t206 players, has anyone ever met a player?

[benderbroeth]

I was reading the t206 book about the players in the set, and I realized that some lived until the 80's I thought three might be a chance that someone on these boards had a chance to meet them....

[Sean]

I met Joe Wood's son at a show 15 years ago. He loved to talk about his dad and Tris Speaker. That's as close as I've ever come to meeting someone in the set.

[Vintagecatcher]

I also had the pleasure of talking with Joe's son Robert many times at local New England card shows. He was wonderful to talk with. For those who knew Robert, here is the link noting his passing in 2009.


http://www.memorialsolutions.com/sitemaker/sites/FoleyF1/obit.cgi?user=robert-woodsr

I also have spoken with Gabby Street's grandson and John Tiedemann's grandson.

Patrick

[wonkaticket]

Hank where are you?

[z28jd]

I speak to some of Dots Miller's relatives all the time, six of them are my cousins and I know a few of their cousins, who are also related to Dots. None of them met him though, he died in 1923.

I also met Joe Wood's son and talked with him at length at a show once. Nice guy, though I will point out, he isn't in the t206 set

[sb1]

Chief Bender's Grandson came to a small DFW card show back in the late 90's. Just stopped in on a whim while going to or from work(had his ID badge on). He looked just like him, same as Hank resembles Walter.

[WillowGrove]

Rube Marquard wished me happy birthday back in 1980. It was in the form of a note through the mail. He passed away just a few weeks later.

[mattsey9]

Several of my older family members used to go to Mordecai Brown's gas station in Terre Haute.

[lharri3600]

I had the pleasure of talking to and selling cards to the relatives of Al Shaw, Bob Groom, and Fred Tenney.
That's as close as I came.

[Gradedcardman]

Larry,

You must of been in diapers !!!

[Hankphenom]

I met Clark Griffith in 1955, just before he died. I was nine years old, and remember it vividly. He took me by the hand and we rode together in this tiny elevator up to his office on the second floor at Griffith Stadium. Griffith and Walter had been so close, and he just doted on me. It blows my mind that I remember meeting a man who was born in 1869, four years after the Civil War! I never did meet Walter, by the way, as far as I know. He went into the hospital on April 8, 1946, and died there eight months later. I was born April 20, and I don't think I was ever taken to the hospital. I'll have to ask Mom about that. I was the last grandchild born before he died, and he knew about me. That's enough for me.

[wolf441]

I had a relative of Deacon Phillippe (I don't remember how she was related) contact me when I bought a T206 Phillippe card in around 2000. She let me know that she was a family member and wanted to know if I was buying the card because of any connection to Deacon or if I was just collecting old tobacco cards. A very nice woman and we exchanged several emails. I wish my memory was better and I could remember how she was related...

[cdn_collector]

Back around 2006-7, I maintained a web site to display my collection of George Gibson cards. For some reason that site generated a lot of interesting email -- not the least of which came from one of Gibson's grandsons -- who was using the internet to research George himself and found my site.

But that's as close as I can get.


Regards,

Richard.

[lharri3600]

Larry,

You must of been in diapers !!!

nope from ebay and we exchanged phone numbers:D

[atx840]

I met Clark Griffith in 1955, just before he died. I was nine years old, and remember it vividly.

Very very cool, thanks for sharing.

[Leon]

Joe Wood's grandson (I believe it was his grandson or uncle or something :)) was at the last National and walking around and talking to folks (and me) at the Heritage Live Auction.

[gregmorris818]

My father was at the LA Coliseum in 1959 (He was 13 at the time) and saw Ty Cobb. A man sitting behind him gave him $1 to go get Ty Cobb's autograph. My father asked, "Mr. Cobb, can I have your autograph?". Cobb's response to my father, "F*** Off".

[EvilKing00]

My father was at the LA Coliseum in 1959 (He was 13 at the time) and saw Ty Cobb. A man sitting behind him gave him $1 to go get Ty Cobb's autograph. My father asked, "Mr. Cobb, can I have your autograph?". Cobb's response to my father, "F*** Off".

