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A Chicle a day through the end of May
Frankbmd posted some nice Chicle's today that have inspired me to start a new thread. Starting tomorrow, there are 36 days until the end of May, exactly the number of cards in the 1935 National Chicle football set. I'll post images of my Chicle's in order, one each day, starting tomorrow with card #1. I'm hoping you all will do that same as I'd love to see every card in raw, PSA, and SGC form. Feel free to mix in Chicle Premiums as well to keep it interesting.
jeff |
Day #1 - Dutch Clark
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Card #1 in the Chicle set is Dutch Clark. Dutch is a charter member of both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Check out this link for more info on Dutch: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_Clark
Attachment 61964 Attachment 61965 Here is a link to a story on the last successful drop kick in the NFL. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2277308 jeff |
Looking foward to this thread!
I like the backs also. Thanks Tom
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jeff |
Wikipedia
The article was really interesting also. Looking forward to card #2:)
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Day #2 - Bo Molenda
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Card #2 in the Chicle set is Bo Molenda. Bo has the distinction of playing professionally in three sports: football, basketball, baseball. Check out this link for more info on Bo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo_Molenda.
Sorry for the fuzzy scans. My scanner doesn't like graded cards much. I plan to fix this soon. Attachment 62053 Attachment 62054 jeff |
Great cards, if you figure out how to fix the scanner please post that as well
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From reading other threads, it sound like scanners with CCD technology are much better at reducing the glare caused by graded card cases. I'm going to look into getting one of these. It sound like they run between $100 - $200. Cannon is one brand recommended by N54 members.
I'll edit and repost the Bo Molenda scans once I track one of these down next week. Been planning to get a "real" scanner for a while now so now I have a good excuse. jeff Quote:
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Bo Molenda should be in HOF
This guy looks as if he could do it all. 4 NFL Championships!
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Day #3 - George Kenneally
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Card #3 in the Chicle set is George Kenneally. George is the first player in the set to not use his nickname on his card. His friends called him Gigi. Check out this link for more info on George: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Kenneally. He is the first player in the set to have also been an owner of an NFL franchise, purchasing the Pottsville Maroons when they became insolvent. Unfortunately, the team did not survive the 1929 stock market crash.
Someone PLEASE post a better version of this card. This is my poorest card in the set. Attachment 62154 Attachment 62155 jeff |
Day #4 - Ed Matesic
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Card #4 in the Chicle set is Ed Matesic. Ed played for the Eagles and the "Pittsburgh Football Pirates" as Chris Berman might have called them if they hadn't changed their name to the Steelers later. Here is a little bit of info on Ed: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Matesic
Check out the discussion on the proper way to throw a forward pass on the back. Attachment 62239 Attachment 62240 jeff |
State record 50 yd dash
Looks like you got a new scanner!
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I didn't get the new scanner yet. Raw cards look fine with pretty much any scanner ... it's the graded cards that cause trouble.
jeff |
Day #5 - Glenn Presnell
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Card #5 in the Chicle set is Glenn Presnell. Glenn holds a number of distinctions in the annals of NFL football history. He played for the inaugural Detroit Lions team in 1934 and help lead them to the NFL championship in 1935. The owner of the Lions let Glenn choose the colors for the team's uniforms and so we owe him for the blue and silver the Lions still use today. He led the league in total yardage in 1933 and set a new NFL scoring record that year. He also held the record for longest field goal (54 yards) for nearly 20 years.
Check out this link for more info on Glenn: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Presnell Attachment 62295 Attachment 62296 jeff |
Players picked Team colors. Good old days!
"Mr. Richards, the owner, the day I was up there and signed my contract, he said: 'There's a table out there in the next office covered with uniforms. Why don't you pick out the colors you like?' I went out. My wife was with me. We saw this Honolulu blue and silver and we fell in love with it."
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Day #6 - Pug Rentner
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Card #6 in the Chicle set is Pug Rentner. Pug is in the College Football Hall of Fame and was a College All-American at Northwestern. He scored the Boston Redskins only points in their 1936 NFL Championship loss to the Green Bay Packers (21-6). This championship game was supposed to be played in Boston but the owner of the Redskins, who had previously announced he was moving the team to Washington, moved the game to New York.
Check out this link for more info on Pug: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pug_Rentner Attachment 62397 Attachment 62398 jeff |
Day #7 - Ken Strong
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Card #7 in the Chicle set is Ken Strong. Ken was a 2x All-American at NYU and a 5x All-Pro selection. He is the first player in the Chicle set to have played in both the NFL and the second instantiation of the AFL. Ken was voted to the 1930's All Decade Team and the New York Giants retired his number. He was the first known player in NFL history to score on a fair catch kick, an obscure NFL rule that is still in existence. Only 5 players in NFL history have made a fair catch kick. Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_catch_kick for more information.
Check out this link for more info on Ken: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Strong Attachment 62495 Attachment 62496 jeff |
new board member
I was speaking with a brand new board member yesterday. He says his main thing is football. Maybe there will be more talk of it in the future on this board. The cards are certainly neat looking. I personally didn't play football growing up as I was generally too small. I played a lot of baseball. Great looking cards posted Jeff....
