When 1941 Play Ball packs hit the shelves, the world was already at war. With America on the verge of joining the fight, the populous turned its eyes to two superstars from two of the most popular teams who were making history. The Yankees’ Joe DiMaggio hit safely in 56 consecutive games, while Boston rival Ted Williams finished the season with a .406 batting average.
The 1941 Play Ball set stands out for a number of reasons when compared to the other
Gum Inc. issues from 1939 and 1940. The most obvious one is, of course, the pastel colors. While two previous issues of Play Ball cards were simple black and white, the 1941 issue splashed cardboard with color. Additionally, the set is only composed of 72 cards, so it is in reach of the average collector. While the Joe DiMaggio and Williams cards are the most valuable, they’re followed closely by the rookie card of Hall of Fame member Pee Wee Reese.
BurlsSports.com’s Set Break of the Week is a 1941 Play Ball set that is largely in VG to EX condition. The condition of the key cards breaks down as follows: #
14 Williams SGC 45 VG+, #54 Reese RC SGC 55 VG-EX+, #71 DiMaggio SGC 20 (presents VG with slight of paper loss).
If you haven’t participated in a group break, each card in the break is sold at a fixed price, but you don’t pick the card beforehand. When all spots are sold, the cards are distributed randomly to the participants. Some will get the key cards for a fraction of their value, while others take home vintage commons for set building or trade bait. In order to ensure transparency, the randomization is broadcast live online for all participants to view.
The price for this break is set at $49.99 per slot and will go on sale on Friday, February 26th at 11 AM CST. The last break sold out in a matter of hours, so for the first day of this break purchases will be limited to 1 slot per person to give more people an opportunity to participate. On the 27th, the break will open up to multi-slot purchases. To purchase slots in the break or to find out more, you can access the break page here.
Burl’s Sports has recently acquired an impressive run of complete vintage sets that will be broken in the coming months, including a complete run of Topps sets from 1952-72, Goudey sets from 1933-36, 1939-1941 Play Ball and 1941 Double Play.
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