Ending April 30, 2024
From the American League's inaugural season in 1901 through 1917 Cleveland managed to reach as high as second place only once. Despite this lack of success the team was popular and often had at least one marquee player. In the Helmar T206 series there are thirty-one Cleveland subjects, thirteen cards of which depict members of the Hall Of Fame. These include John Clarkson (#431), the 300 game winner from the late nineteenth century. His portrait card has proven popular but not overwhelmingly so. Stan Coveleski has two entries, cards #520 and #581. Elmer Flick, a great talent who's career was curtailed by stomach problems has card #528. Tragic Addie Joss has two cards, #43 and #348. Tris Speaker (#487) has but one card and Nap Lajoie has three (#'s 45,345,346). Two Hall of Famers that had careers stretching as late as into the 1950's have one card each: Larry Doby (#503) and Satchel Paige (#467). There are quite a few other names known in collector circles including Chief Sockalexis (#368), Steve O'Neill (#389), Luke Sewell (#390) and Jim Bagby, Senior (#'s 387 and 388). Of the Lajoie cards #345 appears to be the most popular based on average selling price.