Possible signed B&W HOF plaques?

[dgo71]

I was easily able to find/compile a list of possible signers of the gold HOF plaque postcards issued by the Hall of Fame. Compiling a list of possible B&W signers has proven to be slightly more challenging. I used 1947 as the premier year of the Albertype B&W cards, and continued through the Artvue years ending in 1963. Cross-referencing the year of deaths for HOFers elected during this period, I came up with a list of who I believe are the possible signers.

Guessing who is possible is further complicated by the fact that (to my knowledge) the HOF was not as diligent in those days in ensuring new inductee's postcards were produced in time for their induction ceremony. Some, like Ruth, if truly possible, would be exceptionally rare since the player died very close to the introduction of the postcards, but I have them listed as technically possible. I know that both Paul Waner and Bill McKechnie attended the 1965 induction ceremony (the first year gold plaques were supposedly available to the public) but neither men are considered possible on gold plaques - the belief being that the gold plaques had not been available until late in the year, and both men passed away shortly after the ceremony. Does this scenario exist for any B&W postcards? Perhaps Ruth, for example?

These are the HOFers that I believe could have signed B&W postcards, but passed away before the advent of the gold plaques:

Grover Alexander
Home Run Baker
Jesse Burkett
Fred Clarke
Ty Cobb
Mickey Cochrane
Eddie Collins
Tom Connolly
Hugh Duffy
Clark Griffith
Rogers Hornsby
Nap Lajoie
Connie Mack
Bill McKechnie
Kid Nichols
Mel Ott
Babe Ruth
Al Simmons
Tris Speaker
Dazzy Vance
Honus Wagner
Bobby Wallace
Ed Walsh
Paul Waner
Cy Young

These HOFers would have been able to sign both B&W and Gold versions of their plaques.

Max Carey
Sam Crawford
Joe Cronin
Dizzy Dean
Bill Dickey
Joe DiMaggio
Bob Feller
Elmer Flick
Jimmie Foxx
Frankie Frisch
Charlie Gehringer
Hank Greenberg
Lefty Grove
Gabby Hartnett
Carl Hubbell
Ted Lyons
Joe McCarthy
Sam Rice
Jackie Robinson
Edd Roush
Ray Schalk
George Sisler
Bill Terry
Pie Traynor
Zach Wheat

Does anyone have a list together, or more insight in general, and can verify that my list is accurate? Am I missing anyone, or is there anyone I should remove from either list? Any help is greatly, greatly appreciated!

[Wrightfan85]

-There are no Mordecai Brown, Rabbit Maranville, or Joe Tinker signed postcards out there to my knowledge.

-The Jesse Burkett's out there are all fakes I believe.

-Alexander and Ruth both have only one known real signed postcard and there both sold at the same auction I believe.

I think the rest of the list is correct though.

[jad22]

-There are no Mordecai Brown, Rabbit Maranville, or Joe Tinker signed postcards out there to my knowledge.

-The Jesse Burkett's out there are all fakes I believe.

-Alexander and Ruth both have only one known real signed postcard and there both sold at the same auction I believe.

I think the rest of the list is correct though.

Agreed. Brown and Tinker do not exist.

There are at least two Alexander postcards (the other was sold at the Weiss auction when the Ruth was sold):

http://huntauctions.com/live/imageviewer.cfm?auction_num=33&lot_num=209&lot_qual=&closed

[dgo71]

Thanks! I removed Brown and Tinker from the list, and will leave Burkett with a mental asterisk for the time being.

With Maranville, he passed away in 1954 and should have had a decent window to sign the Albertypes at least. I believe he was a pretty accommodating signer, is there a reason why his postcard would not exist signed? Is it just a matter of the state the hobby was in during the time, or did he not like the plaque a la Goose Goslin, a health issue..?

Does anyone else have more insight on the list?

[dgo71]

There are at least two Alexander postcards (the other was sold at the Weiss auction when the Ruth was sold):

http://huntauctions.com/live/imageviewer.cfm?auction_num=33&lot_num=209&lot_qual=&closed

That is an AMAZING item! Thank you for that link.

[scmavl]

That is an AMAZING item! Thank you for that link.

Agreed. They just don't get any better than that.

[Wrightfan85]

Thanks! I removed Brown and Tinker from the list, and will leave Burkett with a mental asterisk for the time being.

With Maranville, he passed away in 1954 and should have had a decent window to sign the Albertypes at least. I believe he was a pretty accommodating signer, is there a reason why his postcard would not exist signed? Is it just a matter of the state the hobby was in during the time, or did he not like the plaque a la Goose Goslin, a health issue..?

Does anyone else have more insight on the list?

Marranivlle died in January 1954. Months before the ceremony.

[dgo71]

Marranivlle died in January 1954. Months before the ceremony.

Duh, I don't know why I had 1947 in my head as his induction year. :o
I was cross-eyed by the time I got to the 1954 class I guess. Thanks!

[dgo71]

Removing Rabbit gets my list down to 50. I did see an article that stated there were 50 possible plaques, though it didn't do me the service of listing them. I will assume with the corrections made based on everyone's input that my list is accurate now. Thanks very much folks!

[Kco]

Great list this comes in very helpful especially for the older players. I have a Cy Young Albertype myself and love it