In some respects, Bobby Doerr has been a great beneficiary of circumstance. The 97-year-old and oldest living Hall of Famer was something of a product of Fenway Park, where his career OPS was over 200 points higher than it was on the road. Doerr's also forever tied to his Red Sox teammate and lifelong friend Ted Williams, with David Halberstam featuring them in two books. … [Read more...]
Even at 50+, Iron Man McGinnity Was Still Flinging It
Joe “Iron Man” McGinnity began his big league career when Cy Young was in his prime. He was still firing away in the minors when Lou Gehrig joined the Yankees. Like Rickey Henderson, Julio Franco and Manny Ramirez, some guys just can’t get baseball out of their system. Our Photo of the Day from RMY Auctions is an original August 1922 newspaper photo of the Hall of Fame … [Read more...]
10 Great Sandy Koufax Cards
He was a bonus baby, snared by the Brooklyn Dodgers out of high school as a pitching prospect of enormous proportion. His big league debut came 60 years ago next month at age 19 and was over by age 30. Any list of the best Sandy Koufax baseball cards has fewer standard issues to choose from than you’d find of virtually any other Hall of Famer, but that would sell his … [Read more...]
Frank Robinson Baseball Cards Chronicle Memorable Career
On April 8, 1975, Major League Baseball history was made when the first African-American manager made his debut. One of baseball's last player-managers, he was also in the lineup that day for the Cleveland Indians and provided his team with a memorable home run. First appearing in the classic 1957 Topps set, Frank Robinson baseball cards tell the tale of one of the most … [Read more...]
Minor League Cards of 2015 Hall of Fame Class
A strong Hall of Fame draft class in 2015 included three first ballot pitchers and a third ballot position player. Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz all racked up over 3,000 strikeouts in their careers respectively (Johnson got well over 4,000) while Craig Biggio who was a lifetime Houston Astro, racked up 3,080 hits in his 20-year career. Since Johnson, Smoltz … [Read more...]
Vintage Buy of the Week: Thousands of Vintage Cards to Enter Market
Vintage card collectors will soon have a crack at thousands of vintage baseball cards after a Tennessee man sold his lifelong accumulation. The collection is our Vintage Buy of the Week from Just Collect, Inc., and will be offered on eBay later this summer. The 'Volunteer Collection', named for the owner's location near Knoxville, TN, features hundreds of tobacco cards … [Read more...]
Hall of Fame Collectors Await 2014 Voting Results
Last month the Veteran's Committee had their say, electing a trio of managers to baseball's coveted Hall of Fame. This Wednesday, members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America have their say when the results of their yearly voting are announced. Last year, they famously elected no one, but this year brings a quality selection of newcomers including Greg Maddux, Frank … [Read more...]
3 New Hall of Fame Managers Generate Rookie Card Interest
There were two Hall of Famers on the 1968 New York Yankees. One was Mickey Mantle. The other? Fans couldn’t have guessed at the time. This new guy? The third baseman? Ha! That’ll be the day. He once threw across the diamond to Mantle to complete a triple play but he'll be lucky to last two years. Yet 45 years later, here was Bobby Cox, sitting in a chair at … [Read more...]
5 Affordable T206 Hall of Famers
No vintage set captures the imagination more than the white bordered set issued by the American Tobacco Co. between 1909 and '11. Due to the quality of the lithography, the star-studded checklist, and the inclusion of the hobby's most valuable and iconic card - Honus Wagner - T206 has transcended mere card collecting and become part of Americana. As prices continue to … [Read more...]
Ruth-Capone Signed Baseball Could Top $200,000
Mile High Auction Company will sell what's believed to be the only known baseball signed by Babe Ruth and Al Capone in its first auction of 2013. Sourced through the combined families of two Baseball Hall of Famers, the ball autographed by two of the most iconic men from the roaring 1920's through the 1930's depression era of America, could sell for well into six figures … [Read more...]