Early Wynn was a legendary right-handed pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1939 to 1963. Known as “Gus” to his teammates, Wynn had a long and storied 24-year MLB career spent primarily with the Washington Senators and Cleveland Indians. He was a tough as nails workhorse on the mound who consistently logged big innings each season. Wynn’s impressive career statistics and accomplishments have made his vintage baseball cards highly sought after by collectors today.
Wynn made his MLB debut in 1939 with the Senators at just 18 years old. It was not until the late 1940s that the first Early Wynn baseball cards began to be produced. In the post-World War 2 era as the hobby of baseball card collecting started to take off, card manufacturers like Bowman, Topps, and Leaf began featuring more complete rosters of players. This led to Wynn’s earliest cardboard appearances in sets from 1947-1949. These are now considered some of the key early vintage Wynn cards for collectors.
In the 1947-1948 Bowman sets, Wynn has a distinctive clean-shaven look without his trademark mustache. He is shown in a Senators uniform during his early years with the club. The 1948 Bowman card is particularly notable as it was the last year Bowman produced baseball cards before discontinuing production for several decades. Wynn also appeared in 1948 and 1949 Leaf sets wearing a Senators cap. These early Leaf issues had a distinctive green-tinged design that collectors seek out. Additionally, Wynn’s rookie card is from 1949 Topps, depicting him as a Senator during his age 27 season. It stands out for being one of the earliest Topps cards in the hobby.
After being traded to Cleveland in 1955, Wynn began hitting his stride as one of the game’s top pitchers. He won the American League Cy Young Award in 1959 after leading the league with 23 wins. This breakout season coincided with Wynn receiving significant card coverage in the 1959 Topps and Post sets. Topps captured Wynn’s dominance on the mound that year, showing his intimidating wind-up. The 1959 Post card stands out for its vertical photo orientation and artistic design elements. It remains a highlight among Wynn’s many vintage issues.
In the early 1960s, Wynn continued faring well on playoff contending Cleveland clubs. He made his third and final All-Star team in 1962. Topps and Post cards from 1960-1963 featured Wynn’s later career in an Indians uniform. By this point, he had grown out his signature mustache that became his recognizable trademark look. The 1961 and 1962 Topps are particularly cool for collectors as they show Wynn mid-pitch with his distinctive high leg kick. He is also wearing an Indians cap on these popular mid-career representations.
At the age of 41 in 1963, Wynn had one of his best seasons with 23 wins and a 2.53 ERA. It was a testament to his incredible durability and excellence late in his playing days. Naturally, the ’63 Topps captured this late-career resurgence with an iconic photo of Wynn windmilling a pitch. He retired after the season having racked up exactly 300 career wins, then a record for right-handed pitchers. Wynn’s 1963 Topps card stands as one of the most identifiable representations of the hurler for its significance in chronicling the end of his Hall of Fame tenure.
After his playing days, Wynn remained involved in baseball through coaching and scouting. He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1972. Wynn passed away in 1999 at the age of 79, but his legacy lives on through his incredible on-field accomplishments and the vintage baseball cards issued during his stellar two-decade career. Whether it’s his early Bowman and Leaf issues or his dominant 1959 and 1963 Topps cards, Early Wynn’s collectibles remain a highlight in the hobby. They showcase the evolution and milestones of one of the game’s all-time great right-handed pitchers.
