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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

FRANK W

Mike "Doc" Powers death due to an on-field injury on Opening Day (April 12, 1909) at Shibe Park
is a very sad event in BB history. From 1901 - 1909, Powers was Eddie Plank's preferred battery
mate.
Powers card is one of the 12 Subjects in the "150-only" Series of the T206 set. The Amer. Litho.
Co. issued his card with the full complement of "150-type" T-backs (shown here). Mostly found
with the PIEDMONT 150 back, Powers is also quite available with the SWEET CAPORAL 150, Fac-
tory #649 1st Dist. N.Y. (overprint) back. This was an ATC Factory in Rochester, NY.

Now, what I find most interesting....is that Powers died on April 26, 1909; and, yet his card was
issued with more backs than any of the other 11 cards in the 150-only Series. Furthermore, sev-
eral surveys have shown that the Powers card is twice as available than the other 11 tough to
find cards printed in this initial Series. Therefore, does this fact tell us that, perhaps, the initial
launch of the T206 cards was months earlier than has been reported ?




TED Z