Another Vintage Roberto Clemente Pickup: A Beautifully Beat 1956 Topps

I'm starting to gain a soft spot in my collecting ways for vintage Roberto Clemente. Working around so many pieces of his playing-day cardboard will do that to a guy. He has so many great cards, but unfortunately most say "Bob" rather than "Roberto" for reasons that are obvious if you know anything about the U.S. in the late 1950s through the 1960s. However, his 1956 Topps card -- a second-year offering -- is just a perfect card, complete with a great action shot and a swell portrait on top of a great design. Best of all, Topps did in fact go with Roberto.

Yes, it is horribly trimmed. I knew that going in -- it's the only reason the card stayed in my price range -- but it's more trimmed than I had realized. I'm okay with that as owning the card was more important to me than condition, and I enjoy my vintage showing some wear and love. I'll eventually upgrade it but for the time being I'm more than pleased with what is just my second vintage Clemente.