Looking for info on Dizzy Trout Altes Beer greeter -

[JustinD]

I've had this for many years sitting around and it has decided to intrigue me today. From what I understand these are called "greeters" and were pasted to the side of Altes six-packs as a premium. I have seen a couple other players come up in auctions, but no Trouts. I believe these were only Detroit players and distributed only regionally in the Detroit area. I wonder how many were actually put out there as they are all hand signed by the featured player? The closest I have seen for an issue date is "1940's". Does anyone have more solid info on these to help sate my curiosity? Fun stuff like dates, distribution or values?

[Exhibitman]

I'd think it is more likely a beer distributor salesman's tool than a consumer premium. Quite a few athletes who needed day jobs or post-sports jobs went into alcohol distribution and sales. They were naturals for glad-handing bar and restaurant owners and patrons. Here is a similar item, a PC from Carmen Basilio:

[JustinD]

The reason I have for thinking it was a product premium is that this one has glue remnants on the back and the other example I have seen the back of was the same. I am working of an assumption they were placed on the product itself. The glue is not a scrapbook glue either, it's more of an industrial type meant to have a light enough tack to allow removal. Still, it's all guesswork.

[Exhibitman]

They may have been placed on the product as samplers for wholesale purchasers but the language and autograph indicate it was not meant for large scale retailing. Breweries make a boatload of beer. Doesn't seem likely that the brewery would have contracted with a ballplayer to sign thousands and thousands of these things to stick one on every six pack.

[JustinD]

Oh, definitely. I am sure it was very small scale, I don't think Altes was anything more than a regional beer. Alas, though it way before my time. I am thinking they was likely far less than a hundred, or maybe two hundred each of these. Most of them were likely discarded too.