1Oh, their book, "The T206 Collection," is indeed about an iconic set of baseball cards issued by the American Tobacco Co. between 1909 and 1911.
But the book's subtitle, "The Players & Their Stories," points readers to a key that unlocks elements of the history, not only of the beginnings of modern baseball, but of America in the early days of the 20th century.
More than 500 players in the major and minor leagues — including 38 Hall of Famers — had trading cards that the tobacco company slipped into cigarette packs. The Zappalas, of Merrimacport, and their co-author, Lou Blasi of Amesbury, researched all of them.
The result is a coffee-table volume filled with colorful reproductions of the cards — and equally colorful stories of the men depicted on them.
"A lot of the players had some of the same issues players have today, like substance abuse and contract issues," Tom Zappala said. "They came from all kinds of backgrounds."
"This was also the time when unions were starting to get a foothold," his wife added.
"The game was so different — but it's the same," Blasi said.
There are brief biographical sketches of all the players, famous and obscure, with their achievements and flaws — from clutch home runs to bar fights.
Research brought the flat images to life. There are figures such as Bill O'Hara, a Canadian who enlisted to fight in World War I, where he put his outfielder's arm to good use throwing grenades for the British in the Battle of the Somme.
"I started to think of these guys as my boys," Ellen Zappala said.
Tom Zappala picked up his first T206 card — Cleveland catcher Ted Easterly — about 20 years ago in an antiques shop in Cooperstown, N.Y., home of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The T206 set is considered one of the most important collections of baseball cards ever issued, said Joe Orlando, president of Professional Sports Authenticators, a company that evaluates cards for sale or trading purposes.
Orlando, who wrote the foreword and a chapter of "The T206 Collection," said the size of the set, the visual appeal of the images and the selection of players make T206 cards valuable collectibles.
The idea for the book came after Tom Zappala acquired the card of one Russell "Lena" Blackburne, an infielder with four Major League teams.
Zappala learned that Blackburne had an undistinguished playing career, but that he also made a significant contribution to the game. He discovered that mud from a certain spot near the Delaware River was perfect for taking the shine off baseballs without staining them. Lena Blackburne Rubbing Mud is still in use by Major League Baseball, Zappala said.
The book is divided into seven sections. There is a chapter on the Hall of Famers and another called "Overlooked by Cooperstown?" about players who perhaps should be in the Hall but aren't. Among the latter is Fred Tenney, a Georgetown native who was the first first-baseman to stretch out from the bag to take a throw.
There is also a chapter called "The Bad Boys of Baseball," where the reader will find the era's gamblers, brawlers, drunks, cheats and outlaws.
The last chapter, by Orlando, is devoted to how cards are graded to determine their market value, from dog-eared and worthless all the way up to the Honus Wagner card, which Orlando calls the "Mona Lisa of trading cards" and last sold for $2.8 million.
The book took about 18 months to research and write, Tom Zappala said, and is being released during the 100th anniversary of the T206 collection.
"We really pushed ourselves to get it done for the 100th anniversary," Ellen Zappala said.
The Zappalas and Blasi have an active promotional schedule planned, including signings during a two-week exhibition of the Donald E. Spence T206 Collection, a complete collection of the set, at the New England Sports Museum at the TD Garden in July. They also have a presentation planned at the Merrimac Library on June 3, and Blasi will be on hand for a Beer, Baseball and Barbecue Dinner at Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm in Newbury on June 19.
They say the book is being well received by memorabilia collectors and just plain fans alike. They've been interviewed by some out-of-state radio stations, they said.
"This was a labor of love," Tom Zappala said. "We've become a little overwhelmed by the attention."
IF YOU GO
What: Book launch and signing for "The T206 Collection"
When: Saturday, May 1, 7 to 9 p.m.
Where: Jabberwocky Bookshop, The Tannery, 50 Water St., Newburyport
How: Free admission. Reservations requested; e-mail spitball@t206players.com or call 978-346-9496. For more on the book, visit http://t206players.com.
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