who are your obsession players

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Posted By: warshawlaw

I have a few, guys I collect everything on: Al Rosen, Lefty O'Doul, Harry Heilmann.

I started with Rosen because he was a fairly contemporary Jewish player who had some great years and had a lot of nice cards that were relatively inexpensive.

O'Doul became a fascination when I realized that he had the highest BA of all eligible non-HOFers. Then I read a bio of him and really got hooked.

Heilmann has become somewhat of an obsession lately. I had one crappy condition exhibit of his, used the image to advocate a split grip batting style for my then 4 year old, and then got several more of his cards.

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Posted By: Tom Boblitt

like Happy Chandler, Pee Wee Reese, Jim Bunning and Earle Combs.....all in the HOF and all from KY.....and for some reason I've been collecting Charles Gehringer cards and autographs. Really like his autograph...........

Getting NAILED today with snow. Prospect is for 13-18" here in Louisville...........

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Posted By: john/z28jd

Mine is obviously Larry Corcoran but i wouldnt say i try to buy everything from him,i just go overboard on the OJs and let everyone else have whats left.

Bill will say im obsesses with Tom Reilly from the t204 set but im not,i just have 3 of his cards and they are the only t204s i have.

The player who i would buy anything from but cant find much is Jack Martin who played for the 1912 Yankees and the Miracle Braves.All i have is a team photo and an autograph.He lived in the same town as me,and the building i work at is located on the corner of a street named after him

I also have an unusual amount of Casey Candaele cards,and his game used bat but hes not vintage

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Posted By: three25hits

TBob --

The Watterson was a mess this afternoon. At least it is letting up a bit now...




I can't find the scan's of his three zeenuts but they are around here somewhere...

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Posted By: Scott Elkins

Ty Cobb (mostly caramels), Mordecai Brown caramels, Magee (Stretching Out Pose) and Lajoie (Stertching Out Pose).

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Posted By: Julie

I have 5-10 cards or pictures of each--which keep me from finishing my HOF (19th century) collection. I can't resist acquiring more...

Plus all the Black Sox...

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

Im with you on O'Doul and Heilmann because they aren't as widely recognized as their stats appear to indicate they deserve. I feel that I sorta "discovered" them because I "uncovered" their performance from perusing stats rather than reading narrative about them. Now, having discovered them, I soon have to read up on who they were. They seem fascinating.

However, I am still "discovering" "new" players worthy of further study. A player of recent focus from stat-land is Keeler, who has a lifetime .360+ batting average (if you do not include the period that he played too long) Oh Heilmann also hit well over .360, if you exclude his taking too long to learn how to hit; something he shares with O'Doul.

Anyway, I sometimes buy cards of these players and then try to find a way to fit them into my collection.

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Posted By: Adam J. Moraine

Ty Cobb (the greatest player of all time)
Jackie Robinson
Cal Ripken, Jr (non- vintage)

I have autos of all three, and cards of Robinson, and Ripken, Jr. (ALWAYS seeking cards of Cobb, ESPECIALLY T- 206 Red background)

Best Regards,


Adam J. Moraine

I also have a soft spot in my heart for "The Mick"

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Posted By: Matt Goebel

Oliver Marcelle - Perhaps the greatest defensive thirdbaseman ever. Died in obscurity in my hometown of Denver, CO.

Joe Wood - Red sock, tragic story, maybe the greatest ever single season, good guy, also has ties to Colorado.

Alejandro Oms - "El Caballero" the amazing Cuban gentleman!

Eddie Collins, George Sisler, Harry Heilmann, Charlie Gehringer, Tris Speaker, Al Simmons - all vastly underrated, card prices are generally lumped in with all the other minor HOFers.

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Posted By: Andy Baran

Sid was a distant cousin of mine, and I am trying to get every card produced of him. I'm down to the very obscure cards to finish the collection.

