Cooperstown Cardboard: My Baseball Hall Of Famer base card collection

As promised here's a look at all of the base cards of Hall Of Fame Baseball players in my star player box. I already used The Script/will.i.am track "Hall Of Fame" in a previous post, so here's some classic Bowie instead:

Or how about some Fall Out Boy? If you follow my personal blog you know I'm a huge FOB fan.

Now let's get to the cards.... I sorted through every baseball card and divided them into three piles: Hall Of Famers, Retired Greats, and Current Stars. I scanned a few of my favorites, starting with the very first card in the box - this 1980 Topps Phil Niekro:

Some assorted early 80's stars, including second year cards of Ripken and Gwynn.

I found these next two cards on COMC, they're from a 1983 Homeplate set called "The Al Kaline Story"

Some cards from 1986, the first year I started collecting. I don't remember where I got the Leaf Molitor - grab bag, maybe?

Rod Carew's 'sunset' card. I must have had a dozen of these as a kid.

 

I've contemplated starting the 1990 Leaf set; I already have graded RC's of Frank Thomas, Sammy Sosa, and Larry Walker - but only a few base cards besides the Ripken and Brett. One day, perhaps.

My brother-in-law asked me to sell his 1991 Conlon Collection set on eBay. Instead I gave him $10 and sold the singles on COMC - but I kept a couple for myself.

 

I'll spare you the early 90's junk wax you've probably seen in your sleep - and skip ahead to this electric Eddie Murray card:

 

 I have a Ted Williams card!!! ... of Walter Johnson (or: I have a Walter Johnson card!!!)

 

Why yes, I have a few Ken Griffey Jr. cards. Not as many as Corky at Pack War... but a few.

 

 I wish Topps would scrap those High Tek cards and revisit the HD set.

Here's a black and white Babe from Black Diamond:

 

 And a purple and white Randy Johnson from SP Authentic:

 

 This is one of my favorites in the stack. Ya gotta love that view of Camden Yards.

 

 A few HOFers from 2002 Topps Pristine, one of my favorite sets ever:

 

And a few of my Fleer Greats. I don't love the fact that George Kell gets star treatment in the box while my Roger Maris card sits among the commons... but rules are rules.

 

There's no disputing The Mick's place in my star box:

 

 Or Stan The Man:

 

Or Mr. Cub:

 This Honus Wagner kind of looks like a parallel, but it's a base card... I think.

We'll end this scan-fest with some of my newest additions: 2016 Topps Archives and Bunt:

Here's a complete list of every HOF player in the box, and how many cards I have of that player. I might use this as a checklist at some point, if I ever fully commit to collecting one card of all 217 Major League players in the Hall. (please note: this list does not include inserts, parallels, rookie cards, memorabilia, autographs, graded singles, Red Sox cards, or Robin Yount - another PC collection. I really need to expand my wantlist/current projects page.)

Hank Aaron (5)
Roberto Alomar (9)

Luis Aparicio (1)
Luke Appling (1)
Ernie Banks (3)
Johnny Bench (3) 
Craig Biggio (9)
Bert Blyleven (1)
Wade Boggs (6)
George Brett (32)
Lou Brock (1)
Jim Bunning (1)
Rod Carew (2)
Steve Carlton (4)
Gary Carter (4)
Roberto Clemente (1)
Andre Dawson (8)
Dennis Eckersley (8)
Bob Feller (3)
Rollie Fingers (1)
Carlton Fisk (7)
Whitey Ford (1) 
Lou Gehrig (2)
Bob Gibson (2)
Tom Glavine (9)
Rich Gossage (2)
Ken Griffey, Jr. (42)
Tony Gwynn (15)
Rickey Henderson (6)
Rogers Hornsby (1)
Carl Hubbell (1)
Reggie Jackson (1)
Randy Johnson (21)
Walter Johnson (1)
Al Kaline (4)
George Kell (2)
Harmon Killebrew (1)
Barry Larkin (6)
Tony Lazzeri (1)
Greg Maddux (8)
Mickey Mantle (3)
Juan Marichal (1)
Pedro Martinez (22)  
Eddie Mathews (1)
Willie Mays (4)
Bill Mazeroski (1)
Willie McCovey (2)
Paul Molitor (8)
Eddie Murray (11)
Stan Musial (4)

Phil Niekro (1)
Jim Palmer (3)
Gaylord Perry (1)
Mike Piazza (14)

Kirby Puckett (9)

Cal Ripken, Jr. (26)
Brooks Robinson (5)
Frank Robinson (2)

Jackie Robinson (4)
Babe Ruth (4)
Nolan Ryan (9)
Ryne Sandberg (6)
Ron Santo (1)
Mike Schmidt (10)
Red Schoendienst (1)
Tom Seaver (1)

Al Simmons (1)
Ozzie Smith (7)
John Smoltz (9)
Duke Snider (2)
Warren Spahn (1)
Bruce Sutter (2)
Frank Thomas (16)
Honus Wagner (2)
Dave Winfield (7)
Robin Yount (71 - PC player)

And I just realized something while doing this - I don't have any Hall of Fame managers in the star box. I have HOF head coaches in my football box though.

If you've read this far, I'd be happy to hear your thoughts:  Should I include managers in the box, or keep the "star player" box players only?

In my next post I'll look at the retired stars who are not in the Hall of Fame. Then maybe we'll decide the fate of my Roger Maris card.
 

What Hall of Fame players do you collect? And how do you store and/or separate your base cards?



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