All time baseball card team - what would yours be?

[hcv123]

You get to pick 1 card at each player position - If the position is listed on the card front - the player has to be in that position on your "team" (example - can't use 1914 Baltimore news Ruth as an "outfield" card) - Not limited to pre war. Think if you could own only 9 cards in your collection - One for a player at each position, Which 9 would they be? Think about the combination of player and card significance. I'll also allow (since it's a thread I'm starting) 3 runner ups. These can be cards you own or would want to own (I do not own any of the pictured cards.....yet - I do own other copies of some of them). Here are mine:

1st base - 1934 Goudey Lou Gehrig
2nd Base - 1952 Topps Jackie Robinson
3rd base - 1968 Topps Test 3D Brooks Robinson
Shortstop - T206 Wagner
Pitcher - 1968 Venezuelan Nolan Ryan
Catcher - 1968 Kahn's Johnny Bench
Left Field - 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth
Center field - 1953 Stahl Meyer Mickey Mantle
Right Field - 1967 Topps Giant Stand up Clemente

Runner ups:
Right Field - 1958 Kahn's Weiners Clemente
Center field - 1959 Bazooka Mickey Mantle box
Center Field - T3 Ty Cobb

[Kenny Cole]

OK, I'll play.

C -- 1931 Harrison RPPC Josh Gibson
1B -- 1934 Goudey Lou Gehrig
2B -- 1948.49 Leaf Jackie Robinson
3B -- 1973 Topps Mike Schmidt
SS -- T206 Honus Wagner
LF -- T206 Ty Cobb Portrait, Green background, even though he was mostly a
CF
CF -- 1923-24 Tomas Gutierrez Oscar Charleston
RF -- 1922 E120 American Caramel Babe Ruth
RHP -- T206 Walter Johnson, Portrait
LHP -- 1934 Diamond Stars Lefty Grove

Second Team

C -- 1968 Topps Johnny Bench
1B -- 1933 Goudey Jimmy Foxx
2B -- T206 Nap Lajoie
3B -- 1952 Topps Eddie Mathews
SS -- 1923-24 Tomas Gutierrez Pop Lloyd
LF -- 1939 Play Ball Ted Williams
CF -- 1952 Topps Willie Mays (Mantle was really close)
LF -- 1954 Johnston Cookies Hank Aaron
RHP -- T206 Cy Young
LHP -- 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax

[rats60]

RF- 1967 Topps Standup Roberto Clemente
CF- Ty Cobb/Ty Cobb tobacco back
LF- 1939 Play Ball Ted Williams
SS- t206 Honus Wagner
3B- 1952 Topps Eddie Mathews
2B- 1933 Goudey Napolean Lajoie
1B- 1925 Exhibit Lou Gehrig
C- 1931 Harrison Studios Josh Gibson
P- Baltimore News Babe Ruth
P- t205 Walter Johnson
P- t206 Eddie Plank
P- 1914 Cracker Jack Christy Mathewson

[oldjudge]

I’ll try to follow the rules, kinda. I made my choices based on collector’s grade cards, not registry value cards. For that reason there is no ‘52 Topps Mantle, a common card in collector’s grade.

1B: N172 Anson in Uniform (says Captain, but he was the 1st Baseman)
2B: Goudey Lajoie
SS: T206 Wagner
3B: Kalamazoo Bats Jim O’Rourke
C: Four Base Hits Kelly
OF: Topps Dice Card Mantle
OF: T206 Cobb with Cobb back
OF: T210 Jackson (No position given)
RHP: Just So Young
LHP: Baltimore News Ruth

And BTW, no one owns all of these cards

[hcv123]

I’ll try to follow the rules, kinda. I made my choices based on collector’s grade cards, not registry value cards. For that reason there is no ‘52 Topps Mantle, a common card in collector’s grade.

1B: N172 Anson in Uniform (says Captain, but he was the 1st Baseman)
2B: Goudey Lajoie
SS: T206 Wagner
3B: Kalamazoo Bats Jim O’Rourke
C: Four Base Hits Kelly
OF: Topps Dice Card Mantle
OF: T206 Cobb with Cobb back
OF: T210 Jackson (No position given)
RHP: Just So Young
LHP: Baltimore News Ruth

And BTW, no one owns all of these cards


That is one hell of a baseball card team!!

No one owns all, but someone owns each.

[Huysmans]

That is one hell of a baseball card team!!

