Flashes in the pan? Or just my ignorance?

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Posted By: Bill Todd

I was looking at the Oxfords that had been for sale on the B/S/T, and was struck by the selection of players included in this rather short set. You'd certainly want to include Cobb, Johnson, and Speaker, and I even see why Ray Schalk and Edd Rousch made it. But what about Lee Meadows, "Bill" Holke, and Whitey Witt? Were they hot tamales the previous couple years, or did they know someone on the inside?

It's not like the maker didn't have other people to choose from if their goal was to represent each team. For example, instead of Holke for the Braves, they could have chosen Rabbit Maranville--in his tenth season by then, a proven star. (BTW, the '20 Braves had both a "Bunny" and a "Rabbit"--along with a "Mule.")

Any thoughts on the rationale for player selection? Were these the original "chase" cards?

Bill

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Posted By: Kevin Cummings

I'd be hard pressed to call any of those three guys even semi-stars. I think "flash in the pan" might be closer to the explanation since they all had "decent" (but not great by any stretch of the imagination) years in 1920 - the year before the issue.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/meadole01.shtml

http://www.baseball-reference.com/h/holkewa01.shtml

http://www.baseball-reference.com/w/wittwh01.shtml

[Archive]

Posted By: Mark L

They weren't altogether obscure. Meadows was a fine pitcher on a weak Cardinal team. He went on to become one of the most dependable starters of the 20's. Holke had a good first full season with the Giants and had some very good years with the Braves--even though he remains infamous for his role in a botched and decisive play in the 17 world series.