Happy 170 years, Cap "the Swede" Anson

[skelly423]

Originally Posted by Seven

I don't know how to feel about Anson.

He was a fantastic baseball player, he has some beautiful issues as well. He was also clearly a product of his time, and one of the main catalysts for instituting a color barrier in Major League Baseball.

I respect his talent, I do not respect the man. Would probably sum up my feelings the best.

I think that's a fairly universal view of the man. I think his role in establishing the color barrier is so substantial that it (rightly) overshadows his on-field performance. Product of his time or not, he was a vile human, and plenty of collectors make the deliberate choice not to collect his cards.

[fkm_bky]

Originally Posted by skelly423

I think that's a fairly universal view of the man. I think his role in establishing the color barrier is so substantial that it (rightly) overshadows his on-field performance. Product of his time or not, he was a vile human, and plenty of collectors make the deliberate choice not to collect his cards.

+1

I have no issue with those who collect him or share his cards on the board. There are plenty of terrible human beings who have their pictures on little pieces of cardboard. With that said won't ever own one of his cards, but that's my choice.

Bill

[gabrinus]

He had good hair...that covers up a lot of flaws in my book...Jerry

[drcy]

Part of collecting old baseball cards is collecting history, and history isn't full of just saints. In fact, history, baseball and baseball memorabilia wouldn't be interesting if it was full of just saints. Bad and imperfect people are interesting.

What one collects isn't necessarily a morality test. Anyone who collects gangster memorabilia (Al Capone, Lucky Luciano-- and I've had photos of both) is collecting "bad guys."

I suppose there might be baseball memorabilia collectors who collect only members of their party (Republican, Democrat), but I don't think most collectors think that or collect that way.

Thus, whatever your beliefs or position on racism, I don't think there's anything errant with buying a Cap Anson card or that buying an Anson card is a reflection of one's beliefs.

But, of course, to each his own.

[GaryPassamonte]

Anson in 1877. He is at 3 o'clock.

[BobbyStrawberry]

Originally Posted by drcy

Thus, whatever your beliefs or position on racism

Are there differing positions on racism on Net54? I would expect that all members are opposed to it.

I have no issue collecting Anson cards. People (past and present) are complex. If we all stopped collecting cards of figures who made bad decisions or whose views we disagree with, many collections would trimmed significantly.

[Bpm0014]

It appears Mr. Anson is your profile picture?

Haha. What a hypocrite!!

[mrvster]

Bday

[drcy]

Originally Posted by BobbyStrawberry

Are there differing positions on racism on Net54? I would expect that all members are opposed to it.

Beyond this forum, there are differentiations of racism, what is racism, and opinions on how to deal with it.

[samosa4u]

Cap Anson was a RACIST piece of trash! Those of you who collect him should be ASHAMED of yourselves!

Now, just send them all to me so I can ... um ... throw them in my fireplace! Yeah, that's right, throw them right in my fireplace and watch those suckers burn! Ahem* Cough* Cough*

Signed,

The colored guy