O/T - Did You Buy '52 Topps High Numbers As A Kid?

[toppcat]

Forgive this O/T post and Leon delete if inappropriate but I'd like as many repsonses as I can get on this.

If you remember buying '52 Topps high numbers at the time of issue, can you share what city or town you bought them in and if it was in 1952 or later? Doing some research, especially on any distribution west of the Mississippi. Thanks!

[drdduet]

I wasn't around then, but my dad was and I inherited his collection--from 1952 to 1962. Additionally I've accumulated many other collections from his generation from my local community. We are just west of the Mississippi River--the mouth of the river is 30 miles east of my house. Funny thing is that there was not one high # 1952 Topps. There were very few 1952 and 1953 Topps in general--out of virgin collections from 1948 to 1962 (approx 25,000 cards total). There were good size lots of Bowmans from 1948 through 1955.

I discussed with my dad and area mom and pop stores and they all claimed that Topps didn't show up here for sale until 1954. Based on the cards accumulated by me from this period in Southern Lafourche Parish, I'd have to agree that Topps didn't make it here in good numbers until 1954, while Bowman was present throughout its history here. Of course, we're Cut Off.

[Jim VB]

Originally Posted by drdduet

Of course, we're Cut Off.

Literally, correct? But aren't there actually two towns named Cut Off down there?

(I think I mentioned to you, my son goes to Tulane and one of his best friends there is from Cut Off.)

[drdduet]

Only one real Cut Off, and some us have been to Tulane--at least to party!

[tedzan]

Dave

In the Fall of '52, I was buying Hi# Topps cards in Hillside and Elizabeth, NJ.

A long-time friend of mine bought his Hi#'s in the foothills of the Smokey Mtns. in NC.


TED Z

[Leon]

I was -9 yrs old in '52. I did buy '67-'72 Topps though.....loved that gum (not).....The smell of that gum was unforgettable though. Those were the days....Sitting in the front yard with our next door neighbor gentleman (late 1960's), eating sunflower seeds and listening to the Astros on the radio....Those were the days.

[Jim VB]

Originally Posted by drdduet

Only one real Cut Off, and some us have been to Tulane--at least to party!

One Cut Off and one Cutoff?


And yes, I believe he's also there to party.

[Josh Wolf]

My dad Jeff was 7 and living in L.A. in 1952 and distinctly remembers buying them from Zane's Drug Store. He actually had Zane order boxes of the high series for him! He recalls having a shoe box of hundreds cards including at least a half-dozen Mantle cards but, of course, my grandmother threw them all out!

Josh

[JP]

The Rexall pharmacy in Rialto, CA had high number 1952 Topps in the spring of 1953. Source - Uncle

[barrysloate]

I was born in 1952...but I remember the first pack I ever opened, in the summer of 1958, and in it was a Ted Williams All-Star. Didn't know what that meant, but I thought all the stars on the card looked pretty neat.

[GoldenAge50s]

I grew up in the Western NY area not too far from Buffalo. I bought alot of both Topps & Bowman, but never saw a Leaf or any Topps card above #250 anywhere in that area.

For yrs I thought my set was complete w/ #1-250!

I had Bowman from '48 on up but never knew Leaf existed. I had '51 Topps Red, Blue, Connie Mack & Team cards, but never saw a 3rd or 4th Series '52 Topps!

[ctownboy]

I wasn't born then but an old time collector I know told me that he was buying high number 1952 Topps packs in late 1952 and Spring of 1953. He lived in Pennsylvania and bought them at a drug store.

David

[toppcat]

Originally Posted by GoldenAge50s

I grew up in the Western NY area not too far from Buffalo. I bought alot of both Topps & Bowman, but never saw a Leaf or any Topps card above #250 anywhere in that area.

For yrs I thought my set was complete w/ #1-250!

I had Bowman from '48 on up but never knew Leaf existed. I had '51 Topps Red, Blue, Connie Mack & Team cards, but never saw a 3rd or 4th Series '52 Topps!

