ID Help- 1945 Cleveland Indians Premium

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Posted By: leon

I picked this up on ebay quite some time ago. It's on thin cardboard stock and is not regular paper stock so my guess is that it was some type of premium. Anyone else seen one of these or have one? I am almost dying to find out (well not really but it sounds good)....it's about 6x9..

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Posted By: Rob Dewolf

I have one and have had 4-6 over the past 10 or so years, usually picking them up in purchases of Indians collections from the 1940s and '50s. I had one veteran collector tell me that they were a giveaway at an Indians game that season and another say they were inserted into programs on specials days. Given the size of the programs from that season and the fact that these don't turn up as frequently as 1945 programs, I doubt that. But from my experience they're pretty common, expecially in ex-mt shape or nicer. The thing I've always found odd is that the Indians issued this style of photo with the facsimile autographs on the reverse only for that one season. I usually see them sell in the $15 range.

Hope this helps, Rob.

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Posted By: leon

I paid around $15-$25 for this too...so I was in the range....I could see how it could have been given away with a program or in some kind of magazine. Not many cards from 1945 so I am glad to have it....I appreciate the info...

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Posted By: Bob Casmer

Leon,

I know exactly what you have. About a year ago, at a flea market, I picked up a couple pages from a woman's scrap book that someone was selling. Attached to the pages were score cards purchased when she attended a couple Cleveland Indians games back in 1946 or 1947 (forgot the exact year). Included with the one scorecard was a team photo of the Indians, with the exact same logo and stylized facsimile signatures on the back as your team photo, except is was for the '46 or '47 Indians team. The team photo fit perfectly inside the folded over scorecard and was obviously distributed as a premium with its purchase. The woman who created the scrapbook also wrote a brief note about going to the the games with her Aunt and Uncle. She also attached one of her ticket stubs to one page of the scrap book and in the other scorecard, she taped the actual pencil she used to score the game. It was a No. 2 pencil, still sharpened, and had "The Cleveland Indians" embossed in black on one face of the pencil's yellow faces. The team photo I have is about as perfect as it can be and looks like it was just purchased yesterday. Luckily, it was not taped or glued to the actual scorecard or scrap book page.

Other than your's, Ive never seen one of these team photos before. Good catch.

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Posted By: leon

I don't remember seeing you post too much on our board but thanks so much for the great information. It sounds like there were several different years of these. Very good info....nice little story too....take care now.....

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Posted By: Bob Casmer

Leon,

The reason you've never seen much posted by me is this is the first time I've ever posted.

I got the two pages with the scorecards, team photo and other attachments, along with a third scrap book page with a complete program from a 1947 University of Akron Zippers basketball game attached, for $20 total. I thought I did well. Take care.