Your all Postwar to 1980 team - Favorite Cards

[cgjackson222]

Pitcher: Tom Seaver
Catcher: Johnny Bench
1st Base: Willie McCovey
2nd Base: Jackie Robinson
3rd Base: Mike Schmidt
Shortstop: Ernie Banks
Leftfield: Ted Williams
Centerfield: Willie Mays
Rightfield: Hank Aaron


Anyone else want to share their team?

[Cliff Bowman]

That's pretty impressive.

[hcv123]

Otherwise pretty good team there!

[G1911]

What I would pick as best player and my favorite card image of them:

Pitcher: Spahn (1954 Johnston Cookies)
Catcher: Berra (1950 Bowman)
1st Base: Musial (1953 Bowman)
2nd Base: Morgan (1966 Topps)
SS: Banks (1956 Topps)
3rd Base: Mathews (1953 Topps)
LF: Williams (Red Man's)
CF: Mays (1953 Topps)
RF: Aaron (1956 Topps)


Pitcher has many excellent candidates. Ford, Marichal, Gibson, even Roberts Roberts. Seaver loses some playing time with the era cutoff but is a good choices anyways. I think Spahn produced the most total value during this period

Bench or Berra is close, I give it to Berra because Berra was remarkably consistent and excellent. Bench had some great years mixed with some pretty poor ones.

McCovey is awfully close to post-war only Musial.

Jackie has the hype, Morgan the stat line. Robinson was a great player but I don't see his actual career value as #1 here.

I don't think there's much of any real competition for SS.

Schmidt was greater than Mathews overall, but I don't see a way to give it to Schmidt if we have a 1980 cutoff. From 1946-1980 only, Mathews has a much better stat line.

The outfield is easy. Shame to leave off Mickey Mantle, but each of the 3 seems pretty clear, even with Williams missed playing time.

[cgjackson222]

Originally Posted by G1911

Pitcher has many excellent candidates. Ford, Marichal, Gibson, even Roberts Roberts. Seaver loses some playing time with the era cutoff but is a good choices anyways. I think Spahn produced the most total value during this period

Bench or Berra is close, I give it to Berra because Berra was remarkably consistent and excellent. Bench had some great years mixed with some pretty poor ones.

McCovey is awfully close to post-war only Musial.

Jackie has the hype, Morgan the stat line. Robinson was a great player but I don't see his actual career value as #1 here.

I don't think there's much of any real competition for SS.

Schmidt was greater than Mathews overall, but I don't see a way to give it to Schmidt if we have a 1980 cutoff. From 1946-1980 only, Mathews has a much better stat line.

Greg, you make some very valid points. Musial actually did play more games at 1st Base than any other single position (even if he played outfield in total more than 1st Base).

You are also correct that Mike Schmidt's best year's were in the 80s.

Regarding catcher, I agree that Berra had a great career, but Bench didn't start going down hill until 1980, so I gotta go with Bench. I like Campanella ahead of Berra too because he had great years in the Negro Leagues, his career was tragically cut short, and I just think he had a higher peak.

I also agree that Joe Morgan had better stats than Jackie. I just think Jackie was more disruptive to opposing teams because of his baserunning and overall aggresiveness. (I'm also biased against Morgan because when I was kid he was a broadcaster, and i though he was unbearable).

Since its hard to choose just one team, I chose three:

First Team
Catcher Johnny Bench
First Base Stan Musial
2nd Base Jackie Robinson
Shortstop Ernie Banks
3rd Base Eddie Mathews
Leftfield Ted Williams
Centerfield Willie Mays
Rightfield Hank Aaron
Pitcher Tom Seaver

2nd Team
Catcher Roy Campanella
1st Base Willie McCovey
2nd Base Joe Morgan
Shortstop Pee Wee Reese
3rd Base Brooks Robinson
Leftfield Carl Yastrzemski
Centerfield Mickey Mantle
Rightfield Frank Robinson
Pitcher Warren Spahn

3rd Team
Catcher Yogi Berra
1st Base Harmon Killibrew
2nd Base Rod Carew
Shortstop ?????
3rd Base Ron Santo
Leftfield Pete Rose
Centerfield Duke Snider
Rightfield Roberto Clemente
Pitcher Bob Gibson



Below are my favorite cards of the 1st and 2nd team folks. I can't afford my favorite Mantle ('51 Bowman) so I just left it blank.

[rats60]

Pitcher 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax



Right Field 1955 Topps Roberto Clemente



Center Field 1955 Topps Willie Mays



Left Field 1955 Ted Williams


3rd Base 1975 Topps George Brett



Short Stop 1955 Topps Ernie Banks



2nd Base 1949 Leaf Jackie Robinson



1st Base 1953 Bowman Stan Musial



Catcher 1968 Johnny Bench

[cgjackson222]

Rats60 thanks for posting some cards!

Looks like you also love '55 Topps.

Can't argue with your team. Clemente is my favorite player ever. So many amazing right fielders to choose from: Aaron, F. Robinson, Clemente, Kaline, Reggie Jackson to name a few.

By the way, your '49 Leaf Jackie is amazing. The yellow is bright and the image is really strong.

[rats60]

Thank you. 1955 Topps is my favorite set. I love the colors of the cards. It is tough leaving Aaron and Mantle off the team, but if we can only have nine, there is no room. Here is my favorite Aaron and Mantle.

[cgjackson222]

We must have similar tastes. '55 Topps is probably my favorite too because of the bright colors.

And the '51 Bowman is my fav. Mantle as well. Yours is a stunner.

I also like the '65 set, and actually got a raw Aaron in the mail yesterday.

[egri]

LF: Ted Williams, 1949 Leaf
CF: Mickey Mantle, 1956 Topps
RF: Hank Aaron, 1957 Topps
1B: Gil Hodges, 1952 Topps
2B: Jackie Robinson, 1949 Bowman
SS: Ernie Banks, 1954 Topps
3B: Eddie Mathews, 1960 Topps
P: Warren Spahn, 1951 Bowman
C: Roy Campanella, 1953 Topps

[cgjackson222]

Agreed about '49 Leaf Ted Williams. One of the most beautiful cards ever.

Here's one I regret selling:

I also agree about the '51 Spahn. Here's one that arrived in the mail an hour ago.
(Sorry the pictures show up so big)

[David W]

St. Louis Cardinal's team for this timeframe. I put Torre and Boyer both on the team. They are the utility men. Boyer played Center Field his 3rd season and Torre played Catcher, 3rd and 1st.

Ozzie has to be here, even though he wasn't a Cardinal until after 1980.

The Mad Hungarian is the relief pitcher