THE PLAYERS
These are some of the cards and other items I have from the 1920's. Many of these players are Hall of Famers, while others were solid players that are now forgotten. But, not here...
TY COBB: This is my first Cobb. It pictures him in his Detroit Tigers uniform, although it lists him as a member of the Philadelphia Athletics. Clearly, Cobb is one of the elite legends of baseball and is in the short list of players that could be considered the best ever. Cobb was elected to the first Hall of Fame class in 1936 as the top vote getter. I cannot begin to say how excited I was to have a Cobb card from his playing days added to my collection.
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GROVER CLEVELAND ALEXANDER: This 1927 Exhibits card features Hall of Famer Pete Alexander. This card shows him with the Cubs, but Alexander had been traded to the Cardinals in mid season in 1926, and pitched two complete game victories for St. Louis in the 1926 World Series. Only Cy Young and Walter Johnson can claim more wins than Alexander. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1938. I couldn't believe I was able to get this card for a fraction of what his earlier cards cost.
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LOU GEHRIG: The Iron Horse is one of the most popular Yankees ever. This card is listed as 1926-1929, but in fact the set was from 1925-1931. So, this could be a Lou Gehrig rookie card. It is graded very low, but the image is clear and the card looks great in hand. I chose this card over the Goudey cards, because I like seeing Lou's face, not just a drawing. He received a special election to the Hall of Fame in 1939 so that he could be inducted during his lifetime, as he was dying from the disease which bears his name. I still cannot believe that I own a Lou Gehrig card from his early playing days!
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BABE RUTH: The greatest slugger in baseball history. Is any athlete in American sports more famous than the Babe? This is a 1925-1931 Exhibits card. This is when the Babe was in his prime. The low rating is due to some scrapbook residue on the back of the card. Since the front has this awesome shot of this 1936 Hall of Fame inductee and it looks so good, I am thrilled to have it!
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JOE JUDGE: Judge was one of the top first basemen of the 1920's and was a key member of two Washington Senators pennant winners and one World Series championship (during which he hit .385 with a .484 on base percentage). Judge held down first base for the Senators from 1915-1932, and hit over .300 nine times in that span. He was the top defensive first baseman of his time. I was thrilled to pick up this beautiful card from the 1925-1931 Exhibits set.
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WALTER JOHNSON: The Big Train was the greatest pitcher in baseball history. Period. He won 417 games, pitched 110 shutouts, and retired as the all-time leader in strikeouts. Johnson's career could be cut in half, and both pitchers would make the Hall of Fame, just as he did in 1936. Johnson's cards are many. Why did I choose this one? I admit for a fondness of Exhibits and photos. This one shows Johnson in motion in the middle of his extraordinary career. I wanted this card the first time I saw it. Eventually, I had to pull the trigger and get it.
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