ROFL!! thats great!

[Jantz]

Never met a player, but know a grandson.

I was at a show in Columbus, Ohio and was walking around looking at all the tables when I saw that a friend of mine had set up a table. So I stopped at his table and we chit-chatted for a few minutes. He then asked if I had bought anything.

I pulled out a few T206s that I had purchased and handed them to him. As he was looking at them he said "Grandpa". After giving him a puzzled look, he held up a T206 of Heinie Berger and said thats my grandpa.

I had known this guy for a few years and never before had he mentioned that he was related to Heinie Berger.


Jantz

[benderbroeth]

I am really glad I started this thread awesome stories everyone keep them coming!!!

[Michael B]

Hi All, I don't collect cards at all. The only ones I have are ones that are sent to me in the mail by Olympians. However, in a seemingly past life I collected baseball autographs in person and would go to the visiting team hotel in Boston. I would ocassionally go to Fenway for a game, though not often as I don't enjoy sitting there watching sports as I get bored. One of the times I went was for the Old-timers game in either 1984 or 1985, probably 1985. Joe Wood was at the game in a wheelchair. They introduced him and then brought him under the stands to go into the Red Sox locker room. I was standing there and had a few black and white photos of him pitching circa 1915, reprints of course. The people with him saw that I had them and told me to follow them. They took me into the locker room where he signed the photos for me. The only signatures he signed for the public that day. I want to think that it was 1985 as I recall thinking they were some of the last signatures he signed before passing away in July. So while I don't collect T-206's or other cards, I did meet one of the subjects in person.

[wonkaticket]

Leon has some great stories of playing with a lot of these guys he's very old.:)

[benderbroeth]

Hi All, I don't collect cards at all. The only ones I have are ones that are sent to me in the mail by Olympians. However, in a seemingly past life I collected baseball autographs in person and would go to the visiting team hotel in Boston. I would ocassionally go to Fenway for a game, though not often as I don't enjoy sitting there watching sports as I get bored. One of the times I went was for the Old-timers game in either 1984 or 1985, probably 1985. Joe Wood was at the game in a wheelchair. They introduced him and then brought him under the stands to go into the Red Sox locker room. I was standing there and had a few black and white photos of him pitching circa 1915, reprints of course. The people with him saw that I had them and told me to follow them. They took me into the locker room where he signed the photos for me. The only signatures he signed for the public that day. I want to think that it was 1985 as I recall thinking there were some of the last signatures he signed before passing away in July. So while I don't collect T-206's or other cards, I did meet one of the subjects in person.

This is the point of the thread!! Awesome story!!!

[Hot Springs Bathers]

I wrote to Rube Marquard and Paddy Livingstone a couple of times each back in the 1970s after their addresses were posted in The Trader Speaks.

They always responded, sure wish I had gambled and sent a T206.

At the same time I was mailing around a photo of the 1927 Yankees, after I got two signatures including Joe Dugan I chickened out and just sent 3 x 5s to the few other survivors.

[benderbroeth]

Awesome stories

[Exhibitman]

When he was a teenager, my father once saw Babe Ruth walking down Park Avenue in NYC. Ruth nodded a hello to him but my father didn't get an autograph :( though I'm sure the Babe would have been amenable.

[Bridwell]

When I was in elementary school, my older brother and I borrowed a Jack Spelling list of home addresses of ex-major leaguers. We wrote away to hundreds of players in 1971-1973. We got a Baseball Encyclopedia as a Christmas gift and studied the statistics. We wrote to the old-timers, mostly, thinking we could try and get the younger players later on. Stamps were 8 cents each and we never paid for an autograph. At least 1/3 of the players wrote back. As far as T206 players, I got autographs back from George McBride, Donie Bush, Larry Doyle, Davy Jones, Fred Snodgrass, Paddy Livingston and Rube Marquard. Sometimes the guys sent us a short note or a photo. It started me on the road to collecting other T206 players on 3x5 cards, government postcards or cuts. After auctions and trades, I have 100 different T206 players now.

