Rookie cards from the non major sports

eagles33

I have posted this before on the psa board but figured some people here might find it interesting. I grew up collecting football cards. Mostly 80s and early 90s. i got back into the hobby a few years ago and just started picking up rookie cards i never got when i was a kid. I never got into the modern inserts and can't keep track of trillion different sets that come out so pretty much just look to pick up topps or topps chrome rookie cards. Anyways.. with ebay collecting became pretty easy. I could pretty much find any card im looking for on any given day on ebay. It was just a matter if i wanted to spend the money or not. I got a little board with it so I started looking for superstars from sports that are not as popular. I'm not even a big fan of most of these sports but like the idea of getting the "rookies" of the greatest in all these different sports. I tried to get representation from all different sports. its been pretty fun putting this together. Just wondering what people thought of the checklist and to see if i was missing anyone obviouse. popularity kinda trumped actually performance.. like Roddick making list for tennis.. I'm sure there are better but not as popular. Someday I'll get around to adding scans of the one I have. Im close to getting all of these... But I'm constantly adding to it.

Images for most are posted here

Bowling
Player Year Set
Don Carter 1972 PBA Tour Bowler Photos
Dick Weber 1972 PBA Tour Bowler Photos
Pete Weber 1990 Kingpins PBA

Boxing
John Sullivan 1887 Allen & Ginter
Jack Johnson 1909 Ogdens
Jack Dempsey 1922 Felix Potin
Joe Louis 1935 United Tobacco
Sugar Ray Robinson 1948 Leaf
Rocky Marciano 1951 Topps Ringside
Muhammad Ali 1965 Lampo - has other earlier issues that are hand cut or over sized.. but this is my personal pick. More info here Ali Rookie Thread
Sonny Liston 1966 Panini Campioni Dello Sport
Joe Frazier 1964 Bobbie Bubble Gum Tokio
Roberto Duran 1973 Panini Campioni Dello Sport
George Foreman 1973 Panini Campioni Dello Sport
Sugar Ray Leonard 1981 Panini Sport Superstars
Mike Tyson 1986 Panini Supersport Italian
Evander Holyfield 1986 Browns Boxing
Roy Jones Jr. 1991 Kayo
Floyd Mayweather Jr. 1997 Brown's Boxing
Manny Pacquiao 1999 Word Boxing

Golf
Walter Hagen 1926 Spalding Champions
Bobby Jones 1926 Lambert & Butler Robert T.
Ben Hogan 1951 Berk Ross
Arnold Palmer 1965 Bancroft Tiddlers Giants Of Sport
Jack Nicklaus 1971 Barratt & Co Famous Sportsmen
Payne Stewart 1983 Miller Press
Greg Norman 1986 Panini Supersport Uk
Phil Mickelson 1992 Diamond Sports
Tiger Woods 1996 S.I. For Kids

Horse Racing
Man o' War 1920 Preakness (Ticket)
Sea Biscut 1937 (Ticket)
War Admiral 1937 Kentucky Derby (Ticket)
Citation 1948 Kentucky Derby (Ticket)
Secretariat 1973 Kentucky Derby (Ticket)
Seattle Slew 1977 Kentucky Derby (Ticket)
Affirmed 1978 Kentucky Derby (Ticket)
Zenyatta 2008 Breeders Cup (Ticket)

Jockeys
Willie Shoemaker 1955 Kentucky Derby (Ticket)
Mike Smith 1991 Horse Star Jockey
Calvin Borel 1992 Horse Star Jockey
John Velazques 1992 Horse Star Jockey

UFC/MMA
Bruce Lee 1974 Yamakatsu Way of the Dragon
Chuck Norris 1974 Yamakatsu Way of the Dragon Series 2
Ken Shamrock 1995 BBM
Randy Couture 1998 Culture House - Asics Heros of Wrestling
Chuck Liddell 2003 Sherdog
Royce Gracie 2006 Pride Card Collection

