Favorite Non Hall of Fame vintage cards

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Posted By: brian parker 

Thanks for the good idea Kenny--been thinking about posting this slight variation on the favorite card theme for quite some time, and it's high time to move on to something that relates to collecting. We have had previous threads on favorite cards, but I found that most of the respondents listed Hall of Fame or notorius players (such as Black Sox players) almost exclusively, or sometimes tough to get cards. I too put a great value on cards that picture one of these players (the E92/E101/E102 etc. Mathewson has to be one of my favorites all time), but there are many other cards of common players that are aesthetically just dang pleasing cards. So check out your collection and share some of your common joe favorites--here's mine.

1910 Obak of Coy, Vernon, and Murphy, Los Angeles--the Obak series, especially the 1910 and 1911 sets, are known for their vivid colors, and I have chosen these two for their unreal, sherbert-esque skylines, as well as their incredibly realistic player depictions.

E93 Ames--I love the unique angle of the card, showing an above the waist depiction of a high wind-up, his front,gloved arm reaching to the sky and the ball behind his body at waist-level. I'm guessing the pitch was going to be a high hard one.

E90-1 McInnes--Once again a sucker for colors, ranging from the green of the grass, to the red, orange and blues of the sky, with a nice, bat pointed at the viewer pose.

T206 Leifield (pitching)--This one also has it all, with great artwork, neat button-up uniform and red collar, colorful sky and a awesome, both hands behind the head windup. If it said Mathewson (which ol'Lefty does resemble) instead of Leifield, I imagine it would make everyone's favorite list.

E220 National Caramel Dykes--I just find this card incredibly appealing. I think it is because of the interesting close-up, waist to head, of Jimmy's batting stance, his front arm exposing the long sleeved undershirt. But also because of his devilish, determined grin--he just looks like an old time player.
And the black and white image just adds to the grittiness.

W503 Ward--this set is a strip card issue only by its designation (which was probably given to it in error by Burdick, but that's another story). All the cards have super sharp photography, most of them full body action poses, and the Ward card is a favorite because of his classic upright stance set against the backdrop of distant bleachers.

1933 Goudey Richards--this is also a full body depiction that features full catcher gear, an interesting 'reaching around to adjust the back side of the chest protector' pose, and a very striking, converging lines of the stadium seats and baseline that adds a real sense of depth.

Diamond Stars Ostermueller--another favorite set of cards due to the overall Art Deco stylings of the backgrounds, where blocks of colors dominate. Many of the cards have great shadowy skyscrapers looming ominiously past the bleachers, and this Ostermueller card combines this with a classic arm extended pitching pose.


Theres my list--feel free to chime in with yours (don't forget: no HOF or notorius players allowed, and try to avoid including a card just because it is difficult to come by).

Brian

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Posted By: David

Partially due to sentimental reasons but also because it's a pretty card, the T206 Harry Pattee with a classic horizontal pose. As Pattee played only briefly (1908 Cubs) this is both his rookie and only card. I received one as a Christmas present from my Dad when I was younger. I still own the present and have it matted and framed with a Pattee signed index card.

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Posted By: brian parker

The T206 has a dozen or so common cards that really hit me in the sweet spot, and Pattee is one of them because of the awesome horizontal pitching pose. Is it too late to add him to my list?

Brian

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Posted By: David

A few additions. In advance, I warn that some are not 'vintage' as this board defines it.

1974 Topps ‘Washinton Nationals’ Team Card Error. This error was made under the mistaken assumption that the Padres were going to move to Washington DC

1960 Armour Coin Bud Daley. The Honus Wagner of Armour Coins

1959 Falstaff Beer S.F. Giants. Beautiful with a capital B and undervalued. Different large team premium cards were issued 1958-61 and they are all great.

1976 SSPC Oscar Gamble. A classic in the comic releif sense.

Any 1888 S.F. Hess California League N321 (the color lithographs not the photos). In my opinion one of the most beautiful sets ever made

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Posted By: brian parker

The Ames card in my list above is from the E96 set, not the E93. The E93 Ames is nice, but it ain't no E96.

Brian

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Posted By: Tom Lawrie

Personally, I only collect the Weaver cards (T-207 and T212 are my favorites), but I'm sure the Joe Jackson fans out there will have a few favorites (maybe the T210 Old Mill).

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Posted By: Mike Williams

a few are the T205 Dunn (Balt.), e92 Rebel Oakes and the T206 Mike Donlin (seated).

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Posted By: john(z28jd)

He specifically said in the first thread no black sox card,or hall of famers tho if thats what you like no problem just it doesnt fit into the original thread
I posted in the other thread about favorite cards but i also like t205 minor leaguers,specifically adkins and also t206 konetchy,glove low thats a nice pose. e90 oakes is my favorite pose and i forget which set its from,one of the e sets but the shot of schmidt,detroit from behind making a play at third has to be one of the strangest poses,how do they know its really him in the pic?

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Posted By: John(z28jd)

e92 oakes is the same as e90 if im not mistaken? I also like the Donlin card,the psa10 from the Harris collection was an unbelievable looking card,made me wanna go out and get one right away

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Posted By: jay behrens

my e92 Nadja of Rebel Oakes has to be my favorite vintage card, but my all-time favorite non-HOFer card is the 1971 Lowell Palmer. Gotta love those Ray-Ban Balorama sunglasses.

