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Signed by Tony Cuccinello at the time of issue is this 1983 Big League Collectibles Inc., Original All Stars card, an anniversary commemoration "FROM THE GAME OF THE CENTURY".
This card is #28 in the set. It depicts Tony Cuccinello, who played second base for the National League's Brooklyn Dodgers that season, the first All-Star Game.
In 1945, his final season as a player, he nearly won the American League batting title while playing for the Chicago White Sox. Going into the season's final day, he had a .002 lead over Snuffy Stirnweiss of the New York Yankees. Stirnweiss went 3 for 3 that day to win the batting crown while Cuccinello sat idle as the Sox doubleheader was rained out.
After his playing career ended, he went on to be a major league coach, spending many years on the staff of his pal Al Lopez. Cuccinello managed the Tampa Smokers in 1947 and was a coach for the Indianapolis Indians in 1948. He was then a coach for the Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers - where I best remember "Cooch" waving home the winning runs in the 1968 World Series, and finished with the White Sox in 1969.
His brother Al Cuccinello also played in the majors.
This card is part of a unique set issued in 1983. The 1933 Original All Stars set contains 40 original cards depicting the American & National Leaguers who played in the First All Star Game.
The set was produced to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the original All Star Game. The cards in the set are slightly larger than the standard 2½” x 3½” size cards.
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