A pack of 52's every day...

[brian1961]

Originally Posted by Phil68

Does anyone know how Wilson's came to the 20 card checklist? It seems like a fairly random selection of players. All steady, good (or great) players--I wonder if it was purely financial? Players under contract elsewhere or required too much money?
At one point I had assembled 8 cards but found them to be so oil stained I lost interest and sold them off about 7 years ago.
I'm going to build out a 5-6 card set with a Banty Red reverse in 2020-2021.

Yes, I recall several years ago reading a Wilson Franks leaflet about how to play baseball they included with their wiener packages that discussed the cards to the effect their set was composed of an all-star line-up from each league, plus a manager. At the time, Wilson was the hot dog served at Comiskey Park.

Now, why specific players were chosen, and others left off the Wilson line-up, I have no clue. Suffice to say Ted Williams fans are mighty pleased, while Mickey Mantle fans were let down. Thus, when I wrote my book on immediate post-war regional / food issues, Never Cheaper By the Dozen, I took the great effort and joy to create fantasy 1954 Wilson Franks cards of Mickey Mantle and Jackie Robinson, each in two different poses. That was an expensive labor of love, but most fulfilling. --- Brian Powell