Moe Berg – The Catcher Was A Spy

Moe Berg had a very forgettable baseball career. However, he has one of the most interesting stories to ever grace a diamond. He played 15 seasons in the major leagues but only 4 times played more than 50 games. He was the quintessential back-up catcher.

What makes Berg special is that during a barnstorming tour of Japan with Major League All-Stars like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Jimmie Foxx, Berg was doing secret spy missions for the US Government. He shoot video footage of the Tokyo harbor and other key strategic buildings. He spent time with the Office of Strategic Services (and later the Central Intelligence Agency) and was awarded the Medal of Freedom for his service. His life was recently made into a movie “The Catcher Was A Spy” and Berg was played by Paul Rudd.

Berg’s first baseball card was in 1933 Goudey. The cheapest ungraded version sold for $113. The average card is in the $200-300 range.

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