The 1971 version, which this blog profiled recently, copied this set almost exactly, but inserted a 1904 "no series" card at #2. 1970's jump from 1903 to 1905 means everything in 1971 after #1 is one number higher, probably confusing collectors with cards from both years.
Fleer republished this World Series set from an original design by artist Bob Laughlin (1968 version #5 profile). His 1908 picture merges famed fielders Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, and Frank Chance into one number, a .345 batting average. Here's how the trio did individually in 1908's series.
- Tinker .263, .684 OPS, 1 HR, 2 steals
- Evers .350, .781 OPS, 2 steals
- Chance .421, .921 OPS, 5 steals
Player-manager Frank Chance's gap power, great speed (403 career steals), and good batting eye (~70 walks/year) made him Chicago's key player for most of their "championship decade" (titles in 1905, 1907, and 1908). Checking his career stats made me wonder--has another first baseman led their league in stolen bases twice?
Fans of double play combos like Tinker-Evers-Chance should read "A Record with Legs" by Bob Warrington, a nice profile of the 1949 Athletics, who own the season record with an amazing 217 twin-killings. A's first baseman Ferris Fain holds the top individual mark by being involved in 194 of them.
Value: World Series singles cost a dollar or two, plus a few dollars for cards with Babe Ruth or other superstars.
Fakes / reprints: The 1971 re-issue is a real set, so not exactly a reprint. Haven't seen any fakes in the market.
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