FREE: 1962 Topps SAM JONES!!!! 1st African American to Pitch No-Hitter in MLB! Led league in K's 3 times!

The listing, 1962 Topps SAM JONES!!!! 1st African American to Pitch No-Hitter in MLB! Led league in K's 3 times! has ended.

This is a 1962 Topps #92 SAM JONES baseball card!
He is featured with the Detroit Tigers on this card.

For those of you who do not know who Sam Jones is, Sam was a Negro Leagues player who made it to the bigs in 1951 with the Cleveland Indians. On May 3, 1952 he teamed with catcher Quincy Trouppe (another former Negro League player) to form the first African-American battery in Major League Baseball history.
But Jones wasn't done making history...
Jones was traded to the Chicago Cubs after the 1954 season for Hall of Fame slugger Ralph Kiner, where he led the NL in strikeouts in 1955 and 1956.
On May 12, 1955, Sam Jones became the first African American player ever to pitch a no-hitter in Major League Baseball history. He ended the game by striking out the legendary trio of Dick Groat, Roberto Clemente, and Frank Thomas in succession.
After leading the NL in K's again in 1958, in 1959, Jones finished 2nd in the Cy Young award voting to Early Wynn. In those days, there was only one award for both leagues (as opposed to one in each now).Many historians felt Jones was cheated: while Wynn won more games (22 to 21), Jones bested Wynn in strikeouts (30 more than Wynn) and ERA (0.34 lower) while pitching 15 more innings and walking 10 fewer batters. While having 2 fewer starts than Wynn, he also came in to pitch 15 games in relief in 1959 and earned 4 saves.
An 19 game winner in 1960, Jones got neck cancer in 1962 and, despite a comeback, was out of MLB by 1964. The cancer came back later and he died in 1971, at the age of 45.

Card is in great shape. Off center, but no creases and has decent corners. Check out the pictures.
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