1954 BOWMAN printing plates solve the Ted Williams mystery...Let's see your TW cards
 

Perhaps, I should've posted this thread in the post-WWII section of this forum; however, I feel this story is interesting and should be presented
to the larger audience inherent in the pre-war section.

OK, my story begins in the late 1970's (and early 1980's) when the common thinking regarding the 1954 BOWMAN Ted Williams card was "rare"
because it's "printing plate broke". This "broken plate" myth was often the explanation for any rare card in the hobby that couldn't be explained
otherwise (for example the T206 Plank card).

Having print shop experience during my H.S. years, I thought the "broken plate" theory was utterly ridiculous. Printers design multiple plates for
most everything they print.

On a beautiful Fall day in 1984, I received a call from Bob Bartosz (BB Show promoter in South Jersey) telling me I have to see the stuff that an
elderly gentleman just brought into his BB shop. So I took a long lunch break and drove an hour down to Cherry Hill. Bob spread out on his glass
counters EIGHT (20" x 15") tin printing plates. The 32 images etched on each of these plates were that of the 1954 BOWMAN BB cards.

A complete 1954 BOWMAN BB set comprises of 224 subjects. So, I say to Bob...."there's a duplicate plate". Bob replies...."yes, look who is on it."
The extra printing plate's images were for cards #65 - #96. This was unbelievable, TWO printing plates with Ted Williams (#66) !

Well, so much for the "broken plate" myth.

In 1984, BOWMAN cards were my biggest sellers. So, Bob asked me what would be a fair $$$$ figure to offer the gentleman for these plates ?

I told Bob that I really had no idea, this kind of stuff was just too unique. I told him I would contact Barry Halper. When I got back to work that
day, I called Barry. Barry was really interested in the printing plates, and thanked me for contacting him. It was a happy ending for Barry, Bob,
and the elderly gentleman.


http://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan7...edwilliams.jpg


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

Ted Z
 

Someone could write a great book by just compiling all of Ted's great posts and stories and historical information from Net54.

I have one of those 1954B's. It's an 8OC. But it is one of my favorite cards because the 1954B set was my first that I completed in the 1950's sets, and it took me about 15 years to actually complete the full set, after having completed the base 224 card set with the Piersall as #66.

Thanks Ted.

I didn't realize this was a mystery. I thought Ted was famous for negotiating hard with card companies and Bowman didn't actually have the right to produce his card thus switching over to Piersall. Topps had to pay him AND agree to give him first and last card. Similar to Fleer getting him exclusively in 1959 except they gave him the whole set.

May just be urban legend but it's what I had always heard.

1954 BOWMAN printing plates solve the Ted Williams (rare) card mystery
 

Scott


TOPPS executive, Sy Berger, was an avid Ted Williams fan. When Ted returned from his military service in Korea in 1953, TOPPS acquired the Rights to portray him in their 1954 set.
BOWMAN, who had the Rights from before Ted went to Korea in 1952, featured Ted in their 1954 set. And, TOPPS sued BOWMAN and won their case, forcing BOWMAN to discontinue issuing their Ted Williams cards.

In the 1970's and the early 1980's, many in the hobby thought Ted's BOWMAN card was short-printed, or the printing plate broke, etc., etc. for why this card was so difficult to find.



TED Z

T206 Reference
.

great story ted. thank you for sharing it after nearly 35 years!

Glad to know I sorta had it right.

I worked in an ad agency that had an in house print shop, Maybe plates were different back in the day but you can't really "break" one now-a-days. and even if you did crease or otherwise ruin one you'd just make another.

1954 BOWMAN printing plates solve the Ted Williams mystery....Let's see your TW cards
 

I acquired my 1954 BOWMAN card in 1983 at an Al Rosen/John Broggi monthly auction in NJ. I was pleasantly surprised that there were only 2 guys
bidding on it. I won it with a $150 bid. Not a bad price for this card back then. It should grade Vg-Ex ( or if I'm lucky, perhaps an Ex).


http://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan7...edwilliams.jpg


I have been fortunate over the past 40+ years to have picked up some great finds (especially pre-war stuff). But this experience with these BOWMAN
printing plates is one of my best. How often in this hobby have we seen (and held in our hands) the actual printing plates of the vintage cards in our
collections ?

Hope you enjoyed reading it. So, how about posting your 1954 BOWMAN Ted Williams cards here.


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

1954 BOWMAN printing plates solve the Ted Williams mystery....Let's see your TW cards
 

Hi Tony

Always great to hear from you. And, thanks for the kind words.

The 1954 BOWMAN Ted Williams is 3rd on my most favorite list of post-WWII cards. I have always been a fan of Ted Williams, although I've been a Yankees fan for over 70 years.

In my opinion, if Williams played for the Yankees, he would hold the record for lifetime BA (perhaps approaching .400)….and, he would probably hold the record for career HR's. I
recall Ted hitting quite a number of HR's in the uppermost deck in RF of Yankee Stadium.

Furthermore, Ted would have been appreciated more in New York than he was in Boston.

Take care,


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

1954 BOWMAN printing plates solve the Ted Williams mystery....Let's see your TW cards
 

Hi Ronnie

I didn't have a chance to reply earlier......thanks for the compliment.

We are away in Maine for Ron's (our Grandson) wedding.


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

Thanks, Ted. Great story, and I'm glad you also included the other story of why Bowman had to discontinue printing Mr. Williams. A shame, really, since the '54 Bowman is a nice-looking card of Ted. Even if I don't own one, I'm sure glad Topps didn't go after the Wilson Franks people for their printing of a Ted Williams in their "little innocuous set" (ha, anything but, in the minds of hobbyists today!!!!)

I commend you, as I always do whether I acknowledge it on here or not, for sharing from your treasure trove of stories, information, and images. Have a swell day, my fellow collecting warrior.

I am sending you a PM on another subject. Please help if you can. Trust me, it's in good taste.

---Brian Powell

1954 BOWMAN printing plates solve the Ted Williams mystery....Let's see your TW cards
 

Hi Brian

We are vacationing in Maine and attending our Grandson's, Ron, wedding.
I will better reply to you when we return home.

Thanks for your kind words.


TED Z

T206 Reference
.