Olympics
John Weissmuller 1926 Spalding Champions
Jesse Owens 1935 Muratti Cigarettes
Roger Bannister 1955 Abc Minors British Athletes
Mark Spitz 1968 Panini
Daniel Gable 1972 Panini Munich
Greg Louganis 1981 Panini Sport Superstars
Carl Lewis 1985 Poulain Greats of the Game
Lance Armstrong 1992 Impel Olympicard
Michael Phelps 2003 Czech Stadion
Apolo Anton Ohno 2004 Leaf Fans of the Game
Usain Bolt 2008 SI For Kids

Racing
Mario Andretti 1969 Panini Campioni Dello Sport
Richard Petty 1972 Stp
Dale Earnhardt 1983 Uno
Jeff Gordon 1987 World Of Outlaws
Michael Schumacher 1992 Grid Formula One
Valentino Rossi 1997 Edigamma I Grandi Campioni Dello Sport
Jimmie Johnson 2000 Sp Authentic

Soccer
Pele 1958 Ave Ltda. Colecao Titulares (could also choose from many other issues from 1958) more info here Pele Thread
George Best 1964 Barratt & Co. Ltd Famous Footballers
Diego Maradona 1978 Figurita Crack Mundial
Roberto Baggio 1985 Panini Calciatori
David Beckham 1995 Raven Manchester Utd. Red Devils
Cristiano Ronaldo 2002 Panini Mega Craques
Leo Messi 2004 Spanish Panini Megacracks


Tennis
Rene Lacoste 1926 Lambert & Butler
Fred Perry 1931 W.A. & A.C. Churchman Sporting Celebrities
Rod Laver 1968 Mira
Arthur Ashe 1966 Ruiz Romero Fútbol Tenis Ciclismo
Bjorn Borg 1974 Panini Sport Vedettes
Jimmy Connors 1981 Panini Sport Superstars
John Mcenroe 1981 Panini Sport Superstars
Andre Agassi 1987 Panini
Pete Sampras 1991 Netpro
Andy Roddick 2001 Netpro
Roger Federer 2003 Netpro
Rafael Nadal 2003 Netpro

Wrestling
Andre The Giant 1974 Yamakatsu New Japan Pro Wrestling
Ric Flair 1982 Wrestling All-Stars Series A
Hulk Hogan. 1981 Popy
Roddy Piper 1985 O-Pee-Chee Wwf Pro Wrestling Stars
The Road Warriors 1985 Wrestling All Stars
Randy Savage 1985 O-Pee-Chee Series 2
The Brittish Bulldogs 1985 O-Pee-Chee Series 2
Bret Hart 1987 O-Pee-Chee Wwf Pro Wrestling Stars
Sting 1987 Wonderama Test
Ultimate Warrior 1989 WWF Super Stars Of Wrestling Series 3
Demolition 1989 WWF Super Stars Of Wrestling Series 1
Steve Austin 1991 Cromy
The Rock 1998 WWF Superstarz

XGames
Duke Kahanamoku 1913 Pan Handle Scrap World's Champion Athletes
Evel Knievel 1974 Evel Knievel Topps
Tony Hawk 1989 SI For Kids
Kelly Slater 1987 Astroboyz
Eddie Aikau 1987 Astroboyz
Shaun White 2003 SI For Kids

Other
Minnesota Fats 1965 Book Of Pool Billiards
Donald Bradman 1930 John Player & Sons Cricket
Sachin Tendulkar 1992 ProSport Cricket
Cachin (Jose Uriarte) 1984 Berensens' Hartford Jai Alai
Gary Gait 1993 MILL Lacrosse Lacrosse
Gareth Edwards 1979 Venorlandus Rugby
Jonah Lomu 1995 Dynamic Marketing All Blacks Rugby
Francois Pienaar 1992 Sports Deck Rugby
Karch Kiraly 1989 SI For Kids Voleyball

10001110101

Id consider the 89 SI For Kids card Tony Hawks RC. Add maybe the 2000 SP Jimmie Johnson? And lastly, good luck on those wrestling cards.

