Favorite Johnson?
 

I have a few prewar cards in my collection. Ruth, Gehrig, Cobb, Wagner, Matty, and Jackson covered. But no Walter Johnson. I was thinking I should pick one up. Curious what everyone's favorite card of his is. If you could only pick one up, or keep only one if you have more what would it be? I don't necessarily need his most expensive card, just one I would enjoy owning. Pictures welcome.

Hard to argue with his T206 as first choice, and his 14CJ a close second.

Nothing comes close!

Great card! I have a 14 CJ Jackson and Matty. I'm afraid if I pick up a Johnson I will also have to get a Cobb. And I will end up spending $50k or more. I would prefer not to do that at this time.

T206 portrait, by far. Classic baseball card.

T3 or bust.

I like large cards, but to me the T3 issue is really a small poster. I think a card as something that is small enough to fit into your hand to where you can hold it, curling your fingers and thumb around it. Anyway, I actually prefer the T201 Johnson/Street card that features the large head-to-toe image of Walter on the front. It is also quite colorful.

I really like the Ramly. The M101s are cool too.

Jesse, why not get a card with a real-photo image of WaJo?

That T201 is a very nice looking card. Thanks for sharing! Initially I was thinking t206 portrat, t204, or CJ. Definitely not T3. The last one I bought didn't go so well, and just not a fan of the oversized cards, as beautiful as they are.

Val that brings up a good point, and perhaps another discussion. I love the colorful artwork on many prewar issues. But is that better than a real black and white photo? Hard to say for sure, although the colorful drawings do seem to be more popular with a few exceptions.

T206 and CJ's are no brainer choices. I'd also consider a T205. Extremely tough to find centered. And the back bio is pretty cool.

https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=32799

https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=34842

As mentioned above, you can't go wrong with his T206 Portrait...Oh, and with a rare back is even better. ;)

I'm partial to the M101-4/5 type cards. I love the image and the variety of backs.

The T201 looks like less of a “card” to me than the others you discussed. A T3 is way more of a “card”.

The T206 Johnson portrait is one of my favorite cards of all time. I think it is the best one for you to get. I love the T3’s but the Johnson in that set isn’t as nice as the portrait in my opinion.

Definitely a fan of the T206 Portrait
 

To me it is visually the nicest card I have seen of him. Also gives you the option of not breaking the bank for a great card or going for broke with a rare back should you choose!

The T206 portrait is the blue chip of Johnson cards :) I will always pay up for special cards.

The Farr Barnham is my favorite but that will be a difficult one to find in the wild. This is the proof for the postcard. The postcard isn't in as nice of condition though....

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...26a9c0e5b3.jpg

this is the first T206 I’ve ever owned. I’m happy with it

This one is a top Wajo option

Same. T204 hands down.

First of all, I saw the thread title and assumed to find at least one immature answer in here 😂

But to stay on point, I love so many of the Johnson cards shown here (and wish I had!) - but here is my one/only which I also love. The slightly oversized card, horizontal image and old timey font all work great for me

Not really a card, but I love the S-81 silk above all other commercial issues. For strictly cardboard, I would pick the T206 portrait as so many others here do also.

Hi Hank,

Curious if Walter had a favorite that you know of?

Thanks
Chad

Johnson's 1909-13 M101-2 Sporting News Supplements is one of my favorites. Shown with his glove and chatting with his catcher, so visually can connect him as a pitcher, and extremely scarce, so it's not going to be in everyone's collection by a long shot.

1922-23 Wm Paterson Johnson
 

I am also partial to his Horner portrait. Along with the T206 White Border and T204 Ramly cards shown above, his 1908 PC760 Rose Co postcard would be at the top of my list.

Kevin, that Rose Co is a dream card! So awesome. I agree - the Rose Co beats all.

Beautiful card Kevin. I agree with Ryan. It is definitely a dream card of mine.

Chad

I like this action pitching pose seen on his E121/W501/W575. His E120 and W573 also have the same pose, but I am not partial to the sepia tint seen on the E120 cards...I much prefer the untinted B/W photos as seen in the other issues. Here is an E121 American Caramel to give an idea what it looks like.

