For whom would you make the plunge?

Boopotts

I've never started a registered player set, and my guess is that I never will. Still, I think it's a great idea, and from time to time I loosely entertain the notion. Which got me to thinking; if I was going to start four player sets, one for each sport, which players would I pick? The obvious answer is to just pick your favorite player from each sport, and at first I thought this is what I'd do. But the more I thought about it, the more clear it became to me that I probably wouldn't do this. I can't explain why, only that the idea of starting a registered set of my favorite player just seemed kind of.. well, I don't know-- kind of boring. Instead, I think I'd probably pick players who I don't really know much about, but who for some reason have always intrigued me.

Anyway, here are my four. For the purposes of this thread I decided not to include price considerations, or expected return at resale. Just the players who, for whatever irrational reason, I'd like to have a bunch of cards of.

Hockey: Joe Sakic. My favorite hockey player is probably Yzerman, but I love watching Sakic play. If not Sakic, then probably Daryl Sittler.

Football: Kenny Stabler. There's something mysterious about those old Raider teams. Plus I like that a guy can be nick named 'The Snake' without having a rhyming first name. I was born in '72, so I don't know anything about Stabler, but he's always fascinated me. The fact that he went to Alabama is also a plus, although I can't explain why.

Basketball: This one is tres tough for me, since I'm not a huge basketball guy (although it's the only sport for which I can actually sit through an entire regular season game even when I have no interest in the teams playing-- go figure). My favorite hoops player of all time is probably Dumars, but I think I'd go with George Gervin.

Baseball: Brooks Robinson. As with Stabler I know next to nothing about him, except that I love his '57 Topps card. Also he had a winning smile-- only Ernie Banks, IMO, looked like a nicer guy in his pictures. A close second would be Christy Mathewson, but only because I love his T-205 card. I don't care for his T 206's; if I did, he'd probably make it to the top of the list. Harmon Killebrew gets honorable mention.

Anyway, I'd be curious to learn if anyone else has considered-- or even begun-- putting together a player set of someone whose career they didn't really follow or know much about, or who played for a team they have no interest in. I recognize that none of this makes any sense, but hey-- such are the vagaries of sports fandom. I remember rooting passionately for the Pacers in the mid 90's, but only because I was suddenly seized by a deep and sincere appreciation for the talents of Derek McKey. Sometimes we find ourselves intrigued by the career of an athlete, although even the most introspective amongst us can't unearth the genesis of our fascination. I guess that's one of the reasons we keep watching.

goodriddance189

i don't like the Habs
i never saw Jacques Plante play
i've seen maybe 5 minutes of video of him in my life.

yet i collect anything of him i can find

ydsotter

The player sets appeal to me for a variety of reasons~
I do player sets because I am somewhat of a minimaist and detest accumulating or acquiring things that have no sentimental or intrinsic value.

I am virtually finished with walt frazier, earl monroe and connie hawkins... and working on willis reed, debusschere, bradley and dr. j...

also working on reggie jackson, thurman munson, ron guidry and carl yastrzemski...


with the baseball, I am old enough to have seen these guys play and collected their cards as a kid. they were my favorite cards as a kid... and it's satisfying to collect them now.

with basketball, I am too young to have appreciated their careers...
I am intrigued by their historical significance, legend and significance to the franchise they played for.

I have tried set collecting but easily burned out while confronting the enormity of the sets... plus, I didn't get excited accumulating "commons" or guys I had no interest in...

Hall of fame sets, rookie cards and star cards in general overwhelmed me.
I found myself so overwhelmed at the prospect of having to own a card of every player I liked... and how would I ever afford a babe ruth or george mikan?

so, I guess it's a matter of what excites you personally.

having every walt frazier in psa 8/9 is more exciting and inspiring for me than have a little of this and a little of that...

it's easier to organize in my mind and keeps me focused... since I started player set collecting, I find that I resell my cards much less...

I should also mention that I am the kind of screwball that drinks out of his favorite mug, hates door left ajar and has his sock drawer organized...
just kidding... but almost!

invader73

I collect Matt Williams (3B Giants, Indians, Diamondbacks) cards and stuff for no other reason than we share the same name.






