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Juliepitchers who pitched 100 or more years apart, who achieved the same record but took different lengths of time to do it, at the back of your mind there are always the nagging thoughts about the difference between a 60'6" distance and a 50' distance between mound and batter's box, and on the other hand a ball that often saw duty through the whole game, and did the old guy pitch before or after batters could ask for a high one or a low one, and how many strikes, how many balls did it take to get a man out or walk him? Did he have in the back of his mind the idea that he was expected to finish the game, or that a reliever was coming in after 5 innings? Was it already considered O.K. to wear a glove (and what kind of glove?), or was it "unmanly"? Did he play in that year where every on-base was a hit, or that year where every extra base taken was a steal? Did a grounds crew come out and manicure the field before, in the middle and after the game, or was the field in such a condition that once the ball hit the ground, it might bounce in any direction?
A really stand-out player, I think, would be a really stand-out player in any age, but how much so?
For some reason, I posted my very best 19th century card (condition-wise); I also have lesser-conditioned cards. Low grade 19th century cards cost a hell of a lot more than low grade 20th century cards.