Any prewar player collectors??

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

#1 Since getting into prewar, I have found I like A LOT of prewar issues...especially the E cards. The Obaks are a ton of fun for me, and I will probably always collect them, but I am drawn to many, many other sets.

#2 I am on a budget and not looking to complete sets but would like a taste of several.

#3 If aspects of #1 and #2 fit you, have you turned to player collecting to make it happen?

#4 I find myself drawn to Lajoie. He was quite a player and manages to show up on some cool cards in some attractive sets but manages to be reasonably affordable, all things considered.

#5 I am thinking collecting him would give me the opportunity to collect some nice fronts and backs of a player who was significant and allow me to own cards from many different prewar sets. I will still collect Obaks, but this would allow me to branch out.

Anyone else taken an approach like this??

[ronniehatesjazz]

I've been really big into prewar (for me anyways) for about two years now. I'm somewhat of a budget but actually do like working on sets. I agree with you on Lajoie; very affordable despite his caliber. The one player I seem to somewhat focus on more than others is Matty. Very affordable but probably not as a great of a value of Lajoie, IMO, given the large number of cards Matty was featured in. I just enjoy collecting his cards for some reason and by doing so I have bought cards from sets I unlikely would not have otherwise. So I think ol' Nap can do the same thing for you!

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by ronniehatesjazz

I've been really big into prewar (for me anyways) for about two years now. I'm somewhat of a budget but actually do like working on sets. I agree with you on Lajoie; very affordable despite his caliber. The one player I seem to somewhat focus on more than others is Matty. Very affordable but probably not as a great of a value of Lajoie, IMO, given the large number of cards Matty was featured in. I just enjoy collecting his cards for some reason and by doing so I have bought cards from sets I unlikely would not have otherwise. So I think ol' Nap can do the same thing for you!

Tyler, I love the idea of building sets, but there is a lot of ground I want to cover and I don't want to sink the time and resources into any single set (except for my continued pursuit of the 1910 T212-2 Obaks). I kind of figure Napoleon will help me travel around prewar, so to speak the way Matty does for you (great choice by the way ). I won't necessarily limit myself to Lajoie. I will pick up cards of other players I like in certain sets. Bottom line, is that this is really fun! Collecting has become so much more fun for me the last few months!

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[frohme]

For whatever reason, I've always been attracted to T207, falling on the love side in the familiar "love it or hate it" feel people have with the set. One of the ideas I've toyed with is to put some meat into the general collection by collecting the other cards of the various T207 players - some of whom are a little obscure. A bunch of the smaller-name folks in T207 show up in various other sets, especially in the PCL world, namely both in the Obaks and Zeenuts. Weaving together the set of cards for folks that pass through T207 (or any) set gives it a different feel - you can explore it in so many ways ... player/team/minor-league team/etc...

A great idea, IMO, no matter how you tackle it. As others have said, collect what you like, how you like it. Being on a budget makes it all the more rewarding, especially when/if you're able to swing something you thought was out of reach.

Good luck!
--
Mike

[kmac32]

Originally Posted by vintagebaseballcardguy

#1 Since getting into prewar, I have found I like A LOT of prewar issues...especially the E cards. The Obaks are a ton of fun for me, and I will probably always collect them, but I am drawn to many, many other sets.

#2 I am on a budget and not looking to complete sets but would like a taste of several.

#3 If aspects of #1 and #2 fit you, have you turned to player collecting to make it happen?

#4 I find myself drawn to Lajoie. He was quite a player and manages to show up on some cool cards in some attractive sets but manages to be reasonably affordable, all things considered.

#5 I am thinking collecting him would give me the opportunity to collect some nice fronts and backs of a player who was significant and allow me to own cards from many different prewar sets. I will still collect Obaks, but this would allow me to branch out.

Anyone else taken an approach like this??

I not only collect T205 Cubs and T207 Cubs but I also collect Elmer Miller of the 1921 and 1922 Yankees. He is a distant relative of mine ( great great uncle) and was the first Yankee to get a hit and score a run in a World Series. Have cards and original type 1 photos from his playing days.