MeteoriteGuy

How about those Olympic cards put out by the Post Office a few years ago, on postal employee Olympic hopefuls. At least one made the Olympics...I think he was hurdler. Will throw up a scan here shortly.

Big80s

Great list! Thank you for posting those. I'd love to pick up some of those old Tennis and Golf rookies.

EAsports

List needs more Landon Donovan & Mia Hamm.

hookem

Great idea and great list. I have been doing a lot of the same and have picked up several of the cards on your list in the last few months.

A few notes:

I have the 1962 Rekord Cassius Clay. I believe there is also a 1960 version.

I agree on the Bobby Jones 1926 as there are some other options for him.

1926 Walter Hagen strip card is pretty cheap. A PSA sold for $100 recently and I bought an SGC authentic for $40 dlvd via a buy it now.

Pele has one/two 1958 cards. Alfiabolaget sold for $1,295 in PSA 6 and someone recently sold a Rekord card as 1958 for $399 raw. Both only had one bid. The Alfiabolaget sold as a buy it now on a second listing. The first time it was sold auction style and the reserve was not met at $510 or so. I know because I was the underbidder at $500. I think the Rekord was really 1960 or 1962 but the seller mislisted it. The design looks just like my 1962 Clay.

The 1935 Pattreioux Joe Louis can be had real cheap in auction versus the buy it now's on ebay. I would wait for an auction but am actually thinking of pulling the trigger on a PSA 6 version on eBay that is overpriced.

Rocky Marciano has a neat 1951 Ringside card.

Sugar Ray Robinson has a 1947 EE Cummings card instead of the 48 Leaf.

For Serena Williams I use her NetPro card from 2003 but she has an earlier SI for Kids card.

For Tiger, I have the GSV card but think I need to move to the SI for Kids card.

Usain Bolt has an SI for Kids card. I will have to check my box to see the year.

jswieton

cool list! 2004 Michael Phelps rookie review

billwaltonsbeard

When was Roger Dorn's rookie card?

eagles33

i know pele and ali have earlier cards.. i decided to with their first panini since it was a more popular brand.. and way more affordable. i found that tennis cards are virtually worthless. you can buy psa 10s in ebay for less than the grading fees. the golf cards have been the most expensive sport i think. i'm pretty much done with everything post 1970 except the richard petty card. I'm don't really like the SI for kids cards and i have no clue how psa grades them. i got a psa 10 usain bolt but sold it since i don't really care about the condition.. does anyone know if François Pienaar has a card? he is the south african rugby player in Invitcus. I also thought about adding kentucky derby ticket stubs or win tickets for affirmred and Secretariat since they dont really have cards

MeteoriteGuy

Lennox Lewis 1991 Kayo #68

lanemyer85

Andy Roddick 2001 Netpro Tennis

I don't think Roddick belongs quite frankly. 10 year pro and one victory of consequence.

gregmo32

Mia Hamm was in the SI for Kids set, in 1992 I think.

Good work on the Arnold Palmer. I knew he had an earlier card but could never remember what it was!

MeteoriteGuy

Found some of those UPS (not USPS like I thought) cards, but not the one I was looking for.

The cards were produced by the UPS before the 1996 Olympics, no date. They are titled '"UPS ATAP Athelete." In 1996, UPS became an official sponsor of the Olympic Games.

The cards were made before the anyone/or most qualified for the Olympics, and the set is of Olympic hopefuls. Three of the UPS workers made their respective 1996 USA Teams, and two others made the 2000 USA Teams.

Here is the Cindy Gentry card...she competed at the 2000 games.

mtcards

For the bowling fans out there, rookies of many of the "older" PBA stars can be found the 1972-73 PBA set. These were released in 4 card packages in 10 series. Most of your vintage stars like Don Carter, Dick Weber, Carmen Slavino, etc. can be found in the set.

