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200lbhockeyplayer
Active member
- Aug 10, 2008
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For those that collect players from the early 1930s, you’re probably familiar with this book. However, you’re probably more familiar to it in the standard red covered retail format if you own the book. Or simply the specific page of your guy. Countless copies have been chopped up and made into single sheets for sale.
Produced in 1933, this was the only year for the “Who’s Who In Baseball” to appear in hardback format. Why? It was extremely expensive to produce, and almost impossible for the common fan to purchase it. (IE: Great Depression, etc.) It featured full page write-ups of every Major Leaguer and most executives, with a few getting two-page treatment.
I, like many, previously purchased a page sheet for Dick Porter (former Orioles, Indian and Red Sox player and old friend of my dad and grandfather) a few years back for about $5. Regardless, I wanted a complete copy for my collection. Depending on condition, with the dust jacket or without…I figured I’d need to spend a few hundred to acquire a copy in complete, but poor condition.
Fast forward to a couple weeks ago…a player-owned copy appears on Ebay - noted by the different color of the cover and the gold embossed name in the lower right of the cover. The player? Dick Porter. My guy. THE guy I collect. Color me stoked. Buy It Now for $199? Ummm...yes please.
Sure, there’s a crease in the cover…but it is THE copy owned and delivered to THE guy I collect.
Ebay can blow me away sometimes.
Produced in 1933, this was the only year for the “Who’s Who In Baseball” to appear in hardback format. Why? It was extremely expensive to produce, and almost impossible for the common fan to purchase it. (IE: Great Depression, etc.) It featured full page write-ups of every Major Leaguer and most executives, with a few getting two-page treatment.
I, like many, previously purchased a page sheet for Dick Porter (former Orioles, Indian and Red Sox player and old friend of my dad and grandfather) a few years back for about $5. Regardless, I wanted a complete copy for my collection. Depending on condition, with the dust jacket or without…I figured I’d need to spend a few hundred to acquire a copy in complete, but poor condition.
Fast forward to a couple weeks ago…a player-owned copy appears on Ebay - noted by the different color of the cover and the gold embossed name in the lower right of the cover. The player? Dick Porter. My guy. THE guy I collect. Color me stoked. Buy It Now for $199? Ummm...yes please.
Sure, there’s a crease in the cover…but it is THE copy owned and delivered to THE guy I collect.
Ebay can blow me away sometimes.
