[MCoxon]

Iconic is a moving target. There was a time that if you made it to the cover of Life, you had transcended your vocation. But even those who made Life Magazine covers while playing don't necessarily remain popular forever.

Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Nolan Ryan. Each seem to have fallen out of favor with baseball card collectors recently, but were extremely iconic in their time and place (ie, in Boston, and nationally in the late 80s/90s for Ryan). Williams and Yaz both were on the cover of Life.

Joe DiMaggio was probably more iconic in his time in terms of transcending sports into the national culture than several others mentioned in these posts. Two Life covers. Even after he finished playing, he was still in the national consciousness (married to Marilyn Monroe; Mr. Coffee commercials; being named in the song Mrs. Robinson; heck, on Seinfeld). But he doesn't have any topps cards (or goudey for that matter), so from a card collector's stand point not as much anymore

Bob Feller was a national phenomenon and icon. He pitched in MLB at 17 while still in high school. His high school graduation was broadcast by CBS. He was on the cover of Life. He was a top 3 MLB draw in the late 30's and 40's along with Williams and DiMaggio. But in a stats-obsessed age, 266 wins (less 4 years of 25 wins each lost to WWII - which he signed up for first among ball players) doesn't cut it, and he's forgotten except in Cleveland.

More modern fan favorites weren't necessarily iconic until later, sometimes late in or even after their career.

Clemente became iconic after the 1971 World Series (when people finally paid attention) and of course after Dec 31, 1972; he was relatively unknown to the non-NL baseball fan, let alone to the broader national consciousness, before that. (he's my favorite player, I'm not dissing him)