The next major bowling set was the "Sportscaster" type cards, although not alwasy considered a true card, the set features some of the middle day stars like Mark Roth, Earl Anthony, etc.

The 1990 Kingpins set was one of the first bowling sets distributed in standard form and just about every card in the set, save a few, can be considered a RC, including Pete Weber, Walter Ray Williams, Parker Bohn III, etc etc.

In 1991, a company called "Little Sun" released a similar set featuring current professional women bowlers and some women legends. The set was 66 cards in size. I actually have a 90% complete auto set of this.

Finally, Rittenhouse has put out multiple sets in the past few years, although extremely limited in print, which contain the rookies of many of today's stars as well as some of the legends and heroes. The packs contain ceritifed autos and combo autos.

In addition to the above sets of PBA Bowlers, current bowlers like Pete Weber and Kelly Kulick can be found in recent A&G sets as well as some of the recent Donruss sets as well, including autos and memorabilia cards.


I know there are a few bowlers on the site, so thought I would share.

eagles33

I've been crossing off most of the cards after 1960. I've also caved and decided to go after the 58 plele. I'm still sticking with the 66 panini fo clay since its the first card that isnt hand cut that psa will grade. I still haven't found the palmer mira and laver mira. I've also pussed out on the last 2 stp petty card on ebay so haven't gotten that yet either... But atleast I know its available. Ill post scans of everything soon. Just want to get a few more and get some slabbed. Anyways.. The reason I'm bumping the thread was that I wanted to include some of the famous race horses but the cards sucked for them. I decided to go with kentucky derby ticket stubs instead of cards. I just added secreteriat and seattle slew derby tickets. There were 2 secreteriat tickets.. 1 went for 115 and the other went for 153. I obviously screwed myself and got the 153 one.

NickM

The Jack Dempsey in the Allen & Ginter set is not the famous Depression-era boxing champ.

Nick

Huncrelan

Not sure if this is his rookie card, but it brings a smile to my face... This is for all you Vol fans..

Toro

Bruce Lee, Dan Gable,Royce Gracie, Mark Coleman and Randy Couture.

Huncrelan

Smarty Jones, Oaklawn Park Party handout for the Belmont 2004..

Big80s

<< <i>The Jack Dempsey in the Allen & Ginter set is not the famous Depression-era boxing champ.

Nick >>



I believe Jack Dempsey's (the more famous of the two) rookie is considered: 1922 THE CHAMPION - SPORTING CHAMPIONS #9

TheHun

Eagle - this post is a great addition to the forum. Nice job !

I have started my soccer rookie card Master list - now up to about 300 players.

I have the following criteria that will include automatic listing: *exceptions for pre-war players or prematurely deceased players

1. any player with 100 or more league goals
2. any player with 500 league games
3. any player who was on a World Cup winning side
4. any player who has more than one scoring title
5. any player that has scored more than one World Cup goal
6. any player that has scored more than 20 goals for their country
7. any player that has played 100 or more games for their country
8. any player that has 4 or more cup final appearances or 4 Championships
9. any player named as player of the year by FIFA or on their continent (Europe, South America, Concacaf)
10. any person who contributed in a significant way other than statistically (manager or executive)

Nascar360

Thanks

eagles33

Oops. Nice catch on the dempsey. Glad I didn't get the AG one yet

ga5150

Thanks for the info from one of the site bowlers!


Rodney




<< <i>For the bowling fans out there, rookies of many of the "older" PBA stars can be found the 1972-73 PBA set. These were released in 4 card packages in 10 series. Most of your vintage stars like Don Carter, Dick Weber, Carmen Slavino, etc. can be found in the set.

The next major bowling set was the "Sportscaster" type cards, although not alwasy considered a true card, the set features some of the middle day stars like Mark Roth, Earl Anthony, etc.

