1953-1955 Stahl-Meyer Franks

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Posted By: leon

I am using my dictatorial privileges again on this thread and posting here for a first time poster from the post war side of our forum. I told him if he did post over there, and got little or no response, then I would try to get some more attention for his thread. I know I asked for football not to be put over here too much but I do feel the closer to pre-war baseball we post about, on this side, the less off topic it is. Right or wrong that is my story and I am sticking to it...so no one tar and feather me for this, please. This post is from Brian Powell and was posted 3 days ago, with no responses, on the post war side. Brian is a great guy and a very dedicated Stahl-Meyer Franks card collector.... Does anyone have any info to help a newbee out?




Hello to all from northern Indiana. This is my first post. I have had a lot of fun reading the pre-war and post-war boards. Thought it was high time to join in on the action. However, I am embarrassed to say, my manner of joining in is to really to make a plea for some help on a regional baseball issue.

For severel years, I have been putting together an informative, relevant, and fun article on the 1953-55 Stahl-Meyer Franks baseball cards. Like Charlie Chan, I have many questions. Just in case you do not know what a Stahl-Meyer card looks like, simply go to eBay search, and type in "Stahl-Meyer." Usually there are severel available. Please, PLEASE, if any of you could help me on one or more of the following questions, I'd be most happy to give you credit, or, if you wish anonymity for some reason, fine. Here are some of my info needs:

1. Did any of you collect the Stahl-Meyer Franks baseball cards DURING THE YEARS OF THEIR ISSUE---1953,1954, or 1955? What are your memories of these cards, even if you only ever got one card? Were they at all popular with the other kids you knew who collected?

2. Does anyone have any original advertisements on the Stahl-Meyer baseball card promotion of 1953 or 1954? A high quality color photocopy would be very useful, and I would pay well.

3. Does anyone have a 1953 Stahl-Meyer baseball kit given to supermarket or grocery store meat dept. managers to help them with the baseball card promotion? Again, I would pay well for a high-quality color photocopy. (Now, I am not referring here to the Johnny Stahl-Meyer baseball kit of 1954. That's a different kit.)

4. Does anyone recall getting a Stahl-Meyer all-beef frankfurter at the Polo Grounds, Yankee Stadium, or Ebbets Field during 1953-55? If so, how good was a Stahl-Meyer frankfurter? What was the reputation of a Stahl-Meyer all-beef frankfurter sold at the ballpark (or cellophane package, for that matter)?

5. The two types of hot dogs sold at the 3 NYC major league ballparks in 1953-1955 were Stahl-Meyer all-beef, and Hygrade's all-beef. So, which was better? Which was the most expensive at the ballpark? Anyone recall how much? Anyone have a memory? (IF BY CHANCE YOU ARE TOO YOUNG, AND HAVE A LIVING RELATIVE WHOM YOU KNOW ATTENDED THE GAMES BACK THEN, WOULD YOU PLEASE INVEST THE TIME AND ASK THEM; YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED AT HOW MUCH THEY REMEMBER. FURTHER, YOU MIGHT HAVE A VERY NOSTALGIC AND UNFORGETTABLE CONVERSATION ON OLD BASEBALL, EVEN IF IT IS POST-WAR. AFTER ALL, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT 55 YEARS AGO.)

6. Does anyone recall getting a free baseball card or two with the purchase of 2-4 Stahl-Meyer frankfurters from their concession stand at the ballpark?

I hope at least a few of the board members can help me here. Yes, this was a long time ago, but I guess we're all in our own way trying to make the pleasant past come alive. Thank you. Respectfully, Brian Powell at bfpowell2003@yahoo.com

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Posted By: barrysloate

This thread is making me hungry. Unfortunately, I am too young to remember this era (if it were the late fifties I would be okay) but I wish you luck on your search. I think the Stahl-Meyer set is my favorite regional and I don't think it's out of place on this forum. The cards are scarce and more than 50 years old.

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Posted By: Dave Hornish

When I first started hanging out here a couple of years ago, the memorabilia and post war forums were not yet in place and the board seemed to cover cards into the mid 50's. I took "pre war" to mean cards into that mid 50's era, excluding Topps and Bowman mainstream items, were discussed and indeed there were posts on 49 leaf and 55 Doubleheaders, etc on occasion. It really seemed like a "pre-TV" board instead in scope.

Some post war cards seem pre-war in nature I guess and I think of Stahl-Meyer in that vein, so agree with Barry.

Personally, I would like to see the memorabilia board recombined with this one and it's place taken by one solely devoted to grading issues. While keeping the post war board, of course. Just my two cents.....

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Posted By: Jim Manos

Leon,

If this helps I was told at the ball field the cards were actually attached together on one end and they would lay the hot dog in between the cards on a cardboard tray so you got 2 cards with a purchase. The tray also had a place for a soft drink. Hope this helps. Would like to see a post of the Willie Mays which is a very difficult card to obtain.

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Posted By: leon

I appreciate your thoughts on the issue but feel strongly about keeping this main board as much about pre-war baseball cards as possible. The memorabilia side gets quite a few threads on certain days and I wouldn't want them to water down the card side.....take care

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Posted By: Chris Counts

Brian,

What a great project! Like others, I am too young to have any direct experience with the Stahl-Meyer cards, but I applaud and encourage your efforts. When I first started going to shows as a kid in mid-1970s, 1950s regionals seemed to be like holy grails to collectors, so many of whom grew up in the 1950s. At the same time, pre-war cards appeared to be far less in demand, although 1930s gum cards were more popular than tobacco cards, which you could buy all day long for about a buck apiece. I've always been fascinated by Bell Brands, Kahns, Mother's Cookies and the much tougher sets like Wilsons, Glendales, Hunters, etc. And unlike pre-war cards, a virtual reservoir of first-hand knowledge and experience about each of these issues still exists. I hope your efforts are just the tip of the iceberg and other collectors take up similar projects ...

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Posted By: Dave Hornish

Leon, oh, I know... I was just gettin' misty-eyed thinking of the old days....

Jim-that almost sounds like a hot dog happy meal!

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Posted By: Brian Powell

Thank you Leon. You're a swell guy. This is great stuff.

Thanks guys for all the kind thoughts, and especially to you Jim Manos, for you are one of the few who have some knowledge of the card promotion at the New York ballparks. Yes, to be sure, what you have to say helps. So Jim, do you have any other details, as well as who told you about the sale of the cards at the ballpark? Is that person still alive, that I might be able to interview him?

Also, do any of you New York gentlemen know of any good blogs or chat rooms that would be geared to memories of growing up in metropolitan New York City, or its environs? Let me assure you, I am not trying to seek the cards themselves. Those who have them have a decent idea of their value, though as we all know that is not always true. I wish I could have afforded doing battle for the 1953 Stahl-Meyer Roy Campanella that Heritage Auctions had last fall. It was graded SGC92. I saw it at the National, and I could hardly tear myself away from it. What a masterpiece, through and through! I guess it was bought for a few hundred under 6,000.

Anyway, thanks again for the responses. It seemed like all I was getting was the evening crickets, with an occasional bullfrog bellar in heat! Again, if anyone has a good idea of a terrific chat room, or even a New York baseball chat room, please take pity on me as I am not the most high tech high wired guy in America.

Hope to hear more. Maybe I will somehow be able to help one of you, too. Regards. Respectfully, Brian Powell at bfpowell2003@yahoo.com

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Posted By: Anonymous

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Posted By: larry

that 54 mays would finish my set
any interest in selling