Fred-

Interesting post. I am guessing you did not get any Major League All Stars then?

Your lack of high numbers in Buffalo is intriguing as I have a sort-of-theory that if Detroit did not get highs (or at least a lot of them) Buffalo and the upper US Great Lakes may not have either. I wonder if this ties in with players from Cleveland and Detroit not being too numerous in the highs as Topps knew their upper Great Lakes distribution was questionable in late 52, so why include players from those cities?

Conversely, I believe St. Catharine's, Hamilton and Toronto were all Canadian outposts that were normal recipients of Topps cards in the early to mid 50's, plus (eventually) Montreal/Quebec, or at least when 54/55 hockey came out. I am going off memory here but I seem to recall those three cities were Topps cities back then. Some of the 52 high number mysteries must revolve around which distributors Topps had lined up.

The selling into 53 makes a lot of sense. I wonder if Topps did that in 54, 55 and '56, which might explain why some wrappers are dated in 53, 54 and 55 and some are not.

Have at either theory folks-the more input the better!

[bigtrain]

I didn't buy my first cards until 1961, but my older cousins from Jersey City had boxes of early 50s Topps and I remember the Mantles from each year including '52 thumbtacked to their bedroom wall. My uncle had a neighborhood grocery store and I am sure my cousins opened more packs than he sold.

[martin neal]

My buddy who is too shy to post told me he remembers buying 1952 Topps (probably high series) in Ridley Park, Pennslyvania, but "Ziggy *******, stole them from me." It is a shame as most of his cards (Berk Ross, Bowmans and Topps) survived in the original condition as he bought them in. Many have been graded by Psa and Sgc in the 8 and 9 range.

[toppcat]

Appreciate all the input folks. Looks like they made it to California after all, maybe a little late.

The lack of Topps cards in a Bowman town is intresting. I would think some smaller towns or rural areas only had one distributor and if they already carried Bowman it may have precluded the Topps line being sold.

So far we also have a New Jersey waterfront across from Manhattan and a Philly suburb, North Carolina (surprise) and the California stops.

Any more recollections out there? Some of you guys are too young I know but this is a pretty big group, there must be more.

[pow323]

I went into Woolworths just the other day and picked up some of these boxes! HA! HA! Ole! to have a time machine.

[GoldenAge50s]

Dave---

A bit more info as best I can recall, keeping in mind the fact that I still retain today almost ALL of the cards I bought in packs from the '48 thru '56 years:

For some strange reason I have 1951 Red & Blue backs, Topps Team & Connie Mack All-Time AS in my original collection today, but none of the ML All-Stars, but my recollection is that they were available--just not too popular because of the odd size! Maybe I traded mine. I also was able to buy Berk Ross, but I never picked up many of them 'cause I didn't like them! LOL!

Both Bowman & Topps were available in my small town near Buffalo & another small town 80 miles south near the PA border (where my Grandparents lived) in 1951, '52, 53 & beyond--I bought BOTH at several diff types of stores. I also have 1951 RingSide boxing as further proof Topps was available in that area.

BUT, nowhere in that WNY area did I ever see High # Topps, or even Semi-Highs. In the early '80s I used to frequent yard sales all over that area looking for cards & I NEVER picked up any High #'s or ever found any Leaf. I did find some Semi-Highs once but I believe they were imported from somewhere else--maybe nearby Canada.

I also do not ever remember being able to buy any Topps BB from '52 into '53 or any other year. 1953 Topps were plentiful when they came out all the way thru the High Series & end of the season---I still have 2 complete sets & a bunch of dupes from back then.

One more thing on '52 Topps BB: Altho I never saw any High or Semi-High #'s in that area, as soon as the football cards were issued I bought them, both Large & Small 1952 Bowman,and was able to buy all I wanted, and the 1951 Topps Magic FB were available the yr before.

Maybe this will help a bit more!