The 1990 Kingpins set was one of the first bowling sets distributed in standard form and just about every card in the set, save a few, can be considered a RC, including Pete Weber, Walter Ray Williams, Parker Bohn III, etc etc.

In 1991, a company called "Little Sun" released a similar set featuring current professional women bowlers and some women legends. The set was 66 cards in size. I actually have a 90% complete auto set of this.

Finally, Rittenhouse has put out multiple sets in the past few years, although extremely limited in print, which contain the rookies of many of today's stars as well as some of the legends and heroes. The packs contain ceritifed autos and combo autos.

In addition to the above sets of PBA Bowlers, current bowlers like Pete Weber and Kelly Kulick can be found in recent A&G sets as well as some of the recent Donruss sets as well, including autos and memorabilia cards.


I know there are a few bowlers on the site, so thought I would share. >>

wrestlingcardking

Dan Gable 1972 Panini

MrKnowthanx

Eagle this is a great old thread that I would love to see us (the forum) continue adding to. Maybe someone can just keep editing a master list. I would do it, but I have such limited knowledge about these right now (the main reason I am bumping ). Anyone else game? I plan on doing the same type thing for "Pre Rookies" of the four major sports. I love these type threads and they are absolutely essential to people like me who are getting back into the Card Collecting game.

Big80s

I second that! This thread needs some love.

halosfan

What does the Bolt look like?

jimrad

Chad,

Awesome thread - I look forward to seeing the list grow and it has me thinking about grabbing a few of these cool cards!

AkbarClone

I noticed the list had Calvin Borel as a horse jockey. Should the list also include Willie Shoemaker? (Unless my eyes missed him on the list).

NickM

As a general warning for everyone, do not go by Beckett's definition of rookie cards from anything outside the "big 4" sports - they exclude way too much, including any cigarette card and anything made outside the U.S.
WRT the original list, I don't know if it's Sugar Ray Leonard's rookie card, but his 1977-79 Sportscaster predates the 1981 card in the list.

Nick

wrestlingcardking

The wrestling museum that used to be based in Newton, Iowa released a 36 card set of amateur wrestlers in 1998 and in that set included cards of Randy Couture and Dan Henderson. The UFC cards did not have a major release until 2008. PSA does not grade these to date, but perhaps I could assist them in doing so. It is great to have a legend like Couture to have a card ten years prior to his first UFC card and eight years prior to his inclusion into the Allen and Ginter set in 2006.

rtimmer

Cool thread, I would add both the 2000-Upper-Deck-Maxximum-Signatures-JO-Jimmie-Johnson- and the Tony Stewart rookie Autograph cards.

I also think a Mchael Phelps addition would be appropriate now.

BunchOBull

I like the 2004 Rookie Review #101 for Phelps, as it was released before the Olympics. The Leaf was released after. I also think his 2004 SI card is a later release as well, though right around the summer games I think...can't remember conclusively.

eagles33

I'm glad to see some interest in this old thread.. I've been continually adding to this and I'm always finding new cards of players that I thought I knew what their rookie was but found something older. I will try update it with new things I have found and corrections an the typo in the subject

Shoemaker is on my personal checklist but his first card isn't till 1980 so I'm using the 1955 kentuckey derby ticket stub as his "rookie". I know its not really a rookie but I think its a better representation imo.

Also a note on my list is that I kinda used personal preference on some things. I do not like the sportscaster cards because they are way to big and don't look good displayed with the other cards.. So I picked the panini card. There might be some other examples like this.. Ill note if their is an earlier card.. But I excluded for some reason like being oversized or handcut ect..

eagles33

updated this with some UFC/MMA "rookies" Not so sure if the Liddell will pass the standards to get slabbed or not.. but i really tried to find cards before 2009 when the first UFC sets came out.. since they had careers much earlier. I know the card is from 2003 based on his age and record on the card... buts its not a pack issue.

smtjoy

Very Cool Thread!