[btcarfagno]

At some point I can see myself starting a Germany Schaefer collection. Such an interesting guy.

Tom C

[garymc]

I enjoy collecting just one team....NY Americans, Highlanders, Yankees, all Pre-war. I try on certain cards to put together team sets, also on some back runs and when I can all different card types that were issued. The fun is on the hunt, the history of the team also the type.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/151843924@N04/albums

[KMayUSA6060]

Grover Hartley is my Pre-War player I collect. He was the manager for the minor league team my grandpa and uncle each played for respectively.

Here is the Baseball Reference page. Donald May is my grandpa. My uncle played in 1939.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/r...gi?id=170780ce

Hartley has 7-9 (his T207 supposedly has different backs) Pre War cards. I have 2 of them at the moment.

Additionally, I am planning on doing a raw Gene Woodling Post-War basic collection (not sure if it would count as a master set), because he played against my grandpa in 1940, and went on to have a pretty successful career in the MLB. I might even buy them slabbed by PSA for their set registry.


As far as your collection goes, I will say this. I, like you, wanted everything. Haha. Pre-War sets are so cool and in many cases, very large. It's nearly impossible to collect EVERYTHING (as I am finding out), and Pre-War collecting goals often change (again, as I am finding out). My advice would be to collect a player who is very liquid. If you have no personal connection with Lajoie, my guess is you'll eventually want to change your Pre-War collecting focus at least once. A player like Lajoie is liquid enough to move pretty quickly, and if you buy them at good deals, you can even profit a bit.

Good luck and enjoy!

[timn1]

Having always been fascinated with obscure sets, my approach is different - I collect examples of as many different players as I can. This benefits my budget in that I'm looking mostly for commons. I keep something I call the "Alphabetical Master List" which is currently up to about 2200 players (MLB and minor league) whose prewar cards I have.

I also keep a wantlist of players, and there are some real toughies there. Anybody know where I can find a 1926 Exhibit Ramon Herrera, a Star Player Candy Garland Buckeye, an M101-6 George Dumont, or a Voskamp's Coffee Everett Booe?

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

"As far as your collection goes, I will say this. I, like you, wanted everything. Haha. Pre-War sets are so cool and in many cases, very large. It's nearly impossible to collect EVERYTHING (as I am finding out), and Pre-War collecting goals often change (again, as I am finding out). My advise would be to collect a player who is very liquid. If you have no personal connection with Lajoie, my guess is you'll eventually want to change your Pre-War collecting focus at least once. A player like Lajoie is liquid enough to move pretty quickly, and if you buy them at good deals, you can even profit a bit."

I hear ya on that. Lajoie might not necessarily be my choice on every single set but would be on most. Every set has one or two must haves because of the particular pose or whatever reason. This idea just helps gives me a concrete way of moving through a variety of cool looking sets...many of which I might not have otherwise known about. Another result could be that I run across a particular group of cards that I especially like and can afford. Also, I will always have my Obak obsession to fall back on..LOL!

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[brianp-beme]

Originally Posted by vintagebaseballcardguy

Lajoie might not necessarily be my choice on every single set but would be on most. Every set has one or two must haves because of the particular pose or whatever reason.

Good choice on Lajoie. I have always thought that Lajoie, in general, has particularly nice poses in the sets he is in. I consider him very 'cardogenic'.

Brian

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by brianp-beme

Good choice on Lajoie. I have always thought that Lajoie, in general, has particularly nice poses in the sets he is in. I consider him very 'cardogenic'.

Brian

Thanks, I agree!

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[clydepepper]

After realizing that 'taming the monster' was never going to be possible for me, I have concentrated on specific players: The First Five, Smoky Joe, and Cliff Blankenship (1st local in Majors).

I recently felt a financial pinch and let a Ruth go...hope that never happens again.

I also collect Game Cards which I have found to be an affordable option in high grade.

I have only one Nap Lajoie - the 1913 Game Card in Red graded PSA-9.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by clydepepper

After realizing that 'taming the monster' was never going to be possible for me, I have concentrated on specific players: The First Five, Smoky Joe, and Cliff Blankenship (1st local in Majors).

