Roll-off effect of valuable cards

[Runscott]

1. Wagner
2. Cobb
3. Ruth
4. Williams
5. Gehrig

[npa589]

For the most part, it seems like it... Wagner, though an all-time great, has even more of a lore to him because of T206 fame. Imagine if Ty Cobb were the subject of incredible rarity within the T206 set, with the same backstory (I know this is entailing many changes in actual history) as Wagner... Imagine what kind of cost that card would garner.

1. Ruth
2. Cobb
3. Teddy Ballgame
4. Mays
5. Josh Gibson

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by npa589

For the most part, it seems like it... Wagner, though an all-time great, has even more of a lore to him because of T206 fame. Imagine if Ty Cobb were the subject of incredible rarity within the T206 set, with the same backstory (I know this is entailing many changes in actual history) as Wagner... Imagine what kind of cost that card would garner.

1. Ruth
2. Cobb
3. Teddy Ballgame
4. Mays
5. Josh Gibson

Wagner was great because he was great - not because his card was rare. He's no longer the household name that Cobb or Ruth was, because he wasn't a loudmouth characterized by outrageous behavior. As others have mentioned, folks interviewed in the early '60s who played with Wagner, remembered him as being the greatest they ever played with or against, but you are right - the rarity of his T206 has drawn deserved attention to his playing career.

The greatness of Williams and Mays is still remembered because many are still living who saw them play, and also because they were home run hitters who played after the dead-ball era...plus, they really were great, just like Wagner.

[Big Six]

I find it interesting there's no mention of Hank Aaron on these lists...I would think he's top 5 material...

[Peter_Spaeth]

Top ten non pitchers non roiders.

1. Ruth
2. Mays
3. Cobb
4. Williams
5. Wagner
6. Musial
7. Gehrig
8. Aaron
9. DiMaggio
10. Speaker

[ktimm]

Nicely worded Scott.No wrong answers, they're all great players.I did read Glory of their Times and i think Wagner doesn't get the same hype as some of the other players.Maybe we're forgetting a few,anyone have any 19th century players on the list?Can you compare the 19th and 20th century players?

[novakjr]

Originally Posted by ktimm

Nicely worded Scott.No wrong answers, they're all great players.I did read Glory of their Times and i think Wagner doesn't get the same hype as some of the other players.Maybe we're forgetting a few,anyone have any 19th century players on the list?Can you compare the 19th and 20th century players?

Is there any chance that this "roll off effect" has actually had a reverse effect on Honus? Like I mentioned earlier, sometimes these "grails" can make superstars out of stars, or semi-stars out of common players. Perhaps some people have this in the back of their minds, and assume Wagner is just over-hyped due to this t206 card? He wasn't, but to an extent, I can understand the mental aspect to this type of assumption..

[ksabet]

Originally Posted by novakjr

Is there any chance that this "roll off effect" has actually had a reverse effect on Honus? Like I mentioned earlier, sometimes these "grails" can make superstars out of stars, or semi-stars out of common players. Perhaps some people have this in the back of their minds, and assume Wagner is just over-hyped due to this t206 card? He wasn't, but to an extent, I can understand the mental aspect to this type of assumption..

Never thought about this but it is interesting indeed. I don't think so, but it makes you wonder what Wagner Candy, Bread, tobacco etc. would price at if his T206 card was as accessible as that of Cobb, Johnson and Mathewson?

--Kiya

[freakhappy]

Originally Posted by novakjr

Is there any chance that this "roll off effect" has actually had a reverse effect on Honus? Like I mentioned earlier, sometimes these "grails" can make superstars out of stars, or semi-stars out of common players. Perhaps some people have this in the back of their minds, and assume Wagner is just over-hyped due to this t206 card? He wasn't, but to an extent, I can understand the mental aspect to this type of assumption..

David, I agree 100% with you on the Wagner reversal. For the people that know baseball inside and out, I'm sure they are aware of how great Wagner really was, but for the majority of people (me included), Wagner was a good ball player, but his T206 card is what makes him so popular. So for me, your assessment is dead on.

Of course I now realize how great he really is/was, but I'd say for the every day run of the mill, his baseball card is more popular than he actually was as a ball player.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by Big Six

I find it interesting there's no mention of Hank Aaron on these lists...I would think he's top 5 material...

When I was growing up, I considered the greatest non-pitchers to be Mantle, Mays, Aaron and Jim Wynn (just because he was an Astro). Roger Maris' '61 season was only a couple of years back, so he was a hero as well. We all knew who Babe Ruth was, but not Cobb so much. And certainly not Wagner.

Based on personal experience alone, I would have to say Tony Perez and Nolan Ryan were the greatest players ever! I don't think anyone could get a ball out of the park quicker than Perez.