Clemente: Inner circle of the elite, or on his way?

[71buc]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

All this WARing and JAWing misses the essence. Clemente isn't a top tier card collecting favorite because of his stats alone, he is at the pinnacle because of the other factors that make his story so compelling and that make people want to have his cards. Clemente was a great ballplayer, but he was an even greater human being. You can fling stats at each other like monkeys slinging poo but it won't change the reality on the ground, which is that if you had a son who said Al Kaline is his role model, you'd say that's nice but if he said Roberto Clemente was his role model you'd be a very proud papa.

Well said

[PowderedH2O]

Of course there is no way to know the answer, but would Clemente's cards carry the same values if he had played another 2-3 years, then retired to his home in Puerto Rico and wasn't really visible in the mainland US for the rest of his life? There are dozens of solid Latin American players that go home and do great things in their communities that we never hear about. Clemente might have been one of those.

[packs]

Assuming he would have still been playing, a 1974 and 1975 Topps Clemente card probably would have been a blazer.

[Peter_Spaeth]

I thought about other players whose hobby stature/card values seem to be somewhat disproportionate to their numbers/playing accomplishments. I came up with Maris, Clemente and Jeter as the top three, I guess some would include Jackie. Who else?

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I thought about other players whose hobby stature/card values seem to be somewhat disproportionate to their numbers/playing accomplishments. I came up with Maris, Clemente and Jeter as the top three, I guess some would include Jackie. Who else?

Rose

[PowderedH2O]

Moe Berg would be an obvious one. I even think Thurman Munson's cards are more expensive than they should be.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by PowderedH2O

Moe Berg would be an obvious one. I even think Thurman Munson's cards are more expensive than they should be.

DARE I say it, now that I think of it == Nolan Ryan.