[Sean]

That is a great story.:eek:

[Runscott]

Great stories. It's amazing how many people think Joe Wood was on a T206 :)


So, no one has actually met a T206 player? I know plenty of board members are old enough (actually, I am) - there has got to be someone out there who's met a 'monster member'.

[T206Collector]

When I was in elementary school, my older brother and I borrowed a Jack Spelling list of home addresses of ex-major leaguers. We wrote away to hundreds of players in 1971-1973. We got a Baseball Encyclopedia as a Christmas gift and studied the statistics. We wrote to the old-timers, mostly, thinking we could try and get the younger players later on. Stamps were 8 cents each and we never paid for an autograph. At least 1/3 of the players wrote back. As far as T206 players, I got autographs back from George McBride, Donie Bush, Larry Doyle, Davy Jones, Fred Snodgrass, Paddy Livingston and Rube Marquard. Sometimes the guys sent us a short note or a photo. It started me on the road to collecting other T206 players on 3x5 cards, government postcards or cuts. After auctions and trades, I have 100 different T206 players now.

I've seen dozens of every one of those players on a signed T206 card -- but not Donie Bush, who is much much rarer on a T206. I have often wondered why that might be.

[Hankphenom]

Great stories. It's amazing how many people think Joe Wood was on a T206 :)


So, no one has actually met a T206 player? I know plenty of board members are old enough (actually, I am) - there has got to be someone out there who's met a 'monster member'.

I met Clark Griffith, as posted, but I can't be the only one here.

[Runscott]

I met Clark Griffith, as posted, but I can't be the only one here.

My memory isn't even good for one day.

[benderbroeth]

I am glad I started this thread, awesome stories

[frankbmd]

....in person autograph from 1957......

Not quite T206, but close.

[wolf441]

Frank, didn't Old Hoss Radbourn consult you during his dead arm period in July of '84 when he won 59 games?

[frankbmd]

Frank, didn't Old Hoss Radbourn consult you during his dead arm period in July of '84 when he won 59 games?

Both his arms died in 1897. Couldn't save either one.;)

[Michael B]

Great stories. It's amazing how many people think Joe Wood was on a T206 :)


So, no one has actually met a T206 player? I know plenty of board members are old enough (actually, I am) - there has got to be someone out there who's met a 'monster member'.

Sorry Scott, as stated I don't collect cards and was just responding to the thread. I could try and guess which players are in that set and would probably still get half of them wrong. I am still pleased I met a ball player almost 70 years after he retired. Almost as cool as meeting a 1920 Olympian in 1984 or a 1936 Olympic gold medalist at the National in 2011. Almost, but not quite....

Cheers,

Michael

[z28jd]

Sorry Scott, as stated I don't collect cards and was just responding to the thread. I could try and guess which players are in that set and would probably still get half of them wrong. I am still pleased I met a ball player almost 70 years after he retired. Almost as cool as meeting a 1920 Olympian in 1984 or a 1936 Olympic gold medalist at the National in 2011. Almost, but not quite....

Cheers,

Michael

It's okay, Scott missed the fact Clark Griffith is in the set and someone said they met him just a few posts higher :D

[Runscott]

This is for John - probably the only person on the planet with a complete set that wasn't born until the last player died. I put it together, not even realizing that Clark Griffith was in the set:

[ynnek4]

Awesome!

When I was in elementary school, my older brother and I borrowed a Jack Spelling list of home addresses of ex-major leaguers. We wrote away to hundreds of players in 1971-1973. We got a Baseball Encyclopedia as a Christmas gift and studied the statistics. We wrote to the old-timers, mostly, thinking we could try and get the younger players later on. Stamps were 8 cents each and we never paid for an autograph. At least 1/3 of the players wrote back. As far as T206 players, I got autographs back from George McBride, Donie Bush, Larry Doyle, Davy Jones, Fred Snodgrass, Paddy Livingston and Rube Marquard. Sometimes the guys sent us a short note or a photo. It started me on the road to collecting other T206 players on 3x5 cards, government postcards or cuts. After auctions and trades, I have 100 different T206 players now.

