Series #1 Card set for players Pre 1930...who makes the 54 player cut?

[Golfcollector]

To recap, I have had a few polls and discussions over the past week or so as to designing a set of cards to feature players. Now comes the last thing to decide....

What players to put into the set.

The votes for the last poll of how to break down the players featured in the NET 54 Card set was almost a dead split tie….so to create even better and fun discussion (and since this was my idea….) The Net 54 Set will be comprised of 2 Series!

The 1st series will be for players that made an their first appearance in 1929 or earlier.

2nd series will be for players that made their first appearance in 1930 or later.

I have listed the checklist on the first post of this thread which I will update periodically when it seems like there is a strong consensus for inclusion.

Let the discussion begin!

Limiting this to 54 players should create a lot of good conversation. I am sure there will be disagreements. Try to keep it all respectful.





Card # Player
1 Sam Crawford (artistic liberties of being the OP)
2 Babe Ruth
3 Ty Cobb
4 Cy Young
5 Christy Mathewson
6 Nap Lajoie
7 Lou Gehrig
8 Walter Johnson
9 Tris Speaker
10 Rogers Hornsby
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54

[Leon]

Series 1 - Babe Ruth :)
Series 2 - Ted Williams

[Peter_Spaeth]

So are people supposed to list their top 54 players?

[BLongley]

Series 1: Ty Cobb
Series 2: Mickey Mantle

[CobbSpikedMe]

Series 1: Christy Mathewson
Series 2: Jackie Robinson

[Leon]

Were we only supposed to pick for the first series? The title says series 1? IF so then I have a feeling that Ruth will be a fave with Cobby close behind.

Top 54 players for each of us? That isn't how I read it and that would be too many to have everyone throw out there.

[judsonhamlin]

1. Ruth
2. Cobb
3. Mathewson
4. Gehrig
5. Johnson
6. Young
7. Speaker
8. Lloyd
9. Ward
10. Dihigo
11. Lajoie
12. Hornsby

[Peter_Spaeth]

Were we only supposed to pick for the first series? The title says series 1? IF so then I have a feeling that Ruth will be a fave with Cobby close behind.

Top 54 players for each of us? That isn't how I read it and that would be too many to have everyone throw out there.

If we each name 1 we'll be at this a very long time. How do you read it?

[judsonhamlin]

wrong thread

[Golfcollector]

Thanks for chiming in so far guys,

Yes this is for players who made an appearance pre 1930

Series 2 is in another thread (no comments yet on that one) for post 1930 players.

I will get a few updated, and yeah, some are pretty much no brainers.

[Golfcollector]

Judson, Martin Dhigo, John Ward? and Lloyd...is that Pop Lloyd you are suggesting? Just making sure

[RCMcKenzie]

Sounds like the 1987 Nestle cards. You can still reconsider and do net54 posters instead. Are you making cards like Helmar Brew or is this a hypothetical card set?

[trambo]

Joe Jackson
Addie Joss

[alywa]

How has nobody listed Wagner?

[CobbSpikedMe]

How has nobody listed Wagner?

He was too obvious and I like Matty more. :D

[frankbmd]

Why not just put the names of all HOFers in a hat or two and pick 54? If we want non-HOFers, I nominate Ten Million and Eddie Gaedel.

[Peter_Spaeth]

:)1.000 OBP for Gaedel.

[CobbSpikedMe]

Why not just put the names of all HOFers in a hat or two and pick 54? If we want non-HOFers, I nominate Ten Million and Eddie Gaedel.

Merkle, for the boner play story alone.

[Peter_Spaeth]

If people are only voting for one, or a random number at a time, how are you possibly going to rank these or determine who makes the list if you get more than 54 names? Sorry I love polls and such but have no idea how this one is supposed to work. But if you want some random names, GC Alexander, Home Run Baker and Willie Keeler.

[Rhotchkiss]

Because, I have nothing better to do....