I recently felt a financial pinch and let a Ruth go...hope that never happens again.

I also collect Game Cards which I have found to be an affordable option in high grade.

I have only one Nap Lajoie - the 1913 Game Card in Red graded PSA-9.

I hear you on "the monster. " It's not that I am anti T206. I simply have been wary of getting sucked in. There are too many other issues I like. However, focusing on a player allows me to sample it along with many other issues. I chose Lajoie, and I just love the Lajoie portrait! That may well be where I start with Napoleon.

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[ValKehl]

I mostly collect cards of specific players and type cards, and I am thrilled when I am able to "kill two focuses with one card." The pre-War players I collect are ALL that played on the 1924 Washington Senators team, with special emphasis on WaJo and Sam Rice. By including the team owner & GM (Clark Griffith), I am able to start with the Old Judges when Griffith was a player and go all the way to the early 1950's Bowmans when Bucky Harris, the "Boy Wonder" player-manager of the 1924 champion Senators, was still managing in the American League. To me, this is much more interesting and satisfying than set collecting.

[ronniehatesjazz]

Originally Posted by frohme

For whatever reason, I've always been attracted to T207, falling on the love side in the familiar "love it or hate it" feel people have with the set. One of the ideas I've toyed with is to put some meat into the general collection by collecting the other cards of the various T207 players - some of whom are a little obscure. A bunch of the smaller-name folks in T207 show up in various other sets, especially in the PCL world, namely both in the Obaks and Zeenuts. Weaving together the set of cards for folks that pass through T207 (or any) set gives it a different feel - you can explore it in so many ways ... player/team/minor-league team/etc...

A great idea, IMO, no matter how you tackle it. As others have said, collect what you like, how you like it. Being on a budget makes it all the more rewarding, especially when/if you're able to swing something you thought was out of reach.

Good luck!
--
Mike

There is something hauntingly beautiful about the T207 set. For some reason it just kind of "takes you back" to that era better than any other set. The lack of big names makes it even more interesting to me. The mystery of Irving Lewis (no one's even really sure who he was is my understanding) and the eerie but lovable Lowdermilk card make it ATC's most unique set IMO. For some reason I always want to listen to impressionist music when looking at the cards (favorite seems to be Erik Satie's Nocturnes). No other card set brings out such eccentricities for me lol.

[z28jd]

I collect players from my hometown of Kearny, NJ. There aren't many, Dots Miller, Ownie Carroll, Jack Tighe, Sam Dente. There are some more recent players, but I don't collect them yet.

Miller is of course the most popular here because he's in some of the bigger pre-war sets. I have most of his cards, skipping out on some sets if the only difference is the back. Other than that, I pick up random stuff that shows up like photos, signed postcards, World Series worn uniform, pins, just basically anything from that period.

Caroll is surprisingly tough to find stuff for, seeing as he played nine seasons in the majors. I believe he is only in six sets and I'm not sure when I'll see a 1928 Star Candy for him, so it might be awhile before I get anything else for his collection.

I also collect complaints about the sorting facility in town

[AddieJoss]

I collect Addie Joss cards. I have most with most variations. Still missing a couple of the toughies.
Cory

[Bridwell]

I collect a lot of different pre-war sets and type cards, especially 1907-1915. You inspired me to figure out which players I have the most of:

McGraw
Harry Davis
Cobb
Bender
Marquard
Chance
George Mullin
Tinker
Tommy Leach
Bob Bescher
Larry Doyle
Red Dooin


I have at least 10 cards of each of these. Interesting thread!

[kdixon]

I collect Zach Wheat because he was born in my hometown. I have been collecting Zach for about 30 years. He appeared on a lot so stuff so I'm always looking for stuff I don't have . I enjoy the silks, pins, stamps, discs, blankets, die cuts etc. Like all the different card issues such as tobacco, candy, bakery, strip, Canadian. Enjoy collecting wire photos with Zach , with teammates, with opponents etc. Collect minor league items, major league with the Dodgers and A's, and post major league with Minneapolis Millers. Also love Wheat autographs on cards, balls, letters, checks etc. Really enjoy game used items, trophies, plaques, platters, old timer game gifts.