What year for the first Play Ball pre WW II set???
 

Posted By: <b>Frank Wakefield</b><p>Before you type "1939" and ask "what else?" please consider this article that I just read in the May 1945 issue of The Sports Exchange, one of the early hobby publications. The third paragraph of Bob Wilson's article says:<br /><br /> "In later years the Play Ball sets have been most popular among card collectors. These were put out annually by Gum Inc. before the war came. The 1928, 1929 and 1940 sets are uncolored, while the 1941 group is done in bright shades. The 1938-1939 issue has 161 subjects, the 1940 issue has 240, while the 1941 Play Ball series numbers 72. All the stats of the preceding season are pictured."<br /><br />Below is the scan of that, and if it doesn't show well I'll email it to you. The question is, why is Mr. Wilson mentioning 1938-39 for that first issue??? I have issues 1,2,4, & 5; was looking at them again, and for the first time that lept out at me.<br /><br />Frank.<br /><br /> <br /><img src="http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j106/greatwake/TheSportsExchange.jpg">

What year for the first Play Ball pre WW II set???
 

Posted By: <b>Chris Counts</b><p>I wonder if it's possible they came out during the World Series the previous year, much like the '33 Goudey high numbers ... it doesn't surprise me that so little might be known about such a well-known set. Many veteran collectors aren't aware there are color versions of some 1940 Play Balls. And there's been much recent debate about what year the "1948" Leafs came out. Are there back variations in the '39s? That might be a clue ...

What year for the first Play Ball pre WW II set???
 

Posted By: <b>Griffin's</b><p>I wonder if the '39's that had "free sample card" stamped on the back were issued in '38? And since there are variations of the type on the back, that would seem to indicate at least 2 press runs on the low numbers.

What year for the first Play Ball pre WW II set???
 

Posted By: <b>Ted Zanidakis</b><p>FRANK W<br /><br />This does not surprise me, as GUM, Inc. really started producing "trading cards" in 1938 with<br /> their great Non-Sports card set "Horrors of War". I visited with George Moll (in 1981) and he<br /> showed me a lot of samples and uncut sheets of the late 1930's and early 1940's sports and<br /> non-sports cards that his agency produced for the Bowman Gum Co. (who advertised as GUM,<br /> Inc.) in the pre-War years.<br />It is also interesting, that the so-called 1939 PlayBall set doesn't have a date on the back of<br /> the cards, while the 1940 and 1941 do have dates. So, how was it ever established that this<br /> set was strictly a "1939" issue ?<br /><br />Frank, thanks for bringing this to our attention. Hal Lewis will find this very interesting.<br /><br />TED Z