I think the first five should be the inaugural HOF Class:

1. Ruth
2. Cobb
3. Wagner
4. Johnson
5. Mathewson

Then, not necessarily in this order

6. Young
7. Jackson
8. Plank
9. Speaker
10. Hornsby
11. Mack
12. Lajoie
13. Anson
14. E. Collins
15. Foxx
16. McGraw
17. Keeler
18. Tinker
19. Evers
20. Chance
21. Baker
22. Bender
23. H Wright
24. M Brown
25. Chase
26. Kelly
27. Comiskey
28. Alexander
29. Walsh
30. Joss
31. Crawford
32. Wheat
Bunch of people who started in the 20’s and maybe others from before 1900

54. Gehrig

[Peter_Spaeth]

Ott. Foxx. Grove. Heilmann. Sisler. M Brown. Walsh.

[CobbSpikedMe]

Because, I have nothing better to do....

I think the first five should be the inaugural HOF Class:

1. Ruth
2. Cobb
3. Wagner
4. Johnson
5. Young

Then, not necessarily in this order

6. Young


Ryan,

Just to clarify, is number 5 Cy Yound and number 6 Irv Young? :rolleyes:;)


JK


.

[judsonhamlin]

Pop Lloyd. Definitely.
Eddie Plank

[judsonhamlin]

And Monte Ward as a player and labor leader. Dihigo as one of the dominant pitchers amongst his contemporaries

[nat]

How about interesting but not necessarily great players?

Bill Bergen - probably the worst player to have a long career
Jim Creighton - sort of a proto-Sandy Koufax
Lefty O'Doul - great player for a short time, and hugely influential in Japan

Edited to add:

Buzz Arlett - minor league superstar
Lip Pike - pro baseball's first homerun champ

Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb have enough cards (fantasy and otherwise) already, and it doesn't take any knowledge or real appreciation of baseball to make more of them. We've got lots of people here who know a lot about the history of baseball, let's use it to make some interesting cards.

[Rhotchkiss]

Ryan,

Just to clarify, is number 5 Cy Yound and number 6 Irv Young? :rolleyes:;)


JK


.

Yikes!! Nice catch. I meant Matty at 5 and CY Young at 6. To me, Irv’s only Claim to fame is fronting as CY on the E98s, and that’s not net54-card-worthy

[Peter_Spaeth]

Gehringer. Charleston. Paige. Keefe. Clarkson. Nichols. Simmons.

[BearBailey]

Eddie collins

[ALBB]

The one , the only - Heinie Meinie

[Golfcollector]

yeah, 54 players makes it tough...I will just let this discussion keep rolling. It is interesting to me to see some of the various names. The knowledge on this board continues to impress me, and seeing some of these more obscure names and some background on them has made me google search a bit.

Keep em coming

[Golfcollector]

. sorry it entered my last post twice

[peterb69]

Old Hoss Radbourn

[DeafSports]

William "Dummy" Hoy is "almost must" to be in this series :)

[Steve L]

Jake Daubert

[commishbob]

I hope that when the list is finalized that Chief Bender is included. Player, coach, a trailblazer. A lifelong baseball man.

[Throttlesteer]

Another vote for Heilmann. Also, Ed Delahanty.

[jasonc]

Not on your list so far, but should be IMO:

* Shoeless Joe Jackson
* Honus Wagner
Grover Alexander
Cap Anson

[KCRfan1]

Bill Dahlen and Ban Johnson as an executive nominee and founder of the American League.

[Steve L]

Nice recent article about Jake Daubert:

https://www.dodgersnation.com/dodgers-nl-mvp-annals-jake-daubert-1913/2019/01/07/

[boneheadandrube]

Rube waddell

[rats60]

I think we need to start the 33 players who were seen by those that followed the game for a living as the best of the best and elected by the BBWAA to the HOF, instead of being back-doored by their friends.
Ty Cobb
Walter Johnson
Christy Mathewson
Babe Ruth
Honus Wagner
Nap Lajoie
Tris Speaker
Cy Young
Grover Alexander
Eddie Collins
Willie Keeler
George Sisler
Lou Gehrig
Rogers Hornsby
Mickey Cochrane
Frankie Frisch
Lefty Grove
Carl Hubbell
Herb Pennock
Pie Traynor
Charlie Gehringer
Jimmie Foxx
Mel Ott
Harry Heilmann
Paul Waner
Al Simmons
Bill Dickey
Rabbit Maranville
Bill Terry
Gabby Hartnett
Ted Lyons
Dazzy Vance
Joe Cronin

Then the best of the 19th century, starting with these 12.
Cap Anson
John McGraw
Buck Ewing
Old Hoss Radbourn
Dan Brouthers
Jimmy Collins
Ed Delahanty
Hugh Duffy
King Kelly
Jim O'Rourke
Jesse Burkett
Kid Nichols

Finally 2 players who were over looked by the BBWAA in my opinion and you can't have a set with Shoeless Joe.
Eddie Plank
Frank Baker
Joe Jackson

That is 48, then if you want to pick Sam Crawford, that puts us at 49, with 5 slots to finish the list.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Good list but not enough pitchers. At a minimum Keefe, Clarkson, Brown and Walsh (sorry if I missed them).

