Edd Roush and Smoky Joe Wood Cards

[T206Collector]

Can someone either list or -- even better -- provide scans of any cards featuring Roush or Wood prior to 1920? I am looking for as complete a list as possible for these two pre-war stars who lived into the mid-1980s.

Thanks for your help...

[pitchernut]

1913 Tom Barker of Joe Wood

[nolemmings]

here are two:

[ethicsprof]

hi Paul,
a fun search.
I have Wood on a WG4 1914 Polo Grounds and he's on my T200 Boston Americans.
all the best,

barry

[nolemmings]

1919 Cincinnati Reds Postcard:

[Matt]

Originally Posted by T206Collector

Can someone either list or -- even better -- provide scans of any cards featuring Roush or Wood prior to 1920? I am looking for as complete a list as possible for these two pre-war stars who lived into the mid-1980s.

Thanks for your help...

I know not everyone subscribes to VCP, but there is a lot of information they share on their site for free, including player checklists and card images.

[T206Collector]

I'll cut to the chase. I posted this on the Memorabilia side as well. Joe Wood lived until 1985, to the ripe old age of 95. Given his popularity -- and the breadth of Joe Wood autographs items in the hobby -- I find it surprising that the only signed pre-war card of Wood's I have ever seen is a clean M116 signed in what appears to be blue sharpie. (It is not mine, but you can see it on my website if you are so inclined to look.)

According to VintageCardPrices.com, Wood appeared on a number of popular sets in the second decade of the 20th Century, including:

M116 Sporting Life
T202 Hassan Triple Folders
T207 Brown Backgrounds
WG4 Polo Grounds Game
WG5 National Game
WG6 Tom Barker Game
1914 & 15 Cracker Jack
E224 Texas Tommy
M101-4
M101-5
D328 & D329 Weil Baking Co.
D350 Standard Biscuit
D381 Fleischmann Bakery
H801
E135 Collins-McCarthy

Anyone ever seen any of these signed by Smoky Joe Wood? (I also have the same question for Edd Roush, who lived until 1988.)

[Matt]

Maybe one of the autograph experts can speak to whether these folks were known to have signed frequently later on in life as that's more important then how long they lived. Also, outside of the CJs, I don't believe any of the cards there are easily found (especially in the 70s and 80s), which may help explain the phenomenon as well.

[dennis]

back in the 70s/80s getting vintage cards signed was like it was ruining the cards value. remember card collectors are not always autograph collectors and vice versa, so lots of autograph collectors had reprints signed rather than the genuine card. lots of vintage cards that were signed pre 90s were beaters.

[HRBAKER]

The oldest card I have signed of Edd Roush is a 1928 Exhibit. I am sertain that I have seen a signed E120 before. edit: I'm also certain as well.

[T206Collector]

Originally Posted by dennis

back in the 70s/80s getting vintage cards signed was like it was ruining the cards value. remember card collectors are not always autograph collectors and vice versa, so lots of autograph collectors had reprints signed rather than the genuine card. lots of vintage cards that were signed pre 90s were beaters.

You know, I went through a phase in the 1980s where I believed that maintaining the card's purity meant no signature allowed. It is strange for me to now see that I have come full circle -- I prefer signed T206s to an unsigned example. I think it only adds to the beauty and character of the card. It is really hard for me to think of it as destructive. Perhaps it is in relation to the scarcity of the signature. I mean, you don't want a Mantle autograph on a 52 Mantle because his signature is so widespread. Right?

[yanksfan09]

A Couple Rare ones (not to scale)....

[dennis]

a 52 topps mantle with a vintage 50s mantle signature, that would be quite a nice item!

[Jason Carota]

That Tribune Wood is amazing, Todd. Thanks for posting it.


Although not really a card, Smokey Joe is also featured in the M101-2 set:

[nolemmings]

m101-6

[Brian Van Horn]

Erick beat me to the D381s, but I'll put up a 1914 and a 1915:

[frohme]

No Roush in the 207's, but a little Wood, well, ...

[sox1903wschamp]

Just adding to the "Smokey" parade. My M116 Wood

[JamesGallo]

Both the Wood and Roush card in the Cracker Jack sets are tough. Roush is a high number and only in the 1915 set. As such I would doubt anyone would get these signed as even low grade examples now sell for a few hundred.

The game cards would and should have been more available and certainly worth a lot less but Roush isn't in them. I happen to have a WG4 Wood and a Cracker Jack Roush for sale :-)


I know when I was getting a lot of stuff signed in the 1990s I would find something other then a vintage card as I felt they were two different things and there were enough reprint cards that would hold a signature very nicely.

As stated there is a huge difference in value between a vintage signature and modern one.

James G