Renewed call for help - 1978 wiffle ball

[ArmourPhil]

Hello...I am responsible for PSA changing their listings from 1976 and 1977 to 1978. I have been in touch with Wiffle (in Conn not RI) and the son of the inventor sent me product releases from those days which confirmed that the die cut discs (80) were inserted into boxes only in 1978 and the discs printed on the box sides (12 boxes with 5 discs per box) and on the so called "header sleeves" (14 sleeves of 2 players each for total of 28) were from 1979. SO the wiffles that PSA had labeled in the past 1976 and 1977 are really from 1978. I have sent the info to SCD and they will be correcting both in the next issue of the Std catalog. .

[steve B]

Originally Posted by ArmourPhil

Hello...I am responsible for PSA changing their listings from 1976 and 1977 to 1978. I have been in touch with Wiffle (in Conn not RI) and the son of the inventor sent me product releases from those days which confirmed that the die cut discs (80) were inserted into boxes only in 1978 and the discs printed on the box sides (12 boxes with 5 discs per box) and on the so called "header sleeves" (14 sleeves of 2 players each for total of 28) were from 1979. SO the wiffles that PSA had labeled in the past 1976 and 1977 are really from 1978. I have sent the info to SCD and they will be correcting both in the next issue of the Std catalog. .

If they're ok with it I'd love to see those product releases. It's crazy, but I really like that stuff and it's almost impossible to find.

Steve B

[ArmourPhil]

I will try to post pics of the prod release documents that Wiffle sent me.. Have patience, I'm not quite sure how to do this yet.

[ArmourPhil]

Steve B ,

The files are pdf and are 400Kb...this thread says posting pics have to be < 19Kb when I shrink that much you cannot read the letter so I'm not sure how to load. Send me you email and I will forward to you...

[steve B]

Just had a look at them, and they're really cool. And as conclusive as it gets as far as year of issue. When the promo literature from the company itself says they've changed the format of the cards for 1979 and catalog pages specifically say 1978 and 1979 and picture the product it doesn't get much better.


Steve B

[mrmopar]

Thanks Phil. Would now want the color sheet for the Garvey appearance if ever one were to surface for sale!

[darkhorse9]

The next big challenge is getting the price guide to reflect the scarcity of certain cards. Much like the Post/Jello cards of the 69's card scarcity is directly affected by the popularity of the product.

There is only on Junior sized wiffle box (Fidrych is on it.), three softball and 8 regulation sized.

Far more regulation sized were sold than the other two. If they were sold by more than 2:1 over softball and 8:1 for junior (both very likely) than the odd sized box cards are rarer.

Of course the sleeve cards are a whole different matter. Their popularity was very small and it is impossible to have cards without heavy creases.

The current SC lists the prices of the 1979 set as identical to their 1978 counterparts. That's completely wrong.

[mrmopar]

I have several of the individual boxes with Garvey, but have seen the large box (empty) featuring Garvey only once. It was on ebay and I lost out to someone who wanted it more. There were more players on it, Yaz may have been one of the others, I don't remember now. I am always wondering who the people are that beat me for items with Garvey on them.

[bswhiten]

Originally Posted by ArmourPhil

Hello...I am responsible for PSA changing their listings from 1976 and 1977 to 1978. I have been in touch with Wiffle (in Conn not RI) and the son of the inventor sent me product releases from those days which confirmed that the die cut discs (80) were inserted into boxes only in 1978 and the discs printed on the box sides (12 boxes with 5 discs per box) and on the so called "header sleeves" (14 sleeves of 2 players each for total of 28) were from 1979. SO the wiffles that PSA had labeled in the past 1976 and 1977 are really from 1978. I have sent the info to SCD and they will be correcting both in the next issue of the Std catalog. .

So will PSA be slabbing this one to 1978 soon? The flip with 76 actually shows up in the registry as 78 and the 77 flip (just got back from PSA) shows as 77. And both are in the Master Set.

[darkhorse9]

I will say that, from personal experience, I have zero doubt in my mind that the die cut discs were available in May of 1978. I know exactly where I was at the time and what I was doing when I got them.

[mrmopar]

I can't be 100% certain from personal experience because I was a kid and it was a long time ago, but I did pull a Frank Tanana disc from a box and it was very likely 1978. It couldn't have been any earlier, because I had moved that summer and got it while in my new house.

[PANAMABASEBALL]

Originally Posted by ArmourPhil

Hello...I am responsible for PSA changing their listings from 1976 and 1977 to 1978. I have been in touch with Wiffle (in Conn not RI) and the son of the inventor sent me product releases from those days which confirmed that the die cut discs (80) were inserted into boxes only in 1978 and the discs printed on the box sides (12 boxes with 5 discs per box) and on the so called "header sleeves" (14 sleeves of 2 players each for total of 28) were from 1979. SO the wiffles that PSA had labeled in the past 1976 and 1977 are really from 1978. I have sent the info to SCD and they will be correcting both in the next issue of the Std catalog. .

Thats awesome, i get it now, and how did you get Cosetta to listen to you .. lol

[bswhiten]

Picked up the Hrabosky/Bonds sleeve. There is a color variation too correct? Need to track that one down Thanks for all of the great info on this board.

[darkhorse9]

Originally Posted by bswhiten

Picked up the Hrabosky/Bonds sleeve. There is a color variation too correct? Need to track that one down Thanks for all of the great info on this board.

That's a nice little holy Grail one there. Where did that surface?

[bswhiten]

Snagged it off of ebay Mark.

[Gr8Beldini]

Originally Posted by ArmourPhil

Hello...I am responsible for PSA changing their listings from 1976 and 1977 to 1978. I have been in touch with Wiffle (in Conn not RI) and the son of the inventor sent me product releases from those days which confirmed that the die cut discs (80) were inserted into boxes only in 1978 and the discs printed on the box sides (12 boxes with 5 discs per box) and on the so called "header sleeves" (14 sleeves of 2 players each for total of 28) were from 1979. SO the wiffles that PSA had labeled in the past 1976 and 1977 are really from 1978. I have sent the info to SCD and they will be correcting both in the next issue of the Std catalog. .

I think this is wrong. The box-side cutout disks include Bill North as a member of the A's (he played with the Dodgers in '78 and would be listed with them if cards were indeed issued in '79). Same thing with Jim Spencer. Box cut out shows him with White Sox. He played with Yankees in '78 and a 1979 issued card would have showed him with NY. John Mayberry also. He played with Toronto in '78 and as such, his cards would show Blue Jays if it were a 1979 card (but it doesn't; it shows him on the Royals).

[Cliff Bowman]

Originally Posted by Gr8Beldini

I think this is wrong. The box-side cutout disks include Bill North as a member of the A's (he played with the Dodgers in '78 and would be listed with them if cards were indeed issued in '79). Same thing with Jim Spencer. Box cut out shows him with White Sox. He played with Yankees in '78 and a 1979 issued card would have showed him with NY.

I originally thought the same thing, one 1979 box has Jose Cardenal as a Cub even though he hadn't played for them sine 1977 and the 1978 Dave Kingman die cut disc has him as a Padre even though he was on his third organization since being a Padre before the 1978 season even started, but ArmourPhil has indisputable proof that the die cut discs were a 1978 issue and the boxes and sleeves were a 1979 issue. It was just horrible product quality control by whoever created and printed them.