[Tom Hufford]

I attended the 1971 Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cooperstown, and had the privilege of meeting Rube Marquard and Zach Wheat, from the T205 and T206 sets, as well as Larry Gardner, and Harry Hooper, in addition to Marquard and Wheat, from the T207 set. (I think Max Carey was there, too - I'll have to get out my autographed balls from that trip, to make sure). Casey Stengel was there, also, so I met someone from the T210 set, too!

Larry Gardner and Ernie Shore (not in any T set) came to see their Red Sox teammate Harry Hooper inducted. Wickey McAvoy (1913-19), Al Schacht, and Zach Wheat's brother Mack (1915-21) were there, too, but they came along after the T cards, also.

The highlight of my visit, which I've detailed before in this forum, was when I met Rube Marquard in the hotel lobby, and after a while he said, "How long will you be here? If you're going to be here a while, I'll get something from my room and show you." So, of course I waited while he went upstairs. He returned with a scrapbook from his career, and we sat in the hotel lobby for several hours while he went through the scrapbook page-by-page, telling me stories about each game, and many of the players. How I wish I had had a tape recorder! We then exchanged Christmas cards for a number of years, until his death (even though he was Jewish!). Can you imagine a current HOFer doing that?

[flavius]

I met Al Bridwell in 1968 when I visited the Baseball HOF for the first time. He was there and while I had no idea who he was at the time, my father did and I believe got an autograph that is long gone now :(. That is about all I know regarding the situation.

[benderbroeth]

I attended the 1971 Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cooperstown, and had the privilege of meeting Rube Marquard and Zach Wheat, from the T205 and T206 sets, as well as Larry Gardner, and Harry Hooper, in addition to Marquard and Wheat, from the T207 set. (I think Max Carey was there, too - I'll have to get out my autographed balls from that trip, to make sure). Casey Stengel was there, also, so I met someone from the T210 set, too!

Larry Gardner and Ernie Shore (not in any T set) came to see their Red Sox teammate Harry Hooper inducted. Wickey McAvoy (1913-19), Al Schacht, and Zach Wheat's brother Mack (1915-21) were there, too, but they came along after the T cards, also.

The highlight of my visit, which I've detailed before in this forum, was when I met Rube Marquard in the hotel lobby, and after a while he said, "How long will you be here? If you're going to be here a while, I'll get something from my room and show you." So, of course I waited while he went upstairs. He returned with a scrapbook from his career, and we sat in the hotel lobby for several hours while he went through the scrapbook page-by-page, telling me stories about each game, and many of the players. How I wish I had had a tape recorder! We then exchanged Christmas cards for a number of years, until his death (even though he was Jewish!). Can you imagine a current HOFer doing that?


I do not suppose you have any pictures of those Christmas cards?

[Bocabirdman]

Both his arms died in 1897. Couldn't save either one.;)

Frank, Are you sure that you didn't transplant one to that Iron Joe that you sent me?:D

[benderbroeth]

Bump

[Cy2009]

I have never met a player from the T206 era, but I do have an interesting story about meeting descendants of famous players.

I teach math on the college level for my career. This semester in my Pre-Calculus class I have a student whose last name is Snodgrass. So I approach her, ask if she is related to Fred Snodgrass, and I show her a T206 of Snodgrass batting. She goes home and the next class informs me that her father told her that Fred was her great-great-grandfather!

Now this is amazing on its own. But just the other day I notice a student's name is Creekmur. I knew his name but it didn't dawn on me to ask if he is related to Lou Creekmur, the NFL Hall of Famer from the 1950's. Now this student sits two seats down from Snodgrass. He immediately says yes that Lou was his great-grandfather. I am more amazed. So I start to tell him about Snodgrass and how she is a descendant of a baseball player from the early 1900s. As I am doing this, the student who sits right in between these two says that HIS great-great-grandfather played baseball during the early 1900s. Then he asks me, "Have you ever heard of Tris Speaker?" The student's name is Speaker. But again, I didn't think to ask him.

