1. Babe Ruth (no question; unfortunately most of his cards are ugly)
2. Cobb
3. Mantle
4. Wagner (the t206 alone keeps him in popular culture)
5. Lou Gehrig
6. Cy Young (his name is mentioned each year in the award of the best pitcher)
7. Joe Jackson (so long as field of dreams and other black Sox scandal-lore is popular)
8. Walter Johnson (unbeatable record)
9. Joe DiMaggio (unbeatable record and sung about by Simon and Garfunkel)
10. Eddie Plank - bc I just picked up his t206 card and wanted him on this list (I don’t really think he belongs)
IMO, Mantle is the only postwar card (not player-card) on this list. Other players may be more iconic - certainly Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Pete Rose, Cal Ripken- but their cards are so plentiful that I just don’t think their cards make the list.
Then of course their are iconic cards of great players 1933 Goudey Lajoie, 48 Leaf Paige, T206 Magie (error), 1914 CJ Matty, 1888 Anson, etc... but that was not the topic.
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