Adding a couple things-

Golf
Ben Hogan has a 1948-49 Exhibit Champions card

Horse Racing
Citation 1948 Kentucky Derby (Ticket) Ticket also has a 1948-49 Exhibit Champions card

Olympics
Jim Thorpe 1916 M101-5

eagles33

<< <i>The wrestling museum that used to be based in Newton, Iowa released a 36 card set of amateur wrestlers in 1998 and in that set included cards of Randy Couture and Dan Henderson. The UFC cards did not have a major release until 2008. PSA does not grade these to date, but perhaps I could assist them in doing so. It is great to have a legend like Couture to have a card ten years prior to his first UFC card and eight years prior to his inclusion into the Allen and Ginter set in 2006. >>



I just bought this card and was hoping psa would slab it. I sent a complete checklist and scans of the front and back t customer support to hopefully get the green light to slab it. Nope.. I just got a response back saying sorry this not a card that can be graded. I get so frustrated that they rediculous things like a matchbook but not a valid card like this one. Any chance you could weigh in and try to sway psa with decision?

wrestlingcardking

i will attempt to contact them or perhaps they can speak to the wrestling museum in Waterloo, Iowa where they were released if they are unsure of it???

eagles33

striking out on PSA slabbing the Liddell and Couture cards. Speaking with BGS about them now. I'm going to try to start posting some scans next week. I'll have some time off so hopefully be able to get around to it.

llafoe

If only there were female athletes, you could add them to your list too!

eagles33

You are right. The following should be on the list


Zenyatta 2008 Breeders cup (ticket) or 2010 Apple Blossom card

wrestlingcardking

I do not think that Liddell will make the cut but I think that Couture can...SGC graded an Alexander Karelin card from the Culture House series so that is good news.....

eagles33

Regarding the liddell... if i could get some sort of proof of the promotion from the DVD company or any sort of advertisement from them that would confirm the distribution method and year... I think bgs would catalogue it and grade it. The culture house seems like a no brainer to me. Once a few bgs coutures surface psa will start grading it

eagles33

I updated the original post... Corrected some dates and set names. Am I missing anyone obvious? I might make a separate list for female athletes... But needed some sort of cut off for this list

ReggieCleveland

<< <i>Boxing
Player Year Set Number
Jack Dempsey 1922 The Champion 9
Joe Louis 1935 United Tobacco
Sugar Ray Robinson 1948 Leaf 64 also has a 1947 Cummings
* Rocky Marciano 1951 Topps Ringside 32
Muhammad Ali 1965 Lampo or 1960 Hemmets Journal
Sonny Liston 1966 Panini Campioni Dello Sport 391
Joe Frazier 1967 Panini Campioni Dello Sport 464
* Roberto Duran 1973 Panini
George Foreman 1973 Panini Campioni Dello Sport
Sugar Ray Leonard 1981 Panini Sport Superstars 67
Mike Tyson 1986 Panini Supersport Italian 153
Evander Holyfield 1986 Browns Boxing 168
Roy Jones Jr. 1991 Kayo 116
Floyd Mayweather Jr 1997 Brown's Boxing 51
Manny Paquiao 1999 Word Boxing 143 >>



Nice thread, I think it's great that someone is compiling this list.

I think I'm a little confused as to what you're going after. Are you compiling a list of the true rookie cards for these athletes or is this more of a personal list of the cards you like and are going after? I'm much more familiar with the boxing aspect so I'll speak about that. There are a few problems when compiling a rookie card list for boxers. One, there isn't really an official definition of what is a rookie card. When looking at pre-war cards there's an awful lot of material out there that doesn't fit the conventional mold (ie. Dempsey has strip cards issued before The Champion card, what about the Underwood & Underwood cards?). There's also much more foreign material for boxers than there is from North America, are we including all of those too? Also, the rookie card is usually the most coveted card in modern and more popular sports, but in boxing the rookie card is almost never the most desireable issue for the fighter. There are dozens of Dempsey cards I would rather have than The Champion issue. It also seems like all of these issues were distributed in a different form -- strip cards over-the-counter, periodical/magazine cards, tobacco cards, stand alones, candy cards, gum cards, promotional items, etc. Do we eliminate some of those and under what criteria?

