Cards You'd Like To See

[Baseball Rarities]

Originally Posted by bcbgcbrcb

Not sure about the existence of these: Rose Co. Speaker, W600 Branch Rickey & Home Run Baker, Punch Grant "Home Run" Johnson

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Phil, I honestly doubt that a Rose Co. Postcard of Speaker exists. Rose postcards were issued in 1908 and Speaker had barely any major league experience at that time. Each of the 16 teams were represented by 12 players - usually the team's 8 starting field players along with their 4 most used pitchers. Speaker would have certainly not fit this criteria.

The Rose Co. did produce a few additional players in 1909 without team designations and it is rumored that Speaker was a part of this "update," but his card has never been seen. Beckett did not include Speaker in his first checklist back in 1980 or so. The Sports Collectors Bible did not include Speaker in its first three editions, but did include him in their 4th, which was produced in 1983. Nobody can confirm why the Sports Collectors Bible added Speaker to their checklist. As many know, there were many, many mistakes made in this book and I have always assumed that the inclusion of Speaker was one of them.

So, I guess that there is a small chance that a 1909 "no team" version of Speaker exists, but the fact that no one con confirm it leaves me very suspicious.

As far as W600 Sporting Life Cabinets go, there are only 3 HOFers who were available that I do not have an image for - Baker, Rickey and Duffy. I do not think that Rickey and Duffy are known to exist. The only evidence that I have for Baker is an old 1982 TTS advertisement where he is listed as being available via the auction: