Designer. Known as “The Father of the modern day baseball card”, Berger (while an employee at the Topps Company) created a revolutionary appearance for the baseball trading card which evolved from a hobby into a multi-million dollar business. Born Seymour Perry Berger, he served with the United States Army Air Forces during World War II and following his return home, he received a degree in Accounting from Bucknell University. He began his 50-years of employment with Topps in 1947 and in 1951, the company began producing its first series of baseball cards. Berger became closely associated with the New York-based Major League clubs and as a result, player interest was generated, which led to contracts for additional income. Berger then proceeded to design the new card’s look, a process which literally took place at his kitchen table. The card would prove striking and distinct from any other type of sports card produced by companies before. In addition to the front possessing a colorful photo, the name of the team, the player’s position and the company logo. The back contained detailed information about the player’s career, as well as player’s physical attributes which include height and weight. The set contained 407 total cards which was at that time a landmark amount. The 1952 Mickey Mantle Rookie Card has been valued at five and in some cases six figures. Berger would go on to develop other sports and non-sports cards. He was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2012. (bio by: C.S.)