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Day #8 - Jim Zyntell
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Card #8 in the Chicle set is Jim Zyntell. Jim is a Holy Cross graduate and has the distinction to being in both the Holy Cross Football Hall of Fame and Holy Cross Track Hall of Fame. Alphabetically, he is the last person in the list of former NFL players.
Check out this link for more info on Jim: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Zyntell Attachment 62551 Attachment 62552 jeff |
Jeffrey- The mention of the "Fair Catch Kick" on the Ken Strong card brought back some fun memories.
About 8 or 9 years ago I was broadcasting a local high game on local cable and right before half the rule was put into use. A visiting player called a fair catch at mid-field and theie coach declared the free kick option. I was aware of the rule but was not aware that an unlimited run-up to the ball is allowed. The ball was placed on a kickoff tee and a 270 lb. lineman took about a ten yard run-up to the ball and kicked it through. The points were the deciding margin at game's end. Fun stuff. By the way NFL Ref Walt Coleman is our guest speaker at our annual Boys & Girls Club fund raiser next Tuesday night. I am sure he will address the "Tuck Rule" and his relationship with the Raider organization. |
Jeffrey
Great thread, keep them coming! |
NFL kickers are so good at drilling kickoffs through the uprights now that I'm surprised more situations to try a fair catch kick haven't occurred in the NFL recently. Probably because most teams forced to punt in a close game are going to punt it out of bounds. On a last second kickoff, teams usually squib it as well.
My understanding is that a fair catch kick is a legitimate field goal attempt and if someone made one from farther than 64 yards it would be considered the longest field goal in history. jeff Quote:
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Thanks. I needed a little positive feedback ... I was starting to wonder whether I was just talking to myself!
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That would be awesome. I'd love to see them. I have the complete set but it's mostly junk. I bought the set cheap a while back and haven't started working on upgrading it yet so I won't be able to contribute much to the thread. Maybe you'll motivate me to get working on it.
jeff Quote:
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Chicle a day
Keep them coming. Missed the past few days, but caught today. Thanks Again!
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Day #9 - Knute Rockne
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Card #9 in the Chicle set is Knute Rockne. Known for being one of the all-time great college coaches, Knute was a great player as well, winning All-American honors in 1913 at Notre Dame where he helped popularize the forward pass as a speedy end. More information on Knute can be found here: http://www.knuterockne.com/
Knute is the only non-NFL person in the 1935 National Chicle set, making may wonder whether the set was originally going to include college players as well. Note that the back of each card says it is "One of 240 football players" and only 36 cards were produced. Due to the size of the NFL in the mid 1930's it would have been nearly impossible to produce a 240 card set that included only NFL players. Another theory is that National Chicle wanted kids to think there were more cards in the set to keep them purchasing the cards. This strategy was definitely employed in the 1930's (see discussions of the 1933 Goudey Nap Lajoie for more details). This seems unlikely due to the large difference between the number of cards produced vs. the number of cards the backs say are in the set. Since the National Chicle Gum Company went bankrupt in 1937, it is likely that they had originally planned a set of 240 but ultimately could not afford to produce the complete set before running into financial problems. Attachment 62606 Attachment 62607 You will note that the front and back scans of this card look different. It IS the same card. I'm just playing around with my scanner to make the images look better. jeff |
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Although my team is on the losing side of this rivalry, I love the history involved with it. |
Wow. That is an incredible shot. I assume the building in the Rockne picture is the one on the right in your photo. Hallowed ground.
jeff Quote:
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Day #10 - Cliff Battles
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Card #10 in the Chicle set is Cliff Battles. Cliff was an excellent runner who accumulated all sorts of honors during his career:
* First small college player to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. He was an All-American at West Virginia Wesleyan College where he earned 15 letters in five sports (football, baseball, basketball, track, tennis). * Phi Beta Kappa scholar in college while also playing semi-pro football on the side under the assumed name "Jones". * First NFL running back to gain more than 200 yards in a game, rushing for 215 yards in 1933 for the Redskins against the Giants. * Led NFL in rushing as a rookie and joined forces with Sammy Baugh to lead the Redskins to their first NFL title in 1937. Due to a contract dispute with the owner of the Redskins, Battles retired after only 6 years in the NFL. He was inducted into the Pro Football HOF in 1968. Attachment 62691 Attachment 62692 jeff |
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Battles
Nice Card!
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Day #11 - Turk Edwards
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Card #11 in the Chicle set is Turk Edwards. Turk was considered a giant in his day, listed at 6' 2" and between 250 - 260lbs. After becoming an All-American at Washington State, Albert Glen "Turk" Edwards had offers from three teams in the NFL and chose the Boston Redskins as they were the highest bidder. He played for the Redskins for 9 seasons and continued on with them for 8 more as first an assistant coach and then their head coach.
Turk's career ended in a bizarre manner as he hurt his knee during a coin toss. His cleat stuck in the ground as he turned to leave and it further damaged an already injured knee. Turk was selected as an All-Pro by at least one major media outlet in each of his first 8 years in the league. Attachment 62803 Attachment 62804 jeff |
I never knew that about his knee. What a rough way to go out. Great looking card, even with his weird squat pose.
