Greatest All-Time All-Stars Sets

[jason.1969]

Originally Posted by robw1959

Which MLB set composes the greatest all-star team ever assembled? Assuming any player in a particular set is at their peak level of career performance, which set would you choose? Mine would be the 1933 Goudey set:

1B Gehrig
2B Hornsby
SS Vaughn
3B Traynor
C Dickey
RF Ruth
CF Speaker
LF Ott
LP Grove
RP Dean

I’ll offer 1956 Topps into the conversation. If the Mick at first feels like a stretch, there is Gil Hodges. Definitely some other positions where one might make a swap: Berra for Campy, for instance.

1B Mickey Mantle
2B Jackie Robinson
SS Ernie Banks
3B Eddie Mathews
C Roy Campanella
RF Hank Aaron
CF Willie Mays
LF Ted Williams
LP Sandy Koufax
RP Bob Feller

[Rhotchkiss]

T206 has

1B Frank Chance/Hal Chase
2B Nap Lajoie
SS Honus Wagner
3rd Homerun Baker
OF Ty Cobb
OF Tris Speaker
OF Sam Crawford
C Roger Bresnahan

Pitchers:
Walter Johnson
Cy Young
Christy Mathewson
Eddie Plank

[Peter_Spaeth]

1968 Topps
c Bench
1b Mantle
2b Morgan
ss cheat with Banks otherwise Aparicio?
3b Brooks (Mathews may have still had a card?)
Of Mays, Aaron, F Robinson/Clemente
Rp Gibson, Seaver, Ryan
Lp Carlton

[molenick]

Mathews was card #58 (as a Tiger). I like this team because Mantle was actually at first at the time. But I guess you lose Banks if you look at it that way.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by molenick

Mathews was card #58 (as a Tiger). I like this team because Mantle was actually at first at the time. But I guess you lose Banks if you look at it that way.

Aparicio the only arguably weak link then. Really strong otherwise.

[Touch'EmAll]

The 1976 Topps All Time All Stars subset - collected as a kid, does this count ?

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by Touch'EmAll

The 1976 Topps All Time All Stars subset - collected as a kid, does this count ?

Dude two minutes before me, really? I shouldn't have typed out the joke.

[robw1959]

Originally Posted by Touch'EmAll

The 1976 Topps All Time All Stars subset - collected as a kid, does this count ?

Nah!

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

1976 Topps

1b Gehrig
2b Hornsby
SS Wagner
3b Traynor
OF Ruth
OF Cobb
OF Williams
C Cochrane
RHP Johnson
LHP Grove

[molenick]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

1976 Topps

1b Gehrig
2b Hornsby
SS Wagner
3b Traynor
OF Ruth
OF Cobb
OF Williams
C Cochrane
RHP Johnson
LHP Grove

You could use Bench at c and Schmidt at 3b if you go out of the subset (and make Aaron DH if you wanted one).

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by molenick

You could use Bench at c and Schmidt at 3b if you go out of the subset (and make Aaron DH if you wanted one).

Good call, definitely improves the roster.

[robw1959]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

1976 Topps

1b Gehrig
2b Hornsby
SS Wagner
3b Traynor
OF Ruth
OF Cobb
OF Williams
C Cochrane
RHP Johnson
LHP Grove

That's a stretch, but even so, it looks like six of these guys are in the '33 Goudey set.

[carlsonjok]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

1976 Topps

1b Gehrig
2b Hornsby
SS Wagner
3b Traynor
OF Ruth
OF Cobb
OF Williams
C Cochrane
RHP Johnson
LHP Grove

All of which are also found in 1961 Fleer All-Time Greats.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

1976 Topps

1b Gehrig
2b Hornsby
SS Wagner
3b Traynor
OF Ruth
OF Cobb
OF Williams
C Cochrane
RHP Johnson
LHP Grove

Well, if we'e talking the 1976 set:

1b Gehrig
2b Hornsby
SS Wagner
3b Schmidt
OF Ruth
OF Cobb
OF Williams
C Bench
RHP Johnson
LHP Grove

we can also toss in Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver, Rich Gossage and Dennis Eckersley to fill in the rotation and bullpen.

[Peter_Spaeth]

From what I've seen, I think I'd pick T206 because of the pitching (assuming the whole rotation mattered not just one righty and one lefty). Cracker Jack probably second. A 90s set with Clemens, Maddux, R Johnson and Martinez would be high too.

[mrreality68]

1914 Cracker Jacks

1B Frank Chance
2B Nap Lajoie or Eddie Collins
SS Honus Wagner
3rd Zack Wheat
OF Ty Cobb
OF Tris Speaker
OF Joe Jackson
C Roger Bresnahan

Pitchers:
Walter Johnson
Christy Mathewson
Eddie Plank

[paul]

I this picking Tris Speaker from the '33 Goudey set is cheating. He was not an active player. If the Goudey Speaker is ok, then you might as well pick the 1976 Topps all time greats set, or something assembled from the all time greats in the 1940 Play Ball set.

[robw1959]

Originally Posted by paul

I this picking Tris Speaker from the '33 Goudey set is cheating. He was not an active player. If the Goudey Speaker is ok, then you might as well pick the 1976 Topps all time greats set, or something assembled from the all time greats in the 1940 Play Ball set.

It's a fair point. I didn't really consider players outside of their playing days being included in later sets. In that case, the 1960 Fleer Greats would also merit consideration. Let's allow the Goudey set strictly because it isn't a historic set or subset like those others. And yes, some may say it's cheating for them to have issued Lajoie and Speaker, but they did it, so it counts in my humble opinion.

[RUKen]

Originally Posted by mrreality68

1914 Cracker Jacks

1B Frank Chance
2B Nap Lajoie or Eddie Collins
SS Honus Wagner
3rd Zack Wheat
OF Ty Cobb
OF Tris Speaker
OF Joe Jackson
C Roger Bresnahan

Pitchers:
Walter Johnson
Christy Mathewson
Eddie Plank

Zack Wheat only played the outfield during his ML career. Frank Baker or Heinie Zimmerman seem like more appropriate 3B choices from this set.

[KCRfan1]

Love to the 1973 set!

C Johnny Bench
1B Willie McCovey
2B Joe Morgan
SS Luis Aparicio
3B Mike Schmidt
OF Hank Aaron
OF Willie Mays
OF Roberto Clemente
RHP Nolan Ryan
LHP Steve Carlton

Left off the roster: Reggie Jackson, Pete Rose, Al Kaline, Frank Robinson, Brooks Robinson, Thurman Munson, Yaz ( can't spell his name ), Carlton Fisk, Tom Seaver, Jim Palmer, Fergie Jenkins, Bob Gibson, Juan Marichal, Gaylord Perry, Jim Hunter, and others.

Aside from Munson, this set is loaded with HoF's.