Card Statistics
Billy Southworth is presented in Helmar’s T3 series with the St. Louis Nationals in a quiet dugout portrait, seated on the bench with one hand resting on his hip and the other relaxed across his raised knee. The cream Cardinals uniform, strong red piping, striped stockings, and birds-on-the-bat emblem give the figure a vivid St. Louis identity. A glove rests on the bench at left and a white towel hangs at right, adding the incidental details of a working dugout and giving the scene a natural, unposed quality.
The original artwork was painted by Natalia Valiukavich in watercolor. She models the pale uniform with warm cream, ochre, gray, and muted green-blue washes, while the bright red piping and stocking bands provide the strongest accents. The Cardinals chest emblem is handled crisply against the softer fabric modeling. Behind Southworth, the dark dugout wall and wooden bench create a deep, subdued backdrop, making the light uniform stand out strongly and giving the portrait a more intimate character than the open-field action cards elsewhere in the series.
William Harold “Billy” Southworth was a successful major-league outfielder before becoming one of the most accomplished managers of the 1940s. As a player, he spent time with Pittsburgh, Boston, New York, St. Louis, and other clubs, and was a member of pennant-winning teams during the 1920s. His greater historical importance, however, came from the dugout, where his calm authority and tactical skill made him one of the era’s outstanding managers.
Southworth managed the St. Louis Cardinals to three consecutive National League pennants from 1942 through 1944 and to World Series championships in 1942 and 1944. His 1942 club won 106 games before defeating the New York Yankees in the World Series. He later took over the Boston Braves and guided them to the 1948 National League pennant, giving him four pennants with two different franchises during a relatively short span.
Numbered #188, the Southworth card fits the subject especially well by presenting him in the dugout rather than in active play. The seated pose, bench, glove, and towel subtly emphasize the managerial side of his career, while his championship success with both St. Louis and Boston gives the card substantial historical significance. Southworth was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008.
Original watercolor artwork by Natalia Valiukavich.
- Description: Dugout Steps
- Team: St. Louis Cardinals
- Population (# Sold): 8
- First Date Sold: 2024-05-22
- Latest Date Sold: 2026-06-02
- Card Status: Active
- # Sold in past year: 3
- Highest Auction: $ 80.00
- Average Auction Result: $ 43.16
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Visit these teammates on the St. Louis Cardinals in the T3-Helmar series
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