[rats60]

Good list but not enough pitchers. At a minimum Keefe, Clarkson, Brown and Walsh (sorry if I missed them).

There is definitely room for them. That would put us at 53.

[Golfcollector]

Good list, keep the opinions coming.

It IS hard to make it 54...so many different ways to go!

[oldjudge]

Top 10 Pre-1900

1. Spalding
2. Ward
3. Anson
4. Wright
5. Ewing
6. Thompson
7. Kelly
8. Nichols
9. Radbourn
10. Browning

Top 10 Post-1900

1. Ruth
2. Wagner
3. Cobb
4. Johnson
5. Gehrig
6. Young
7. Mathewson
8. Jackson
9. Hornsby
10. Lajoie

[chalupacollects]

Casey Stengel, Connie Mack.. Rube Marquard with facsimile autograph...

[Fred]

Casey Stengel, Connie Mack.. Rube Marquard with facsimile autograph...

Why not real autos - sure they can be authenticated by at least one of the third party authenticators....

Tough list - definitely need to include a couple/few 19thC players. From a popularity stand point, Anson and Kelly would be in that grouping.

[Throttlesteer]

Lajoie was great. But I think he gets a bit more love than others at least as deserving. Lajoie over Speaker?

[oldjudge]

They never named a team after Speaker

[Peter_Spaeth]

They never named a team after Speaker

He had a better nickname though -- the Gray Eagle blows away Nap. I think Bill James has Speaker in his top 10 and Lajoie is maybe in the 40s.

[oldjudge]

If nicknames meant anything Bob Ferguson would lead the list.

[Throttlesteer]

It's hard to find too many areas where Lajoie was better than Speaker. Nickname or not, he easily cracks my top 10. Lajoie would be in the late teens for me.

[Peter_Spaeth]

If nicknames meant anything Bob Ferguson would lead the list.

It's way up there, agreed.

[Leon]

Good lists. I might put Cobb ahead of Wags.....

Top 10 Pre-1900

1. Spalding
2. Ward
3. Anson
4. Wright
5. Ewing
6. Thompson
7. Kelly
8. Nichols
9. Radbourn
10. Browning

Top 10 Post-1900

1. Ruth
2. Wagner
3. Cobb
4. Johnson
5. Gehrig
6. Young
7. Mathewson
8. Jackson
9. Hornsby
10. Lajoie

[Misunderestimated]

Not in any real order (sort of chronological):
A.19th century (or mostly)

1. H Wright (player-mgr-creator)
Spaulding (player-creator)
D. White
Anson
Galvin
Ward
Radbourn
Clarkson
McPhee
Browning
10. Caruthers (great 2 way player)
Ewing
Kelly
Ward
Keefe
Delahanty
Rusie
Connor
Nichols
Hamilton
20. C. Young
--
1900-20
Dahlen
Crawford
Waddell
F. Clarke (player also mgr etc.)
25. JJ McGraw (mgr also player)
Wagner
Lajoie
Matty
.M. Brown
30 - Cobb
W.Johnson
J. Jackson
E Collins
Speaker
Evers-Tinker-Chance (one card?)
Alexander
Ruth
Heilman
. Hornsby
40. Gehrig
Foxx
Ott
Cochrane
Grove

--
C.Mack (Mgr-- )
J. McCarthy (mgr)
C. Griffith (baseball lifer-- Player-manager-owner-etc,)
C. Comiskey (Same)
Bill Klem (Ump)
--
Negro-League/Cuban
O. Charleston
Pop Lloyd
Rube Foster
M. Dihigo
Smokey Joe Williams
--
I think this about 54 and .... Miller Huggins maybe should be included instead he was a baseball lifer who died young (maybe because he had to manage Babe Ruth).