back when it mattered...

Back when rookie cards were something. Now in the hobby a player gets 72 rookie cards (whereas they used to get roughly 427 of them when there were more companies making cards) in his first year, if they are good. How many did Cal have? Well...he had around four, but that's not excessive seeing as how there were three companies then. Donruss, Fleer and Topps (and Topps Traded). Which is the true rookie? I don't care. They all count as far as I'm concerned. You get to 1993-1995 for Derek Jeter. How many cards do they consider a rookie card for him? 58? Maybe? Now its a little better with only Topps, but say five years ago it was wayyyy worse. And with Topps' Bowman line, "the home of the rookie card", is home to a bunch of AAA players and a few who actually make it to the majors. I don't know, it all just seems too confusing and arbitrary. Rookie cards don't seem to mean a damn thing anymore and they haven't since before the Bowman line came along and screwed it all up. I guess any first year card could be considered a 'rookie card' persay, but not to everyone. I'll just take my Cal and be happy with him and his two buddies I know nothing of.