Rate your top 8 Mantle cards from the 50's

[GasHouseGang]

Mine are quite different from the original poster:

1956 Topps (Best set of the 50's IMO)
1957 Topps
1958 AS (Hope that's not cheating but I always liked those backgrounds)
1952 Topps
1953 Bowman
1953 Topps
1952 Bowman
1951 Bowman

[HRBAKER]

My list will always start with the 1959 Bazooka. From an aethestic point of view IMO far and away his most pleasing card. I am a fan of the '64 Stand Up as well.

[buckydent]

My favorite 3 in order:

1) His true rookie - the 1951 Bowman
2) the 1952 Topps
3) the 1958 Mantle / Aaron card # 418

[fkw]

Mantle schmantle.... but here goes

1959 Esslinger Beer Homerun Derby
1951 Bowman
1953 Stahl Meyer
1952 TipTop Bread
1952 Topps
1953 Briggs
1954 Stahl Meyer
1951 Wheaties


every one of these cards is overrated, Id rather have a card of a better player ie... Mays or Aaron

[GoldenAge50s]

Originally Posted by fkw

Mantle schmantle.... but here goes

1959 Esslinger Beer Homerun Derby
1951 Bowman
1953 Stahl Meyer
1952 TipTop Bread
1952 Topps
1953 Briggs
1954 Stahl Meyer
1951 Wheaties


every one of these cards is overrated, Id rather have a card of a better player ie... Mays or Aaron

LOL Frank--I would expect nothing less from you!

[mintacular]

1953 Topps
1955 Bowman
1956 Topps
1960 Topps
1954 Topps Just kidding, there is no such thing!

and then a bunch of others

[ls7plus]

I'm sorry, Almostdone. I've resisted for days adding to this thread because I just can't stay within its confines, but can resist no more. Best looking Mantle card: '53-'55 Dormand Bat on shoulder pose. Just a gorgeous image of a very young Mick under powder blue skies at old Yankee Stadium, ready to conquer all! Card that best captures his youthful rookie image: '51-'53 era Exhibit (date of card based on "Made in USA" legend at lower right bottom of card; pic actually taken during his '51 rookie season).

And concerning any contention that Mantle was overrated (Hi, Frank!), if anyone else has read Bill James books at length, it's interesting to note that Mantle, in the course of his career, created more than 200% of the runs created by the average player during the time his career spanned, even including his down years in the mid to late '60's, when he was playing with a bad shoulder and two bad knees. He was one of just seven, I believe, to achieve that level, with Williams No. 1 and Ruth No. 2. Others include Cobb, Gehrig, Hornsby and Jackson. Ruth created more runs than Williams, but the league average was also higher during the era in which he played. Aaron and Mays, as great as they were, were each in the 180% range. As James once noted, Mays' stats superficially appeared to approximately match Mantle's when they were both in their primes, but Willie walked far less, and consequently was making 70 or so more outs per year than Mantle. Of course, Willie's total production exceeded the Mick's, based on his greater longevity. James consequently has Willie ranked as the 3rd best player of all time, with Mantle No.6. Mick's legend has an extremely sound factual foundation.

Larry