Posted By:
Tom LawrieLeon,
What do you do about players who appear on cards in mixed major-minor sets? Say T206 cards - it's a rookie if it is a major league card, and not if a minor? What about Old Judges? Rookie if it's a team now considered a major league, but first card if it's a team now considered minor league? Too inconsistent. As for Ruth, he appears in a Baltimore News set that had both Federal League Terrapins and Eastern League Orioles. Again, a mixed major-minor release. I don't care if it's a regional - so are 75% of the cards that we discuss on this board.
Plus, major-minor distinctions were not as clear in those days. I agree that DiMaggio's rookie is his 1936 WWG and not his earlier Zee Nut, but the relationship between major-minor was much more clear. In general for cards pre-1920, I think that first card is the rookie card. I consider my E100 and T212 Weavers to be rookies, and not my T207. How can it be when he already had 5 or 6 "professional" cards issued prior to that time?
I think a distinction needs to be made depending on the era in which the cards were issued. There are different dates that would make sense for a cutoff, but I think around 1918 makes sense (takes into account some of the factors that let Jack Dunn build a minor league dynasty in Baltimore, and which led him to keep Lefty Grove on the Orioles for years after the majors wanted him.)
Take care,
Tom