I agree!
That's the baseball card line-up to beat thus far...

[KMayUSA6060]

What a cool idea for a thread! I'll do two teams - one with player stats weighted heavier (and a full team, not just 9), the other with card significance (sticking to the OP 9-card rule). My position players are in batting-order form for the stat significance. The pitchers are in no particular order. I'm an Indians fan, so I'll use American League rules and add a DH.

Card Significance

C: 1931 Harrison Studios Postcard Josh Gibson (Want)
1B: 1933 Goudey Lou Gehrig (Want)
2B: 1948 Leaf Jackie Robinson (Want)
3B: 1952 Topps Eddie Mathews (Want)
SS: T206 Honus Wagner (Want :rolleyes:)
LF: 1915 Cracker Jack Joe Jackson (Want :rolleyes:)
CF: 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. (Have)
RF: 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle (Want :rolleyes:)
P: 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth (Want :rolleyes:)

Player Stat Significance

LF: 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson (Have)
CF: T206 Ty Cobb (Have Red Portrait)
RF: 1933 Goudey #144 Babe Ruth (Want)
DH: 1954 Topps Hank Aaron (Want)
2B: 1922 E120 Roger Hornsby (Want)
C: 1931 Harrison Studios Postcard Josh Gibson (Want)
1B: T206 Nap Lajoie (Have Throwing; played mostly 1B during T206 period)
3B: 1975 Topps George Brett (Want)
SS: T206 Honus Wagner (Want :rolleyes:)

SP: T206 Cy Young (Have Glove Showing)
SP: T206 Walter Johnson (Have Portrait)
SP: 1938 Goudey #264 Bob Feller (Want)
SP: 1968 Topps Nolan Ryan (Want)
SP: 1989 Fleer Randy Johnson Marlboro Ad (Want)
RP: 1992 Bowman Trevor Hoffman (Have)
RP: 1992 Bowman Mariano Rivera (Have)

[perezfan]

Here's mine, based on equal parts visual aesthetics and significance...

1B: N162 Cap Anson
2B: 1933 Goudey Rogers Hornsby
3B: N162 King Kelly
SS: 1953 Bowman Pee Wee Reese
P: E95 Phila. Caramel Eddie Plank
C: 1933 Goudey Paul Richards
OF: T3 Ty Cobb
OF: T3 Fred Clarke
OF: Tie - 1956 Topps Roberto Clemente & 1953 Bowman Stan Musial

Runners-Up:
1B: T3 Jake Stahl
3B: 1968 Topps 3D Tony Perez
P: E90-1 Christy Mathewson

[esd10]

1b. Lou gehrig 1926 kut-out
2b. Bid mcphee 1889 levi & gold cabinet
3b. Jud Wilson 1931 photo postcard
Ss. Honus Wagner t206
Rf. Babe ruth m101-5
Cf. Ty cobb t206 uzit
Lf. Ed delahanty n173
C. Buck ewing n167 old judge
P. Christy mathewson e107
P. Rube waddell w600
Mgr. John mcgraw 1894 alpha engraving

[Touch'EmAll]

My team based on cards I currently own:

1B - 1926/29 Exhibits Lou Gehrig (portrait)
2B - 1933 Tattoo Orbit Rogers Hornsby
3B - 1940 Playball Jimmie Foxx
SS - 1911 Colgan's Tin Tops Honus Wagner
C - 1950 Bowman Yogi Berra
OF - T206 Cobb green
OF - 1925 Champion Exhibit Babe Ruth
OF - 1941 Playball Ted Williams
P - T206 Walter Johnson portrait
P - T206 Mathewson portrait
P - 1972 Topps Nolan Ryan
P - 1949 Bowman Satchell Paige
Relief Pitcher - 1934 Goudey Lefty Grove
Pinch Runner - 1935 Muratti Jesse Owens

[leaflover]

The 1948-49 Leaf team wouldn't be too shabby.
LF-Ted Williams
CF-Joe DiMaggio
RF-Babe Ruth
3B-George Kell
SS-Lou Boudreau
2B-Jackie Robinson
1B-Stan Musial
C -Jim Hegan
RH-Bob Feller
LH-Warren Spahn

[hcv123]

Great responses all! Let's get a dozen more!

