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| 1917 T. Norpoth Baseball
Playing Cards |
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| 1978 Sports Deck Playing Cards |
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| 2000 U.S. Playing Cards All
Century Team |
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| KeyMan
Collectibles |
NEWSLETTER |
December 2018 |
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On Deck:
Baseball Theme Playing Cards
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By Steven KeyMan |
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Steven KeyMan |
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Founder of
Keymancollectibles.com,
and a long time
collector, Steven
KeyMan has more than 30
years of experience in
researching, and
cataloging information
on Baseball
Memorabilia.
Researching his own personal
collection, and helping others find
information on their
collectibles, the
website grew into the
largest online resource
for baseball
memorabilia |
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Ask
Steven: Direct your questions or feedback,
about Baseball Memorabilia to Steven KeyMan
Steve@keymancollectibles.com You can also Send
KeyMan pictures of your personal Memorabilia Display,
and get your own Free
Collectors Showcase Room featured on the website.. |
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Playing cards were invented by the
Chinese about 2,000 years ago.
Baseball cards featuring teams were
first produced around 1886 by Peck
and Snyder, a sporting goods store
in New York, to promote their line
of baseball equipment. An
advertising success, tobacco and
bubble gum companies issued
baseball cards to help sell their
products. Through the years
companies produced baseball cards
with a playing card design, and the
combination was always favored by
collectors.
In 1888, the Baseball Card Company
of 37 Great Jones street, NY,
issued a pack of
72 baseball
playing cards. Something entirely
new in it's day, the baseball cards
could be used to play many new
games. You could play baseball at
home. The cards feature a finely
illustrated color portrait of a
National League ballplayer wearing
his club uniform. The City of the
club is at the top, and the players
last name at the bottom, below the
fielding position. The 2.5" x 3.5"
cards have a blue-on-blue lathework
pattern on the back. The cards were
given the designation WG1 by
the American Card Catalog.
 The 1910 standard deck of
Russell's
Rustlers "Base Ball Boys" playing
cards were made by Willis W.
Russell Card Co., in Milltown, New
Jersey. The Sample advertising
cards feature local Major League
team schedules for the 1910 season.
The Sepia tone Red or blue,
Rustlers playing cards feature 6
different studio player poses on
the back. The black & white Joker
card has a player in a fielding
position that reads "At The Plate."
Designated W560, by the American
Card Catalog, as a 1927 issue, the
set was produced on 4 different
16-subject uncut 7"x11" sheets. The
1.75” x 2.75” hand cut, blank back
cards have a playing-card design.
Although this set is cataloged as a
1927 issue, Les Bell did not play
for the Boston Braves, as listed on
his card, until 1928. Fred Maguire
pictured with a NY Giants cap, did
not play for the Boston Braves, as
listed on his card, until 1929.
These and other discrepancies
loosely dates the W560 set to a
1929 issue. Key cards include Jim
Foxx, Lou Gehrig, Lefty Grove,
Walter Johnson, & Babe Ruth.
In the 1950s, noted illustrator
William Medcalf produced a series
of baseball related artworks for
the advertising firm of Brown &
Bigelow. The artwork was featured
on a number of branded promotional
merchandise that included
calendars, Baseball schedules and
"Kings of the Diamond" playing
cards. Six of Baseballs biggest
stars were depicted on the back of
of playing cards, each with their
own deck.
Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, and Connie
Mack, appeared as they did in the
early 1950's, Babe Ruth, Lou
Gehrig, and John McGraw as
spiritual images. A space below the
artwork on the standard Bridge
sized playing cards was reserved
for branded advertisement, to be
given as gifts to preferred
customers.
The
1969 Globe Imports Baseball
Playing Card set consist of 55
blank backed cards that measure 1
5/8" x 2 1/4" The black & white
cards were printed on paper thin
cardboard stock. The set was issued
in very scarce quantity, and sold
at gas stations in the Southern
USA. The crude black & white photos
feature action shots of the player
is centered in a playing card
format with a black strip at the
bottom with the players name. There
is also a rare Babe Ruth Ace of
Diamonds card as part of a separate
Globe Imports, 53 card Entertainers
set that incudes Marilyn Monroe,
Bob Dylan, & W.C. Fields.
In 1978 the Sports Deck
Division-Cubic Corp., produced
Sports Star playing cards featuring
athletes of football, basketball,
hockey, golf and baseball. Each
deck of playing cards featured one
illustration of famous sports
personalities drawn by noted artist
Allen Landsman.
Baseball player sets include: Babe
Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jackie Robinson,
Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial, Pete
Rose & Johnny Bench. Limited sets
were produced for Cincinnati Red
players, through a Pepsi-Cola
premium offer. The deck of 52
standard bridge size playing cards
also includes 2 jokers, and an
Allen Landsman biography card. The
rounded corner cards feature a
bordered "original drawing" by
Allen Landsman, and the facsimile
autograph of the player depicted.
The United States Playing Card
Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, was
established in 1867 as Russell,
Morgan & Co. The company produced
many brands that include Bicycle,
Bee, Tally-Ho, Congress, Hoyle,
Aviator, KEM, and several others.
From
1990 through 1995, and 2000,
the company issued baseball cards
in the Playing Cards format.
The 1990 U.S. Playing Cards All-Stars set was a deck of 56 standard size
baseball cards, 52 playing cards,
two wild cards, and two jokers. Key
cards included: Roger Clemens, Ken
Griffey Jr., Tony Gwynn, Cal
Ripken, and Nolan Ryan.
The U.S.
Playing Cards All Century Team
baseball card set was issued in
2000.
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KEYMAN COLLECTIBLES
RELATED RESOURCES |
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KeyMan
Collectibles Collectors Corner
- Keep up with the latest collecting news,
announcements, and articles of interest on the
webs best resource for baseball memorabilia. |
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KeyMan Collectibles Baseball
Memorabilia Facebook Group -
Post Questions and comments relating to
Baseball Collectibles and Memorabilia. Interact
with other collectors or show off your
collection. |
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KeyMan Collectibles Network54 Forum
- A great option for those that "Don't do
facebook" Post Questions and
comments relating to Baseball Collectibles and
Memorabilia |
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