1961 Topps Dice Game History
 

Has anyone tracked the location history of this rare set? I have Bobby Richardson from that set, which I won in one of my childhood card-flipping games in West Haven, Connecticut. Based on the condition of my card collection, it’s clear that I stopped flipping cards before the 1965 card season. I don’t recall any of my pals bragging about connections to Topps. I don’t even know where Topps cards were designed or printed. For over half a century, I’ve wondered how this card found its way to me In Connecticut in the 1961-1964 timeframe. Did all the sheets originate from the Connecticut area?

Since my card is not neatly cut, I’ve always wondered if the person who owns the adjacent card has One with a complementary un-neat cut. It would be amazing to see the pieces side by side! If you think you may have that card, compare your card to the photos of my card on eBay item 224111648627
Tom Bernardi

I only have one, Kaline, but bought it at auction. Larry Serotta ( sflyank), a member here had several at one time and I think will be able to give you more info. I believe they were an unissued test set not marketed at retail, and what few examples exist come from Topps Vault or from long time Topps employees

Dave Hornish has some info on his great blog

http://www.thetoppsarchives.com/sear...%20Dice%20Game


PSA article

https://www.psacard.com/articles/art...age-test-issue

I have recently seen comments these may have actually been retail tested. Unconfirmed but intriguing. Still, the lack of examples makes me doubt it was a traditional retail test; maybe just done in a research lab setting for play value analysis. Several known examples do show evidence of being handled and defaced by kids. They appear to have been created in 1963.

It is indeed possible they were printed in Connecticut (Hampden area).

Dice Cards
 

I had quite a collection of Topps Test sets in the late 60's/early 70's. I wrote articles about them in The Trader Speaks.

Pertaining to the Dice cards specifically, there was a collector in Brooklyn named Stan Martin. Not his real last name. I recall visiting his home and one of the things he had were about 11 or 12 Dice Cards. I only had about 3 or 4 at the time. He told me he bought them at retail.

Evidently there were a few small stores in Brooklyn Topps would use for their test issues. Stan knew where where at least one of them was. I also recall him telling me he sold a Camiio Pascual card for big bucks to a guy who only collected Latin American players. Never found out who that was.

For those of you in the New York area, Stan was, I believe, the first "newsman" when WFAN started the all sports radio format in NYC. He was the one delivering the sports news updates, scores etc. His "stage name" was Stan Martin.

Nice guy with a booming voice as you would expect

Interesting info Fred

I probably have your articles scanned at this point Fred, will have to check.

I recall Stan Martin alright and seem to recall him on another station at some point. Semi related - Dunno if you saw but Cousin Brucie is returning the WABC-AM.

Some on air talents do use stage names and I won't out him here but I know a of current one on WCBS 880 who is in a long time killer punk rock/indie band and is quite the singer, guitar player and songwriter. And I even remember Suzyn Waldman singing at the 1988 Tom Seaver Day at Shea when they retired his uniform. I guess at the heart of it they are all entertainers.

Stan Martin passed in 2003: Here is a link to his obit

https://www.theatermania.com/new-yor...t-64_3057.html

Regards
Rich

Asa Dorfman did the news on the first WFAN broadcast, 7/1/87. (10:05 in the video linked below.)

WHN becomes WFAN, 7/1/87

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