What's In Ted's Wallet?

The Newly Revealed T206 Baseball Card Collection of Thomas Edison's Youngest Son

Non-Fiction - Hobby
183 Pages
Reviewed on 08/15/2024
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    Book Review

Reviewed by Maalin Ogaja for Readers' Favorite

In What’s In Ted’s Wallet, J.B. Manheim and Lawrence Knorr give us a glimpse into Theodore Miller Edison’s life as a young baseball fan in the early 1900s. Theodore, or Ted as he was known, was the youngest son of the famous inventor, Thomas Edison. Born when his father was fifty-one years old, Ted developed an interest in baseball, partly as a way to connect with his busy father. However, this interest grew into a genuine love for the game. To express this passion, Ted began collecting baseball cards found in cigarette packets. It remains unclear who the smoker was that helped Ted acquire these cards, considering Ted’s father's aversion to cigarette smoking. Yet, Ted’s father must have been aware of this hobby and seemed to approve of it.

In What’s In Ted’s Wallet, J.B. Manheim and Lawrence Knorr carefully lay out the background of Thomas Edison’s love for baseball and his views on cigarette smoking, particularly concerning young men and boys. This is thoroughly displayed through a wide array of letters and pictures. This context provides an excellent backdrop against which Ted’s story of baseball collection begins, highlighting the prevailing attitude toward cigarette smoking during that period. My favorite part of this story is the pictures of the collection of baseball cards that Ted kept in his wallet. These pictures add a tangible connection to Ted’s youth and dreams. I appreciated the historical aspect that this narrative offered on the most iconic American game, capturing the evolution of baseball and its cultural significance.