What's the right way to measure top/bottom centering on T206 subjects?
 

See this PSA 5 Sovereign 350 Waddell portrait here:

https://auction.lelands.com/bids/bidplace?itemid=102851

I'm looking to see if there's any consensus on this question: Should we measure top/bottom centering using (1) the bottom of the portrait frame, or (2) the bottom of the letters in his name?

If we use the bottom of the picture frame, it's well centered. If we use the bottom of the letters, it isn't. Either way, nice looking card.

Related question: How much do you care?

Barely related question: Why are Monster collectors so nuts for Waddell? It's like a fetish. Why not Elmer Flick?

I have always known it to be top of card to bottom of card and nothing to do with any of the printing under or above any card.

The way T206's were cut, there is a wide range of acceptable sizes. So, it's sometimes hard to determine if a card is "short" or just cut that way from the factory. I always prefer to see more meat under the name then what is presented here in your link, but it's subjective.

Re: Waddell verus Flick...

Waddell was considered one of the best pitchers of the dead ball era, leading the league in K's (6 straight years) and ERA multiple times, and a career ERA just over 2. Not to mention, he was quite a colorful, eccentric character. Maybe even a cult figure of sorts.

Flick was a good hitter, with some solid numbers, but I'd take Waddell over Flick every time.

I was kidding about Flick. I would take Waddell over him any day, too. But I still don't understood the frenzy for Waddell T206's over the past few years. I've always thought of him as one of the set's third-tier Hall of Famers. Flick would be fourth-tier, if there's such a thing.

More thoughts on centering please!

I say it's what's outside the portrait frame, irrespective of the caption, so there should be quite a bit more white above the frame than there is below the name.

agreed
 

agree with this. in other words i would think that there would be roughly equal amount of white space above the caption and below the caption, and the total space below frame roughly equals space on sides and above.

This is centered to me; having roughly equal widths at left, right, and top. It would lead to a thicker bottom border below the frame...unless, of course, the card was quite short.

The top border should be the same size as each of the two sides with the bottom border being slightly longer, having the text centered vertically in that space.