An epic exploration of the history, heroes, highs and lows of baseball in 1912, told with the words and images of the Hassan Triplefolder Set.
The T202 Hassan Triplefolder Set – featuring 144 colorful player portraits and 76 black-and-white photographs – is arranged to tell the story of the 1912 baseball season, from the Opening Day clash between the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers, to the dramatic Fourth of July contest between the Philadelphia Athletics and Boston Red Sox, and ending with the epic 1912 World Series, won in eight games by the Red Sox over the Giants.
Along the way, we meet some of baseball’s greatest players – Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Tris Speaker, Napoleon Lajoie, and Shoeless Joe Jackson – as well as many notable players who are less well-remembered today – Hal Chase, Kid Elberfeld, Russ Ford, Jimmy Archer, Ed Konetchy, and more.
In 1912, the American Tobacco Company designed an innovative set that combined the end panels from the 1911 T205 set, with white borders instead of gold, and a center panel consisting of a black and white photograph. When the end panels were folded over, the card could fit neatly into a pack of Hassan Cork Tip Cigarettes.
The T202 Hassan Triplefolder Set has end panels for 137 players and managers, 80 National Leaguers and 57 American Leaguers. Every panel is presented with a high-resolution scan, in vibrant color and outstanding detail, in its actual size.
The center panels are the first examples of fast-shutter photography on baseball cards, presenting images rarely seen before: a ball frozen in flight, a player diving back to first base, or dirt kicked up by a runner sliding into third base or barrelling into home plate.
The backs had only small advertisements, leaving ample room for captions. The 76 center panel captions and 137 different end panel captions give rise to a text of more than 18,000 words, equivalent to a small booklet that offers a detailed portrait of baseball and America in 1912.
Several T202s are shown with the original photograph used for the center panel, with descriptions of the location and date.
Supplementing the Hassan Triplefolders are a variety of photographs, postcards, felts, and pins.
Together, they give a sense of how fans followed their favorite game in one of baseball’s most memorable seasons.
praise for
“Through the majesty of the T202 Hassan Triplefolders — perhaps the most hallowed baseball cards of all time — Phil Rosenzweig takes us back to the celebrated season of 1912, as baseball established itself as America’s pastime. One Splendid Season is a kaleidoscope of a sport coming of age, with fascinating images of ballparks, uniforms, equipment and more that laid the foundation for the multibillion dollar game we know today. Nicknames like Peaches, Dolly, Hippo and Smoky Joe may have gone out of style, but it’s heartening to learn that the essence of baseball is the same now as it was all those years ago.”
tyler kepner
Senior baseball writer for The Athletic, former national baseball columnist for The New York Times, and author of the best-selling K: A History of Baseball In Ten Pitches
One Splendid Season is a finalist for the 2025 CASEY Award for Best Baseball Book of the Year.
One Splendid Season was ranked Number 2 in Best Baseball Books of 2025, out of about 50 reviewed.
Bill Felber has reviewed One Splendid Season in The Inside Game: The Official Newsletter of SABR’s Deadball Era Committee XXV no 4.
“Truly one of the most creative ideas for a book I’ve ever seen, and the layout is beautiful”
Published October 2025, Dan McGowan from the Boston Globe interviews Phil.
Listen to Phil’s interesting chat to Ron Kaplan about baseball cards and One Splendid Season
“I feel certain Phil’s book would be a welcome addition to the bookshelf of any vintage card collector or fan of the game’s history”
Phil discusses One Splendid Season and the T202 Hassan Triplefolders with the Golden Age of Cardboard podcast
My Baseball History is a long form interview podcast. Host Dan Wallach talks to Phil about his love of baseball and baseball cards
One Splendid Season is available to purchase in the Baseball Hall of Fame in New York
A beautifully presented slice of American Sports History. Captions on the back of the cards, annotated with extensive research by the author, offer a rich account of baseball as it was played a century ago – a game of stolen bases, scissors slides, spitballs, and squeeze bunts.
One Splendid Season will be enjoyed by everyone who loves baseball, from the casual fan to the devoted to student of the game to the collector of tobacco baseball cards.