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I guess the bull rush wasn't big back then ...
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What a story about his knee! Well at least it wasn't a concussion!
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Chicle a day
Now I'm wanting to collect this set & the 55's. Keep em coming!
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Day #12 - Tom Hupke
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Card #12 in the Chicle set is Tom Hupke. Tom played for the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Rams during his NFL career. He was on the Lions team that won the 1935 NFL Championship. More info on his playing career is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Hupke
Tom was a 2x All-American guard at Alabama but was critically injured in a car crash that claimed the life of one of his passengers, while he and others were heading home from school for Christmas in Dec '32. For a while they thought he might lose his left arm due to crash injuries but he recovered. He subsequently had surgery on his arm to correct nerve damage but it is unclear how much this impacted the rest of his playing career. I noticed in his picture that he has one hand open and one closed. Not sure if this is just a pose or if he had on-going arm issues that impacted his ability to use one of his arms. Tom died young at 48 in 1959 after an extended illness. Attachment 62919 Attachment 62920 jeff |
I wonder if the artist used press photos as the guide for the card or if they had a headshot and "imagined" the rest (stance, body, etc). If they used press photos then I could see how his hand might show up like that due to his injury. Funny, I would have never paid attention to that otherwise.
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Me neither! It wasn't until I learned about his injury that I went back and looked at the picture and it struck me as a bit odd how different his hand were positioned. Maybe nothing but an interesting theory.
jeff |
Card #12 in the Chicle set is Tom Hupke. Tom played for the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Rams during his NFL career. He was on the Lions team that won the 1935 NFL Championship. More info on his playing career is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Hupke
Tom was a 2x All-American guard at Alabama but was critically injured in a car crash that claimed the life of one of his passengers, while he and others were heading home from school for Christmas in Dec '32. For a while they thought he might lose his left arm due to crash injuries but he recovered. He subsequently had surgery on his arm to correct nerve damage but it is unclear how much this impacted the rest of his playing career. I noticed in his picture that he has one hand open and one closed. Not sure if this is just a pose or if he had on-going arm issues that impacted his ability to use one of his arms. Tom died young at 48 in 1959 after an extended illness. |
Day #13 - Homer Griffith
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Card #13 in the Chicle set is Homer Griffith. Homer's card is the first error card in the Chicle set as his name is spelled "Griffiths" on the front. There are more of these to come later.
Homer was a three year letterman and All-American at USC, leading them to two consecutive Rose Bowl victories. He was selected as the Player of the Game in the 1933 Rose Bowl in which USC beat Pitt 35-0. Griffith threw for a TD and ran for a TD as USC completed an undefeated season. Homer Griffith only played one year in the NFL for the Chicago Cardinals. He completed 29% of his passes and averaged 1.2 yards per rush during his only season. Griffith was inducted into the USC Sports Hall of Fame in 1999. Attachment 63005 Attachment 63006 Homer Griffith being tackled against Oregon State. Attachment 63007 jeff |
Takle
Ouch. Keep your head up! A thigh to the head is going to cause some serious pain.
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Day #14 - Phil Sarboe
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Card #14 in the Chicle set is Phil Sarboe. Phil's card is the second error card in the Chicle set as his name is spelled "Sorboe" on the front and back.
Phil was born in Alaska and played college ball at Washington State. He played five years in the NFL for the Boston Redskins, Chicago Cardinals, and Brooklyn Dodgers. As a quarterback, his numbers weren't very good. He threw for four TD's and twenty six interceptions during his short career. After playing in the NFL, Phil became a successful high school and college coach. He was head coach at Washington State for five years with his most successful team going 6-2-1. During a 15 year stint as head coach at Humboldt State, his teams won six conference championships, went 104-37-4 overall, and made it to the NAIA championship game in 1960. Sarboe was inducted into the Washington State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1980. Attachment 63063 Attachment 63064 Here's Sarboe as a head coach at Washington State (3rd row, far right) Attachment 63065 jeff |
Day #15 - Ben Ciccone
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Card #15 in the Chicle set is Ben Ciccone. Ben played college ball at Duquesne in Pittsburgh, PA, having grown up in New Castle, PA which is located near Pittsburgh. Not a lot is known about his college years except that he was a member of the Alpha Phi Delta fraternity (apd.org) and was the football team's star center.
Ben played center and some linebacker in the NFL for three years. In 1934 and 1935 he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who changed their name to the Steelers in 1940. In 1937 he played semi-pro ball for the Cincinnati Bengals. After retiring, he came back and played two games for the Chicago Cardinals in 1942. Ben may hold the NFL record for worse rushing average in a career as he had one rushing attempt in the NFL for -5 yards. Attachment 63158 Attachment 63159 jeff |
No wonder NFL wasn't popular
checkout them jerseys.
