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Posted By: ted

First, please don't read this post and feel that it is an attempt to slight anyone or take away from the uniqueness of the item in question. I am most certainly not as learned on the aforementioned topic as many of you are. But, from what i have read on this and other websites, I must agree that this is in fact a piece of advertising, rather than a traditional "baseball card." First and foremost, as Scott points out, there is no reference to Wagner as a player on this card. So much so, that he isn't even wearing a uniform (unless players used to wear ties during games). Shouldn't baseball cards at least reference baseball? Furthermore, I have a real problem with "rookie" cards that depict players before they are actually "rookies" Take for example the 84 Olympic McGwire. Many refer to that as his rookie card... I don't know why...it seems that "rookie card" has gradually come to mean "first readily available trading card." I am sure there are many pictures of a young Henry Aaron playing baseball before 1954, I'm sure that some of these pictures were in the form of a card, but regardless...they are not his rookie card. Such is the case with this piece. I am well aware of the history of the National League and if wagner wasn't playing for a team in the national league, then he wasn't a rookie. As such, i find it a bit unusual to term it "rookie card." Especially when a valid case can be made for the fact that it isn't even a baseball card to begin with.
Most importantly, I am NOT under the impression that Hal is in anyway trying to mislead someone, rather, i believe him to have a different interpretation of the situation than people like scott and myself have. Nontheless, as the owner of an online Auction Assitant/Auction House, I must say that i feel a more effective strategy when selling a piece of this magnitude is to concentrate on what is generally considered to be true, rather than what is circumstantially true. In otherwords, we can at least agree that it is a card of some manner. It appears that it is the only known copy in existance. I as a buyer would be interested enough in the product to research it a great deal. Therefor, i am not driven by the catch phrase "rookie card," but i can't speak for others who may or may not have a true knowledge of what they are buying.
Once again, these are just my thoughts, seeing as this is my first post regarding my opinions, i hope people understand it as just that. This is furthered by the fact that i have met few if any of you in person and am not in the business of upsetting people, especially people i don't know. I guess this is just to provide hal the opportunity to explain why the card is listed in the manner it is and perhaps consider a new opinion and perspective on the object.

Best Regards,
BlackSoxFan