1909–11 T206 Lou Ritter
Kansas City Blues · American Association · 350 Only print series
The 1909–1911 T206 Lou Ritter is part of the legendary “White Border” tobacco set — The Monster. This card depicts Lou Ritter, a member of the historic Kansas City Blues (American Association), and was printed in the 350 Only series, known with 8 tobacco-brand backs. Across PSA and SGC, roughly 895 examples have been graded, with only 11 in NM 7 or better — a reminder of how tough this issue is in high grade.
About Lou Ritter
Lewis Elmer "Lew" Ritter — listed as "Lou" on this T206 — was a right-handed catcher born September 7, 1875, in Liverpool, Pennsylvania. After a long apprenticeship in the minors with clubs such as the St. Paul Saints, Minneapolis Millers, and Wheeling, he reached the majors with Brooklyn, debuting September 10, 1902. He spent his entire seven-year big-league career (1902–1908) with the Brooklyn Superbas, for several seasons splitting the catching duties with Bill Bergen. A light hitter typical of the dead-ball era's backstops, Ritter batted .219 with 315 hits, one home run, and 120 RBI. He was unusually quick for a catcher, stealing 17 bases in 1904 and 16 in 1905. His last major-league game came August 29, 1908, after which he returned to the high minors, catching for the Kansas City Blues of the American Association — the team pictured on this card. Ritter died May 27, 1952, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. A common, affordable minor-league subject in the T206 set, he was never a Hall of Famer.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Confirmed backs (8)
Chip colour marks each back's rarity tier. See the full T206 back rarity ranking →
Population (PSA · SGC)
| Grader | Total | NM 7+ | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 & Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 558 | 10 | 44 | 73 | 147 | 103 | 103 | 78 |
| SGC | 337 | 1 | 9 | 37 | 63 | 77 | 54 | 96 |
NM 7+ bundles grades 7–10; 1 & Auth bundles grade 1, 1.5 & Authentic. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted. Totals are subject-level (summed across all backs). Population as of 2026-06.
PSA by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| Piedmont 1910 | 315 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 54 |
| Sweet Caporal | 38 |
| Polar Bear | 30 |
| American Beauty 1910 | 10 |
| Cycle 1910 | 8 |
| Tolstoi | 4 |
| Drum | 2 |
| Unknown back | 97 |
SGC by back
| Back | Graded |
|---|---|
| American Beauty 1910 | 12 |
| Cycle 1910 | 8 |
| Drum 1910 | 1 |
| Piedmont 1910 | 223 |
| Polar Bear 1909-11 | 18 |
| Sweet Caporal 1909-11 | 1 |
| Sweet Caporal 1910 | 70 |
| Tolstoi 1909-11 | 4 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the 1909-11 T206 Lou Ritter card?
The Lou Ritter is one of 524 subjects in the T206 "White Border" tobacco set issued 1909-1911, the hobby's most iconic vintage set (nicknamed "The Monster"). It pictures the Kansas City Blues player and was inserted in cigarette packs across 8 different tobacco-brand backs.
How rare is this T206 card?
Across PSA and SGC, roughly 895 examples of the Lou Ritter have been graded, with only 11 grading NM 7 or higher, so mid-grade copies are obtainable while high-grade examples are genuinely scarce.
Which backs does the T206 Lou Ritter come with?
The Lou Ritter is confirmed with 8 tobacco-brand backs: American Beauty, Broad Leaf, Cycle, Drum, Piedmont, Polar Bear (Scrap), Sweet Caporal, Tolstoi. The back brand is a major driver of both scarcity and value.
Is the T206 Lou Ritter valuable?
Value depends heavily on the back brand and the card's grade: common backs in low grade trade modestly, while scarce backs and high grades command strong premiums. Check the current T206 Cards listings and eBay options above for live pricing.
More Kansas City Blues cards
Sources: t206resource.com, Baseball-Reference, PSA & SGC population reports, and Inside T206 by Scot Reader. Card data & population compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-10-05.