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And what's with the logo on the front of the jersey? I can't figure out what it's supposed to be.
jeff |
Love Chicle a day
Hey Jeff,
Really enjoy this thread. You have brought these players to to life with your interesting background info. on these guys. Too bad Chicle didn't issue 240 cards, we would be treated to over six more months of this. Great set and good job covering it. Thanks, Rich |
Thanks Rich. It's been fun so far. Just glad there are a few people reading these posts other than me!
jeff |
Day #16 - Ben Smith
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Card #16 in the Chicle set is Ben Smith. Ben played college ball at Alabama where we was a member of the 1930 national championship team. Alabama was so good that year that they often started their second team to psych out their opponents. Alabama only gave up 13 points the entire season and beat undefeated Washington State 24-0 in the Rose Bowl.
Ben Smith played pro football from 1933 - 1937 where he played End on both offense and defense. He played one season with the Green Bay Packers ('33), two seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates ('34-35), and one season with the Washington Redskins ('37) in the NFL. He was a member of the 1937 Washington Redskins team that won the NFL championship. Ben left the Pirates after the 1935 season to play with the Pittsburgh Americans in the newly formed American Football League (AFL). The team existed for only a little more than a season and this version of the AFL folded after just two seasons of play. Ben jumped back to the NFL after one season of play with the Americans. Attachment 63204 Attachment 63205 jeff |
Day #17 - Tom Jones
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Card #17 in the Chicle set is Tom Jones. Tom played college ball at Bucknell University and went by the nickname "Potsy". Not much is know about his college years except he was a guard on the football team. He is not a member of the Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame.
Tom Jones played pro football from 1930-1936, 1938. He played for the Minneapolis Red Jackets, Frankford Yellow Jackets, New York Giants, and Green Bay Packers. Jones started his career with the Minneapolis Red Jackets, a team that lasted only a couple of seasons in the NFL. In what turned out to be a very shrewd move, Ole Haugsrud, one of the founding fathers of the NFL, passed on his first right to start a new team in Minnesota during the depression and instead waited until 1960 to exercise his right and become part owner of the Minnesota Vikings. Jones was an all-pro honorable mention guard on the 1934 New York Giants team that won the NFL Championship. Jones played semi-pro football for the New York Football Yankees in 1937 before returning for one last NFL season in 1938 with the Green Bay Packers. Attachment 63260 Attachment 63261 jeff |
Day #18 - Mike Mikulak
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Card #18 in the Chicle set is Mike Mikulak. Mike played college ball at U of Oregon where he was originally a defensive player before becoming a star fullback. He led the Ducks to a share of the 1933 Pacific Coast Conference championship and was a consensus All-American that year. Mike's nickname was "Iron Mike" because he had to wear an aluminum chest protector under his uniform due to a protruding sternum.
Mikulak played fullback in the NFL from 1934-36 with the Chicago Cardinals, earning All-Pro status in 1935. In his best year, he gained 308 years rushing with a 4.2 yds/run average and scored four TDs. He retired from football after the '36 season and returned to U of Oregon to complete his degree and be an assistant coach. He was called to active duty by the Army in 1941 and was placed on a 1 year administrative leave by U of Oregon. Instead of returning to Oregon, Mikulak served in the Army for 27 years before returning to the college ranks as an administrator. Mike is a member of the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame and the University of Oregon Athletic Hall of Fame. Attachment 63333 Attachment 63334 jeff |
Day #19 - Ralph Kercheval
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Card #19 in the Chicle set is Ralph Kercheval. Ralph grew up in Kentucky and was a lifelong participant in the Thoroughbred racing industry. He played football, basketball, and track at the University of Kentucky and was UK's first All-SEC player. While a strong QB and DB at Kentucky, he was best known for his kicking. His first punt as a sophomore went for 75 yards, making his coach comment at halftime: "At this point we are just going to have Kercheval punt on first downs and we'll see what happens". At the time of his death in 2010, he still held four SEC punting records. What is more impressive is that during the '30s, punt yardage only included the yards the ball was *in the air* and didn't include bounces and rolls. His degree at Kentucky was in Animal Husbandry.
Kercheval played seven season in the NFL for the Brooklyn Dodgers, playing RB, DB, Punter, and Kicker. As in college, he was best known for his kicking abilities. Against the Giants, Kercheval scored the only touchdown, made the extra point, and kicked a field goal in a 10-0 Dodger victory. The headline in the paper the next day said: "Kercheval 10, Giants 0". Kercheval was All-Pro in 1935 and 1936 and finished in the top five in field goals made six of the seven years he was in the league. His longest punt in the pros was 86 yards against the Bears in 1935. After retiring from the NFL in 1940, Kercheval became a calvary officer in WWII and rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. After four years of service, he spent the rest of his life managing thoroughbred horse farms in Kentucky. When he died in 2010, he was the oldest living person who had played in the NFL. Ralph Kercheval is in the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame and the University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame. Attachment 63406 Attachment 63407 Kercheval punting style. Prototype form for any of today's punters. Attachment 63408 jeff |
May Chicle
Jeff,
Your half way. Keep up the great work. |
Hitting the wall
Huff, puff, pant, pant. I feel like I'm hitting the wall in a marathon. Got ... to ... keep ... scanning ...
jeff |
Day #20 - Warren Heller
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Card #20 in the Chicle set is Warren Heller. Warren never left home. He was born in Pittsburgh, PA and was a star player at a Pittsburgh high school. Warren Heller attended the University of Pittsburgh from 1929 - 1932 where he was a star tailback for legendary coach Jock Sutherland. As a sophomore, he ran for 200 yards in a win over Penn State. He was a consensus All-American his senior year as Pitt went undefeated during the regular season (with two ties) and received a Rose Bowl bid.
