T207 Tex Covington Detroit

Wow, I just love these early 20th century cards. I have never owned one of these t207s until now. This one was very reasonable, probably due to the bit of paper loss on the back. That doesn't bother me.

These t207 Brown Backgrounds are not real popular among vintage collectors. They are not very colorful and I didn't see all that many big names on  the checklist. That's OK by me. I like the poses. And that fact that not many people go after them makes them unique. I hardly ever see one at a card show.

Tex Covington, born William Covington, was, no surprise a Texas boy when he hit pro baseball. He was born in Tennessee but grew up in Denison, Texas. Another thing that made me choose this card was the fact that he debuted with the Houston Buffs in 1907. I live in Houston in fully air-conditioned comfort. I can't imagine life here in 1907. Mosquitoes as big as the Life Flight helicopter that flew past a bit ago. 

Covington pitched for the Tigers in 1911 and 1912 winning ten and losing five. Among his teammates were Ty Cobb and Sam Crawford. He was 7-1 in his rookie year but as the card back points out, he was 'peppered out of six others'. LOL After a 3-4 1212 campaign that he split between the Tigers and the scrubs Covington played in the minors until he quit after the 1917 season.

I picked this one up on eBay. The corners are not quite a square as the scan makes them look. It's just nine kinds of awesome.

Here's a closeup of Tex Covington who died in 1931 at the age of just 41. Tex' brother Sam Covington played for the Browns and the Bees sporadically from 1913 thru 1917 and continued in the minors through the 1927 season. He was a first baseman. Tex Covington's Baseball Reference Bullpen page claims Tex played through 1920 and was a first baseman that year. It's seems that have their wires crossed between the brothers since Sam was on that Indianapolis club and played first. And Sam was traded to Louisville in 1922.