acebo Cubanbn baseball cards

[squelch]

Whenever I see a graded Acebo Card it always has the years 1949-50.

There are 109 cards in the set. Some of the cards are blank back. The same players can have a write up on the back.

I assume all 109 are of different players and that the different backs are merely variations.

However, I have an Acebo Album which has the date 1950-51. There are 102 players pictured. I have found some of the players in this album to have a different pose (I assume from their 1949-50 card).

It seems there are 2 sets. If the first set is 1949- 50, it would seem the cards of the players pictured in the 1950-51 Album should be listed as 1950-51.

It is possible that the cards of pictures in the 1950-51 Album were issued in 1950. It would then follow that the other cards should be dated 1949.

I can post pictures of the album cover and the players of the 4 Cuban teams pictured in this 1950-51 Acebo Album.

It is likely that not all the players pictured in the Album had cards issued.

This is because Willie Mays is pictured with Almedares. I have never seen an Acebo Mays card.

If anyone can shed some light on these cards, I would be grateful.

[Kenny Cole]

I have that album too, as well as many of the Acebo cards. There is no known Willie Mays card that I am aware of. I think 1949-50 is accurate. Quincy Trouppe, who was one of the mainstays of the Negro Leagues during that period, ended his career in 1949 and went to Canada, where he has no cards to my knowledge. He resurfaced for a short period of time in 1952. Seamheads shows that Max Manning's last year in the Negro Leagues was 1948. That may be incomplete, but is at least thus far more indicative of 1949-50 than later. Chuck Conners played there in 1948-49 and 1949-50, but, to my knowledge, didn't play there a year later. Dandrige signed and played for the Minneapolis Millers from 1949-53. Yes, he could have gone Caribbean during the off-season, but I have no information to that effect.

Ryan Christoff is the guy to ask for the best answer. He has devoted a fairly significant amount of time to looking at that sort of issue. I believe he will tell you that the issue date is 1949-50 as well. But I could be wrong. If so, I suspect he will be right.

[midmo]

I saw Connors mentioned so thought I'd add a pic. I only have a few Acebo cards, but this is my favorite.

[triwak]

OMG, I have never even heard of this set!!! So cool!!

[ElCabron]

Cards are from 1949-50. Album is from 1950-51. An easy way to figure it out is to look at any differences between the two that would clearly illustrate what year each is from. Here are two examples, but there are several others:

1. Chuck Connors played his LAST year in Cuba in 1949-50. He has an Acebo card, but does not appear in the album.

2. Tommy Lasorda played his FIRST year in Cuba in 1950-51. He does not have an Acebo card, but does appear in the album.

BTW, there is also a set of 8x10 photographic premiums for each card in the 1949-50 Acebo set. They are incredibly rare. I can't remember the last time one of them surfaced. They are amazing and were taken by the Cuban photographer, Newton Estape.

Hope that helps,

-Ryan

[ElCabron]

Here's the Connors premium:

[CobbSpikedMe]

Those two Chuck Connors cards are insane! Thanks so much for posting those images.