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Posted By: J Levine

Addie Joss, read his biography and was hooked. I am also partial to Lefty Grove (although I have nearly nothing of his) for the simple fact that he was brought a piece of supposedly shatter proof glass which he then proceeded to through a baseball through! I like Hans Lobert as well for racing a horse around the diamond.

Oh, any Phillies player pre-1980.

-Joshua

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Posted By: Rhys

Roy Castleton, Louis Sockalexis, and Lefty O'Doul

Roy Castleton threw a professional game perfect game in the minors in 1905, then went on to star in the PCL and had a cup of coffee in the majors, but not really because he was the first Mormon to play major league baseball. He has Obaks, Zeenuts, and other regional issues. I will buy anything that anyone has of Castleton's, including an autograph which I have never seen even though he only died in the late 1960's.

I also have a thing for Louis Sockalexis since I grew up in Old Town Maine, which is where he was from, and used to play Ice Hockey in Louis Sockalexis Arena in High School. We had a full day leson on Sockalexis in 8th grade history class in Maine! Not much of his memorabilia out there though. Even his decendants on Indian Island in Maine have NOTHING on him.

I also enjoy Lefty O'Doul as well, partly for his playing which is grossly underrated, and partly for his contribution to making baseball an obsession in Asia. Without O'Doul we probably would not be seeing Ichiro and Matsui in the majors right now.

There are others too, but those are the three that come to mind.

Rhys

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Posted By: dennis

del ennis,wally post,gus bell, ted kluszewski & minnie minoso.all kinda unique to the 50's era. also ki ki cuyler (my first "old" card)and chuck klein.

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Posted By: Pcelli60

I dont know if its an 'obsession'. But I seem to have a lot of Hooks Wiltse cards.

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Posted By: Brian H (misunderestimated)

I will acknowledge the double-meaning of "players" with my two who weren't even Baseball players.

First Earvin "Magic" Johnson, who(m?) I actually met when I was in grade school and he was at MSU. I've enjoyed watching him more than any other athlete for the mature understanding and youthful exhuberance he brought to Basketball.

The other is boxer Jack Johnson about whom Ken Burns has a documentary coming out at the beginning of the year. Where Magic was the comensumate team player Jack Johnson was the consumate individual athlete. Strangely, Jack Johnson did in fact play and I think umpire some Negro league contests if Irecall my reading of the Negro League biographical encyclopedia correctly. He was friends with the great Rube Foster although the story that he changed into Foster's uniform to escape his impending (wrongful)conviction in the United States was something Johnson invented for his autobiography from what I have read. The Johnson/Foster switch was also depicted in the Johnson inspired movie/theatre classic "The Great White Hope".*

I have favorite Baseball players but no one except some local heroes -- Banks, Sosa and Santo, among others -- I have gone muchout of my way to collect.

_____________________
* If anyone has some neat Johnson stuff to sell/trade (cards etc.), I'd love to add to my growing collection.

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Posted By: Bottom of the Ninth

Jackie Robinson
Joe Jackson
Honus Wagner
Ty Cobb

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Posted By: Kevin Cummings

John:

Anyone who reads the board even just a little knows about your obsession with Larry Corcoran.

I think you should open up a bit and talk about your obsession with Omar Vizquel!

Kevin

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Posted By: Ray

Hal Chase and Christy Mathewson

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Posted By: PASJD

Willie Mays.

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Posted By: Max Weder

Doc White, Wally Schang, Christy Mathewson and George Metkovich.

The last one perhaps requires a short explanation. As youths in Saskatoon, a friend and I were employing snowballs somewhat inappropriately. I tired of it, went home, but heard the next day that my friend had been stopped by a targeted victim who had demanded my friend's name to deliver to the authorities. My friend, recalling his strat-o-matic cards and the 1946 Red Sox, replied "George Metkovich", proving once again the worth of vintage baseball.

