Mathews was clearly the best all time 3b in 1976. You could also make a case that Yogi Berra should have been the catcher instead of Mickey Cochrane. Willie Mays instead of Cobb.

It seemed like they wanted to keep it pre-1950 for less controversy, people tend to be less passionate over players that played many years they were born.

I remember even as a kid thinking that Williams kind of looked out of place with all of these really old players. I never liked the set as a kid. I never cared for the old B&W photos and these players meant nothing to me as a 10 year old. I remember trading the Ty Cobb to a neighborhood kid, who pronounced his name as “Ty CUBB” for a ’76 Jon Matlack.

As far as Trynor goes, he was the best pre-1950 3B by default. But like you said, by today’s measurements he doesn’t stand up. He ranks 323rd in all time WAR, roughly Carney Lansford if you want a modern-day 3b comparison.

It’s true everything was batting average-focused back then, but I’d have to say Eddie Mathews was pretty clearly a better choice, even then. Pie Traynor? Gosh. It’s funny how the 3B position has changed over time. Before Mathews it was more like today’s 2B, at least as far as offensive expectations from what I can see.

In any case, those Sporting News cards sparked my interest in the history of the game, and I’ll always look on them fondly for that.

It’s hard, looking back, to understand Traynor. But I guess two points in Topps’s defense. First, they were not the only ones to list Traynor as the all-time 3B. Bill James, in his original Historical Baseball Abstract, traces the history of the “greatest ever 3B” label, and for about 25 years Traynor was the guy. Until Schmidt came along to wrest the title.

Second, there isn’t an obvious better answer. The guy who gets shafted is Eddie Mathews. From a modern sabermetric perspective, he’s probably the best ever before Schmidt, but the uber-focus on batting average that persisted in the 1970s unfairly left him out of the discussion. Who are the other candidates? Home Run Baker? Jimmy Collins? Ron Santo? Harlond Clift? Traynor is probably as good a candidate as any – given the state of analysis as it was then.

(BTW, the lineup had: Lou Gehrig, Rogers Hornsby, Honus Wagner, Pie Traynor, Ted Williams, Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Lefty Grove and Walter Johnson. Pie Traynor?? You’ve got to be bleeping kiddin’ me!)

I know its none of my business, but throughout these posts I’ve wondered if Abby is now Mrs. Josh.

And happy birhtday. Roughtly seven months until my odometer rolls over to 40.

And I’m terrified now that Richie Hebner will show up in my dreams.

happy birthday, Josh

rgds
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