[egri]

I already posted my answer in the other thread, so I'm going to try and put together a team from just the 1953 Topps set:

OF:
Mickey Mantle
Willie Mays
Dom DiMaggio
Enos Slaughter off the bench

3B: Eddie Mathews

SS: Pee Wee Reese

2B: Jackie Robinson

1B: Johnny Mize

C: Roy Campanella

SP: Warren Spahn
SP: Bob Feller
SP: Mel Parnell
SP: Whitey Ford
RP: Satchel Paige
RP: Ellis Kinder

MGR: Chuck Dressen

[Exhibitman]

Since I am an Exhibits guy:

Starting pitchers:
P: 1921 Walter Johnson
P: 1963 stat back Sandy Koufax
P: 1921 Grover Cleveland Alexander
P: Salutations Lefty Grove

C: Yogi Berra (batting)
1B: 1925 Lou Gehrig
2B: Jackie Robinson
3B: Brooks Robinson
SS: Salutations Arky Vaughan
RF: PC Back Babe Ruth (portrait)
CF: Salutations Joe DiMaggio
LF: Salutations Ted Williams (#9 showing)

MGR: 1922 Casey Stengel

[paleocards]

Here's my "Starting Nine," all cards from my collection. Based my choices on combo of player stature and card significance:

Leading off, playing left field...
316721

Batting second, playing second...
316726

Batting third in right field...
316727

Hitting cleanup and catching (this card is a Pop 1 with none higher)
316728

Batting fifth, at first base...
316729

In center field and batting sixth...
316730

At third, hitting seventh...
316731

Hitting eighth, playing shortstop...
316733

And on the hill, batting ninth...
316734

[aljurgela]

Of the cards that I am fortunate enough to own (based on card value/preference):

C – Biz Mackey – 1924-25 Aguilitas
1B - Oscar Charleston - 1923-24 Billiken (Normally CF)
2B - Martin DiHigo - 1927-28 Mallorquina
SS - Pop Lloyd - 1910 Punch
3B - Ray Dandridge - 1947 Mexican League
LF - Willard Brown – 1951-52 Denia (Normally CF)
CF - Cristobal Torriente - 1923-24 Tomas Gutierrez (#83 Marianao)
RF - Pete Hill – 1909 Cabanas

DH/PH - Josh Gibson - 1950-51 Toleteros
Utility IF – Luis Aparicio - 1953-54 Caramelos Deportivos (Venezuelan)


LHP - Willie Foster 1927-28 Mallorquina
LHP – Andy Cooper – 1923-24 Billiken
RHP – Jose Mendez – 1910 Punch
RHP - Satchel Paige - 1948 Leaf
RHP - Leon Day - 1952 Denia
RHP – Hilton Smith – 1948-49 Toleteros

[AGuinness]

Been thinking about this one a lot since I first read the thread. From my collecting lens, which focuses on Red Sox cards, I'd run with the following:

C: 1972 Topps Carlton Fisk (get the bonus of two other players for the team)
1B: 1938 Goudey Heads-Up Jimmy Foxx (MVP season with the Red Sox)
2B: 1960 Topps Carl Yastrzemski (listed as a 2B on it, so it counts for this exercise)
SS: 1952 Topps Johnny Pesky (part for the player, part about the set)
3B: 1985 Donruss Wade Boggs (because it captures his relentlessness in watching the pitch all the way to the catcher)
LF: 1939 Play Ball Ted Williams (because of course)
CF: T206 Tris Speaker (with a rare back)
RF: 1973 O-Pee-Chee Dwight Evans (I've got a soft spot for OPC cards, what can I say?)
P: 1916 M101-4 Babe Ruth (because of course)

Three backups:
DH: 2013 Topps SP variation David Ortiz giving his famous speech - iconic moment of an icon
P: 1984 Fleer Update Roger Clemens
P: E90-1 Cy Young

It was a fun exercise, and I know I left off some good players/cards. I own some of them, but would love to own them all!

[Leon]

Great looking cards. Superb eye appeal.
I am too lazy to do all of this card picking. But, as I have told my wife, if at the end of the day I wind up with 3 great looking cards I will be happy.....1 down and 2 to go....


Here's my "Starting Nine," all cards from my collection. Based my choices on combo of player stature and card significance:

Leading off, playing left field...
316721

Batting second, playing second...
316726

Batting third in right field...
316727

Hitting cleanup and catching (this card is a Pop 1 with none higher)
316728

Batting fifth, at first base...
316729

In center field and batting sixth...
316730

At third, hitting seventh...
316731

Hitting eighth, playing shortstop...
316733

And on the hill, batting ninth...
316734