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Eddie Plank

Pitcher
  • Series: Pilgrims
  • City: Philadelphia
  • Team: Athletics (AL)
  • League: American League
  • Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame

Edward Stewart Plank (1875-1926) hurled more shutouts and complete games than any other lefthander in his 17-season career. He ranks behind only Warren Spahn and Steve Carlton among southpaws in wins. Signed by Connie Mack straight out of college, Plank never played a day in the minors. Playing in 4 Series for Philadelphia, Plank had an ERA of 1.32 but got no run support, going 2-5 but finishing all six of his starts.

  • His 326 wins ranks 13th on the all time list. He had eight 20-win seasons
  • At the end of his career, played for St. Louis in the Federal League’s final year in 1915 and then with the Browns for two more
  • Elected to Hall of Fame: 1946

Auction History

Cartophilia

T201 Mecca Canvas: Otis Johnson

Tom Poorman

Outfield
  • Series: Pioneer Portraits II: 1875-1899
  • City: Philadelphia
  • Team: Athletics (AA)
  • League: American Association

Thomas Iverson Poorman (1857-1905) was a pitcher/outfielder for five major-league teams from 1880-1888 with stints in the minors mixed in. His start in the pros was with the NL’s Buffalo Bisons, going the same season to the Chicago White Stockings. He played for the two New York entries in the Eastern Championship League in ‘81, the NY Metropolitans and New York New Yorks. He didn’t play the next year and went to Toledo in ‘83. The Blue Stockings advanced from the Northwestern League to the American Association in ‘84 so Tom got back to the big leagues. Poorman had brief turns with NL and AA clubs, leaving the Athletics for Western Assoc teams 1889-91. The lure of the diamond must have been strong as he made one last try with his hometown Lockhaven, PA Maroons after a five year absence from professional baseball, in 1897. He pitched in three of his ML campaigns, going 3-9 and had a career batting average of .244 in the majors.

  • During his short time with the New Yorks, Tom played with future Hall of Famer Dan Brouthers
  • Poorman might best be remembered today as the butt of a practical joke pulled off by the Goodwin editors on one of his four documented Old Judge cards. For pose 371-2, the Goodwin jokers make light of Tom's surname by identifying him as a "Poor Man."

Auction History

George Pinkney

Third Base
  • Series: Pioneer Portraits II: 1875-1899
  • City: Brooklyn
  • Team: Grays (AA)
  • League: American Association

George Burton Pinkney (1859-1926) was one of the American Association’s top hitters and baseball’s early Iron Men. Pinkney held the MLB record for consecutive innings played until overtaken by Cal Ripken Jr. in 1987. Pinkney’s color palette as a player ran to dark: Blue(s) (Cleveland), Gray(s) (Brooklyn), and Brown(s) St. Louis from 1884-93.

  • Twice led the AA in games played (’86 &’88)
  • Helped the Bridegrooms to the ’89 pennant in the AA and the ’90 title in the NL

Auction History

Andrew Peck

Pioneer
  • Series: Pioneer Portraits I: 1850-1874
  • City: New York

Andrew Peck (1836-1918) and his partner Walter Irving Snyder founded the first true sporting goods store in 1866 at 124-128 Nassau Street in New York City. The pair wanted to promote their business and thought trade cards might help. In 1869, this was a common technique for many retailers, but Peck and Snyder wanted something distinctive. They came up with the idea of using the image of Harry Wright’s nationally renowned new professional baseball squad, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, as their motif. A few versions were printed, the most prized of which today features the players in uniform and their names below the photo. No one could have known that this modest marketing scheme would pave the way for one of the great products and hobbies in American history, as Peck and Snyder unwittingly established a framework for the mass-produced baseball picture card. Following the Red Stockings release, the company issued cards featuring the hometown Mutuals and rival Chicago White Stockings in 1870. Other manufacturers soon followed suit and baseball cards became an advertising mainstay.

  • Peck posted inning-by-inning telegraph reports of the big game between the NY Mutuals and Wright’s club in 1870 to a fevered crowd of NY “cranks.” Final tally: Cincinnati 15, NY 12.
  • Peck started his business with ten cents to his name and died a rich man
  • Perhaps not rich enough to buy his own trade cards today though: a Peck & Snyder 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings card recently sold for $75,000

Auction History