A Chicle a day through the end of May

[finalscore]

Hi Jeff, I have never seen an uncut sheet of the Chicle's either and your theory is a possibility. 30+ years ago, there was an archive find of National Chicle Gum materials which included artwork and a couple of uncut proof sheets of several non-sports issues as well as original artwork for the football set (and a few baseball). If I remember correctly the non-sport proof sheets were 12-card sheets - a multiple of the 36 card football set. Rumor has it that there was also unissued football artwork found at the time.

It is interesting that the original plans were for 240 cards. With only 8 NFL teams at the time that would have meant cards for just about all of the players in the league. If you look at the letter I posted it states "it is our intention to publish a photo of every professional league player". I think there are a couple reasons why the set never reached 240. First, the cards didn't sell as well as expected. Second, the letters I have between Chicle and the Eagles include request after request from the Chicle Company for player/team photographs. I imagine Chicle had a difficult time getting the photos from the teams which also made their lofty goal of 240 impossible to reach.

Another interesting note about the set is the back variations that can be found with the first 24 cards.

Mike

[jefferyepayne]

Hi Mike,

Given that there are 12 short prints in this 36 card set, it does make sense that each sheet was 12 cards. I took a few images of the non-sports, 12 card Chicle sheets a while back and tried to build a layout by card number to see how these sets were put together. Also looked at where the sideways cards were located on these sheets. My hope was that there would be a pattern to their layout that I could copy for the '35 Chicle short-prints and piece together what an uncut sheet might look like if they had used the same pattern.

In summary, I could not find a pattern that made it clear how the '35 Chicle SP's may have been laid out on a 12 card sheet. I've been looking for miscuts of these cards as well to see if I could determine which cards where next to others and on the edges but so far no luck there either. Anyone have any miscut Chicle's?

I'm at a loss as to what to try next to validate the theory that the location of SP's on the sheet is the cause of some being more scarce than others. Without a find of an uncut sheet, it is unclear how these 12 SP's were positioned on a sheet.

jeff

[jefferyepayne]

Card #28 in the Chicle set is Stan Kostka. It is the fourth of 12 short prints in the 1935 National Chicle set and one of the most difficult short prints to obtain.

Stanislaus Clarence "Stan" Kostka was born in 1913 in St. Paul, MN. Kostka played for the University of Oregon before transferring to the University of Minnesota after his freshman season. He was a fullbackand linebacker on the 1934 Minnesota team that won the National Championship. Minnesota outscored its opponents 270-38 that season and finishing the year 8 - 0. This was the first of five national championships Coach Bernie Beirman won at Minnesota during an eight year span (1934 - 1941). Kostka was also a member of the track and baseball teams at Minnesota.

The NFL Brooklyn Dodgers won a bidding war over the Philadelphia Eagles (and other teams) for Kostka's services. This made then Eagles owner Bert Bell so angry that he pushed for the NFL to implement a college draft system. The NFL agreed and a college draft began in 1936. It is the oldest college draft system among major sports leagues in the US.

Kostka only played one year in the NFL for the Dodgers. He also played one year of minor league baseball. His statistics in both are not noteworthy. Kostka later served as head coach of the North Dakota State football team in 1941 and 1946–1947. He was a Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy during World War II.

Kostka died in 1997.

I do not have the Chicle Stan Koska card (please help!) so here is a stock photo.

kostka.jpg

Someone please post a real one!

jeff

[ecRich]

Here ya go Jeff.
Rich

[jefferyepayne]

Thanks Rich. That is one beautiful card!

jeff

[jefferyepayne]

Card #29 in the Chicle set is Jim MacMurdo. It is the fifth of 12 short prints in the 1935 National Chicle set.

James Edward "Big Jim" MacMurdo was born in 1909 in Ellwood City, PA. He was a member of the acclaimed 1925 Ellwood City High School football team that went unscored upon during the regular season. Led by Jim's older brother, Tom "Big Train" MacMurdo, who was a 229lb Sr. Fullback, Ellwood City steamrolled its regular season opponents 313-0. Jim was a Sophomore on the team and the starting center. Their brother Bob was also a starting member of the line. Ellwood City played Freeport, IL in the National Championship game. Freeport had not lost in five years and defeated Ellwood 13-7. Tragically, Tom MacMurdo suffered a severe head injury during the season and was never the same player thereafter. He had scholarship offers to the U of Minnesota and U of Pittsburgh but it is unclear whether he went to college or played football beyond High School.

Jim MacMurdo went to the University of Pittsburgh where he was an All-American Tackle in 1931. He played guard and tackle in the NFL for the Boston Braves/Redskins from 1932 - 1933 and the Philadelphia Eagles from 1934 - 1937. He was a member of the inaugural 1932 Boston Braves team that later became the Washington Redskins. Jim was second team All-Pro in 1936.

macmurdo35front.jpg
macmurdo35back.jpg

jeff

[jefferyepayne]

Card #30 in the Chicle set is Ernie Caddel. It is the sixth of 12 short prints in the 1935 National Chicle set.

Earnest Wiley "Ernie" Caddel was born in 1911 in Granite, OK but moved shortly thereafter to Fresno, CA. He enrolled in Stanford in 1929 on a baseball scholarship, having never played football before. Stanford football coach Glenn "Pop" Warner noticed Caddel's athletic ability and recruited him to play on the football team as well. Caddel was a halfback on the team from 1930 - 1932 and gained national attention when he ran for two long TD's against Dartmouth in 1931. Caddel was garnering All-American support his senior year until he injured his ribs and had to finish the year playing hurt. Because his injury prevented him from playing baseball in the Spring, he lost his baseball scholarship and turned his attention to professional football after graduation.

Ernie Caddel was recruited and signed to play for the Portsmouth Spartans in 1933 and played in the NFL for six seasons. He ran for an 82 yard touchdown on the first carry of his career. The Spartans were sold after his first year and became the Detroit Lions. Caddel's rushing and receiving helped the Lions to a 10-3 record in their inaugural season in Detroit. Called the "Blond Antelope" because of his curly blond hair, Caddel was first team All-Pro in 1935 and second team All-Pro in 1936 and 1936. In his best year in 1935, he led the league in rushing TD's, yards/attempt, yards from scrimmage, and yards per touch and led the Lions to their first NFL Championship.

Caddel worked for General Motors during the off-season, first building cars before moving into sales. After retiring from football, Caddel owned and operated a car dealership in Roseville, CA for 42 years. He was best known for starring in his own TV commercials. Caddel's granddaughter is actor, singer, and performer Connie Champagne http://www.conniechampagne.com/.

Caddel is in the Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame.

caddel35front.jpg
caddel35back.jpg

From the LA Times in January 1936. Caddel is carrying the ball.

Ernie_Caddel,_Stellar_Lion_Halfback.jpg

jeff