Jay

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Posted By: Julie Vognar

1. Old Judge Dummy Hoy
2. Scrapps Caruthers and O'Neill
3. Simple vignette cabinet of Caruthers

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Posted By: Kenny Cole

I am real interested in cards of Negro Leaguers, and my all time favorite in this category is the circa 1910 Cabanas card of Pete Hill. It is very rare, it's existence was only recently confirmed, it is way expensive, it is the only card of Hill that I'm aware of, and it is just plain awesome.

Some other cards I like - the Topps card of Oscar Gamble showing him with a baseball cap perched atop an incredibly huge afro (was that in the 1975 or 1976 set?); T206 Camnitz, pitching; Obak Fournier; N28 and N162s of Glasscock and Caruthers; Scrapps Deacon White; T206 Sheckard with glove; T206 Leach, hands on knees; E107 Van Haltren; N43 Ryan. I'm still looking for the Van Haltren.

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Posted By: TBob

E98 Matty, E90-1 Upp, E94 Lajoie, T212 Obak Weaver for its innocence and T207 Lowdermilk for the haunted look in his face.

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Posted By: Julie Vognar

the whole California League S.F. Hess set. I could look through it at my leisure.

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Posted By: Julie Vognar

So I'll mention a Blacksox: T4 Weaver )Obak premium)

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Posted By: brian parker

I had difficulty making my list because as I was going through my collection, I would come across a card I really liked, but then instantly realized that it was of a Hall of Famer and thus not within the narrow confines of my chosen topic. By using a HOF/notorius/rare card filter I was trying to strip away some of the factors that normally steer the fancy of us collectors-- and thus recognize some truly classic and undersung vintage cards.

Brian

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Posted By: Patrick McMenemy

Some of my favorite Non-HOF cards from my catcher "type" include the following:


D322 : George Gibson
E90-1: Ira Thomas
E90-2: George Gibson
E96 : Chief Meyers
E104 : Ira Thomas
T3 : Red Kleinow
T201 : Ira Thomas
T204 : Ira Thomas
T205 : Chief Meyers
T206 : Red Kleinow
Mike Powers
T212 : Burns, Tacoma, N.W.L.
Thomas, Sacramento, P.C.L.

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Posted By: Chris

My favorite card is the 1979 Topps Thurman Munson, purely for sentimental reasons. I turned 7 in 1979, and that was the first year I started collecting baseball cards with the intent to get all the different cards I could.

That summer, my family (Dad was in the Navy and was stationed in Virginia) went to New York to visit my grandmother. I was already a Yankees fan, and so were most of my relatives.

When the news arrived about Thurman Munson's plane crash, I was in the back yard playing catch with a cousin. We went to our collections and began looking for Munson's card. My cousin Jimmy found his quickly.

I pulled out my Yankees pile (which was in its own rubber banded stack -- gotta love the days when we still did that), and looked through them. Gossage was there, as were Nettles, Reggie and Guidry. Mickey Rivers and Andy Messesmith were in there. Heck, even Ken Clay and Gary Thomason were there, but I didn't have a Munson.

My cousin immediately got on my case, saying that he had a card that was going to be worth a LOT OF MONEY because there wouldn't be any more Munson cards, and I didn't have one...just the kind of statement you'd expect a 9 year old future juvenile delinquent to say to his 7 year old cousin. At the time, I didn't know better, and I was upset about it.

A day later, I went to the corner store and bought a pack of cards for 15 cents. I opened it like I always did in those days; I quickly removed the wrapper, let the gum slide off the cards and into the wrapper, and threw them both in the garbage. While thumbing through the cards, I saw a single orange banner with the team name "Yankees" (I still look for them first). It was Munson, and he immediately gained a place of honor in my collection (and I still own that very card today, despite its terrible centering).

The card isn't tremendous. The '79 set is not considered one of Topps' best designs, nor is the Munson card an example of sharp photography. In fact, the picture shows Munson -- who was never thrilled about getting his picture taken -- looking away from the camera, off in the distance. Actually, he looks really annoyed that somebody has come to take his picture, and would rather be practicing throwing out runners at second. Despite that, the circumstances of how and when I pulled the card make it my favorite.

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Posted By: TBob

Didn't see the "Non-HOFer" condition, so scratch Matty and Lajoie and go with the E90-1 Upp, T207 Lowdermilk, T212 Weaver, for reasons stated above, and add any violet background E94 especially Dougherty and Cicotte.

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Posted By: Julie Vognar

The T206 Dougherty also has that wonderful lilac background.

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Posted By: Brian H.

T206 Hal Chase (holding the loving cup given to him by his loyal new york fans long before anyone had any idea what he was really up to)
1976(?) Kurt Bevarqua bubble gum blowing champion card;
1939 Play Ball Al Schaact (clown prince of baseball);
several cards from the 1910-1920s show the side arm delivery of Carl Mays that resulted in the major leagues only casualty, Indians' second baseman Ray Chapman.
Old Judge combo of Little Nick Nichol and Long John Riley;
Old Judge Chris Van Der Ah -- how many "owner cards" have you ever seen ? Even Steinbrenner hasn't gotten a card a yet!
Cracker Jack and T202 and T207 cards with a relatively young Smokey Joe Wood.