An Ambitious Set that Nearly Pulls Off the Impossible – SABR’s Baseball Cards Research Committee

As loopy as such a factor would sound as we speak, it was even crazier in our pre-Web, pre-Stathead period: a set that includes each participant to ever play for or handle the Dodgers. This was 1990, and there was no merely means that I’m conscious of to even arrive at a guidelines, a lot much less observe down the images and biographical info such a set would require. In the end, the set fell in need of its purpose however not by a lot.

DISTRIBUTION

The 1990 Goal Dodgers a hundredth Anniversary set consists of a whopping 1,095 completely different playing cards, which had been launched as 73 completely different 15-card sheets, themselves packaged a bit inconsistently into (I imagine) six completely different 1990 promotional giveaways at Dodger Stadium. Each the sheets and the packages used skip numbering, the consequence being that, for instance, Moe Berg #48 and Hack Wilson #866 had been each given out the identical day.

SEQUENCING OF CHECKLIST

Nonetheless, that isn’t to say the numbering of the set was completely random. In reality, it progressed alphabetically from card #1 (Don Aase) by way of card #887 (Don Zimmer) earlier than wrapping up with three smaller runs, every alphabetical.

• Card #888 (Morrie Aderholt) #1101 (Albert Zachary)
• Card #1102 (Lefty Davis) to Card #1104 (Darby O’Brien)
• Card #1105 (Sheldon Lejeune)

Later on this article, I’ll consult with the primary (and largest) alphabetical sequence because the “Low Numbers” and subsequent sequence as “Excessive Numbers.”

CHECKLIST ODDITIES

The set additionally included a some quirks in its numbering scheme, whether or not the results of error or late additions/omissions to the guidelines. There are two playing cards every numbered 107 and 677, and there aren’t any playing cards in any respect numbered 408, 458, 463, 792, 902, 907, 969, 996, 1031, 1054, 1061, 1098.

COMPLETENESS OF CHECKLIST

For my cash, probably the most attention-grabbing query to ask in regards to the set is “How did they do?” In different phrases, how shut did Goal come to together with each eligible Dodger? With the assistance of Stathead and Baseball-Reference, I used to be in a position to determine this out 1,222 gamers and/or managers ought to have been eligible for the set, which coated the interval 1890-1989. With 1,095 represented, Goal’s success charge was 89.6%.

QUICK ASTERISK

In fact, the numbers above aren’t fairly actual, because of the set’s inaccurate inclusion of Frank Kane, numbered 997.

Although Goal included Kane as a 1915 Brooklyn Dodger (or Robin) when you like, he in reality spent the season with the Brooklyn Tip Tops of the Federal League. Taking this under consideration, a revised success charge for the set is now 1094/1222, which comes out to 89.5%.

LATE DROPS?

Although Goal whiffed on 128 “first century” Dodgers, the 12 numbers lacking from the largely alphabetical guidelines provide potential clues as to late drops from the set. Contemplate this a SABR Baseball Playing cards unique, as I don’t imagine anybody has recognized these topics till now.

• Card 408 – Pete Kilduff performed for the Dodgers from 1919-21 and is the one omitted participant who matches alphabetically between playing cards 407 (John Kennedy) and 409 (Newt Kimball).
• Card 458 – Corridor of Famer Ernie Lombardi performed for the Dodgers in 1931 and is the one omitted participant who matches alphabetically between playing cards 457 (Invoice Lohrman) and 459 (Vic Lombardi).
• Card 463 – Con Lucid performed for the Dodgers in 1894 and 1895 and is the one omitted participant who matches alphabetically between playing cards 462 (Ray Lucas) and 464 (Harry Lumley)
• Card 792 – Dick Teed performed for the Dodgers in 1953 and is the one omitted participant who matches alphabetically between playing cards 791 (Zack Taylor) and 793 (Chuck Templeton).
• Card 902 – There are a number of potentialities for this card, given the hole between playing cards 901 (Ralph Birkhofer) and 903 (Joe Bradshaw). I’d put my cash on (very) part-time 1948 supervisor Ray Blades since he’s the one Dodger supervisor not represented within the set. Nevertheless, different candidates embody Clarence Blethen (1929), Frank Bonner (1896), Bob Borkowski (1955), and Gibby Brack (1937-38).
• Card 907 – As there aren’t any lacking gamers, alphabetically, between card 906 (John Butler) and 908 (Child Carsey), no apparent reply involves thoughts. Nevertheless, this may be a good time to recall that the set included two card 107s. One was Leo Callahan, and the opposite was Gilly Campbell. I’d wager my stack of unused Goal reward playing cards that one among these gamers was imagined to be 907 and their card quantity was a easy typo.
• Card 969 – Bert Hamric performed for the 1955 Dodgers and is the one omitted participant who matches alphabetically between playing cards 968 (John Corridor) and 970 (Jimmie Hannivan).
• Card 996 – Jimmy Jordan performed for the Dodgers from 1933-36 and is the one omitted participant who matches alphabetically betweencards 995 (Dutch Jordan) and 997 (Frank Kane).
• Card 1031 – Both John McMakin (1902) or Frank McManus (1903) matches the hole between playing cards 1030 (Sadie McMahon) and 1032 (Tommy McMillan).
• Card 1054 – Dick Robertson performed for the Dodgers in 1918 and is the one omitted participant who matches alphabetically between playing cards 1053 (Gil Reyes) and 1055 (Lou Rochelli).
• Card 1061 – Doc Scanlan performed for the Dodgers from 1904-11 and is the one omitted participant who matches alphabetically between playing cards 1060 (Jack Savage) and 1062 (Ray Schmandt). Nevertheless, two different candidates are one-year wonders Al Scheer (1913) and Dutch Shliebner (1923).
• Card 1098 – Both Frank Wurm (1944) or Advert Yale (1905) matches the hole between playing cards 1097 (Zeke Wrigley) and 1099 (Rube Yarrison).

There’s nonetheless the query of why these gamers might have fallen off the guidelines. Usually, a consideration is licensing, however that appears an unlikely issue right here, aside from maybe Lombardi.

In some circumstances, the trigger might have been Goal’s incapability to discover a image of the participant. Nevertheless, a number of of the above gamers wouldn’t have been tough to trace down. (Observe that the set did not require gamers to be pictured as Dodgers.)

Lastly, one can think about that bookkeeping errors may need been in play, significantly given the dimensions of the guidelines and the probability of planners being fairly new to issues like spreadsheets again then.

LATE ADDS?

The 4 alphabetical runs (1-887, 888-1101, 1102-1104, 1105) that make up the guidelines counsel that the set was ready in 3-4 distinct batches. The primary sequence, which I’m calling Low Numbers, appears to incorporate nearly the entire “apparent” Dodgers whereas the remaining sequence (“Excessive Numbers”) appear to be crammed with a lot deeper cuts.

Whereas I don’t know the precise technique concerned in constructing out the general guidelines, I think about a phased strategy just like the next was used.

• Low numbers, 1-887: Compile record of names from assets resembling outdated Spalding Guides the place rosters are pretty thorough however not exhaustive.
• Excessive numbers, 888-1105: Cross-check in opposition to supplemental sources so as to add any lacking gamers.

Regardless of the technique, listed below are some stats that mirror important variations within the alternatives.

Studying down every column, the development goes from extra frequent to extra obscure.

MISSING SUBJECTS

Collectively, the set’s 128 lacking topics run the gamut from 1890 (Hub Collins) to 1989 (Mike Huff). Nevertheless, that’s not to say that the lacking gamers and managers are randomly distributed. Not surprisingly, omitted topics happen most steadily within the early many years. There’s additionally an uptick within the Forties that one would possibly attribute to the preponderance of subs and scrubs making large league golf equipment in the course of the second world warfare.

Whether or not the excessive omission charges of the early many years mirror gamers the Goal crew neglected or gamers for whom images proved tough is unknown. Very seemingly the reply includes a mixture of each.

OTHER COOL FINDINGS

For these thinking about such issues, there are in all probability different cool issues to be discovered about this spectacular set. When you’d prefer to not begin from scratch, be happy to mine my data, which I’ve organized right into a Google sheet.

Writer: jasoncards

I primarily take pleasure in writing about baseball and baseball playing cards, however I’ve additionally dabbled within the sparsely populated Isaac Newton buying and selling card humor style. As of January 2019 I am excited to be a part of the SABR Baseball Playing cards running a blog crew, and as of Could 2019 Co-Chair of the SABR Baseball Playing cards Analysis Committee.
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