Whenever vintage collectors think of baseball cards and television, it's usually the 1955 Bowman set that comes to mind. That release would be Bowman's last one before being taken over by Topps. What some collectors don't know, however, is that the look was not an entirely new one. In 1950, Drake's offered a set of baseball cards with a similar design. 1950 Drake's TV … [Read more...]
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1950 Philadelphia Inquirer Phillies Photos Commemorate World Series Run
In 1950, the Philadelphia Phillies put together a phenomenal season. Finishing with a 91-63 record, the team was first in the National League and headed to the postseason. While the Phillies would ultimately lose to the New York Yankees in the World Series that year, the "Whiz Kids" are still remembered as one of the better teams in franchise history. That year as the season … [Read more...]
The Wayback Collector: Pop Report Comparisons of Pre-War and Post-War Vintage
Whenever I write about anything involving the population reports from third party grading companies (i.e. PSA, SGC, and Beckett), I like to throw out the standard reminder that they aren't perfect. But what those "pop reports" can do is help give us an idea of the rarity between certain sets. Typically, I've used them in comparing the perceived rarity of sets from the same … [Read more...]
Topps Baseball Cards of the 1950s Extended Beyond Their Base Sets
While there are baseball players in the 1948 Topps Magic set, most collectors consider the 1952 set as their first 'standard' issue. The company was new to the baseball card world and quickly competed with Bowman for top billing in the industry. Topps quickly won that battle, ultimately buying Bowman. As they navigated the new landscape of post-war bubble gum cards, the New … [Read more...]
1970s Reprint Set Helps Uncover Mysteries of 1950 Sawyer Biscuit Set
In 1950, the Sawyer Biscuit Company issued a rare set of promotional photographs. The pictures featured minor league baseball players from the Indianapolis Indians and are quite rare. For some time, the checklist consisted of fewer than two dozen subjects. However, a 1970s reprint set and some recent discoveries likely prove that many more subjects actually exist. 1950 … [Read more...]
A Look at the Evolution of Early Bowman Baseball Cards
After World War II, the Bowman Gum Company quickly became a viable competitor to Topps. Both companies produced sets early in the postwar era but Bowman would eventually get swallowed up by its rival. Topps, of course, ceased printing cards under the Bowman label after 1955 until reviving the brand back in 1989. But while Bowman's first run lasted only from 1948 through … [Read more...]
1959-1961 Morrell Meats Dodgers Were Big League
Dodger fans who opened their morning newspaper in southern California on April 30, 1959 probably read about Johnny Podres of the Phillies beating his old team. The Dodgers were in the midst of a grueling 17-game early season road trip across the country as their second season in Los Angeles unfolded. In another part of the paper, fans learned of a new promotion that … [Read more...]
1955 Topps Doubleheaders Have Pre-War Roots
Forty-four years after smokers of Mecca cigarettes pulled them out of packs, Topps reincarnated the interactive design for a "double folders" set of its own. The 1955 Topps Doubleheaders set was the company's first sidebar baseball issue and continues to be popular with collectors of vintage cards. 1955 Topps Doubleheaders Basics Topps Doubleheaders were issued with … [Read more...]
Remembering ‘Newk’: 5 Cards of Don Newcombe
Don Newcombe, who died Tuesday at the age of 92, was an imposing, hard-throwing pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He won 20 or more games three times during his 10-year major-league career and 19 games in 1950. He might have topped the 20-win plateau a few more times, but he lost the 1952 and 1953 seasons to military service. “Newk” stood 6-foot-4 and weighed 220 pounds. … [Read more...]
1952 Star-Cal Decals Set Featured Stars and Two Types
The 1952 Star-Cal Decals set is one of the more interesting 1950s issues. While the Topps and Bowman sets get most of the attention from collectors, this unique set has its own great lineup of stars and is significantly tougher to find. 1952 Star-Cal Decals Basics The 1952 Star-Cal Decals set was produced by the Meyercord Company, which was based in Chicago, as is printed on … [Read more...]
