Double Take Podcast’s second APBA 101 video features a comparison of a deadball era card, 1908 Sam Crawford, with a modern card, 1979 Dave Kingman. The topic was inspired by a comment from Daniel Diehm on the APBA Blog. Thank you! The below video was originally posted to the Double Take YouTube page.
Double Take is an APBA gaming and sports podcast hosted by APBA Blog contributors Kirk Weber and Kevin Weber. They can be followed on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. You can also email them at .
hi from nova scotia guys…i absolutely LOVE these shows so keep’em rollin!!! i’d love to see a show on the ’76 amer. batting race as to whose card would really win it all in that .333/.332/.331 season.
ive only seen the original cards (my 1st season as well) and all 3 cards are very close but it doesnt appear that hal mcrae has the #s to win that esp with both brett and carew carrying a 55-7 compared to his 55-8 and carew also having 2/11s and that 51-10 (but a 44-8). the difference in these original cards is minimal to me eyes with mcrae having an extra 14 but maybe that 15/22 help him out a bit saving him a few ab’s for the year.
id also be interested in seeing if the newer cards are set up different with regards to carew’s stolen base totals maybe being covered more in the 2nd column and changing some of those 1st column hits.
anyways keep up the great work. its damn fun to listen to.
ps…another idea might be to ask which batting champion will have the toughest job duplicating his average and winning it in a replay bc, im sure, some cards came up short and frustrated many fans who were rolling with it.
Thanks for the feedback Gerard! We’re glad you like the videos and we plan on doing more. Your idea for a look at the 1976 Brett, McRae and Carew cards is excellent. Do you still happen to have the original 1976 cards? If so, could you send us images to ?
Hi Kirk,
The 79 season was my first year playing APBA. I remember Kingman’s card especially as a young Chicago Cubs fan. His card was originally a single column card with a 1-5-5-1, so this card may be more interesting.
I don’t remember Kingman’s actual numbers. Just too long ago.
Wow – it was a cool surprise to see my comment turn into a podcast episode – great!
If I knew how to send you guys an image, I would send the 1883 Brouthers card. It is pretty awesome, especially for a deadball era card.
I understand why you tooks the two Homerun champion cards to compare.
The reason I suggested Brouthers or Cobb vs Yelich was that those are all “monster” cards, and all 3 players stole bases. But only one of those players struck out much. If you could track down those cards and do a 5 minute or so comparison (kind of like a “P.S.” to this podcast), that would be awesome!
I really enjoy the podcasts – keep up the great work!
You can always send us feedback/card images, etc to . We certainly are always looking for ideas. A P.S. might be a good one. Thanks!
Hello Dan,
I submitted this card as a monster monday in 2015. Here is the link to that one.
https://www.apbablog.com/card-analysis/monster-card-monday-1883-dan-brouthers
From what I gather about the Deadball Era, fielding was less than stellar. I do not own any seasons from that era. Would most of the teams use Column 3?
or are the fielders calculated for that era?
I would be hesitant to play a Deadball team vs Golden Era, let alone a modern team.
Any thoughts??
Respectfully
Eric
Hi Eric,
As someone who prefers the dead ball era to today’s home run derby era I can safely tell you that on almost every replay from the early 20th century the fielding is mostly fielding three. Usually there are 1 or two teams at fielding 2 and 1 or two that can manage fielding 1 based on matchups.
Most of the cards have 2 error numbers on them. One at 53 and the other at 21. My only complaint about the second error number is that almost every pitcher and outfielder has a 23, and I have an unusually high number of injured third basemen as a result.
I am currently playing 1906 on the latest issue cards and I have actually come across at least five players that have THREE error numbers, one of them a catcher, so with his 38 it’s like having FOUR error numbers at times.
Don’t hesitate to play a dead ball team vs. a modern team. I once won a tournament with the 1905 Giants. I beat some of the best teams of the modern ERA, and won pretty handily against the “We are family Pirates” in the championship game.
Anything can happen once the dice start rolling.
I own the 1908 season cards. You have teams that are column 1, 2, 3. The Chicago Cubs are a column 1 fielding as an example. If you use retrosheet.org you can see the box scores which also has the fielding stats of putouts assists and errors. So there is a way to figure out how to grade the player(s) fielding wise. The biggest adjustment is in managing the pitching because the bullpen is other starters who were used in relief as needed. You need to be patient with the starter. There are some rare instances of in that era pitchers pitching both games of a doubleheader and throwing two complete games. I think the Chicago Cubs would give any modern era team a tough time they have three A starters plus and A& C as well. The starting line up contains speed from top to bottom. If you are not rolling the power numbers for the modern era team the Cubs will give them all they can handle. The NY Giants is another team that would compete will against any modern era team.
Look at Cy Young stats for the1908 season he pitched almost 300 innings with an ERA of 1.50 at the age of 41. The game has changed so much since this ERA.
1979 isn’t exactly modern. Try again.
According to the HoF, the Modern Era is 1970-1987.
https://baseballhall.org/hall-of-famers/rules/eras-committees
Try again Vinny.
I’ve done complete replays on the 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914 seasons and recently finished the 1915 Federal League season. Overview observation: defenses were considerably less effective in the Deadball Era (poor coaching, evolving equipment that, in retrospect is amazing because it is so rudimentary, poor field conditions).
Playing Deadball Era teams v. modern teams will produce interesting results, yes, but realistically, modern teams would devastate Deadball Era teams (better conditioning, coaching, scouting, Employment Technologies.). The great hitters of the Deadball Era would likely be effective hitters in the Modern Era, but it would be a leap to believe they were faster, better hitters, better pitchers, than what exists in the Modern ERA.
I get more satisfaction in playing teams matched up from the different eras v. one another. Playing the 1906 White Sox v. the Big Red Machine or the 2021 Atlanta Braves will produce results….but it would be hard to believe that the Hitless Wonders and their marvelous pitching staff would overpower the hard-hitting Modern Era team. Statically, yes. Realistically no.
how can I determine what year an APBA Baseball card was “Printed” / “Issued”
I have cards with the Red “12” – 26 position designating the 1921 season and have been able to match names from the 1921 roster/team sheets. I know the cards are from at least 1960ish when I played the game with friends.
Also what are the “(s)” “(2)” and “(z)” designation on Some of the Pitchers cards as with these for William Wiley “Cy” Moore Grade A Pitcher?
I have over 1,300 cards from 1921, 57,58,61,62 & 63 along with a Complete Boxed Set from 1980.
Any help you can provide on the Print/Issue Dates would be greatly appreciated, there are NO Copyright indications on any of the cards.