Warren Heller played three season in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Pirates (later renamed the Steelers) from 1934 - 1936. In his only year as a starter in 1934, he was 2nd in the league in passing yards (511) and 5th in rushing yards (528) for a team that finished 2 - 10. The team improved significantly during the next couple of years but Heller's playing time diminished for unknown reasons. After retiring from football, Heller taught social studies and physical education in the Deer Lakes School District near Pittsburgh and led East Deer to a conference championship in football before retiring in 1972. Attachment 63497 Attachment 63498 jeff |
Heller card
Great looking Heller card. I like the colors on the helmet.
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Day #21 - Shipwreck Kelly
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Card #22 in the Chicle set is Shipwreck Kelly. His given name was John Simms Kelly but he was nicknamed "Shipwreck" either after Alvin "Shipwreck" Kelly, who was a famous pole sitter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pole-sitting) in the 1920's or because of his running style in college.
Shipwreck attended the University of Kentucky where he was an All-American in both football and track. He played in the NFL for the NY Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers from 1932 - 1937, having his best year in 1933 when he was named 2nd team All-Pro and led the NFL in receptions, yards per reception, and touchdowns. Shipwreck Kelly became player/coach and then player/coach/owner of the Dodgers when he and a partner purchased the flailing franchise from its previous owner. The Dodgers were descendents of the Dayton Triangles, an original member of the NFL. They were also part of the first televised NFL game on October 22, 1939 against the Eagles. After retiring from football, Kelly became an investment banker and real estate investor. His son, John, participated in the 1980 winter olympics. Attachment 63597 Attachment 63598 jeff |
Day #22 - Beattie Feathers
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Card #23 in the Chicle set is Beattie Feathers. William Beattie "Big Chief" Feathers grew up in Virginia and led his high school to the VA state championship. He was an All-American halfback at the University of Tennessee, where he scored 32 TDs in the 30 games he played. Tennessee had a 25-3-2 record while Feathers was there. He was voted MVP of the SEC in 1933. Feathers also played baseball and basketball while in college.
Beattie Feathers played seven seasons in the NFL for the Bears, Dodgers, and Packers. He was first team All-Pro in 1934 and second team All-Pro in 1936. He is best known as the first player to rush for 1,000 yards in a season which he did in his rookie year for the Bears. Beattie was such a talented runner that George Halas used him as the team's featured back over Red Grange and Bronko Nagurski who were both on the Bears that year. To be fair, Grange was pretty beaten up by this time in his career. The 1934 Bears went 13-0, becoming the first team in NFL history to complete the regular season with a loss or a tie. Unfortunately for them, Feathers broke his shoulder two games before the end of the year and sat out the final two regular season games. He played injured in the playoff and the Bears were upset in the NFL Championship Game by the NY Giants in the infamous "Sneaker Game" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1934_NFL_Championship_Game). Feathers never fully recovered from his shoulder injury and played the next six seasons with an immobilizing brace on his shoulder. Red Grange once said that if Feathers had stayed healthy, he would be in the HOF. Beattie Feathers still holds the record for yards per carry by a running back in a season (8.44/carry). Michael Vick broke his record for yards per carry in 2006 but as a QB. Feathers also played minor league baseball between 1936 - 1942 where he hit for a combined average of .316 but never made it to the Majors. He was player/manager for the Kingsport Cherokees in 1943 and hit .346 that season. After retiring from playing football and baseball, Beattie Feathers was a college coach in both football and baseball up until his retirement in 1978. He is a member of the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and the University of Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame. Attachment 63688 Attachment 63689 jeff |
Day #23 - Cliff Montgomery
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Card #21 in the Chicle set is Cliff Montgomery. Cliff "Monty" Montgomery grew up in Pennsylvania and attended Columbia University. After captaining the freshman squad, he became a 3 year varsity starter at quarterback and led the Columbia Lions to a 22-3-2 record. In what is widely regarded as one of the greatest upsets of the twentieth century, Montgomery led Columbia to a 7 - 0 Rose Bowl victory over Stanford in 1934. Montgomery majored in history at Columbia.
