Helmar “This Great Game” Card #57 – Joe Adcock

This Helmar “This Great Game” card portrays Joe Adcock of the Milwaukee Braves, glancing back with calm confidence, his powerful frame coiled and ready. The bold color palette mirrors the strength and poise of one of baseball’s most feared sluggers of the 1950s and early 1960s.

Joseph Wilbur Adcock, born in 1927 in Coushatta, Louisiana, was a natural athlete who first made his mark as a basketball star at Louisiana State University before turning to professional baseball. Signed by the Cincinnati Reds, he soon found his true home in Milwaukee, where his power bat became a central part of the Braves’ formidable lineup alongside Hank Aaron and Eddie Mathews.

Adcock’s swing was a study in controlled violence—compact, efficient, and devastating. Standing 6-foot-4, he possessed tremendous strength but also a disciplined eye, capable of driving the ball to all fields. His quiet demeanor belied his ability to change a game with one swing.

One of Adcock’s most memorable feats came on July 31, 1954, when he hit four home runs and a double in one game against the Brooklyn Dodgers—a record-setting performance that still stands as one of the greatest single-game displays of power in baseball history. He was also the man who ended Harvey Haddix’s remarkable 12-inning perfect game in 1959, blasting a decisive home run to seal victory for Milwaukee.

Throughout his 17-year major league career, Adcock hit 336 home runs and drove in over 1,100 runs, maintaining a .277 lifetime average. Though he never courted headlines, teammates and opponents respected his professionalism and quiet intensity.

Adcock’s contributions helped lead the Braves to the 1957 World Series title—a championship season in which his clutch hitting proved vital. He later played for the Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Angels before retiring in 1966, eventually managing briefly in the majors.

Helmar’s “This Great Game” series honors players who combined power with grace and dependability. Card No. 57 celebrates Joe Adcock—the strong, steady force whose bat anchored one of the most potent lineups of the postwar era.

Original gouache painting by Sanjay Verma.