NEW R-UNCATALOGED ISSUE? 1930's Wolverine Gum "Sky Writer Gum-Baseball Greats"

[rhettyeakley]

Neat issue that I had never heard of nor had I ever read anything about.

Wolverine Gum (of Detroit) is undeniably best known for their very popular 1937 R21 Ripley's Believe It Or Not series.

The nature of this series probably led to it's rarity as one was asked to essentially destroy the item in order to find the answer to the quiz question. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) the wrapper/card that I picked up does not have the answer visible, but if it did it would date the issue very conclusively. The patent number on front refers to the pyro-technology of applying heat to display a hidden image and was issued in 1930 so it can't be from before then. My guess would be from the 1935-39 era or so as that was the era of the Overland Candy set along with others like the non-sports "Guess What" series, etc. I also venture that the answer to the posed question may be Bob Feller, which would date it to 1937.

Anyways, obviously it will not win any type of beauty contests as an issue but I was pretty excited to find it as I had never heard of anything like this. IMO it is a fairly significant find even if only a handful will probably care. I tried illumination with light source but couldn't see an answer on the item and will try a blacklight at some point but it may not still be visible after so much time.

Anyways, here it is in all it's simplistic glory...

[Jantz]

Nice item Rhett!


Jantz

[sebie43]

That is pretty cool

[joeadcock]

Nice job Rhett

[Eric72]

"Have your daddy touch the tip of a burning cigarette to the dot - to find the answer."

Never saw that on a baseball card before.

[steve B]

That's really cool.

The patent was filed in 1930, but granted in 1933, so that narrows it down a bit more.

Steve B

[steve B]

Looking at some stats I'm thinking Cy Blanton.

1934 - one game, not bad but not great either.
1935 - 35 games, 18-13 2.58 ERA led the league, 4 shutouts

Steve B

[Jeffrompa]

Guessing not too many of these survived the fire

[ethicsprof]

great find!!!
It's always exciting to see a discovery such as this in this great hobby.
also interesting to see a glimpse of a culture long gone with the cigarette
instructions.
best,
barry

[Bocabirdman]

Originally Posted by Eric72

"Have your daddy touch the tip of a burning cigarette to the dot - to find the answer."

Never saw that on a baseball card before.

Hey, at least they suggested daddy's cigarette and not the kid's .

It could have been,"Hey kids, touch the tip of a burning cigarette to the dot - to find the answer."

[smokelessjoe]

Rhett,

This is a great item!

You will not believe this... (Something I have never forgot) Years ago, someone on this board or the old Net54 board asked if anybody remembered getting something similar to your item from a Gas Station when they were kids. I think it was stated that it was some sort of premium given out - you were to light it with a cigarette and essentially it would burn around the bases (there was a baseball diamond image) - if it burned all the way around to home-plate you got a prize! Apparently some would stop burning at first or second base etc.

Everyone on the board was intrigued by this, but no one else had ever heard of it.

I cannot remember who originally asked about it? I seem to remember a comment being made that "probably not many being around due to the nature of the item"...

I have wanted one (even though not knowing what it looked like) ever since this person posted about years ago....

[1880nonsports]

I have no life but no skills perhaps someone with skills and no life can find the thread..... In the 1880's there were many novelty cards including a set featuring nursery rhymes that required the card to be heated to view the hidden subject. Although fun - having your advertising burned-up or destroyed seems like a bad idea from the supplier side.

[teetwoohsix]

Very cool, and a great find! Thanks for sharing that-

Sincerely, Clayton

[cincicards]

I forgot I had these.

baseball.jpg

horse.jpg

[thecatspajamas]

I'm not normally a card guy, but that Lucky Strike piece is about the coolest promotion / insert item I have ever seen! It's no wonder very few of those survived. It's all I can do to keep from touching a cigarette to my monitor, and I don't even smoke!

[Butch7999]

Can't find the thread here either, but we know "goldenager" Fred was the source on the baseball version of the "pocket pyrotechnics" games.
Here it is from Atlantic Oil, 1939:

[smokelessjoe]

Not as old a thread as I thought... But here it is: (from the old Net54) It was the Atlantic Gas that clued me in...

http://www.network54.com/Forum/15365...bout+This+Item

[rhettyeakley]

Those Atlantic and Lucky Strike items are great, good stuff.

[Leon]

Thanks to everyone who posted in this thread. I am just glad the ACC quit being added to!! I would have a more difficult time than I already do with my "collecting by number."