Boss Schmidt: 1907-09 Dietsche Postcards, SGC Authentic

Here was a somewhat impulse purchase made solely due to the fact that the set features a Ty Cobb rookie. That and, well, Boss is too cool of a nickname to not want in one's vintage collection.

Boss Schmidt caught for the Detroit Tigers, providing them much more value defensively over his career than he did with his bat. He spent his childhood in coal mines, played with Cobb and Crawford, and also famously fought Cobb on multiple occasions. He was well-respected for his brute physical strength, reportedly wanted to fight Heavyweight Champ Jack Johnson, and would pound spikes into cement with his bare hands.

This is my second piece of cardboard featuring Charles Schmidt, joining a well-loved and big-bordered T206 I picked up years ago from my old job. It hails from the 1907-09 Dietsche Postcards set which features a simple pose on a dark background. Boss is from the 1907 issue which had just the photo of the player without a name on the front unlike the postcards issued in '08 and '09 by Dietsche.