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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Ted, no question that the Cobb Dietsche postcards preceded his true 'baseball cards' - and I don't disagree that the postcard has the 'look' of a large baseball card. I suppose that what has influenced my thinking is that the Dietsche and HM Taylor cards were designed first to be postcards, to be mailed, and secondarily as 'baseball cards.' And the E95, 90-1, T206, E 102, 101, etc. were designed strictly to be baseball cards (though I don't disagree that they were throw-ins in packages designed to sell tobacco and candy products). I suppose the size of the postcards also influences my feeling. It's just a gut thing. I can't say that I could ever imagine a bunch of kids flipping the postcards, you know?