The '34 Rose Bowl was played on a field that had had to withstand 3 days of heavy rain. Fireman pumped two and a half million gallons of water out of the stadium on game day but it immediately began to rain again. Many considered this to favor Stanford as they had a 17 pound per person weight advantage over Columbia. In a play that will be remembered forever, Montgomery executed a trick play, known as KF-79, for the winning score. Reminiscent of the Boise State vs. Oklahoma play in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, Montgomery slipped the ball to Al Barabas while faking to another back and racing around the end himself. As the entire Stanford team followed the fake hand-off and also Montgomery, Barabas executed a naked bootleg to the blind side with the ball on his back hip for a touchdown. Stanford had been scored upon only four times the entire season. Columbia won the game 7 - 0 and Montgomery was named MVP. Montgomery played only one year in the NFL for the Brooklyn Dodgers (1935) and played tailback. He only started three of eleven games that season and decided to move on from football thereafter. Following a stint in business, Montgomery served with the United States Navy during World War II. He earned the Silver Star during the 1945 invasion of Okinawa, saving the lives of 400 sailors when he rescued them from a burning destroyer in rough seas. Montgomery returned to business after WWII and had a successful career working at McGraw Hill while also spending 25 years as a college football official. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and was named Columbia athlete of the century. Attachment 63782 Attachment 63783 And from the days when cigarette smoking was cool ... Attachment 63784 jeff |
Day #24 - Clarke Hinkle
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Card #24 in the Chicle set is Clarke Hinkle. William Clarke Hinkle was born in Toledo, OH in 1909. He attended Bucknell University were he was an All-East fullback and holds the Bucknell record for TDs in a game (8 vs. Dickinson). Hinkle led Bucknell to a 6-0-3 record in 1931.
Clarke Hinkle played fullback and linebacker for 10 seasons for the Green Bay Packers. He was a member of two Packer NFL Championship Teams in 1936 and 1939. At the time of his retirement, he was the NFL’s all time leading rusher with 3850 yards. A ferocious running and tackler, he is best known for his one-on-one battles with Bronko Nagurski of the Bears on both sides of the ball. Hinkle and Nagurski later became friends and Nagurski gave Hinkle's induction speech at his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Hinkle is a member of the Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame, College Football Hall of Fame, Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame, Pro Football Hall of Fame, and 1930's NFL Team of the Decade. There is a Clarke Hinkle field named after him in Toledo, OH and the west practice field in Green Bay is named Clarke Hinkle Field in his honor. Attachment 63866 Attachment 63867 jeff |
Day #25 - Dale Burnett
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Card #25 in the Chicle set is Dale Burnett. It is the first of 12 short prints in the 1935 National Chicle set.
Dale Burnett attended Emporia State University where he was named all-conference in both football and basketball for two seasons. He was also a star hurdler on the track team. Captain of both the football and basketball teams, he earned 12 varsity letters at Emporia. Burnett was drafted by the New Year Giants in 1930 and played 10 seasons with them. He was an All-Pro one season and played on two NFL Championship teams with the Giants (1934 and 1938). On offense he played running back and wide receiver while serving as a defense back on the other side of the ball. Burnett is inducted into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. There is a book written about him entitled, "The Gentleman Giant: The Life and Times of NFL Giant Star Dale Burnett and His Kansas Roots" Attachment 64083 Attachment 64084 jeff |
Day #26 - John Dell Isola
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Card #26 in the Chicle set is John Dell Isola. It is the second of 12 short prints in the 1935 National Chicle set and the last of three error cards. His last name is Dell Isola and the front of the card calls him "John Isola".
John Dell Isola was born in Everett, MA in 1912 and attended Fordham University. He was an All-American center on the Fordham team in 1933. Dell Isola played seven years in the NFL at both center and guard for the New York Giants. He was a first team All-Pro in 1939 and was named to a number of second team All-Pro lists in 1937 and 1938. Dell Isola was a member of the Giants 1938 NFL Championship team. After retiring from the NFL, Dell Isola coached in both college and the NFL. He was an assistant coach at Dartmouth for 10 years before serving on the coaching staffs of the Colts and Giants. In 1960, he was hired by head coach Sammy Baugh as the offensive line coach for the fledgling Titans of the AFL and remained there until he retired after the 1962 season. John Dell Isola is in the Fordham Athletics Hall of Fame. Attachment 64109 Attachment 64110 NY Titans Press Photo. Head Coach Sammy Baugh throwing a pass. Offensive Line Coach John Dell Isola is third from the left. Attachment 64111 jeff |
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Card #27 in the Chicle set is Bull Tosi. It is the third of 12 short prints in the 1935 National Chicle set and one of the most difficult short prints to obtain.
Flavio Joseph "Bull" Tosi was born in Beverly, MA in 1912. He was a standout pass receiver and defender at Boston College, receiving All-American and All-East honors his senior year in 1934. Tosi set a school record against Holy Cross with 10 QB sacks and was the first player from Boston College to play in the NFL. He ran track for BC as well. Tosi played End for the Boston Redskins from 1934 - 1936 after which they relocated to Washington DC. Many articles about Tosi suggest that he was very tied to his community / Italian-American heritage which makes me wonder whether he decided to quit pro football instead of moving with the Redskins. I could find nothing to substantiate this theory. After retiring from the NFL, Tosi coached at Providence College in MA and was player/coach for the Steam Rollers, a local semi-pro football team. He served in the U.S. Navy during WWII before returning to his hometown to be an employee benefits administrator for General Electric Co. for 34 years. Tosi died in Beverly, MA in 1994. Bull Tosi is a member of the Boston College Varsity Club Athletic Hall of Fame. Attachment 64211 Attachment 64212 jeff |
Anybody there?
