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Brian HI am also aspiring to a HOF complete set of sorts.....
see:
http://www.psacard.com/set_registry/display_cards.chtml?rsetid=16949&alltime=yes&rank=1&tied=0&requesttimeout=9999
I was lucky/clever enough to acquire McPhee prior to his induction (I also collect 19th century near HOF players and he obviously qualified along with Stovey, Mullane etc). If McPhee is in the Buchner set (I don't recall and besides I hate that set) that would likely be his most affordable card.
I deal with Spalding (and Geo. Wright) the way that Hal does -- as part of a team "cabinet"/card from his playing days in the 1870's.
As to Hal's list of HOF non-players I have some comments:
1. Umpires are almost all available in one form or another (although McGowan seems impossible and either Callahan or oneof the big Supplements are the only options for Tom Connolly).
2. Managers Mostly these guys can be found on cards as well although Selee is one of a kind. I would also note that Rube Foster's Hall of Fame status is largely akin to Spaldings. Foster was a standout Pitcher, a manager and (probably most significantly) the father of Negro League baseball. McGraw (who is not in Hal's list is in the HOF as Manager. He was a superb 3d Baseman for the Orioles but really never played that much due to injuries. I think AL Lopez and Miller Huggins are also HOFers primarily (if not entirely) because of their managerial excellence.
3. Executives the founder/executives (except Spalding and H. Wright) are generally unavailable on non-comemorative cards. Landis is only on a gigantic Supplement (until the Callahan issue after his demise), Chandler is only on the Callahan issue during which time he was the active commisioner and not yet a HOFer (he's the only non-HOFer in the set). The later executive types are all on cards issued in the 50's (Topps) and early 60's (Fleer).
Finally some of the Negro League greats are on Latin American (Cuban/Puerto Rican) cards otherwise the only option is one of kind postcard/photocards.
Anyways, I just thought I'd share that ..... and ask Paul what he wants for the Selee card I have been looking for all these years.... 