Show me your 1939-1941 Play Ball Cards
 

These sets don't get enough love. They're not quite old enough for most pre-war collectors, and they're too old for the golden era of the 1950s, so they fall through the cracks. I think they're awesome.

I"m working on the '41 set in uncut form, have a few more 4 card strips to frame, down to needing 2-3 more strips but who knows if I'll ever see them.
Love the design on this set.

https://photos.imageevent.com/griffi...e/Playball.jpg

They are awesome indeed. Collected the 1941 Play Balls a couple of decades back. Bought 'em one and two at a time off eBay. Here is a link to my ImageEvent album. No blazers but a fun colorful set all the same. https://photos.imageevent.com/kawika...l/DSC06275.JPG pw = N54

https://photos.imageevent.com/kawika...l/DSC06275.JPG

I just started on 41 play ball. Gehringer and Ruffing down so I have far to go. Awesome set.

Here are are few of my favorites ...

He was on his way to Cooperstown, but was derailed by WW2 service.
 

Everybody on this board knows 1941 saw Joe DiMaggio hit safely in 56 consecutive games (get stopped and then hit in 16 more!) and Ted Williams go 6 for 8 on the last day to hit .406 for the season (only .002 below DiMaggio’s average during his 56-game streak!). But how many know who led the AL in hits that year?

Cecil H. Travis. Infielder for the Washington Senators in 1933-1941 and 1945-1947. 1,544 hits and 27 home runs over 12 MLB seasons. 3-time All-Star. One of two to get 5 hits in first game. Led American League in hits in 1941 despite DiMaggio's 56-game hit streak and Ted Williams hitting .406. His best season was 1941 as he posted a .410 OBP with 101 RBIs in 663 plate appearances. In Army during 1942-45, wound up a frostbite victim in Battle of Bulge and Bronze Star recipient. Return to MLB after war surgery was not the same.


https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1661101071
https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1661101075
https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1661101079
https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1661101395

Could not agree more about Cecil Travis. One of my all-time favorites.

Here is a 1941 Play Ball common of Johnny Cooney (although I am sure Johnny didn't think he was common, just like the vast majority of us don't think we are common). My Play Ball preference has always been 1941(nice color), then 1939 (good b/w photos), and then 1940 at the bottom (I don't like the sepia tint, and all the post-career cards remind me of the early 1960's Fleer sets).

Cooney is interesting in that he had a 20 year career in the majors, the first 9 as a pitcher for 159 games, and then after four years in the minors, the second half of his MLB career came as a position player, ending up with just under 1000 hits and .286 batting average.

Brian (undoubtedly common in comparison)

I always loved the shade thrown on the first line of Harry "Gunboat" Gumperts 1941 card.

love the 1941 set. Back in the late 70's got a bunch of wrong back cards from a HS friend that his dad collected when he was a kid. Most are long gone but trying to complete the set, shooting for SGC 5/60's. My contribution

I completed the 1941 set and need 15 cards to finish the 1939 set and 9 cards to finish the 1940 set.

I like this 1941 card #36 Barney McCosky with "HITLER STINKS" stamped on the back.

Larry

https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=34254

https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=34255

I also have this 1939 "colorized" version which I think is pretty rare?
Larry
https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=34256

I like the wrong backs

That is amazing! And he sure did.

I was thinking of starting this set raw. Have these been reproduce?thanks Joe. 1941 set. Ever mind I see there are reprints for this set.

I have many 1939-41 Play Ball Greenbergs, but this one might be my most impressive. Have higher graded 39 and 41 but this one is pretty ridiculous

1941 Miscut

I think the 39 PB's are some really great portraits, there's a grit to them that reflects the times. Also, a high grade 41PB Dickey, if you're collecting hi grade 41PB's and need one, he's available.
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That Ott rocks

I think this one wins for the coolest period stamp I've seen.

Here are my favorite cards in those sets.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b9d673c2_z.jpg

I got this one TTM in October 2014. I also have his 1939, that I got done a few years later.

Just a few of my Play Ball cards.

Here is mine...

This was one of my first prewar purchases and has been my forum avatar ever since. At the time it was the most I'd ever spent on a card, and I remember being so excited when the auction ended and I was the winner. Still one of my favorites. It's a pretty early PSA grade and serial #, I've thought about sending it back in to try for a .5 bump (no creases or hidden issues) but haven't yet.

Wish I had a Williams to complement it, but I think I'm priced out of that for the moment.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...7f9c8cde_z.jpg

Different Back Ads for Superman Gum
 

Three 1940 Play Ball Superman Backs:

https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1661283424
https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1661283427
https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1661283430
https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1661283434
https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1661283437
https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1661283440

Here's my other Doerr, signed in March 2017.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...298d0e5e_z.jpg

Play Ball
 

I have only a few of these, but like them!

My Williams

Just added a signed Whit Wyatt sample back.

Because they are no longer mine, l refuse to play(ball) favorites with these starting nine.

Brian

Awesome cards everybody. I was never a big fan of the '39 Play Ball Williams. But I must say it has grown on me over the years. Too bad I was not smart enough to buy one when it was affordable.

I used to have a few. Now left with just 1.

https://www.net54baseball.com/pictur...ictureid=28626

Babe is a Local to me And hit .367 for the dodgers in 1936. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...e12c790324.jpg

Here are my contributions. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...75d49db8b1.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...3c9f7ffee2.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...ac32a49845.jpg

Sent from my SM-A505U using Tapatalk

Great looking cards. My only one at this time..
from the bst a few years back...

https://photos.imageevent.com/joejo2...ize/img643.jpg


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My contributions.

Really like the 41PB’s, I am working on the set, need about 20 more in EX. A little tough to buy, don’t see a lot of broken up sets graded and find it hard to find ones i like raw.

Some of my favorites below.

I am also a fan of the paper version of the 41PB which came from the sheets of cards 1-24. The colors on these really pop, someone cut mine well. The four cards in the sheet below are from the paper version.

High-end Henrich. “Old Reliable”