Quote:
Originally Posted by npa589
For the most part, it seems like it... Wagner, though an all-time great, has even more of a lore to him because of T206 fame. Imagine if Ty Cobb were the subject of incredible rarity within the T206 set, with the same backstory (I know this is entailing many changes in actual history) as Wagner... Imagine what kind of cost that card would garner.
1. Ruth
2. Cobb
3. Teddy Ballgame
4. Mays
5. Josh Gibson
|
Wagner was great because he was great - not because his card was rare. He's no longer the household name that Cobb or Ruth was, because he wasn't a loudmouth characterized by outrageous behavior. As others have mentioned, folks interviewed in the early '60s who played with Wagner, remembered him as being the greatest they ever played with or against, but you are right - the rarity of his T206 has drawn deserved attention to his playing career.
The greatness of Williams and Mays is still remembered because many are still living who saw them play, and also because they were home run hitters who played after the dead-ball era...plus, they really were great, just like Wagner.