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| KeyMan
Collectibles |
NEWSLETTER |
June 2021 |
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Baseball
Card
Premiums: Bubble Gum, Cookies |
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Steven KeyMan |
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And
Collector's Hats -
By 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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 In
1933, the Goudey Gum Company of
Boston, Massachusetts,
produced a 240 set of "Big
League Chewing Gum" baseball
cards. The packs were issued
with a stick of bubble gum,
making them the first baseball gum
cards.
Endorsed by Lou Gehrig in 1934, Goudey created the Knot Hole League, a new
collecting club that rewarded
members that saved Big League
wrappers with "New Free
Baseball Premiums." All
you had to do was send in
twenty
Big League wrappers,
with 3¢
in stamps, and you became a
member.
Goudey sent you; one Knot Hole membership card, one Knot Hole Badge (for
your coat or shirt) and one Big
League Premium book.
In 1935 Bill Devlin was
appointed the new President of
Goudey's Knot Hole League of
America, with Lou Gehrig and
Goudey parting ways. The
1935
Big League Chewing Gum wrappers
featured a silhouette of Babe
Ruth swatting a home run, and a
cut out premium redemption
coupon.
Send in 150 Big league Coupons or 50 coupons and 10c (stamps or coin)
Goudey sent you a 1935 Knot
Hole League Membership card,
the 1935 premium list, and the
Official Ring of the Knot Hole
League.
Established in 1938, the Topps
Chewing Gum Co., makers of
Bazooka gum, issued trading
cards in 1950 to try and
enhance gum sales. In 1951
Topps entered the baseball card
market when they released
Baseball Doubles, the Red and
Blue back game cards. In 1952
the first baseball card set was
issued with the famed Mickey
Mantle Rookie Card, and a Stick of Gum!
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The cards became Topps primary
product, and a 5/8 once stick of
bubble gum became their first premium.
The stick of gum was a mainstay in
packs of Topps baseball cards until
1992, when the gum was removed in favor
of collectors that complained that it
ruined the cards.
The stick of gum was instant
gratification for kids opening up a
pack of cards and smelling that sweet
aroma that would be remembered for a
lifetime. Not to mention cracking the
gum in your mouth until it became
chewable.
The 1952 cards also featured another premium. Offered on the wrapper. You
could get
"Big Baseball Pennants of
Major League Teams" by sending in .15¢
and 5 Topps baseball wrappers for each
pennant.
The 5"x 15" premium pennants would be
offered for many years, appearing on
wrappers and
premium cards inserted into packs of
baseball cards. Often called
Bazooka Joe Emblems, Big League Emblems
or Topps Felts, the Bazooka Team Emblem
Patch was made available through Topps
Baseball cards from 1956 -1958.
In 1958 the words "My Favorite Team"
was written around the outer Ring. The
set consists of 16 - 5" dia. felt team
patches and were made available through
a special offer from premium cards that
were inserted inside the the Topps
nickel baseball packs.
To receive a Major League Team Emblem you had to send in one, Blony or
Bazooka bubble gum wrapper in a
self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE).
The back of the premium insert card
made it clear to send only the BAZOOKA
or BLONY bubble gum wrappers, and
"Don't send comics or baseball
wrappers." When you received the Team
Emblem in the mail, "a gift from
Bazooka Joe & Archie," it came with a
mailer with a
letter signed by Bazooka
Joe & Archie, and the other side
pictured a few prizes you could receive
by saving Bazooka and Blony comics.
 In 1961 Topps started a trend by inserting premiums into packs of baseball
cards.
As
an "Extra" Topps placed two Baseball
Stamps in every pack. The 1961 Topps
baseball Stamp insert set consist of
207 stamps that measure 1 3/8" x 1
3/16".
The premium was advertised on the front of the wrapper. Dealers that
carried Topps baseball cards received a
promotional panel of three uncut cards
advertising the upcoming set on the
back, and the "Extra Two
Baseball
Player Stamps in Every 5¢ pack."
Topps also inserted
Magic Rub-off
premiums free in every pack of 1961
baseball cards. As advertised on the
wrapper, the "Magic Rub-Off Goes On Any
Smooth Surface! - Great On Wood, Metal
Glass"
Measuring 2-1/16" X 3-1/16" the 1961
Topps Magic Rub-off Insert set consist
of 18 Teams pennants, and 18 players.
36 Rub-Offs in all. The instructions to
use the Magic Rub-Off are on the back.
"Place transfer against any surface and
rub this side with a coin. Presto!
picture true transfers completely."
In 1959 Fleer entered the baseball card
market,
producing sets until 1962
featuring old timers and retired
ballplayers such as; Ruth, Gehrig,
Johnson, Cobb and other pre-War stars.
