The Encyclopedia of Baseball Cards
 

In the Live Auction page of this website, someone was selling a copy of the Encyclopedia of Baseball Cards by Lew Lipset. I had bought volumes 1, 2 and 3 back when they were first published and when I saw the listing, it reminded me of a question that I had always had.

Lipset had always intended for his Encyclopedia to be 6 volumes and include M, W and pre-WWII R cards, but volumes 4-6 were never done. Does anyone know why he stopped after the first 3 volumes? He was still a fairly young man back when they were first published (early 1980s). I've always been curious as to why he never completed the project and wondered if anyone here knows him or knows why.

+1
I would be curious to know that as well, as I was under the same understanding that it was to be 6 volumes. Glad I’ve got mine. ;)


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Lew is still around and actually a member of this board, though he only lurks and doesn’t post. (I think he posted once, anonymously.) Last I heard he was lurking less than he used to, so I don’t know if he’ll see this. I have his email if you really want to get in touch.

I seemed to remember reading that he just got burned out on the project. Like they say...sometimes too much of a good thing is too much of a good thing.

Brian

There's no doubt that it was a monster project, especially when he was doing it. There was nowhere near as much research that had been done or resources available at that time, so it was basically all on him. It may be as simple as that, but I've always wondered.

It would be nice if just Vol's 1-3 were updated.

He published a couple of articles intended for the later volumes I think but that was it.

As someone who was involved in a similar project, I can say that it is a tremendous amount of work which makes little or no money, or loses money. The hobby should be grateful that Lew did what he did.

I'm grateful Lew did what he did. Even without 4,5 & 6 I'm happy to have 1,2 & 3 in my library.