The T206 Collection: The Players & Their Stories is a tribute to the men featured in the greatest baseball card collection that has ever existed. This book is for baseball fans, hobbyists, and history buffs. The brief biographical narratives along with the personal and professional statistics of each player offer you a peek into the developing world of baseball during the early part of the 20th century. The stories of the amazing array of T206 players from all walks of life with dramatically different skill levels will give you a real sense of how our national pastime was shaped by the events and players of that era. The last chapter discusses the value and grading system of this storied collection and brings the reader full circle. You will learn how a card like Kitty Bransfield’s with the Sweet Caporal back is graded and valued. In addition, elsewhere in the book, you will learn about the “Bransfield Curse” and what it meant to Pittsburgh Pirates fans. This commemorative edition celebrates the 100th anniversary of the very special T206 collection. Along with the 38 Hall of Famers that make up this set, there are another 353 players who contributed to the evolution of the great game of baseball. Take a look into their lives and see for yourself that ballplayers like Lena Blackburne and Gabby Street made contributions to the game in many ways that could never be measured in batting averages or won–lost records. They did, however, help shape our greatest American sport. Interestingly enough, you will see that even these players from so long ago had similar problems as some of today’s major leaguers. Contract disputes, substance abuse, and inflated egos sometimes got in the way of greatness—not for all, but for some. This book is a great read for anyone who loves baseball, not just the collector. Enjoy your look at this snapshot in time!