Then in
1963 Fleer issued a set of
current major league players.
The 5¢ pack of cards which included the likes of; Brooks Robinson, Carl
Yastrzemski , Sandy Koufax, Roberto
Clemente, and Bob Gibson, came
with a Cherry Flavored Cookie. The wrapper also
featured a premium offer for Large
Baseball Pennants, by sending in 35¢
Fleer's 1963 issue was a direct
challenge to Topps' monopoly on the use
of current players on baseball cards.
Topps sued Fleer which resulted in
halting production after releasing 66
cards and an unnumbered checklist.
In 1975 Fleer sued under the antitrust laws to obtain the right to sell
baseball cards in competition with
Topps, alleging that Topps and the
Major League Baseball Players
Association had unlawfully restrained
trade in baseball cards. In 1980 Fleer
won the case in Federal District Court,
and began distributing
baseball cards
with its bubble gum in 1981.
The courts decision was made on June
30, 1980, and caused Fleer to rush
production to be ready for the 1981
season. Sports Photo Associates had
licensed photos in stock, that they had
taken for the buttons, and made a deal
with fleer.
The 1981 Fleer baseball card wrappers featured a special offer for the
Sports Photo Assoc. buttons. For $1.00,
you could "Pick Your Favorite Star." A
checklist for 26 "Giant 3" Photo
Button's were made available on the
wrapper.
In 1973 Topps baseball cards were
issued in four variations of wax Pack
illustrations; Pitcher, manager &
umpire argument, catcher, and batter.
The back of each wax pack featured
different premium offers. The Batter:
offer #445 you could receive this
Umpire's Ball and Strike Indicator for
.40¢ The indicator was made by the
Ever-New Company in Japan, for Topps
International, a division of Topps
Trading Card company.
"The catcher" wrapper
featured three different premiums,
offer #451 Baseball Batting Glove for
.75¢, Offer #456, 24 Team Checklists,
and offer #3; you could receive this
"1972 Sports Highlights," Stereo 33⅓
RPM LP record, Narrated by Jim McKay,
when you mailed in .75¢, to the
Fleetwood Recording Company, in Revere,
Massachusetts. |
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The Manager
& Umpire: "Offer #2" you could receive
100 Years of Baseball, Stereo LP
Fleetwood 33⅓ RPM record by mailing in
.75¢
Introduced by James
Stewart and narrated by Curt Gowdy,
"Baseball - The First 100 Years,
Official Centennial 12" Record Album
was released in 1969. However, a 7"
record using Fleetwood's microsonic
process was used for the Topps wrapper
premium.
"The Pitcher" wrapper, offer #1; you
could receive the
10 years of ABC Wide
World of Sports, Narrated by Jim McKay,
Stereo 33⅓ RPM LP record, when you
mailed in .75¢, to American
Broadcasting Companies Inc., ABC
Merchandising Inc.
Produced by the
Fleetwood Recording Company, the 7"
record was recorded using Fleetwood's microsonic process, allowing it to be
equal in quality as a
12" LP record.
In 1977 the
Topps Sports Card Locker was offered on wrappers. This
premium was featured on packs for many
years. "Its the greatest way to store
your cards that money can buy!" ... The
colorful vinyl locker is easy to keep
clean and built to last for years. Send
$4.75 plus 75¢ for handling and 1 Topps
sports card wrapper.
 Topps Issued 15 Baseball cards and a stick of gum in 1980 for .25¢ a pack.
One premium featured on the wrapper was
for an autographed baseball. Pick your
favorite club... American or National
League, mail in $4.25 plus 50¢ postage,
and 1 Topps sports card wrapper.
The baseballs were produced by the Autograph Ball Co., founded by ex-major
league ballplayer Dick Culler in 1947.
the company licensed the use of
players' signatures on the basis of one
cent apiece for each ball sold.
The 1981 Topps wrappers featured four
premium offer variations which
included; an uncut sheet of all
twenty-six 1981 Topps team checklists,
a baseball Cap offer, a Topps Super
Sports Card Locker, and an offer for 5
Topps collecting boxes.
For $1.00, and 1 wrapper you received "5
Topps Baseball Card Collecting Boxes."
The front and back of the red box,
pictures LA Dodgers Ron Cey swinging a
bat.
In 1986 Fleer offered this "All-Star
Collectors Hat" on the back of Fleer
Baseball wax, rack, and cello packs.
For only $2.95 plus 3 proofs of
purchase, you could "Show Off Your
Favorite Cards." Fleer's All Star
Collectors hat was designed with 8
plastic pocket sleeves to hold standard
size baseball cards.
The hat was manufactured by Lowry Textile LTD, Windsor, Ontario Canada.
Offer Expired 12/31/1986. |
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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 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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