Brian (card not mine)

The Oxford confectionary of Walter is a fun card, showing him batting rather than pitching, and not a wallet buster.

+1 on the 1921 Exhibit.

Make it +2 on the exhibit. Awesome and unique image, and just hard enough to find to make it a challenge.

Just because I am fascinated with this set and the deep color, it's this one (most definitely not my card, although it should be) -

1910 Washington Times

https://www.tcdb.com/Images/Cards/Ba...12545987Fr.jpg

1921 Exhibit is THE correct answer. This is on my short list of dream cards, rather than want cards.

This M113 (top card) of Walter is a pretty amazing piece. He has at least two poses (Doug Goodman?) that I know of in that long running set. The other one is also cool but is more standard. But these are very large sized. Still, that picture of his arm is a stunning period piece.

That M113 is an amazing image.

I'd probably say this Johnson is my favorite. It is the only one of the big train in my collection but I still enjoy it. It also hasn't been mentioned in this thread yet.

Looks like Walter in the M113 was trying to compete with Christy in the arm extended pose category, and felt the need to strip half naked to do so. A cool item.

Here is Christy's attempt to obtain godlike stature, as seen in the front side perspective with his E92/E101/E102/E106 etc. cards (and in the Sistine Chapel)

Brian (both cropped for your added enjoyment)

Nothing fancy....just my favorite Walter Johnson cards......
https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...xP460x50_1.jpg---- OR ---- https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...ohsonSGC40.jpg
https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...P460x50b_1.jpg



https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...01wjohnson.jpg



https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...nxknight_1.jpg
https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...nxknight_1.jpg


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

While we are at it, might as well throw in the Pinkerton T5 but this one’s really tough to find.

silly me...I posted someone else's Johnson. Here's mine...which I've been told is nicer!!!!

Pete, how many time do you need to be told "keep your hands off someone else's Johnson"...

I think that Rose PC may be my favorite followed up by the Ramly. For a color version, it's always the T206 Portrait.

Bill

It's a tough choice. He had a lot of great cards. My single favorite WaJo in my collection is this signed Exhibit. The signature brings it to life. There are at least a couple of other Exhibits out there that I've seen autographed in similar fashion. I think a signed horizontal 1921 Exhibit would be the cat's ass.

https://photos.imageevent.com/kawika...aJo%20auto.jpg

I only have a T201 but the next one I would buy is an exhibit. That horizontal card, then the signed one. You guys have some great stuff!

Hi Chad,
No, I can only dream that he would have lived long enough to tell me that; or what the seventh game of the world series was like for him; or how to throw that slingshot fastball of his, among many other things, but it wasn't to be. I do know that the only card he saved in his little pre-marriage scrapbook, which he soon tired of trying to maintain not long into his career, was a T206 portrait. His wife Hazel, who was a fantastic scrapbooker, pasted several cards into them, but I think those were probably incidental items that people sent or gave to her--I don't think either one of them ever paid much attention to baseball cards or tried to put any kind of WaJo collection together. Again, I wish!
Hank

That photo of WaJo with his shirt off was done to accompany a Baseball Magazine article on his speed in which they sent him to the Remington Arms factory to try to measure it on a machine designed to calculate the velocity of bullets, an epic fail on many counts. He wasn't trying to show off his physique, but it does make for a compelling picture and collectible premium.

I would cast my voter for the Rose. I think that Rose postcards are some of the best looking cards in the hobby and the Johnson, in particular, with his striking black uniform is about as good as it gets. Plus, I thin that it is his reiki, if that matters to you.

I'm w/ Greg!

Here's my T3 that I bought off of Bicem
Wish I still had it, then again probably so does Jeff

https://www.qualitycards.com/pictures/31381270.jpg

Not that I was intending to imply that Walter was showing off, because from what I have learned over the years is that he was a gentle, humble and decent fellow, nor does it seem like he was the envious type. But that premium certainly rang (and has so in the past as well) my 'extended arm' bell in my brain, and Matty's card comes to mind, and the Sistine Chapel too.

And in making connections, I try my best to take those connections less seriously.

Brian (most of us on Net54 worship at the altar of the Sibby Sistine Chapel of The Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading And Bubblegum Book)