Hey all,
Anybody still reading this thread? I thought the SP's would get some dialog going. Particularly Bull Tosi. Any theories on why this particular card is so scarce? jeff |
Chicle High Numbers
Hi Jeff, really enjoying your thread! Those high numbers are tough. When putting my set together Tosi and Isola were two of the more difficult ones to find in higher grades. I have always held to the theory that the product didn't sell as well as expected resulting in a shorter print run for the highs. Several years ago I acquired several letters (correspondence) exchanged between the National Chicle Company and the Philadelphia Eagles regarding requests for player photos and bios - really interesting material. I also have the original artwork for one of the cards (Ernie Caddel) which I will post after you highlight his card.
Thanks again for keeping this thread going! Mike |
National Chicle Correspondence
Here is one of the letters between the National Chicle Co and the Eagles.
http://photos.imageevent.com/ltsgall...l%20Letter.jpg |
Thanks Mike! That letter is awesome. I agree that the first twenty four probably didn't sell as well as anticipated and they cut production of the last 12 and decided not to print the final 216. The question I have is why some of the SP's are more rare and valuable than others? Why Bull Tosi vs. one of the other players who was a bigger star?
One theory is that the cards on the corners of sheets were more likely to be damaged during printing and therefore are often the players with the least amount of high grade / quality cards. I have never been able to identify an uncut sheet of chicle's to substantiate this theory but I know others have done analysis on other sets and the theory often holds for these sets. jeff |
Chicle High Numbers
Hi Jeff, I have never seen an uncut sheet of the Chicle's either and your theory is a possibility. 30+ years ago, there was an archive find of National Chicle Gum materials which included artwork and a couple of uncut proof sheets of several non-sports issues as well as original artwork for the football set (and a few baseball). If I remember correctly the non-sport proof sheets were 12-card sheets - a multiple of the 36 card football set. Rumor has it that there was also unissued football artwork found at the time.
It is interesting that the original plans were for 240 cards. With only 8 NFL teams at the time that would have meant cards for just about all of the players in the league. If you look at the letter I posted it states "it is our intention to publish a photo of every professional league player". I think there are a couple reasons why the set never reached 240. First, the cards didn't sell as well as expected. Second, the letters I have between Chicle and the Eagles include request after request from the Chicle Company for player/team photographs. I imagine Chicle had a difficult time getting the photos from the teams which also made their lofty goal of 240 impossible to reach. Another interesting note about the set is the back variations that can be found with the first 24 cards. Mike |
Layout of SP Chicle's on uncut sheets
Hi Mike,
Given that there are 12 short prints in this 36 card set, it does make sense that each sheet was 12 cards. I took a few images of the non-sports, 12 card Chicle sheets a while back and tried to build a layout by card number to see how these sets were put together. Also looked at where the sideways cards were located on these sheets. My hope was that there would be a pattern to their layout that I could copy for the '35 Chicle short-prints and piece together what an uncut sheet might look like if they had used the same pattern. In summary, I could not find a pattern that made it clear how the '35 Chicle SP's may have been laid out on a 12 card sheet. I've been looking for miscuts of these cards as well to see if I could determine which cards where next to others and on the edges but so far no luck there either. Anyone have any miscut Chicle's? I'm at a loss as to what to try next to validate the theory that the location of SP's on the sheet is the cause of some being more scarce than others. Without a find of an uncut sheet, it is unclear how these 12 SP's were positioned on a sheet. jeff |
Day #28 - Stan Kostka
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Card #28 in the Chicle set is Stan Kostka. It is the fourth of 12 short prints in the 1935 National Chicle set and one of the most difficult short prints to obtain.
Stanislaus Clarence "Stan" Kostka was born in 1913 in St. Paul, MN. Kostka played for the University of Oregon before transferring to the University of Minnesota after his freshman season. He was a fullbackand linebacker on the 1934 Minnesota team that won the National Championship. Minnesota outscored its opponents 270-38 that season and finishing the year 8 - 0. This was the first of five national championships Coach Bernie Beirman won at Minnesota during an eight year span (1934 - 1941). Kostka was also a member of the track and baseball teams at Minnesota. The NFL Brooklyn Dodgers won a bidding war over the Philadelphia Eagles (and other teams) for Kostka's services. This made then Eagles owner Bert Bell so angry that he pushed for the NFL to implement a college draft system. The NFL agreed and a college draft began in 1936. It is the oldest college draft system among major sports leagues in the US. Kostka only played one year in the NFL for the Dodgers. He also played one year of minor league baseball. His statistics in both are not noteworthy. Kostka later served as head coach of the North Dakota State football team in 1941 and 1946–1947. He was a Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy during World War II. Kostka died in 1997. I do not have the Chicle Stan Koska card (please help!) so here is a stock photo. Attachment 64349 Someone please post a real one! jeff |
Chicle Kosta
Here ya go Jeff.
Rich |
Thanks Rich. That is one beautiful card!
jeff |
Day #29 - Jim MacMurdo
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Card #29 in the Chicle set is Jim MacMurdo. It is the fifth of 12 short prints in the 1935 National Chicle set.
