What drives the hobby love for certain players? Ozzie Smith as an example...

[Exhibitman]

Bo Jackson was far less popular before he became a regular on the circuit. Now, I sell all of the Jackson cards I put out at shows. Little kids know him.

[tulsaboy]

I think there are some guys who have "cult" followings, groups of people who loved watching those players as a kid and still have a nostalgic fondness for them. I will agree, though, that other than his 1979 and 1980 cards, pretty much most every other "regular" card of Ozzie Smith is basically worthless. The real question might be, is that a product of his status as a player or just the reality of the junk wax era? Even monster players' cards aren't really worth that much after their first couple of years, at least during the junk wax era.

I think that Ozzie, Sandberg, Mattingly, Gooden, Dale Murphy, and Strawberry all get some major hobby love overall that is maybe not in strict keeping with their career stats for a number of reasons, almost of all of which are rooted in nostalgia.

kevin