Also, the United Tobacco card you're using for Louis is a 1942 issue, not 1935.

This should be an interesting discussion and I'm hoping a lot of collectors chime in as I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts on those questions.

eagles33

Since many of these athletes don't have a traditional "rookie" I used personal preference on some but tried to note of there was an earlier card. In some cases I might not be aware of an earlier card. Like in the case of Dempsey. Also if an earlier card exists but it's one of a kind and impossible to get I didn't include it. I think Walter hagan has a 1925 card but i only know 1. I really don't like sports caster cards so I dismissed those. Im also not a huge fan of characters cards like the we 47 Cummings so I opted for the the 48 leaf. I tried to give traditional cards the nod over hand cut but I really wasn't very consistent with that criteria... So I can see your confusion.

The united tobacco card is very frustrating since I used the psa pop report for much of the list. I actually went out and bought that card but after learning its from 42 I have to buy one of his 35 cards. To bad since its a better looking card IMO.

wrestlingcardking

Since you have an olympics category then perhaps Dan Gable would be a better fit there? I know the names are wrestling but he looks a little out of place with a bunch of pro wrestlers. Now if you want to add more amateurs under the category of wrestling then he would not stick out like a sore thumb. :-)

ReggieCleveland

The 1921 Romeo Y Julieta Dempsey's rarity doesn't bother me in terms of identifying a rookie card, however I highly doubt its issue date assigned by PSA. If there's a reference out there that definitively identifies the set as 1921 I've never seen it. Looking at the other fighters in the set I suspect a mid-20s issue date is more likely. But it's a tobacco card issued as an insert in packs so the fact that it's (currently) unique shouldn't go against it. However, as you mentioned, this is more of a personal preference list for you so I can see where you're coming from. The '47 Cummings & Son Sugar Ray is pretty widely considered his rookie card. One of the things I like about that issue is that it affords collectors a card for a prominent fighter of the 40s-50s outside of the bare bones we have to work with for that era (48 Leaf, 51 Ringside, 56 Adventure). Obviously you're free to collect whichever cards you enjoy the most, that's what I do. But I think for the sake of this thread as a knowledge resource we should have the discussion of what constitutes a rookie card and stick to it. That's kind of where the value of the list lies, IMO.

I've always been a big fan aesthetically of the 1935 Mitchell Joe Louis. I love that dark portrait of him.

I'd probably go with the Hemmets for Ali. I'm not an expert on that issue but it seems to be widely accepted. If not, there are certainly some foreign issues for Ali before the 65 Lampo. I've seen South American cards for Ali from ~1963-64. I think fighters like Jack Johnson, James Jeffries, John Sullivan, James Corbett, Gene Tunney and Max Schmeling should be on the list.

fkw

interesting list, but I cant get past the 1st card as I know its not his rookie...

there are strip cards of Dempsey that date to 1920-21 ie 4/5 of the cards in this auction
5 Jack Dempsey strip cards eBay

end 2 cards are 1921 (W551 style), the 2nd card from left with surface damage is 1923 (W515 group style), and both horizontal cards are from 1920 (W516 group style)..

Dempsey was the Heavyweight champion in 1919, so it would make sense there would be cards issued right away and not 3 years later like the so called rookie card on your list...

also where is Jack Johnson? he'd kick everyones ass on the entire list...
not 100% sure if this is the first card but its early
1908 Ogdens Jack Johnson

fkw

another person you missed and a guy who is in high demand and sells for big $$ often because of the crossover ie surf/olympic/swim/hawaiiana (especially in Australia and Hawaii)

Duke Kahanamoku

ie this 1913 T230 Pan Handle Scrap