Category Baseball Greats

While playing a semipro game in the summer of 1948, a Yankee scout named Tom Greewade came to a game. Afterward, he excitedly approached Mantle and asked, “How would you like to play for the Yankees?!” Mickey Mantle has one…

Although there were plenty of opportunities to become a professional baseball player, there were no offers from any MLB teams. Not even a college scholarship offer. That was until Bill Wright, a scout for the Houston .45s noticed him. Joe…

Whitey Ford has one true rookie card. Card manufacturers skipped featuring him in any of their 1952 checklists but do feature him in their 1953 offerings. We’ll look at those too.

Bob Gibson has one true rookie card. We’ll be looking at his second-year card as well. But first, let’s look at the life and career of the Hoot.

With an invitation to tryout for both Chicago teams, Cubs and White Sox, Lou Brock impressed scouts and was offered contracts by both teams in 1960. Lou Brock has one true rookie card.

Tom Seaver has one true rookie card and no parallels, we’ll be looking at his second and third-year cards too! But first, allow me to begin with a most bizarre Draft story.

With their pick in the 12th Round of the 1965 MLB June Amateur Draft, the New York Mets selected Nolan Ryan from Alvin High School in Alvin, TX. He has two true rookie cards, and two rookie-year cards.

With the 2nd overall pick in the 1st Round of the 1966 MLB June Amateur Draft, the Kansas City Athletics selected Reggie Jackson from Arizona State University. He has one official rookie card.

With their pick in the 2nd Round of the 1984 MLB June Amateur Draft, the Chicago Cubs selected Greg Maddux from Valley High School in Las Vegas, NV. Greg Maddux has four true rookie cards.

With their pick in the 2nd Round of the 1985 MLB June Amateur Draft, the Montreal Expos selected Randy Johnson from the University of Southern California. The Big Unit has 7 true rookie cards along with 2 parallels and another…

Larry Walker never entered an MLB Draft. No teams showed any interest, except one. A scout from the Montreal Expos signed him as a free agent on November 14, 1984. Larry Walker has 8 true rookie cards and 3 rookie…

With the 6th overall pick of the 1st Round in the 1992 MLB June Amateur Draft, the New York Yankees selected Derek Jeter from Central High School in Kalamazoo, MI. Jeter has 8 true rookie cards and 5 parallels.

Tony Oliva was signed as a free agent in 1961 by the Minnesota Twins and debuted on September 9, 1962, against the Detroit Tigers. Tony Oliva has one true rookie card.

With the 7th overall pick, in the 1st Round of the 1989 MLB Amateur Draft, the Chicago White Sox selected Frank Thomas from Auburn University. He has 6 official rookie cards, two rookie parallels, and one of the most iconic…

With the 20th Overall Pick in the 1st Round of the 1990 MLB June Amateur Draft, the Baltimore Orioles selected Mike Mussina from Standford University. Mike Mussina has four true rookie cards with zero parallels.

With the 17th Overall Pick of the 1st Round in the 1995 MLB June Amateur Draft, the Toronto Blue Jays selected Roy Halladay from Arvada West High School in Arvada, CO. He has 3 true rookie cards and 6 parallels.

Edgar Martinez was not involved in any type of MLB Draft. Instead, he was approached by a Mariners Scout at a tryout and offered a minor league contract in 1982. He accepted and spent the next seven years in the…

Mariano Rivera was never in any MLB Amateur Draft, instead, he was signed by the Latin America Scout for the New York Yankees in 1990 for a modest amount of money. Mariano Rivera has one true rookie card and zero…

Willie McCovey had a friend whose brother knew a guy, that was a baseball scout for the New York Giants. In 1954, this friend of a friend invited Willie to a tryout. Wille debuted in the MLB on July 30,…

While still in high school Ted Williams signed his first MLB contract with the San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League. Wasn’t long after high school he caught the attention of the Boston Red Sox. Ted Williams has one…

The Dodgers, Pirates, and Braves entered a bidding war for the rights to sign Sandy Koufax, but on December 14, 1954, Sandy Koufax opted to sign with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He never spent a day in the minors, and he…

Red Schoendienst has one true rookie card. In 1942, while working at Scott Field in Belleville, Illinois Red heard that the Cardinals were holding tryouts and those who tried out for the team would be allowed to watch a Cardinals…

With their pick in the 3rd Round of the 1981 MLB June Amateur Draft the San Diego Padres selected, Tony Gwynn from San Diego State University. Tony Gwynn has four true rookie cards.