[pclpads]

In '52, I was 5 and living in Mimico, a suburb of Toronto. I can recall buying at least one '52 T pack at a novelty store on Mimico Ave, because I still have the original 5. But, typical dumb-*** kid, I glued them into a scapbook. Who knew? They survived our move to San Diego in '53, then 30 years ago, I carefully peeled them from the sb. Ten years ago, I shot them up the road to GAI, not for any $ value, but to forever preserve them as a memory of 1952 in Toronto. Not surprisingly, with the extensive back damage, they all came back as 1's. For years, I've wondered if that store from my childhood was still extant. Recently, I went to the net on vpike.com. for, "Mimico Ave." Unfortunately, the store fronts had changed. So, all I have is the memory of what it looked like in '52 . . . and of course those beloved 5 '52 T highs. Being a Canadian, I also bought a few packs of '52 Parkies then. Alas, they suffered the same fate as the former.

[Josh Wolf]

PCLPADS - Great memories! Can you tell us the cards you pulled?

Josh

[tedzan]

All us kids were fascinated when these card became available in the Spring of '52. They were larger and more colorful
than the 1952 Bowman's. The only 1952 Bowman's that I recovered from my original collection were the 1st series of
72 cards. Therefore, I must have strictly collected 1952 Topps for the remainder of that year. I had over 250 cards.

My fondest memory is of my last 5-cent pack in the Fall of '52. I remember this as if it occurred yesterday. I opened
it to find Chapman, Herman, Jeffcoat, Spencer and Mickey Mantle.


TED Z

[Mikehealer]

That's pretty cool, Ted. A nickel well spent.

[pclpads]

Josh - Thanks for your reply. They were: Blackwell, Sukey, Madison, Benton, Yuhas and #387 Meyer. I know I said five and this is six. So either they came six to a 5 cent pack or I got a second pack. If the latter, no idea what became of the others. As for the Parkies, no stars, just commons.

Dave

[toppcat]

Originally Posted by pclpads

Josh - Thanks for your reply. They were: Blackwell, Sukey, Madison, Benton, Yuhas and #387 Meyer. I know I said five and this is six. So either they came six to a 5 cent pack or I got a second pack. If the latter, no idea what became of the others. As for the Parkies, no stars, just commons.

Dave

6 for a nickel is a real possibility.

[pclpads]

Whatever, dude. As it's been nearly 60 years since I last opened a pack of '52T, you'll kindly excuse me if my memory of whether there were six or five cards to a pack is a little foggy. Just the same, great thanks for your keen insight . . .

[Josh Wolf]

Thanks Dave. It's stories like yours and Ted's that just never get old and is what makes this hobby great!

Josh

[tedzan]

Pictures are worth more than 1000's of words....so, here are the cards from my last 1952 Topps purchase in the Fall of '52.









TED Z

[vintagebaseball]

WOW Ted, that is a neat story and to see the original five is really cool.

[Josh Wolf]

That's awesome Ted! Just wish my dad could have held on to his cards!

Josh

[tedzan]

I'm sure you guys will correct me if I'm wrong....but, I think the Ben Chapman card is the only 1952T that is a "wrong front".
The picture is obviously Sam Chapman. The back is Ben Chapman's bio.





TED Z

[JeremyW]

Do you remember how your 52 Mantle got creased? Did it happen in your pocket? Flipping? Jealous buddy grabbing at it? Carelessness(like most of my first cards)? You have such a tremendous memory, I thought maybe there might be a story behind it. If not, thanks for showing/sharing it anyhow.

[tedzan]

It is not an actual crease, but a surface scratch. You will notice that the other 4 cards from that
same pack are in nicer condition, simply because they weren't "loved" as much as the Mantle was.

My Mom and Aunt piled all my cards in a large box and I guess that is how that scratch occurred.

Regards,

TED Z

[JeremyW]

Piled in a large box is much better than piled in a large dumpster. Many of my childhood cards show much more "love" than your Mantle so I'm assuming you kept a tight leash on it. Great card.

[mets41]

You're right Ted. The 52 Topps Chapman is a "wrong picture" error.