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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

Baseball cards cost too much money. So, in order for the average guy to view an assembly of cards as a hobby, he has to minimize his cost. One of the more popular ways to achieve this is to accept cards which are more worn than most people want, or are otherwise damaged. Alternatives include using the hobby to profit from buying and selling in order to finance acquisitions for your collection.

A third approach is to expand the range of cards which are found to be acceptable for your collection. This third approach is the thrust of my argument today.

Specifically, most collectors prefer cards which were issued during the playing days of the player shown on the card, and this preference then eliminates commemorative cards issued after a player’s career has ended, from inclusion in those collections.

However, this requirement does not apply if the player continues as an active participant in baseball. For example, very few individuals would exclude cards issued during the 1900s of John McGraw, Connie Mack, Wilbert Robinson, Hughie Jennings, and others. The same will apply to Charlie Comiskey, Casey Stengel, Yogi Berra and many others whose baseball careers did not end when they hung up their spikes.

That those individuals cited were successful well beyond their playing days is incidental, and not a requirement for the inclusion of their active, but not playing cards as a legitimate addition to ones collection. It does not matter whether a player’s management, coaching or other active baseball career beyond his playing days was or was not successful. It suffices that his cards represent an active baseball career.

There are no asterisks, no caveats, no excuses, no tentativeness. The rule is what is good for McGraw and Mack, is good for everybody.

And here are some of the “everybodies”, all HOFers: Heinie Manush, Earle Combs, Billy Herman = 1954 Topps. I believe that 1972 Topps will offer you Ted Williams, Manager of the Rangers and several other HOFers which you can get in real nice shape for relatively chicken feed. There are Frankie Frisch Bowmans from the early 50s, and there is certain to be Billy Martins, Gil Hodges, Frank Robinson and many other affordable cards issued during these HOFers careers. Ooops – maybe Martin and Hodges aren’t actually in the Hall, but old times such as Bucky Harris, Boudreau, Al Lopez, Durocher, etc. as well as more recent managers including Schoendinst and Bob Lemon are certainly HOFers who are typically available on their respective Bowman or Topps Mgr. cards often for less than $10 in ex.

This option could offset some of the costs which you can not escape, even by compromising card condition for some players.

And how about minor league cards? Many went on to continue their playing careers in the minors, and to manage or coach there. Zeenuts, Obak and others may have a wealth of HOFers.