With the 20th Pick of the 11th Round in the 1989 MLB June Amateur Draft, the Cincinnati Reds selected Trevor Hoffman from the University of Arizona. Trevor Hoffman has one true rookie card.

With their pick in the 13th Round of the 1989 MLB June Amateur Draft, the Cleveland Indians selected Jim Thome out of Illinois Central College. Jim Thome has two true rookie cards.

The Los Angeles Dodgers passed. The Texas Rangers also passed. But Montreal Expos scout Fred Ferreira offered Vladimir a tryout. The result? On February 24, 1993, Vladimir Guerrero signed with the Montreal Expos. Vladimir Guerrero has two true rookie cards.

With their 1st Pick in the 1st Round of the 1990 MLB June Amateur Draft, the Atlanta Braves selected Chipper Jones from The Bolles High School. Chipper Jones has five true rookie cards and two parallels.

With their pick in the 2nd Round of the 1976 MLB June Amateur Draft, the Detroit Tigers selected Alan Trammell from Kearny High School in San Diego, CA. Alan Trammell has one true rookie card and one Whopper of a…

With their pick in the 5th Round of the 1976 MLB June Amateur Draft, the Detroit Tigers selected Jack Morris from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Jack Morris has one true rookie card and one Whopper of a food…

An All-Star ballplayer at Fremont High School in Los Angeles, CA. Bobby Doer was quickly signed as a 16 year old by the Hollywood Sheiks. By 1934, the Boston Red Sox picked up the option for Doerr’s contract. Bobby Doerr…

With their pick in the 1st Round of the 1987 MLB June Amateur Draft, the Houston Astros selected Craig Biggio from Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ. Craig Biggio has 5 true rookie cards and 2 pre-rookie cards.

What some may find shocking is that Roberto Clemente started his pro career by signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers on February 19, 1954, and by April of the following year, he was traded to the Pittsburg Pirates. He has one…

Edward Barrow is the gentlemen responsible for noticing the talent of Honus Wagner. Realizing that Honus had what it took for the Big Leagues he contacted Louisville, Colonels, and Honus was signed in 1897. Honus Wagner has one official rookie…

Baseball at the turn of the century was a sport with a tarnished image. It was a sport known for the lazy and uneducated, men who spent their time gambling, boozing, or womanizing. Christy Mathewson has three cards inside the…

Walter Johnson joined the Washington Senators in July of 1907 and supposedly signed a contract that paid him $450 a month. A very large sum of money for any ballplayer in this era. He debuted on August 2, 1907, in…

With their pick in the 4th Round of the 1989 MLB Amateur Draft, the Boston Red Sox selected Jeff Bagwell from the University of Hartford. Jeff Bagwell has 9 true rookie cards, 1 rookie parallel, and 2 rookie year chase…

With their pick in the 5th Round of the 1977 MLB June Amateur Draft, the Montreal Expos selected Tim Raines from Seminole High School in Sanford, FL. Tim Raines has 3 true rookie cards and 1 rookie-year card.

At the young age of 16 Ivan Rodriguez signed a contract with the Rangers in 1988. He excelled and developed quickly which led to his ML Debut in Chicago on June 20, 1991. Ivan Rodriguez has 7 true rookie cards…

With their pick in the 62nd Round of the 1988 MLB Amateur Draft, the Los Angeles Dodgers selected Mike Piazza from Miami-Dade College. Mike Piazza has two true rookie cards.

An ornery young boy was sent to live at a Catholic School. He was raised by a priest who taught him the game of baseball, having little to no social skills he quickly became a diamond in the rough. Babe…

Playing for the Augusta Tourist in the South Atlantic League in 1904, the Detroit Tigers exercised their option and purchased Cobb for $700 in 1905. Ty Cobb has one true rookie card.

With the 1st Overall Pick in the 1st Round of the 1987 MLB June Amateur Draft, the Seattle Mariners selected Ken Griffey Jr. from Archbishop Moeller High School in Cincinnati, OH. Ken Griffey Jr has six true rookie cards, and…