcase this talented Pirates squad on its 1960 baseball card release.
Topps had been producing baseball cards since 1951 and had grown to be the most popular brand on the market. For 1960, they decided to focus more on action shots of players rather than posed portraits. Photographers shot players mid-swing, catching, throwing, and other baseball movements to capture the intensity and excitement of the game. This added dynamicism to the cards and was well-received by collectors. The design remained relatively simple with a solid colored border around each 3 1⁄2 by 2 1⁄2 inch card stock image. Statistics like batting average, home runs, and RBI from the previous season were printed on the bottom.
Several Pirates players received prominent card numbers reflective of their place on the club. Second baseman Bill Mazeroski, coming off a .260 season with 12 home runs and 54 RBI, received the coveted #1 card in the set. Many considered Maz the face of the franchise at that time and Topps recognized his star power. Shortstop Dick Groat, the 1959 NL MVP, was #3 after two other All-Stars. Lefty starter Vernon Law, who went 15-11 with a 3.56 ERA in 1959, landed #6. Topps distributed the higher numbers to Pittsburgh’s impact players to drive sales and collector interest in those cards.
Action shots were prominently featured on many Pirates cards. Mazeroski’s #1 card showed him correctly fielding a ground ball. Outfielder Roberto Clemente’s #20 card captured him twisting to make a running catch. Dick Groat’s #3 card depicted him tagging a baserunner out. Bob Skinner’s #13 card illustrated the catcher throwing out a runner trying to steal. Topps photographers did an excellent job selecting dynamic moments that conveyed the skills and talents of each Pirate. The sights and sounds of the baseball diamond really came to life through these new posed shots compared to previous years’ headshots.
While known more for offense, the Pirates also had some impressive hurlers in 1960 led by Vernon Law. Cards #129 and #249 featured the standout lefty in the windup and follow through of his deliveries. Rocky Nelson’s #181 and #297 cards showed the reliever mid-pitch from different arm angles. Bob Friend, the staff ace in 1959 with a 20-11 record, received cards #62 and #206 in fielding and pitching stances. Don Gross, Bob Veale, and Joe Gibbon also received multiple cards emphasizing their pitching motions. Topps made sure to highlight the many pitching talents that helped propel the Bucs.
Unfortunately for the Pirates and their fans, 1960 ended up being a disappointing season. Though they stayed in contention for much of the year, the team faded down the stretch and finished 80-74, good for fourth place in the NL behind the World Champion Pirates. Stars like Groat, Mazeroski, and Clemente had solid seasons but the pitching regressed from 1959. Still, Topps’ 1960 Pirates card set endures as a nostalgic reminder of the promising talent on that ballclub. Though they fell short of a pennant, collectors and fans alike can relive the excitement and action shots of that era through these now vintage cards over 60 years later. They represent a historically talented Pirates team that was the subject of one of Topps’ most acclaimed early baseball card productions.
The 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates Topps baseball cards showcased the stars and strengths of that ballclub through innovative action photography. Topps distributed card numbers and multiple images to highlight impact players like Mazeroski, Groat, and Vernon Law. Dynamic images captured fielding, pitching, batting skills that brought the game to life. While the 1960 season ended in disappointment, these cards remain a collectible look back at a promising Pirates team through the nostalgic lenses of the earliest Topps baseball cards. They stand as an iconic production that helped propel Topps to the dominant card manufacturer that it remains today.