As a mathematician, the odds of this happening is amazing! And these three descendants of famous players sit side-by-side-by-side!

http://www.cyscards.com/t206/picsb/06-442b.jpghttp://www.cyscards.com/t206/picsb/t205speakerb.jpghttp://www.cyscards.com/t206/picsb/57-0201b.jpg

Cy

[bn2cardz]

I have never met a player from the T206 era, but I do have an interesting story about meeting descendants of famous players.

I teach math on the college level for my career. This semester in my Pre-Calculus class I have a student whose last name is Snodgrass. So I approach her, ask if she is related to Fred Snodgrass, and I show her a T206 of Snodgrass batting. She goes home and the next class informs me that her father told her that Fred was her great-great-grandfather!

Now this is amazing on its own. But just the other day I notice a student's name is Creekmur. I knew his name but it didn't dawn on me to ask if he is related to Lou Creekmur, the NFL Hall of Famer from the 1950's. Now this student sits two seats down from Snodgrass. He immediately says yes that Lou was his great-grandfather. I am more amazed. So I start to tell him about Snodgrass and how she is a descendant of a baseball player from the early 1900s. As I am doing this, the student who sits right in between these two says that HIS great-great-grandfather played baseball during the early 1900s. Then he asks me, "Have you ever heard of Tris Speaker?" The student's name is Speaker. But again, I didn't think to ask him.

As a mathematician, the odds of this happening is amazing! And these three descendants of famous players sit side-by-side-by-side!

http://www.cyscards.com/t206/picsb/06-442b.jpghttp://www.cyscards.com/t206/picsb/t205speakerb.jpghttp://www.cyscards.com/t206/picsb/57-0201b.jpg

Cy


That is very neat. It is awesome that you helped Snodgrass figure out her lineage too since it sounds like she didn't even know her relation.

[benderbroeth]

I have never met a player from the T206 era, but I do have an interesting story about meeting descendants of famous players.

I teach math on the college level for my career. This semester in my Pre-Calculus class I have a student whose last name is Snodgrass. So I approach her, ask if she is related to Fred Snodgrass, and I show her a T206 of Snodgrass batting. She goes home and the next class informs me that her father told her that Fred was her great-great-grandfather!

Now this is amazing on its own. But just the other day I notice a student's name is Creekmur. I knew his name but it didn't dawn on me to ask if he is related to Lou Creekmur, the NFL Hall of Famer from the 1950's. Now this student sits two seats down from Snodgrass. He immediately says yes that Lou was his great-grandfather. I am more amazed. So I start to tell him about Snodgrass and how she is a descendant of a baseball player from the early 1900s. As I am doing this, the student who sits right in between these two says that HIS great-great-grandfather played baseball during the early 1900s. Then he asks me, "Have you ever heard of Tris Speaker?" The student's name is Speaker. But again, I didn't think to ask him.

As a mathematician, the odds of this happening is amazing! And these three descendants of famous players sit side-by-side-by-side!

http://www.cyscards.com/t206/picsb/06-442b.jpghttp://www.cyscards.com/t206/picsb/t205speakerb.jpghttp://www.cyscards.com/t206/picsb/57-0201b.jpg

Cy

Wow an amazing story!!! Thanks!!!

[benderbroeth]

Bump again

[the 'stache]

Ed, thank you for starting this thread. It immediately becomes one of my favorites. /subscribed!

[williamcohon]

Tom Hufford wrote of Rube Marquard: "We then exchanged Christmas cards for a number of years, until his death (even though he was Jewish!)."

That really caught my eye because I collect the the cards of old Jewish ballplayers. I had never before read anything about Rube Marquard being Jewish. And there was no hint of a Jewish background in his conversation with Larry Ritter in "The Glory of their Times."

A little googling turned up the explanation that Rube and his wife were both buried in the Baltimore Hebrew Cemetary, with her family, but that they were both Christian Scientists.

Rube must have been a great guy. And this has been a fun thread.