1959 Topps #224 Claude Osteen Cincinnati Redlegs mid-level EX-MT B59#224A1

This is a mid-level 1959 Claude Osteen card with nice corners, straight edges and near perfect centering.

Nice corners

Near perfect centering

Immaculate back

Vintage ‘59

Osteen pitched 18 years in the majors after signing with the Redlegs in ‘57. His stay in the Cincy organization amounted to 4 years of service but he only played in 26 games while with the club. His 9 years in LA is where Osteen made his mark, completing two 20 game win seasons with the Dodgers. He led the league in his first 20 game year with hits given up (293), repeating his league leading lead in hits given up in ‘67 when he gave up 298 hits. The year before he led the league in losses with 18. In spite of these disparities in an otherwise powerful presence the small left hander projected on the mound, he still succeed in a major way when combined with a rotation of similar talent. His lifetime record of wins and losses reflect the two different faces that Osteen showed, barely escaping a below .500 percent winning percentage with a lifetime 196 wins and 195 loses. He was a work horse, for sure, pitching 321 innings one year in ‘69. He left the game after the ‘76 season when he was released by the White Sox.