Vintage Card Of The Month

I decided to start off the New Year with something old. I love history which has led me to being a vintage collector. Over that time I have picked up a number of cards from various sets like T206 and Topps All-American. Most of the players are commons but to me each card has a history and that is what interests me. 

The first card I will post is my favorite from my T206 collection, Eddie Cicotte. The card is graded by ASA, a company known for coin grading, as a 6-NM. The card is centered nicely. The back is Piedmont and besides “SPECIAL” stamped on the back it is as nice as the front. Cicotte was playing for Boston at the time of the card but he is best known for his time with the Chicago White Sox (1912-1920) because of the “Black Sox” scandal when Chicago players threw the 1919 World Series.

Most people know of him because of the scandal but they do not realize that he was an exceptional pitcher at times and may have possibly made it to the HOF had he remained in peak performance. His best years were clearly his time with the White Sox in 1917 and 1919.

In 1917 he went 28-12(1st), 1.53 ERA (1st) and 150 SO (2nd) he threw a no-hitter and won the World Series he even earned 4 Saves too. In 1919 he went 29-7(1st), 1.82 ERA(2nd) and 110 SO (7th) including 30 Complete Games plus 1 Save and he made it to the World Series but lost after going 1-2 in his 3 Series games. To add to his list of accomplishments he won the 1914 AL MVP Award. His lifetime ERA is 2.82 putting him at 24th overall on the Top 100 ERA list.

Because of his lifetime ban he is not eligible to appear in any licensed sets but Tri-Star remedied that this past year when his card was included in the 2010 Obak set with a base card and a cut-signature in the autograph checklist.