Lou Gehrig underrated?

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by Chris Counts

I'm surprised few have responded to the original question. I believe Jimmie Foxx is far more underrated than Lou Gehrig. Just look at the difference between their stats, and compare it to the difference between their card prices. I'm not saying Foxx was better, but he was way closer than the current card prices indicate.

Absolutely spot-on, Chris. I am astounded at how little Foxx RCs sell for as compared to Gehrig. Any 1925 Exhibit Gehrig is legitimately a mid-five figures card or more. Foxx's Exhibit being priced at 10% or less of that is crazy.

[packs]

I think Foxx's flame out has a lot to do with his card sales. Doesn't help that he wasn't part of some significant all time team either. He played in some World Series early on but I'm not sure anyone remembers them for anything iconic like Murderers Row or something like that.

I DO think Foxx benefits from fantastic nicknames and his association with League of Their Own.

[G1911]

I second the choice of Foxx, there's a good argument there though Foxx ends up priced about where he should relative to other stars of the 20's and 30's.

Gehrig is still generally regarded as the greatest 1B of all time. He remains a household name among baseball fans. The only player in his time period that outsells him is Babe Ruth, who was clearly better than Gehrig. I do not see how he can thus really be considered underrated, either in cards or in baseball history.

[chadeast]

It's hard to call someone who is universally regarded as the best 1B of all time underrated. Agree that Foxx is more so, but I can't agree that he wasn't part of all time great teams. I consider the A's teams from 1928 to 1931 to be absolutely iconic, with Grove, Foxx, Simmons, and Cochrane leading the way as top tier all-time talents. The first two '33 Goudeys I ever bought, and the only two I owned for 10+ years, were Foxx and Simmons, because of my fascination with this dynasty.

EDIT: and which still causes me to do things like this without even realizing it. I just noticed this last week when I was consolidating. Oops

[packs]

But do you think that admiration is universal to casual fans in the same way Murderers Row or the Miracle Mets are?

[chadeast]

Originally Posted by packs

But do you think that admiration is universal to casual fans in the same way Murderers Row or the Miracle Mets are?

Definitely not. I was only setting the record straight that he in fact was part of all-time great teams. Foxx and those A's teams aren't nearly as well known to the casual fan. To a lot of people, there is what happens in New York, and then there's everything else.

[packs]

True. I didn't mean to suggest he wasn't on great teams. Just not all time teams from the casual fan perspective. Like the Big Red Machine teams or the Black Sox, etc.