Conroy batting is one of my favorites and he is a common. Had to get that out first.
I think part of this has to do with the photos available for the artists to use. The better players had a lot more photos given the greater interest, so it was easier to start with an excellent image. On the flip side, I think my Ellam RPPC was probably the only choice to make the Ellam card and I suspect that was the case for a lot of the lesser known players.
Another layer, as you mention, is that the artists used clearly were not equally talented. And sometimes, in a pinch, they even let the 5-year-old kids of the artists create the artwork, e.g. Pat Moran (just kidding!). However, there are some images of the stars that I don't think of as being high art even if they are appealing - Cobb bat on and WaJo hands at chest come to mind - those don't compare with the artistry of their other cards in the set.
Fun thread!
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