1913 Lajoie game card.

[Brian Van Horn]

Jay,

I appreciate the picture, but the print and the paper on the back for me weigh heavier than the box.

As for 1966, Paul, that would be good if for no other reason that was the year I was born.

[JustinD]

While I think this is a bit of a silly argument and I feel like I am being tricked into a 9/11 conspiracy conversation, I have only one thing to add -

It is accepted and documented this game was produced from 1913 to around the early 30s. It was made by a huge game company so the production numbers were likely large meaning good examples if it was not really a fun game in great shape are logical.

What is illogical is that a marketing or production exec in the 60's, in a time of mega baseball stars like Mantle. Could somehow get the green light to produce a game and hope to sell to kids with Nap Lajoie as it's subject.

That's all I got, other than the feeling I just got "punked".

[Butch7999]

The assumption that the game was marketed for kids is also off base. Many simple tabletop baseball games were indeed meant
for children, but period advertisements for numbers like National-American were placed not in child-oriented publications
but in Baseball Magazine, The Sporting News, and other periodicals aimed at adults, and often showed the game being played
by well-dressed adult men as if at some gentlemen's club.

[Rob D.]

eBay must be down.

[Brian Van Horn]

Originally Posted by rob d.

ebay must be down.

LOL.

No conspiracy theory either. Just enjoying the conversation.

[JustinD]

Originally Posted by Butch7999

The assumption that the game was marketed for kids is also off base. Many simple tabletop baseball games were indeed meant
for children, but period advertisements for numbers like National-American were placed not in child-oriented publications
but in Baseball Magazine, The Sporting News, and other periodicals aimed at adults, and often showed the game being played
by well-dressed adult men as if at some gentlemen's club.

I think those advertisements were what those men told their wives happened at the gentlemen's club.

If it wasn't actually drink and complain about wives it wouldn't really be a gentleman's club, lol.

[brianp-beme]

This thread has been helped me gain a little knowledge about the game cards, especially with Butch7999 information about when these game cards were being produced. 1913 was the only year I have ever seen associated with them, probably because of the copyright date on the instructions. It is also interesting to find out there was a generic player pictured instead on the later runs. Anyone have an example of the generic version?

A multi year run starting in 1913 with Lajoie makes sense. Thanks Butch

I think the game was not universally popular, so it makes sense that a lot of sets of cards ended up not getting abused. My set (a full set purchased from a seller who indicated he found them dumpster diving(!) about 25 years ago), would also lead one to believe that some (definitely not the person who trashed them) found the game interesting, as they have a lot of wear on the sides as well as creases, missing corners, etc.

Brian

[brianp-beme]

A scan of some of mine.

Brian

[Butch7999]

Just some of the box - card back - card front variations / combinations:



The National-American Base Ball Game, eight-result game: Lajoie blue, Lajoie red



The National-American Base Ball Game, single-result game: lefty batter blue, lefty batter red, righty batter blue




New Base Ball Card Game / Base Ball Cards: Lajoie red




World's Champion Base Ball Card Game (The Champion Amusement Co): lefty batter blue

We hope that's of some help. Some details as to dates of production for the above examples and other closely-related games
are verified, others are still lacking. Again, there's a fuller discussion of these sets in an April message thread at our forum.

Justin -- -- tru dat!

[scooter729]

Must be a slow day on eBay for horrible reprints to post about here...

Edit - dammit, had the window open for a bit and Rob beat me to the punch on the joke...

[Paul S]

I could almost buy into it.

[Brian Van Horn]

Originally Posted by scooter729

Must be a slow day on eBay for horrible reprints to post about here...

Edit - dammit, had the window open for a bit and Rob beat me to the punch on the joke...