1956 Bowman
 

I have heard and read over the years that a 1956 Bowman card release was in the works before Topps bought them out. If so, how far did Bowman get? Do any cards exist? Or is the whole thing a bunch of nothing?

Thanks in advance for any information on this mystery.

Tom

Here you go Tom. I believe Keith Olbermann bought this lot. The protoype was used in the 2003 Bowman Heritage set.

http://www.robertedwardauctions.com/.../2005/373.html

Randy

Thanks.... And interesting!

I always felt that Topps would of gone to the smaller size (as they did in 1957) for 1956 if they had gotten to Bowman sooner.

There is no question the 1958 Hires set is based on one of the 1956 Bowman designs.

Me too. Too bad Bowman couldn't hold on one more year. '57 would have been awesome in the larger format.

I completely agree, and I think the cards design, especially the fronts would of been much more elaborate. Well put!

I have lost my scans of the Shuba's, can anyone post them?

I'm not 100% sure but I think the somewhat new Owner (John Connelly) of Bowman's parent company is the one who approached Topps.

I have found information detailing that the deal had been in discussions since the end of Topps' and Bowman's litigation in 1953. Warren Bowman left his company in May 1951 and I believe Connelly started working his way in through the Board of Directors and was probably in place by '53. Connelly was provideing shipping cartons to Bowman at some point and must have known their directors. I do know he wanted to break up his holdings to acquire a majority stake in another company (Crown Cork & Seal) and needed the cash.

Those prototypes must have been done in the summer of 1955 or thereabouts. Topps announced the Bowman deal in Feb. 1956 (it was effective April 1) so they likely had an agreement in principle before the end of 1955. Bowman didn't issue too much in 1955 outside of Baseball and Football and knowing the end was near probably was a major reason why.

I think the Bowman deal is also why the 1956 Topps pins were stopped 30 short of their advertised 90 subjects. Topps just did not need to have a competing second baseball product anymore.