Quote:
Originally Posted by markf31
I'll suggest Ralph Kiner. Granted his career was pretty short, lasting only 10 seasons, but the HR numbers he put up in those years are nothing short of impressive. 5 straight season of 40+ homers including 2 seasons of 50+. He led the NL in HRs from 1946-52 and led all the majors in 1947-52. Those 6 consecutive seasons of leading the majors in HRs ties him with Babe Ruth (1926-31) for the most consecutive seasons to lead the majors in HRs.
His 1948 Bowman and 1948 Leaf cards which some consider his RCs as they were the first major sets to feature him, can be had the PSA/SGC 7 range for under $300!
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+1. Bill James once wrote that during Kiner's prime, he was the closest thing to Babe Ruth in terms of pure homerun hitting dominance that had been seen to that point in time. Going purely by memory, Ralph had the second best homerun frequency to the Babe (one every 14.1 at bats, versus one every 11.8) prior to the PED era. He drew a tremendous amount of walks, and had a lifetime on-base-% of just under .400 (.398). If he hadn't played for one of the worst teams in the majors, and had instead played for a contender, he could easily have won the MVP three or more times. Lifetime OBPS of .946, if memory serves correctly, which is almost other-worldly for a lifetime .279 hitter (how do I remember all this stuff?? I don't consciously try to!). Six times an all-star, it would have been seven, if he hadn't hit only 3 of his 51 homers in 1947 by June 3, and I believe six seasons of scoring 100 or more runs, despite having no foot speed to speak of!
Rather than his 1948 cards, try finding one of his '47 Tip-Tops--PSA has graded just 6, a number that hasn't changed at all in quite a few years (which probably ties in quite well with REA's statement that there have been less than 10 complete sets of the '47 Tip-Tops assembled in the history of the hobby)!
Despite significant price tags on some of their cards, I also think some of the rarer and more significant DiMag and even Gehrig cards remain undervalued in view of their true status as real legends of the game, not that far down from the Babe himself.
Good topic!
Larry