[brianp-beme]

Always a big fan of the National Game/Tom Barker sets. Some great images, affordable, and you don't have to worry about sharp corners.

There are some differences between the sets. I pulled images from the web of cards (sorry about different sizing) that are not seen in both sets. Bill Carrigan, Chief Meyers, Zach Wheat and Ivy Wingo are only seen in the Tom Barker, whereas Bill Dahlen, Larry McLean, Jake Stahl and George Stovall are only seen in the National Game set.

Hal Chase is in both sets, but each set has a different photo and team designation--in the National Game set Chase is designated as and pictured with the New York Highlanders (or Yankees), while the Tom Barker set has Chase designated as and pictured with the Chicago White Sox. This change is extra significant, especially for those hardline Rookie collectors, because it establishes that the National Game cards were produced before the Tom Barker cards, as Chase was traded to the Chicago White Sox from the Yankees on June 1st, 1913, despite the fact that both sets have a March 25, 1913 patent date printed on the back of the cards.

Which means that the National Game Grover Alexander should be considered his absolute truest rookie card (there are a few 'non-card' items that were issued earlier), as the Tom Barker must have been issued later, sometime after June 1913 to include the shot of Hal wearing the White Sox uniform.

Brian