John

OK, your argument questions whether Connie Mack and/or Eddie Plank were anti-tobacco. Furthermore, you are skeptical that they did not want their images associated
with tobacco (cigarettes). Fine....so what is your theory why Mack's and Plank's images are not featured in the T3, T201, T202, T205, T213, T214, or T215 sets ?
Seriously, why the T206 Plank card was yanked early in the game (similarly to the Wagner card) ? And, the fact that most of the Plank's were shipped out of Factory #30.
Do you "dig" the significance of why that is so ?

Instead of "slamming" my theory's, present your explanation for why these two major-Major League figures of that era were not printed in any of those 7 ATC sets ? ?


T208

Just a reminder, the Cullivan's Fireside set was printed from the images in the E104 (Candy) cards.

http://i603.photobucket.com/albums/t...04brislord.jpghttp://i603.photobucket.com/albums/t...ollinse104.jpg



T216

Just a reminder, the T216's were printed from the images in the American Caramel sets.

http://i603.photobucket.com/albums/t...ottonchase.jpghttp://i603.photobucket.com/albums/t...ottonchase.jpg


TED Z

Ted, I’m not slamming your theory why you are always so defensive is beyond me. I say 2 times above your theory is as good as any I have heard.

I’m simply saying I don’t think you have a smoking gun and its case closed in terms of the T206 Plank. Because quite simply you do not know for 100% certainty that your theory is the “real” story, you may have a compelling argument but you haven’t produced iron clad evidence to support your theory that I have seen. At least not enough for me to say to others this is the reason Eddie Plank’s T206 is tough.

That’s all I’m saying I have my thoughts on the card and will try to type something up later…it will be just my thoughts on the card and not a debunk of your theory. I can’t discredit yours or anyone else’s theory because like you I have no real 100% proof.

Cheers,

John

Well, I checked and I don't have any with these plate scratches- I do have one that has some ink smattering (not as bad as the ink explosion :D) and I have one that looks like the ink is smeared or something. But I'm impressed with how many people have found these plate scratches.

It'll be interesting to see if this will lead to something. Great thread.

As far as the Plank goes, I've heard both the broken plate theory and the anti- tobacco theory, and I don't know for sure- both are good theories- but you are right John, one is as good as another.

Sincerely, Clayton

Awesome work Pat! This is starting to get exciting...for me at least :)

Looking forward to your thoughts on Plank John.

Almost forgot Chris...here ya go.

Sometimes to me the simplest explanation is the most plausible…Occam’s razor if you will.

My theory is the T206 Plank card is a victim of bad timing and planning.:)

What I do know and this could be challenged as I don’t claim to know of all the Planks out there. However having kept pretty good records and images of most since around say 1999 I’ve noticed one thing. A good chunk of these cards are 350 series only about 17-20 of the 50+ sold Planks I’ve seen come across the auction block have been 150’s. Of this 17-20 (150’s) this includes the 4 Piedmont examples. Now one could argue people keep the better looking 150’s and dumped the 350’s at auction but I think in the 13 or so years we would have seen a few more.

Given the numbers of 150 vs. 350 I think Plank was added late in the 150 printing process and was obviously carried to the 350. Then for whatever reason was dumped from the sheet for another player, or was missed when laying out the second run of 350’s therefore making him a short printed card. Add a hundred plus years of bicycle spokes and mom’s tossing cards and I’m paying big bucks for Mr. Plank.

What was the process of the sheets, why or how I have no idea. Some folks on here mainly Tim Cathey, Jim Rivera and you Chris along with others have done a good job trying to figure it out etc.

The whole anti-tobacco thing I have a hard time getting behind for two main reasons. Plank is in other tobacco sets mainly via his Horner photo being used on a lot of them. Then second if there really was this anti-tobacco action from Plank why was he carried over to 350. Seems to me if I’m getting nasty grams from Plank I’m not doing two printings of him.

I also add my personal experience into this. Owning a company of which one of our divisions is producing premiums and or retail products for entertainment based IP’s. I know how things get misplaced or made in smaller qty’s due to timing or just simple human oversight. I doubt it was any different 100+ years ago short of technology.

Like I said I’m sure this could be torn apart, but ultimately it’s a theory and with no smoking gun or proof all we can do is speculate…this is my speculation.

Cheers,

John

baseball cards
 

Daniels explained this to me about 10 years ago. He said, "Rob, It's only TBob and those guys, no-one else collects this stuff."

Abbaticchio,Ames and Criss

Hey guys-my comment above about a possible broken Plank plate was made with tongue way in cheek! I shoulda put a winker on it! ;)

Doyle
 

Here's my one example.

Searched through my 150s
 

looked through a few dozen P150s in my collection and have for sale and had mostly clean backs. These three have scratches, though: