Jason Schwartz recently had a post on this weblog that piqued my curiosity. He listed individuals who had playing cards in each the enduring T206 and 1933 Goudey units, after which the 1933 Goudey and 1952 Topps units (go take a look to see the answers!). One thing from that submit which got here to my thoughts instantly was two guys who’re in that 33 Goudey set, together with the 1955 Bowman set, however with a twist!
Now I do assume it’s cool that somebody made it on a card as each a participant and an umpire, to me the actual feat is making such totally different units as an energetic participant in every. The truth is, I’ve at all times been intrigued by gamers who had been represented throughout an unlimited array of producers—particularly when one wanted a prolonged taking part in profession to do exactly that.
For instance, had been there gamers who did seem in some Goudey problem and in some Topps problem as gamers in every? The reply is definitely sure. I do know of two: Bobby Doerr and Bob Feller, though costs have thus far stopped me from buying the 1938 Goudey Heads Up rookie playing cards of both. Are there different examples? It wouldn’t shock me, and if you recognize of any, I’d like to see that within the feedback under!
Who Spanned the Most?
Doerr and Feller every have fairly a distinction on this class of spanning producers of main, nationwide units. (What constitutes a “main, nationwide set”? Nicely I’ve my very own definition there, and it differs some from TCDB, however that’s a distinct submit.) Each Feller & Doerr present up within the 1941 Double Play set in addition to the 1949 Leaf set. Each are additionally represented in no less than one Bowman set. Each are within the 1952 Berk Ross set. We’re as much as six producers! Doerr additionally reveals up in all three of the Play Ball units from 1939-1941, whereas surprisingly, Feller doesn’t. In order that’s seven units for Doerr.
However wait, most likely my all-time favourite units of all are the Crimson Man playing cards from 1952-55. And sure, I take into account these to be “main, nationwide” units. And Feller has a 1952 Crimson Man card, in order that’s a seventh for him as effectively.
Put up-Struggle Units
Okay, that’s fairly good. Can we take this additional? Let’s have a look at the years between WWII and the Junk Wax period (I imply, let’s face it, within the 90s a man may seem on seven or extra producers in a single 12 months!). There have been 4 major gum producers in that postwar period, and all of them produced baseball playing cards at one time or one other: Topps, Bowman, Fleer, and Leaf. It’s a tricky trick for somebody to look in an everyday problem for all 4, as a result of Fleer had just one set of energetic gamers, and Leaf solely tried twice, a few years aside.
However apparently, there are two gamers who do seem for all 4 of Topps, Bowman, Fleer, and Leaf. The logical strategy right here is to search for gamers in each the 1960 Leaf and the 1963 Fleer units. If any of them had been within the bigs for ten years or so, they had been seemingly in a Bowman set. However as a result of each these Leaf & Fleer units are fairly small, there may be not a whole lot of overlap. There are veterans in every who’ve playing cards within the Bowman set, however just one overlaps all three (and clearly Topps). That’s Frank Lary, the “Yankee Killer” of the Tigers.
Nonetheless, Leaf additionally put out a set in 1949. May there be somebody from that set that lasted all the best way to 1963 to make Fleer’s set? The reply is sure! Warren Spahn seems in that 1949 Leaf set, in addition to the 1963 Fleer set. And he’s within the first six points from Bowman, and amazingly, the primary fifteen problems with Topps!
Nicely if Doerr and Feller may make units from seven producers, can Lary or Spahn? And even another person? There are different producers of what I take into account to be “main nationwide” units from the 60s, however not many. Put up cereal definitely put out units within the early 60s, and Kelloggs put out their 3D units within the early 70s. And don’t neglect the Hostess units of the mid-70s earlier than the Topps monopoly ended. What can we do with that?
Each Lary and Spahn had no less than one card produced throughout Put up’s three 12 months run. However that’s it for Lary. Spahn, nevertheless, can be within the 52 Berk Ross set, and a number of other of the Crimson Man units. So he truly matches the 7 producers of Doerr and Feller.
After I consider longevity of this period, I instantly consider Mays & Aaron. So let’s check out them. Initially, Hank Aaron’s profession span makes him the one participant to look in each a Bowman set, and a Hostess set. That’s an accomplishment in itself! Nonetheless, he was not in Fleer’s 1963 set, nor Leaf’s 1960 set and is surprisingly lacking from any of the Kelloggs units throughout his taking part in profession. So I’ve Aaron at solely 4 totally different main card producers.
Mays, nevertheless, comes nearer. His Bowman rookie card is among the true icons of the passion, and he was in 22 straight units for Topps as a participant. He’s additionally within the 1963 Fleer set, the Put up units, a number of Kelloggs units, and in addition three of the 4 Crimson Man units. In order that’s six producers for Willie. And simply earlier than sending this submit off to be revealed, I checked and realized Willie has a 1952 Berk Ross card. So Say Hey! Seven producers for Willie!
Maintain on although, I accumulate soccer playing cards too! And whereas a shorter soccer profession (particularly within the 60s) made issues more durable, there was a fifth gum maker who made soccer playing cards: Philadelphia Chewing Gum. There are a selection of men who managed to span Bowman, Topps, Fleer, and Philadelphia. My favourite, perhaps as a result of he has the identical final identify as the primary four-gum man we talked about, is Yale Lary.
However there’s one other four-gum combo in soccer. Fleer didn’t make a card of Jim Martin in 1961, their solely 12 months of manufacturing NFL playing cards, however Martin’s profession was so lengthy that he does seem within the 1948 Leaf soccer set. And he’s additionally within the 1965 Philadelphia set, in addition to two Bowman and two Topps units! Plus, he makes an look within the 1951 multi-sport Berk Ross set! Martin additionally reveals up in Put up’s lone enterprise into soccer in 1962 (as does Yale Lary), in order that makes six producers for footballer Jim Martin, and I can’t discover anyone to surpass that.
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