The first series of cards in the T206 set were issued beginning in
1909 in cigarette and loose tobacco packs through 16 different brands
owned by the American Tobacco Company. It is a landmark set in the
history of baseball card collecting due to its size and rarity, with
cards of over 500 major and minor-league players issued in the set
through 1911. It is known informally as the "White Border" set due to
the
distinctive white borders surrounding the quality color lithographs on
each card.
There are
two different Rube Waddell cards included in the T206 set.
One version depicts the St. Louis pitcher in his throwing pose
against a pastel background. This one shows a portrait of the Hall of Famer in front of a dark blue background. The white borders really pop on this one, since the rest of the colors are dark with Waddell's uniform mainly dark gray with a dark red collar and letters. The corners are a little soft but the edges are nice for the grade, with some light soiling around the perimeter keeping the card from grading even higher. The Sweet Cap back is generally clean with bold printing. Massive eye appeal on this one of the Hall of Famer.