Max

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Posted By: T206Collector

Who discovered the land of the brave and the free?
I don't know, I don't know
'Twas Christy Columbus is what they tell me
Maybe so, I don't know
There's only one Christy that I know at all
One Christy that I ever saw
He's the one who discovered the fadeaway ball
And he pitches for Muggsy McGraw

Baseball Baseball
Gee, it's a wonderful game
Ole Christy Columb' found this country by gumb
By the extras don't carry his name
If Old Man Columbus had sat in the stands
Had seen Matty pitching that fader so grand
He'd have said, "Boy, I'm glad I discovered this land."
Gee, it's a wonderful game.

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Posted By: Paul

Tom Seaver.

Truly an obsession. I'm attempting to get every card, magazine cover, book cover, etc. Finally gave up on those stupid modern inserts, though.

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Posted By: Misunderestimated

Bid McPhee
Sorry..... Couldn't resist. I'd feel guilty if you didn't have the darn Selee card.

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Posted By: Shemp

Local from Fitchburg, Mass - Pat Moran
and of course Bill Carrigan- a colorful Red Sox who really represented the game!

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Posted By: john/z28jd

Kevin,Vizquel was an investment not an obsession and i dont have anything else of his besides those few rookie cards

Corcoran is close to an obsession but ive had a chance to buy other cards of his besides OJs and havent so i dont have full blown obsession with him,just a mild case of it




PS If Hal reads this,dont listen to what i said just above,ill buy the card from the set im still trying to convince you to get.one of a kind Cabinets can be considered rookies Hal,dont listen to the nay-sayers

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Posted By: Rhys

For a couple of really early Magic Johnson items I got in a collection from Michigan.

themodo@hotmail.com

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Posted By: jay behrens

No obession players any more, but I used to pursue items of Sam Crawford, Billy Hamilton, Tony Oliva and Jerry Koosman. Crawford cuz I love triples. Hamilton cuz he was the original king of baseb stealing. Oliva was my favorite player as a kid. Koosman was a local boy done good whose family was known by my Mom and Grandparnets.

Jay

Wow upside down is Mom. Mom upside down is what dad wants to see.

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Posted By: Nick Martinez

My short list is:

Frank Chance(I even named my son after him "Chance")-A good player and an inspirational leader.

Armando Marsans- An important and ultra-talented player. Marsans was the first Latino star in MLB.

These two are my main obsession players though I also collect a few others.

Happy Holidays.

Nick

Please register for a free auction catalog: http://www.americanmemorabilia.com/Default.asp

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Posted By: Rob L

Walter Johnson

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Posted By: Josh K.

The big three pitchers:

Young, Matty and Johnson

plus cobb.

Unfortunately, my desire to have cards in vg or better condition coupled with a budget that is limited by daycare for two kids under the age of 3 (those of you with kids know what Im talking about) tends to interfere with what I can actually purchase. I currently have one of each pitcher and two cobbs (though one is not quite in the condition I would prefer), but I find myself tracking every auction I can find on each player.

I am also partial to Aaron since we share the same birthday.

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Posted By: Pcelli60

Jay, as a long time Met fan, I will always have a spot in my heart for that wonderful lefty from Morris Minn..

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Posted By: Scott Forrest

I always felt sorry for the Cubs, so when I started collecting vintage cards I was very interested in the old Cubs teams that actually won World Series - it became obvious to me that Ed Reulbach had been a huge star for them and that without him and Mordecai Brown, they wouldn't have had the pitching to be so good. It's also apparent (to me anyway) that Reulbach got screwed out of the Hall of Fame...have I said that before?

Nap Rucker is from Crabtee Georgia - so small that he is frequently said to be from nearby Alpharetta. I lived within a few miles of Crabtree for several years and collect anything associated with Nap Rucker except cards - the common ones are too easy and the rare ones too expensive (like his Boston Garter). No, I don't think Rucker deserves to be in the hall - even when he was active the Brooklyn press was very hard on him. He seemed to lose a lot of games he should have won, but he also regularly beat the star pitchers of his day since he was always matched against them. A ball from his no-hitter sold in a Mastro auction for $600 two years ago, but I was broke and couldn't bid.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, etc....time to go cook the traditional two days before Christmas Greek meatballs and rhumaki.

