Cardboard Time Machine
 

Let's take a trip. Through time.

We're going to travel from 1887 through 2017, stopping by to get a baseball card each year. I'll need your help. Here are the rules for our trip:

(1) Each post must feature a picture of a baseball card that was issued one year after the card featured in the previous post. So, for example, if someone posts a 1985 Carlton Fisk, the next post must feature a card from 1986, and the post after that must feature a card from 1987, and so on.

(2) If there is a year in which no baseball cards were issued, you can say as much in your post and skip that year. But make sure that none were issued before you do this. Time travel is expensive, and I want to make sure to get as many cards as possible on this trip.

(3) If you make a post, wait a reasonable period of time before making another one. Give others a chance to play.

(4) In addition to posting the picture of the card, post a little something about the player featured. As long as we're traveling through time, we might as well learn something.

I'll go first. It's 1887, here's John Clarkson.

Interesting tidbits about Mr. Clarkson: He taught Cy Young a better curve, he owned a cigar store, and he died at the McLean Psychiatric Hospital 47.

I have seen him listed as both James and Joseph Noonan (also seen it spelled Nunan. I don't know a thing about him, except he played for the San Francisco Pioneers.

1889 S F Hess Ewing (Not Mine)
 

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but . . .

It will be tough to navigate most of the 1890s and into early 20th century and the Clarkson N28 that was posted as an 1887 issue was actually issued in 1888 (N29s a year later, 1889). And while I don't have proof of the SF Hess N338-2 issue date, most attribute to 1888 as well.

It's not a card, but a cabinet photograph dated 1890. It mentions the "Brotherhood" which refers to the Players' League of 1890. Kind of a novelty item.

Joe is correct. John Clarkson was sold to Boston in April 1888, so the N28 set was issued that year. If it were an 1887 issue, Clarkson would have been pictured wearing a Chicago uniform.

Okay, we're going to change our time travel plans a bit. We're going from 1888 to 2017. And we picked up two cards in 1888, so not all is lost.

If nothing was issued for a particular year, just say that and post a card from the next year in which something was issued.

What a cardboard time machine might look like.

1891 -1894 will be more difficult. Hopefully someone will throw in a Just So for 1893.....here is an 1895... the later 1890s and very early 1900s will also be a little problematic.