[brianp-beme]

Here are some facts, and then some thoughts, about the 1939 Play Ball set.

All 115 of the cards from 1-115 are available with the name on back being all capitals.

All 46 of the cards from 116-162 (card # 126 was not issued) were issued ONLY with the names on the back being a mix of capitals and lower case letters.

There are 73 cards from 1-115 that are also available with the names on back being a mix of capitals and lower case. The 73 cards that are available with both versions are as follows:

2 Grissom
3 Ruffing
4 Auker
5 Sewell
6 Durocher
7 Doerr
9 Tobin
13 Hamlin
14 Tabor
15 Derringer
18 Danning
21 Leonard
22 Walters
24 Coffman
25 Selkirk
26 DiMaggio
27 Ostermueller
29 Wilson
30 Dickey
31 West
34 Demaree
35 Jurges
36 McCormick
38 Myers
39 R. Ferrell
41 Warneke
45 May
46 Arnovich
47 Lewis
48 Gomez
50 Gehringer
51 Ott
52 Henrich
53 Hubbell
54 Gumbert
55 Vaughan
56 Greenberg
57 Hassett
60 Rowe
61 Cuccinello
64 Moses
65 Craft
71 Pearson
72 Garms
73 Schumacher
74 Lavagetto
75 Bordagaray
78 Solters
79 Moore
80 Fox
81 Dahlgren
82 Klein
83 Suhr
86 Camilli
89 L. Waner
90 Klinger
91 Knott
92 Williams
95 Wyatt
96 Phelps
97 Johnson
99 Berger
100 Myer
101 Cramer
102 Young
104 Bridges
105 McNair
108 Hayes
109 Hoag
111 Mungo
112 P. Waner
114 Travis
115 Kress

To me, it makes sense that the 73 cards were issued along with the 116 to 162 high numbers, for a couple of fairly likely reasons. The first is that it seems almost assuredly that the complete 1-115 stretch of cards with all capitals lettering was first issued, and that later the 73 listed cards above with the mix of capitals/lower case letters was reissued in this lettering format to match the style seen in all the higher number cards. Secondly, these 73 mixed capital/lower case cards are available in what seems to be at a similar lower level as the high number cards.

A good question remains about the print runs of these sets. The 115 lower cards do not evenly divide into sheet sizes that are equal in card quantity. I do not believe any uncut 1939 Play Ball sheets exists, but the 1941 Play Ball set does have existing 24 card sheets that are in a 4 across and 6 down configuration. Because of this I have a feeling that the 1939 set was issued in the same 24 cards per sheet format.

Perhaps this would indicate that there were 5 sheets of 24 for the 115 low numbers, meaning that in this card number range there were 5 double prints.
Also, if you add the 46 high numbers (116 to 162, minus of course the pesky #126 non-issued number) and the 73 low numbers that exist with mix of capitals/ lower case lettering, you have 119 cards. I figure that this would indicate another 5 sheets of 24 were printed, with either 1 card double printed, or perhaps a 74th mixed capitals/lower case card that has yet to be unearthed.

Just some thoughts on this interesting set with the simple design.


Brian