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Posted By: Judge Dred

Gavvy Cravath, Van Haltren and Caruthers

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Posted By: Todd (nolemmings)

but I'm very interested in Joe Judge cards in high grade. I only have a few, but I think he's great for my type collection. His career spanned from the 1916 m101-4/5s through 1933 Goudey, with many of the less popular cards from the 20's included. He was a very good player, later coaching at Georgetown for years, and getting a run of his cards shouldn't break the bank.

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Posted By: Julie

except for a Cobb and a Jackie or two, and there're plenty of them to go around.

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Posted By: Darren J Duet

George Sisler and Harry Heilmann -- and Ty Cobb.

Hack Wilson and Rogers Hornsby are also on my buy em up list.

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Posted By: Paul

Nice joke. I am obsessed with getting ONE McPhee. But I have absolutely no interest in driving myself insane by pursuing all of his poses. In fact, I wish the folks at the Hall of Fame would come to their senses and kick McPhee out!

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Posted By: Morrie

I don't know that I'd call it an "obsession." Had a great World Series in 1909 (one of the few bright spots for the Tigers), and was a good hitter, for a pitcher.

He's also probably a relative of mine (facial features are very similar to the men in my family, and he's from the right general part of the country). I've picked up cards when I've come across them. Got a Dietsche from Bagger at a recent show that I'm pretty happy with. I think his caramel cards are next on my list, and one day I may even find an autograph. I'm not holding my breath on that one, though.

Morrie

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Posted By: jay behrens

The Koosman family farm is actually closer to Holloway than Morris. Holloway is literally a grain elevator, fas station and diner. Not much else in the town and it offically has fewer than 50 people. Not sure why he opted to list Morris as his hometown.

Jay

Wow upside down is Mom. Mom upside down is what dad wants to see.

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Posted By: Sean Coe

I don't think I'm obsessed but three players I have a particular interest in are: Rube Waddell, Grover Cleveland Alexander and Lefty Grove.

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Posted By: warshawlaw

I was getting to the addiction point on Hack but recently picked up a few exhibits and cured my addiction, as I did with Foxx cards a few years ago when I picked up a couple of exhibits and an R315. I am now clean and Wilson-free and have been Foxx-free for at least a year. Can't say I'm cured though; once a Hackaholic, always a Hackaholic.

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Posted By: Jim Clarke

Joe Dimaggio- Prewar
Harry Wright- 19th Century
Vladimir Guerrero- Current/Future

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Posted By: john/z28jd

The top 6 are the best of each variation that i have.The 2nd set of 6 are the 2nd best i have of each variation,and the 3rd scan of 8 cards are the happy rest who have no complete variation set to call their own

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Posted By: Josh K.

Sean,

Are you interested in parting with any of your Alexanders?

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Posted By: Sean Coe

Josh,

At the moment I don't have any I want to part with, but when I do I'll post them on the buy/sell of this board BEFORE Ebay.

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Posted By: Jay Miller

Dave Orr--One of the best 19th century players yet he receives very little recognition. A stroke cut his career short but he was a great hitter and is burried in the Bronx very close to where I went to high school. Someone please find me his Kalamazoo Bats card!

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Posted By: Dan Koteles

Ty Cobb....of course
Cy Young
Walter Johnson
Joe Wood
Frank Baker...though I cannot quality in his stuff
Rube Marquard

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Posted By: hankron

I've never focused on a single person, team or set, but when I collected baseball stuff I was particularly fond of Christy Mathewson and Ty Cobb.

As a baseball photo collector, I remember when I got the below photo. I knew the guys on the ends (Ty Cobb and Connie Mack), but I couldn't guess who was the old geezer in the middle. Some retiree at the A's fan appreceation day? Ty Cobb's uncle? The grounds keeper? I showed it to my brother in law who kindly pointed out, "That's Thomas Edison, dumb sh*t."