Quote:
Originally Posted by Volod
If Henry had played in NY, his cards would no doubt be priced above Willie's, but not Mantle's, though, for obvious, if deplorable, reasons.
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That one's favorite player is white isn't necessarily "deplorable." I think the issue of race when pricing a Baseball card is
way overblown.
- Mantle is one of the 2 or 3 most iconic Baseball players of all-time and his cards are priced accordingly (he's certainly the most iconic in our hobby).
- Eddie Mathews' stats are much better than Jackie Robinson's. Jackie is in great demand because he is iconic while Eddie is boring.
- There is greater demand for Bob Gibson cards than there is for guys like Jim Palmer, Juan Marichal, Gaylord Perry, even Tom Seaver. Gibson wasn't better than those guys. He is more iconic. Nobody cares that he is black.
- Satchel Paige was a journeyman Major League pitcher who's cards sell for much more than Bob Feller (an upper-tier HoFer). Why?
- If that black/white stuff was real, there would be a greater demand for Yogi cards than for Campanella cards. There isn't.
- Roberto Clemente cards sell for much more money than a comparible player of his accomplishments (and Roberto has the double whammy, black and hispanic). Al Kaline is an exact (white) contemporary (same stats; same years; same fielding prowess; neither played in NY...). Which cards are in greater demand? If race was an issue, Kaline cards would be through the roof while Roberto's would be priced with the mid-tier guys.
It's not like the price guide guys subtract 20% for blackness. Cards are priced based on demand. Iconic players are in more demand than non iconic players. There are pleanty of iconic black players, many of them more iconic than comparable white players.