Quote:
Originally Posted by BillyCoxDodgers3B
I'm not so sure Bickford ranks as second-toughest, anyway. Yes, an early death, but also a very accommodating signer. I think Hal Rice would be tougher, potentially among others. He was unable to sign the last 40 years of his life after sustaining injuries in a car accident. Bill Norman is another that comes to mind who I'd rank above Bickford. Likely others, but these are two off the top of my head.
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Rice has come up a few times; I picked up mine from Jim Stinson about a year and a half after I started my project, and I've seen him come up a handful of other times since then. Norman is one I had forgotten about, though at least he hung around the game so I have to think there are some out there, with their original collectors, unknown to the rest of the hobby.
Not on the same level of difficulty as the above, but Vern Stephens and Jim Gilliam I always either just miss, or am the underbidder. Gilliam I'm especially surprised by; he is plentiful on issues from later years and hung around the game for the rest of his life. Stephens I was able to land without too much difficulty on every other card I needed (1949-1952 Bowmans) but he is much scarcer on his 1953 Topps. Must've been a high number thing, for both of them.