What are your guesses for the missing players in the PX3 Double Header button set
 

I don't collect these interesting PX3 Double Header metal buttons, but I have the two that are shown below (jammed together, as any obedient kid would have done back in 1933, because that is what the wrapper indicated to do). Players were issued with either a circled '1' at the bottom of the button, or a circled '2'. The button with players with the circled '1' were slightly larger than those with the circled '2', so they could be pressed together, as mentioned previously. You also might be able to detect the rim of the backside of the Earnshaw button along the edges in the scan of the smaller Hodapp. Evidently for 3 or 4 decades the checklist for this set has been stuck at 43, which, of course, we all know is a stupid number, because these were issued in packages of two, presumably one button of each number.

There are 23 players known with the circled '1':

Sparky Adams Cincinnati Reds 1
Dick Bartell Phila. Phillies 1
Lefty Brandt Boston Braves 1
Owen Carroll Bklyn Dodgers 1
Jimmy Dykes Chic. White Sox 1
Geo. Earnshaw Phila. Athletics 1
Wes Ferrell Cleve. Indians 1
Lew Fonseca Chi. White Sox 1
Frankie Frisch St. Louis Cards 1
Chick Fullis Phila. Phillies 1
Chas. Gehringer Detroit Tigers 1
Goose Goslin Wash. Senators 1
Joe Judge Bklyn Dodgers 1
Chuck Klein Phila. Phillies 1
Al Lopez Bklyn Dodgers 1
Ray Lucas Bklyn Dodgers 1
Firpo Marberry Detroit Tigers 1
George Pipgras Boston Red Sox 1
Flint Rhem Phila. Phillies 1
Sam Rice Wash. Senators 1
Muddy Ruel St Louis Browns 1
Harry Seibold Boston Braves 1
Al Simmons Chi. White Sox 1

And 20 with the circled '2':

Dale Alexander Boston Red Sox 2
Earl Averill Cleve. Indians 2
Wally Berger Boston Braves 2
Jim Bottomley Cincinnati Reds 2
Lefty Clark N. Y. Giants 2
MickeyCochrane Phila. Athletics 2
Joe Cronin Wash. Senators 2
Neal Finn Phila. Phillies 2
Jimmy Foxx Phila. Athletics 2
Johnny Hodapp Boston Red Sox 2
Frank Hogan Boston Braves 2
Si Johnson Cincinnati Reds 2
Red Lucas Cincinnati Reds 2
Ted Lyons Chi. White Sox 2
Oscar Melillo St Louis Browns 2
Lefty O'Doul N. Y. Giants 2
Joe Vosmik Cleve. Indians 2
Gerald Walker Detroit Tigers 2
Pinky Whitney Boston Braves 2
Hack Wilson Bklyn Dodgers 2

As seen in the lists, 13 of the 16 major league teams are represented, with a fairly heavy emphasis on the Phillies (which makes sense, as the company that issued these, Gum Inc., was located in Philadelphia, and the display box and wrapper have depictions of Chuck Klein), White Sox, Braves and Dodgers, all with 5 players in the set.

On the other hand, three teams have no representation: Yankees, Cubs and Pirates. My logically illogical mind says that since there are 23 players with circled '1's', and 20 with circled '2's', that there are quite possibly 3 unknown players out there with circle '2' buttons, and (here's another stretch) that those players are from the missing 3 teams.

The wrapper indicates that there were supposed to be 500 different players in the set (oops, I guess the makers were a little overly ambitious), so possible set amounts in my mind could be 50, or perhaps 48 just as easily. But since we have the 3 missing circled '2's' and 3 missing teams, we will stick with the following for you to ponder or guess if you like.

What player on the roster of the 1933 (or so) teams below would you think (or like) to pop up some day:

Yankees
Cubs
Pirates

Just for the heck of it I am going with Lou Gehrig, Gabby Hartnett, and Paul Waner.

Brian (neither a team nor a team player, but at least I have included images of the PX3 Double Header display box, wrapper, and a look at the backside of a button that hasn't been joined together, all of which that I found on the web)

has anyone had any luck taking apart a 1-2? I have one that I would like to take apart.

Years ago when these were dirt cheap and I was stupid for not buying as many as I could find, I took one apart. If I remember correctly, the one I took apart was fairly well stuck together and I had to be careful not to dent the buttons while pulling them apart.

I also remember that when I DID finally pull them apart, that there was some scratches on the edges and paint missing because they had been together for so long and they were so tightly pushed together.

David

Oops,

As far as the original question goes, I don't think the three missing teams will be found unless there are a larger number of player buttons that haven't been found yet.

The Yankees and the Cubs were in the 1932 World Series so they might have been left out because they were already well known (or the expense of signing the players were too high) and the Pirates were in-state rivals of the Phillies so they were probably left out because of that.

David

Great post about the PX3 buttons. I never knew that they were suppose to be snapped together.

Just yesterday morning, I posted something on the board about a PX3 button that I just came across. It was Si Williams #2 that was slabbed by SGC. The weird thing was that the slab only said "SAMPLE" on it.

I was questioning whether anyone on the board had ever seen that done before.

Last night I was able to get in touch with the consignor and he told me that the pin was rare and was told by SGC that they don't grade them. But they would slab it for safe keeping.

Is there anything about the Si Williams button that would make it rarer than others? Or is the set in general that is rare?

Thought I would repost this because I know that it only takes a post like this one to make it happen. And who knows, maybe a year and half later some late breaking PX3 Double Header button info is ready to emerge.

Brian

Old Cardboard says, "Colors include white, red, green, yellow and blue." Does anyone know if this means that each player comes in these 5 colors? I have Sam Rice in 3 different colors (see below). If I'm missing 2 colors, I'd appreciate any help in completing my Sam Rice color run.