Matt Williams

MrMoo

Steve McMichael (Mongo) I don't know what a PSA 10 RC would go for. But I'd pay like $10.

helionaut

If I ever finish my 75 set, I'd like to get into player sets. The variety of sets they cover and relatively small size is appealing to me at this point. I've got around 900 Frank Thomas (current one) cards that I wouldn't mind getting encapsulated. I doubt I'll ever do it, but I do check ebay periodically to see if there are any floating around. I'm working on a registry project of a common player that I'll register once I reach a certain point. But I would like to do Sandy Koufax, Richie Ashburn, and Roberto Clemente. And Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton and Brooks Robinson. And J. R. Richard and Eric Lindros and Mark Prior and Albert Pujols and Mickey Mantle, too.

Futureman

Hockey: Chris Chelios
Football: Walter Payton or Jim McMahon
Baseball: Ryne Sandberg or Gary Scott (heh)
Basketball: Bernard King

1420sports

I am a big fan and collector of player sets. I am currently working on Pete Rose, Mike Schmidt, Luzinski, Ashburn and Robin Roberts. I picked those guys because of their Phillies careers, but in the case of Rose, Schmidt and the Bull those were the players I watched growing up. I have always been a player collector rather than a set collector even before the registry.

I say go for it, as it certainly is not boring. Check out some of the Player Sets that are registered and I am sure you will feel the same way.

goodriddance189

oh i almost forgot. i'm doing a George Brett player set, although i never remotely followed him during his career. not sure why i picked him, probably cause i can pick up 9's for $5 each. plus i love the 80's KC uni's.

i'm thinking about starting a Ryne Sandberg set as well. he used to be my favorite player in 91 (i still remember Harry Caray screaming "there's a drive, way back, waaaaay back, it's goooone! homerun Ryno!), but i havent followed him in over a decade

67standup

I chose Yaz once and got up to 1300+ DIFFERENT items, but there was no finish line. I wouldn't select someone from too long ago since many of the items are scarce or we don't have documentation on many others. I wouldn't select someone from very modern era, as there are a plethora of cards issued after 1986. I've generally been intrigued by the following:

Football - Earl Campbell. Billy Sims as runner-up
Hockey - Gary Cheevers
Basketball - World B. Free (new era, but not too many cards produced)
Baseball - Garvey, Carlton

Gee, was I influenced by the '70s?

magellan

I have a Yaz set started but it's just the basic for now , if I were to do another BB player it would have to be George Brett; Hockey : Cam Neely or Ray Bourque Basketball : Larry Bird Football: not really a favorite player there although I'm pretty partial to Johnny Unitas.

There are many players who have piqued my interest over the years for various reasons some of whom are Ron Santo, Willie McCovey, Guy Lafleur, etc. The players you liked from childhood seem to retain that aura of greatness where some of the modern players get tarnished through the media whether it's deserved or not.

Dave

Fabfrank

I'm currently workingon many player sets that I don't have on the registry. The reason is that I do these sets in PSA and SGC and don't find the need to crossover the cards for the registry. That being said my two favorite would be:
Baseball- Thurman Munson- my all-time favorite Yankee. Runner up- Don Mattingly

Football- Mark Bavaro- I still picture the game he took Ronnie lott and half the 49'ers defense for a ride. Runner up- Earl Campell- Great combination of speed and punishing power.
Honorable Mention- Ken Burrough- as a kid I thought he was the most complete receiver (until J. Rice came along) and took his double 00 as my number.

vikesfan40

Fran Tarkenton- Nobody was ever more fun to watch.

John Unitas- The crewcut, the high tops, tough as nails and smooth as silk.

Joe Montana- Cool precision- he cut your heart out like a surgeon.

Jim Brown- the best ever- period

Barry Sanders- see Tarkenton

Hank Aaron- take away every homerun you still got 3000+ hits.

Harmon Killebrew- raw power and a great personality

Willie Mays- Had everything

Babe Ruth- the best ever period- I wish I could afford to collect him. At least I have a game used bat card.