Posted By:
barrysloateI think we should accept the fact that this is an open ended debate, and that there will be differences of opinion as to what constitutes a rookie card. In some cases a minor league card can be a rookie if it was issued in a major, nationally distributed set. Again, Kid Nichols is my poster child for this.
I think a rookie can be issued in a regionally issued set, such as the Just So of Cy Young.
In the case of Cal Ripken, however, I would vote for either his 1982 Topps Update or his 1983 regular issue, because his minor league Rochester cards are not universally recognized as real anything. I don't know who made them, and I have no idea if they were reprinted after he got famous.
I say look at each card individually, because there will never be a universal agreement among all collectors.