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I am trying to document information regarding the M101-2 Sporting News set, in particular, the various backs that exist. If anyone on the board has knowledge of other back variations, or other verified fronts with ads on the back, please let me know. Here is what I have been able to document so far:

M101-2 Sporting News backs

There are five known back variations for M101-2 Sporting News supplements.

The first back, issued sometime after the 1912 season, has the heading, “FREE! FREE!! FREE!!!” at the top. The publisher is offering 20 free pictures as incentive to subscribe to the Sporting News. Near the bottom, above the publisher’s name, is printed, “Additional pictures will cost five cents each.”

84 different supplements are listed as available on this back. The 16 NOT available include #1 Bresnahan, #3 Mathewson, #4 Cobb, #5 Lajoie, #8 Walsh, #10 Wagner, #35 Cobb/Wagner, #49 Cole, and all of the last eight in the series, #s 93-100. The first seven of these were extremely popular players, and were no doubt snatched up very quickly. The omission of Cole is a mystery, but very likely it was just an error, and he was meant to be included. Cole IS available on back #2.

The fact that #s 93-100 were not available is almost certainly due to the fact that they had not been printed yet. Therefore, this back was printed sometime after #92 Herrmann (issued 12-26-12) and prior to #93 Daubert (issued 10-23-13). Most likely, it was sent out in the mail to entice new subscribers during the 1913 season.

Confirmed fronts with the first back are limited to #87 Griffith and #88 Hauser.

The second back is very similar to the first in that it also has the heading “FREE! FREE!! FREE!!!” at the top. However, there are differences of note. On this back, the words “Additional pictures will cost five cents each” is no longer present. Also, the new subscriber is given the choice of 20 pictures for a one year subscription, or 90 pictures for a two year subscription.

93 different supplements are listed as available on back #2. The seven NOT available are #1 Bresnahan, #3 Mathewson, #4 Cobb, #5 Lajoie, #8 Walsh, #10 Wagner, and #35 Cobb/Wagner. Included for the first time are #s 93-100.

Since the last supplement, #100 Birmingham, is included and was issued on December 11, 1913, this back was most likely mailed to potential subscribers during the 1914 season.

Confirmed fronts with the second back include #55 Wallace and #84 Wood. There are also unconfirmed reports of #65 Schulte, #88 Hauser and a second of Wood.

The third back is quite different from the first two. At the top is the heading “DO YOU WANT seventy-five baseball action pictures free of all charges?” Significantly, the new subscriber no longer gets to choose which ones he wants, almost certainly an indication of an overall dwindling supply. Near the bottom, these 75 are referred to as “a complete set of 75”.
The number of popular subjects no longer available is increased to 16, and now includes #2 Young/Criger, #7 Chance, #9 Rucker, #11 Jennings, #17 The Pirates, #18 The Tigers, #38 Plank, #39 Johnson/Street, and #51 The Athletics.

This back can easily be tied to the year 1914 in that several players are now listed with their Federal League teams. 1915, the second and final year of the Federal League, can be probably be ruled out by the fact that Plank and Bender are still listed as playing for the Athletics - not St. Louis and Baltimore, respectively, where they played in 1915.

Confirmed fronts with the third back include #66 White, #76 Callahan (2), #79 Wheat, #83 Stahl and #84 Wood.

Thus, Hauser and Wood are the only players to be pictured with two different advertising backs.

The fourth back is printed in red and black and features a drastic change in design. No longer is the potential subscriber given a list of supplements available. Instead, he will receive “a set of 75 baseball pictures”, and a set of M101-3 postcards as well, plus a copy of the 1916 Sporting News Record Book. This back includes picture, printed in red, of the supplements featuring Carrigan, Lobert and Zimmerman.

Most likely, this back was mailed late 1915 or early 1916.

The fifth back, though printed in green, not red, is very similar to the fourth. The only notable change in content is that the new subscriber will now receive “a set of 70 baseball pictures”, not 75, as indicated on the fourth back.

Thus, the dwindling supply of supplements confirms this as the last back in the series, mailed to potential readers in 1916.

Finally, this chronology of distribution seems reasonable:

1. Back one distributed during the 1913 season.
2. Back two distributed during the 1914 season.
3. Back three, distributed later in 1914 to note Federal League players
4. Back four, distributed late 1915 and/or early 1916.
5. Back five, distributed during the 1916 season.