1948 Bowman Baseball - SET COMPLETE!!!

[Marslife]

Finally Finished Up My Dad's Set!!!

When is a set more than a set? Forgive me for feeling nostalgic as I am listening to the “40’s on 40” on my SIRIUS satellite radio. Frank Sinatra is crooning in the background. Picture a 12 year old kid, playing all Saturday morning sandlot baseball in Queens in 1948. He is always called upon to play baseball, he has secured his permanent spot in all neighborhood games as a catcher, as he is the ONLY kid in the surrounding ten blocks that owns a catchers mitt!

Santa was good to him that year and his wish came true with a genuine leather catcher’s mitt! After a long morning playing sandlot, he scoured the roadsides and abandoned lots for deposit soda bottles. After he found more than he could carry he went to the corner candy store, turned in the bottles and ended up with ten cents! First purchase was an ice cold bottle of orange Nehi which he gulped down after playing all morning.

He noticed something new on the counter, “PLAY BALL – Bubble Gum Cards!” The clerk said they had pictures of his favorite baseball players and gum! He snatched up a pack and ripped open the wax pack. Gum went in the mouth and he sorted thru the cards on his walk back home.

That kid turned out to be my dad, who saved 10 cards in a recently found hiding place all these years! The cards are in “played with” condition. I can imagine him sorting thru the cards while listening to the Yankees radio broadcast on an old Grundig Majestic tube radio.

He “rediscovered” the cards in March 2012 while cleaning out the attic. Knowing my addiction with my T201 set and card collecting he dropped them off one sunny Sunday afternoon, and so my quest for a 1948 Bowman Baseball Set began!

I started with his 10 cards, good fortune there were two Spahn cards! Additional cards were added through the usual channels, card shows, eBay, swapping, trading, cajoling and the most important: Net 54 B/S/T!!! My mother in law came by 6 months later with another 14 cards from her husband’s youth (commons and yet another Spahn!). Also in “played with” condition, but filling more holes in my set quest!

At first it was hard to love the plain generic black and white cards. Reminded me of the generic food (came in black and white boxes) I had to eat while going through the college years. But after handling them and learning more about the HOF’s and the abundance of rookie and short print cards in the set I became more intrigued. Even the verbiage on the back of the cards is quite entertaining, dealing with not only stats but glimpses into the players personal lives.

I finally completed the set this Month 9/2013 with the last card, obtained from another board member (Shondeinst)!!! Thanks again to board members: BCBGCBRCB; CAMMB; DIGDUDIG & JIMIVINTAGE for selling and trading with me. I apologize if I have missed anyone! I am happy to complete this set started by my Pop so many years ago!

Stats: started 3/16/2012 with 10 cards. Finished 8/9/2013 with 48 cards. Total Investment in the set $750. I still have a stack of low grade dupes which I will likely send to auction to offset the final number.
Thanks again guys for all your help!

Cliff

bowmans.jpg

those that are graded are on the SGC Registry:

http://www.sgccardregistry.com/set.a...9&userset=7493

[Paul S]

Terrific post, Cliff!
(I won't ruin it with my own words)

[robsbessette]

Fantastic post, Cliff. I have a soft spot for stories with Dads and baseball cards.

[brewing]

Congratulations!! It's a great feeling building a set to completion. Extra special when the set has a father son connection.

[CobbSpikedMe]

Very cool story and congratulations!


AndyH

[ALR-bishop]

Great story and neat accomplishment.

But I did not recall there was a cute young lady in that set

[Paul S]

How does she lift that huge mug?

[Zach Wheat]

Cliff,

Congrats! It was fun corresponding with you about your sets. Now on to your T201....

Z Wheat

[Volod]

Whatever happened to that generic brand black-and-white foodstuff that stores used to stock back in the 80's? I miss that stuff....maybe not.

[vintagetoppsguy]

Great story. Thanks for sharing it. Have you showed your dad?

[KCRfan1]

What a nice story! Congrats on the set

[Harliduck]

AWESOME!!

Thanks for sharing and what a great story and set....