This is a Johnny Pesky autograph from 2005 Topps Fan Favorites. It is another step towards finding all of the Fan Favorites autos.
Pesky is the very definition of a fan favorite. He spent decades in the Red Sox organization, in a variety of roles, from player to manager to coach to color commentator. Pesky is shown on a 1952 Topps design, which is not terribly appropriate, but is pretty much the only one they could use. Pesky's last season as a player with the Red Sox was 1952, but he played in just 25 games and hit .149/.313/.179 before being traded in a massive deal that included former Rookie of the Year Walt Dropo in exchange for Hall of Famer George Kell, Hoot Evers and Dizzy Trout. Pesky was coming off of his last good season as a player in 1951 when he hit .313/.417/.398. The photo here appears to come from Pesky's time as the Red Sox manager, which was 1963 to 1964.
He was an awesome guy. I went out of my way to meet him at a card show several years before he passed. Couldn't have been nicer. A true gentleman.
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