Seeking collector advice for my ultimate goal

[Das]

Hey guys,

I'm working on an insurmountable goal to get a rookie card of every player in the NFL Hall of Fame. I've been working on this goal for 5 years and I'm about halfway done - I know I won't be done anytime soon (Guys like Namath, Thorpe and Nagurski will require me to use my recently acquired degree to get higher income before I can chase those) - But i've hit a roadblock.

Several players from the Pre-Modern Era - don't have "Traditional" rookie cards.

For example....Tim Mara has a card in 1988 Swell, and 1991 Enor - According to the PSA/DNA set registry most "sets" of hall of fame rookies seem to consider the Enor release as the rookie card - however wouldn't the swell meet the requirements of a national release and officially licensed product?

Another Example is Bill Walsh - He makes an appearance on the 1982 Fleer set in a locker room photo at halftime - but his first card of just him is 1989 Pro Set.

Curly Lambeau and John McNally also have Swell/Enor Cards - but have cards in the 60's Stancraft "playing cards" (Literally a deck of cards with players on them).

Which Ones would be considered the "rookie" card of those players.

Also - Ralph Wilson Jr, doesn't appear to of had a card made...at all. Does anyone know of one?

Thanks
~Das

 

[Ryo1549]

Hey guys,

I'm working on an insurmountable goal to get a rookie card of every player in the NFL Hall of Fame. I've been working on this goal for 5 years and I'm about halfway done - I know I won't be done anytime soon (Guys like Namath, Thorpe and Nagurski will require me to use my recently acquired degree to get higher income before I can chase those) - But i've hit a roadblock.

Several players from the Pre-Modern Era - don't have "Traditional" rookie cards.

For example....Tim Mara has a card in 1988 Swell, and 1991 Enor - According to the PSA/DNA set registry most "sets" of hall of fame rookies seem to consider the Enor release as the rookie card - however wouldn't the swell meet the requirements of a national release and officially licensed product?

Another Example is Bill Walsh - He makes an appearance on the 1982 Fleer set in a locker room photo at halftime - but his first card of just him is 1989 Pro Set.

Curly Lambeau and John McNally also have Swell/Enor Cards - but have cards in the 60's Stancraft "playing cards" (Literally a deck of cards with players on them).

Which Ones would be considered the "rookie" card of those players.

Also - Ralph Wilson Jr, doesn't appear to of had a card made...at all. Does anyone know of one?

Thanks
~Das

I think you should go with what most people say are the rookie cards. However if they aren't too terribly expensive you could get both and just explain that in your collection. I think the only thing Ralph Wilson has is that goal line art card.

 

[JoshHamilton]

The only reason to pay attention to what others consider rookie cards is if you're doing a PSA Registry set and you have to add cards that fit in their set. Otherwise, what is or isn't a "rookie card" is up to you.

I personally don't see how either 1988 Swell or 1991 Enor can be considered Mara's rookie. Both were issued well after he ran the Giants. Hell, they were issued 30 years after his death. But that's just me. I'd try to pick up a players' earliest card - screw whether Beckett or PSA recognize it as a true RC. So yeah, give me a lambeau Stancraft from the 60's over a tribute "RC" from the 80's. Try to pick up Exhibits from the 40's, which were issued years before Bowman and Leaf (and also cheaper). Or Wheaties cutout cards from the 30's (I think Baugh has one). Don't limit your collection to what PSA or Beckett tells you to buy

 

[JoshHamilton]

Here are two example of players who have unrecognized rookie cards issued long before their Beckett/PSA recognized rookies

Red Grange. His "official" RC is 1933 Goudey Sport Kings. Beckett lists it as a RC, which is funny because it breaks THEIR OWN rule that RC's cannot come from multiplayer sets. He has several 1926 Shotwell cards that predate is Sport Kings by 7 years. Give me one of those any day of the week.

Benny Friedman. Both Beckett and PSA consider the 1955 Topps All American his RC, even though 1. It was issued after he retired, 2. He has a nationally released card that was issued during his playing career, and 3. PSA even grades that card...but doesn't allow it in their HOF RC set. The 1926 Spalding Champions.

Don't listen to PSA or Beckett. They're inconsistent, hypocritical, and frankly clueless

 

[Brad]

I don't think I would consider playing cards as cards, but a part of me would want something that is from the 60s rather than 90s.

Like they said, find what you like. I would prefer the older cards and consider them rookies.

 

[Zeeck]

Red Grange. His "official" RC is 1933 Goudey Sport Kings. Beckett lists it as a RC, which is funny because it breaks THEIR OWN rule that RC's cannot come from multiplayer sets. He has several 1926 Shotwell cards that predate is Sport Kings by 7 years. Give me one of those any day of the week.

While this is true, there were two different 1926 Shotwell Grange sets. One that just featured Grange was a 12 card set and was only printed on paper, not card stock. There was also a 24-card set, but that was based on the movie "One Minute to Go." Although it was printed on card stock, it was not exactly a "football card."

I would love to have any of those Shotwells, but I also would not call them "rookie cards"

 

[Das]

I thank you for your insight and I kind of agree with you - going for the "official" rookies in the case of the Enor guys was sort of lackluster. Online those cards are beyond cheap (Swell and Enor boxes ran under $20 total), and building those two sets felt fairly lame.

I was unaware after doing some research that Fleer did a HOF Set in the 70's - which does cover some of the Enor guys or at least give me something that feels vintage. But was wondering if you had a checklist for the Exhibit/shotwell sets (I have only found partial listings so far online). I'm not familiar with the sets you have listed, but will certainly try to look them up and see if I can find anything for more vintage for the Enor Guys..Police Sets, anything thats cardboard would be great... I'll post this list - and see what I can find in the meantime!

The guys who are recognized with an ENOR rookie are.
Red Badgro
Bert Bell
Charles Bidwell
Joe Carr
Guy Chamberlin
Jimmy Conzelman
Paddy Driscoll
Ray Flaherty
Dan Fortman
Joe Guyon
Ed Healy
Arnie Herber
Bill Hewitt
Cal Hubbard
Lamar Hunt
George Preston Marshall
Walt Kiesling
Tuffy Leemans
Link Lyman
Tim Mara
Mike Michalske
George Musso
Earl Greasy Neale
Hugh "Shorty" Ray
Dan Reeves
Art Rooney
Pete Rozelle
George Trafton
Bill Willis

The following coaches/admins have sort of sad "official" rookies that I would love to find an update for...
Tex Schramm - 1990 Pro Set
John Blood McNally - 1963 Stancraft
Curly Lambeau - 1963 Stancraft 6 of Spades
George Allen - 1994 Ted Williams
Al Davis - 1990 Pro Set
Weeb Ewbank - 1990 Pro Set
Joe Gibbs - 1989 Pro Set
Bud Grant - 2005 UD Legends
Marv Levy - 1989 Pro Set
John Madden - 1994 Ted Williams
Wellington Mara - 1991 Pro Set
Chuck Noll -1989 Pro Set
Fritz Pollard - 2005 topps
Dan Rooney - 2005 Topps
Bill Walsh - 1982 Fleer