The T209 IIs that don't exist

[sgbernard]

It's an extreme pleasure to see images of the T209-II collection of the late Joe Pelaez in the current REA auction. I doubt that many people have ever assembled a more complete set, and with this sale following the auction of a 210 card lot in last year's REA, we have really seen the scope of these wonderful cards. That said, the REA lot this year and last year have a few "usual suspects" when it comes to the cards they're missing to complete the Standard Catalog's checklist for the T209 photo set. Joe P. was only missing 7 cards: Armstrong Wilson, Cowell, Crockett, Hyames, Mundell, Wolf, and Wright.

Of these, the Cowell and the Mundell appeared in the 2011 lot, leaving five cards. I've seen an Armstrong/Wilson (hint: search this board). The other four make up the hardest T209 II cards out there; I've never seen them. There's been debate on this board about the existence of the Crockett--I'm still not convinced. All four of these players appear in the T210-7 Series, for what that's worth.

Has anyone ever seen a T209 Hyames, Crockett, Wolf, or Wright? Anyone have a scan? Maybe it's time to cross these off the official checklist until further notice.

[Michael Peich]

Hi Seth,

Thanks for your post on T209-IIs. As some of you may know I have co-authored (with Tim Newcomb) an essay on T209-I that appears in the latest issue of Old Cardboard. The second part of our essay, on T209-IIs, will appear in the next issue. And while I'll let you read the essay when it appears, Crockett is one of two cards that might not exist. In addition, cards of Reeves, Sherrill and Steinbach have all been discovered (in the Peleaz collection) and will presumably be added to future Series Two checklists. Sherrill's story is particularly interesting based on research I completed last Fall at the State Library of North Carolina. The world of minor league baseball in 1909-1910 was much different than the minor leagues we know in the twenty-first century.

Cheers,
Mike

[sgbernard]

Hey Mike, I was hoping you'd chime in. I knew you were working on the article--didn't know even that Part I was out yet. I literally just ordered my copy!

I had known about the three additions in Joe's collection, bringing the supposed total up to 226. The number always struck me as wrong--the delightful B.E. Thompson with it's unique back was obviously printed on its own. That means the total should be some even number +1 (Thompson).

I say even number because the T209 I's, obviously, are 16 in total, and those postcard-proofs are 4 cards wide: both these things suggest to me that the cards were printed in even-numbered sheets, either multiples of 4, or perhaps 16?

Therefore, I'd be surprised if only two of the four cards I named in the first post are not real, because we're once again stuck with an odd number (223 + 1), but maybe I'm making too much of this and the cards were printed in odd-numbered sheets.

Anyway, bottom line to all of this--can't wait to see the next installment of yours and Tim Newcomb's piece!

[Leon]

Thompson.

[cfc1909]

t209wright_1_.jpg

[FrankWakefield]

Ed Wright looks like he's playing streetball. Neat card, Jim.

[DixieBaseball]

...And Frank here is Wright's sister card in case you can't get enough of that wicked side arm action :

[Tao_Moko]

Mike,

I've never seen another Presley/Pritchard like I sold you a few years ago. I kind of miss it now.........

Eric

[sgbernard]

Great card, Jim. Thanks for posting!

[cfc1909]

for the record-the card is not mine I just have the scan on file

I should have posted that-sorry.