Eddie Collins - the man of no love

[brianp-beme]

It is interesting to me that collectors are blase (or feel he is underrated) about Eddie Collins, but I do find it interesting that back in the day shortly after he retired he must have been very popular, as he has at least three cards issued in major sets in the years subsequent to his retirement:
he is in the 1931 W517 strip card set, the 1933? US Caramel set, and the 1933 Goudey set. I can't think of any other player so honored. It seems like his contemporaries thought he was top tier, instead of the somewhat middle-rung classification he gets today. Are there other players with multiple cards issued shortly after they retired?

Just a thought.

Brian

[Robextend]

How about Tris Speaker? He was featured in the 1933 Goudey series, also was in the Rogers Peet set and R312 (pictured with 2 other players).

[milkit1]

I was just reading anout tim hurst being fired for spitting in collins face. He was also not liked by his sox teammates. It s a shame the black sox are more popular.

[Big Ben]

Very much agree with the remarks about Collins and Speaker. I would also include Jimmy Foxx. IMO, most Foxx cards seem to be in this category as compared to other stars of his era.

[ghostmarcelle]

Eddie Collins is vastly under-appreciated in today's hobby! Still in the top 10 all time in hits and stolen bases, one of the first 10-12 players inducted into the HOF, great player in the World Series, even signed Ted Williams as a scout. Bill James ranks him as the 18th greatest player in history. He has some great cards too.

[docpatlv]

I enjoy collecting Eddie Collins items and agree with others that he is greatly under-appreciated. It's a shame he doesn't get more "collecting love" considering his great talent, but it certainly helps keep prices down

[docpatlv]

Some more favorites...

[tbob]

Cocky Collins was a great player but it seems he was never "one of the boys."

[David W]

2 shades of 517 mini

[benderbroeth]

i love that letter!!!

[Robextend]

Originally Posted by benderbroeth

i love that letter!!!

+1...that is awesome!

[71buc]

That is a very cool letter. Here is the only Eddie Collins item in my collection.

[B O'Brien]

I really wish I could show all 10 of the Collins T206 backs here, but after suffered a crushing blow with the loss of the American Beauty on ebay last week, no such luck. The winner sure did have to dig deep that one, as my top bid was twice what I figured market price to be. I was more than a little shocked at the loss considering the card had a wrinkle and was a little over graded with that in consideration. Maybe next time!

I do love the Collins life time stats. What an amazing track record. The last couple season were a little off, but all in all, staggering. Even more so when consider the times and age at which he was putting up those numbers.

When I scan up my group again, I will be sure to track this down to repost,
Bob

[iggyman]

Heaven knows I'm not judgmental, but perhaps his tailor deserves some of the blame???

Lovely Day...

[Matt]

A few toughies:

[Jay Wolt]

[Leon]

T200 Premium......

[Kenny Cole]

Great player. Sucked during the 1919 series. Hit .226. Bad time to hit poorly.

You can read all sorts of things, some of which absolve him and others which theorize that he was part of a different cabal which had agreed to throw the series. I don't have any idea what the truth is, nor do I think we will ever know, but I suspect that it is some different than the conventional wisdom. It was a different time and it doesn't take much in-depth research to figure out that betting on games was pretty prevalent back then.

[Bosox Blair]

Another nice one of Cocky:

[tedzan]

TED Z

[tedzan]

Connie Mack's ...... Tale of Two Collins

Connie Mack needed a veteran 3rd baseman. In June 1907, he acquired Jimmy Collins. In 1908, Connie switched Danny Murphy to RF and put the young 21-year old Eddie
Collins at 2nd base. Connie Mack boasted that with Simon Nicholls at SS and both Collins's, he had one of the better infields in the AL (ref..Connie Mack's biography).








And, the T206 Eddie Collins that was......but, isn't





TED Z

[npa589]

This is a good question, I'm not sure why either. He is considered by Bill James to be the greatest second-baseman of all time. James used a "win-shares" formula to determine the greatest baseball players of all time - and if you look at his list, the formula is rather convincing. Overall, he has Collins as the 12th best player of all time.

Personally, I think Hornsby was - and I think Joe Morgan is the most overrated 2b of all time.....but that's just me. I also think Hank Aaron is one of the most underrated players of all time.

Regardless, Collins WAS definitively better than Nap Lajoie and yet the hobby does not reflect that.

Found a cool site:

http://baseballguru.com/egartman/ana...gartman01.html

[Robextend]

Originally Posted by npa589

Personally, I think Hornsby was - and I think Joe Morgan is the most overrated 2b of all time.....but that's just me. I also think Hank Aaron is one of the most underrated players of all time.

Regardless, Collins WAS definitively better than Nap Lajoie and yet the hobby does not reflect that.

Found a cool site:

http://baseballguru.com/egartman/ana...gartman01.html

I agree with Hornsby, but I do think there is still an argument regarding who was superior between Collins and Lajoie.

[Bicem]

1910 rppc... (thanks Mike)

[HRBAKER]

[fkw]

more E Collins scans (not all cards are still owned by me )



PC796


PC805


1910 Unc Notebook


E145-2


E120-80 "eighty"


1920 W519-2-2 (the rarest Collins card)


1923 W572


1921 E253


1925 W590


1926 Sports Co Amer

[Brian Van Horn]

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