[Cubanball]

This is what I have learned in my 50+ years of card collecting. Terms like "Rookie Card" and "Baseball Card" have varying and evolving definitions. My personal take on these terms is that there tend to be strict and broad definitions depending on the catalogue, book, collector or dealer you read or speak too. I have found that generally those using a strict definition for rookie card refer to the first year card picturing a Major League baseball player in a national set by a major manufacturer (Goudey, Play Ball, Bowman, Topps, etc). Those using a broader definition consider a rookie card to be the first card picturing a Major League baseball player in any baseball card set (Major Manufacturer, Regional, food, Exhibits, Premiums, Postcard set, Foreign, etc.). Again these definitions vary, sometimes widely, and in the end we as collectors must decide for ourselves what we ultimately consider a baseball card and the rookie card of a player. In my personal collection I seek out the first available card of every Cuban born player that has played in the Major leagues. My personal take is that I swing from strict to broad depending on the player. Many players did not have cards made by major manufactures so I seek any card available for the player. In my collection I have included items like foreign cards, postcards, team issued premiums and photos for players that had no other item made. In conclusion we should all collect what we like. And a note to "Postcards are trash guy," if you ever run across a 1915 Postcard of Babe Ruth in Spring Training with the Red Sox, before you throw it away please ship it to me. I would gladly pay for shipping, handling and insurance.