James Edward "Big Jim" MacMurdo was born in 1909 in Ellwood City, PA. He was a member of the acclaimed 1925 Ellwood City High School football team that went unscored upon during the regular season. Led by Jim's older brother, Tom "Big Train" MacMurdo, who was a 229lb Sr. Fullback, Ellwood City steamrolled its regular season opponents 313-0. Jim was a Sophomore on the team and the starting center. Their brother Bob was also a starting member of the line. Ellwood City played Freeport, IL in the National Championship game. Freeport had not lost in five years and defeated Ellwood 13-7. Tragically, Tom MacMurdo suffered a severe head injury during the season and was never the same player thereafter. He had scholarship offers to the U of Minnesota and U of Pittsburgh but it is unclear whether he went to college or played football beyond High School. Jim MacMurdo went to the University of Pittsburgh where he was an All-American Tackle in 1931. He played guard and tackle in the NFL for the Boston Braves/Redskins from 1932 - 1933 and the Philadelphia Eagles from 1934 - 1937. He was a member of the inaugural 1932 Boston Braves team that later became the Washington Redskins. Jim was second team All-Pro in 1936. Attachment 64430 Attachment 64431 jeff |
Day #30 - Ernie Caddel
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Card #30 in the Chicle set is Ernie Caddel. It is the sixth of 12 short prints in the 1935 National Chicle set.
Earnest Wiley "Ernie" Caddel was born in 1911 in Granite, OK but moved shortly thereafter to Fresno, CA. He enrolled in Stanford in 1929 on a baseball scholarship, having never played football before. Stanford football coach Glenn "Pop" Warner noticed Caddel's athletic ability and recruited him to play on the football team as well. Caddel was a halfback on the team from 1930 - 1932 and gained national attention when he ran for two long TD's against Dartmouth in 1931. Caddel was garnering All-American support his senior year until he injured his ribs and had to finish the year playing hurt. Because his injury prevented him from playing baseball in the Spring, he lost his baseball scholarship and turned his attention to professional football after graduation. Ernie Caddel was recruited and signed to play for the Portsmouth Spartans in 1933 and played in the NFL for six seasons. He ran for an 82 yard touchdown on the first carry of his career. The Spartans were sold after his first year and became the Detroit Lions. Caddel's rushing and receiving helped the Lions to a 10-3 record in their inaugural season in Detroit. Called the "Blond Antelope" because of his curly blond hair, Caddel was first team All-Pro in 1935 and second team All-Pro in 1936 and 1936. In his best year in 1935, he led the league in rushing TD's, yards/attempt, yards from scrimmage, and yards per touch and led the Lions to their first NFL Championship. Caddel worked for General Motors during the off-season, first building cars before moving into sales. After retiring from football, Caddel owned and operated a car dealership in Roseville, CA for 42 years. He was best known for starring in his own TV commercials. Caddel's granddaughter is actor, singer, and performer Connie Champagne http://www.conniechampagne.com/. Caddel is in the Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame. Attachment 64497 Attachment 64498 From the LA Times in January 1936. Caddel is carrying the ball. Attachment 64499 jeff |
Ernie Caddel
As I mentioned a few days ago, here is the original artwork I own of the Caddel card.
http://photos.imageevent.com/ltsgall...k%20Caddel.jpg http://photos.imageevent.com/ltsgall...20Caddel_1.jpg Mike |
Outstanding thread, Jeff. Thank you!
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Day #31 - Nic Niccolai
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Card #31 in the Chicle set is "Nic" Niccolai. It is the seventh of 12 short prints in the 1935 National Chicle set.
Armand J. "Nic" Niccolai was born in Vesta, PA in 1911. Niccolai played college ball at nearby Duquesne University under coach Elmer Layden, one of the Four Horseman of Notre Dame. Duquesne went 9 - 1 in 1933 and played in the second Palm Bowl, defeating Miami University 33 - 7. This was Elmer Layden's last game as coach of the Panthers as he moved on to coach Notre Dame the next season. The next year the Palm Bowl was renamed the Orange Bowl and remains in existence today. Nic Niccolai played nine seasons in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Pirates / Steelers. He played guard, tackle, and end for the team but his claim to fame was his place kicking abilities. Niccolai led the team in scoring in 1935, 1936, 1939, and 1940. He led the the NFL in scoring in 1935 and 1936, being selected as a 2nd team All-Pro in both of these seasons. In 1936, Niccolai kicked seven field goals, a Steeler record that lasted for 14 years. He was the captain of the Steelers 1936 - 1940 and was voted the National Football League's top kicker in 1936. Upon retirement, he was president of the Pittsburgh Steelers Alumni Association. His football honors include the West Penn Sports Hall of Fame, the Duquesne Sports Hall of Fame, the Charleroi High School Football Hall of Fame and the Pittsburgh Dapper Dan Hall of Fame. He was selected to the Pittsburgh Steelers Legends Team, a team of the best Steeler players before 1970. Attachment 64578 Attachment 64579 jeff |
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