Cards of Satchel Paige in Negro Leagues

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Posted By: Ryan Christoff

Peter,

You're right, for as long as his career was, it's almost a fluke he didn't have any cards. But he was just never in the right place at the right time.

He played in Cuba in 1929, but it was too late for any of the great 1920s issues produced there.

He played in Venezuela in the late 1930s, but it was too late for any of the issues produced there between 1931 and 1935.

He played in the Dominican Republic in 1937 but there were no cards until nearly the 1950s.

He played in Puerto Rico as early as 1939, but not long enough to make it into any of the sets produced there beginning in 1948.

He also played in Mexico but there is almost nothing from there.

Part of the problem is that from the late 1920s until the mid-40s there were no cards produced in any of those countries other than a couple of issues in Venezuela in the early 30s.

Same thing with Buck Leonard. Cool Papa Bell, too, although he does appear in uniform on a studio portrait real photo postcard from a series that probably featured each member (only 5 different players have surfaced) of the team. Hard to definitively call that a card, though.

When you think about it, it's really more of a fluke that some players do have cards than it is that Satchel Paige doesn't. Biz Mackey was only in cuba one season (1924-25) but he made it onto a card. Bullet Rogan and Turkey Stearnes were both there that year as well, but no cards for either of them.

Jud Wilson was dominant in Cuba for 6 seasons, but didn't get there until the 1925-26 season. His only shot to get on a card was the 1927-28 Mallorquina issue, which he is not in. Willie Foster has a card in that issue even though his only season in Cuba was 1927-28.

Some important non-HOF Negro Leaguers made it onto cards in spite of only playing one season in Cuba. Dobie Moore has 3 cards. Heavy Johnson has a card. Edgar Wesley has 2 cards.

Buck O'Neil was only there one year but made it onto 2 cards.

It was all a matter of timing. If you were there for the 1923-24 season or the 1946-47 season, you had a good chance of having a card.

-Ryan

P.S. Since I mentioned a Mr. Mackey (Biz) in my post I thought I should also let you know that Professor Chaos is a character from South Park. Actually, it's more of an alter-ego of a character.