1939 Play Ball

Card #50 - Charles Gehringer

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Gum, Inc. was founded in Philadelphia by Warren Bowman around 1930. From its beginnings as a small operation, it grew steadily even as the Great Depression wore on and gradually became a successful gum company. In 1938, Gum, Inc. entered the "gum card" business with its Horrors of War set, which featured audacious graphic images of violence; the cards claimed to promote peace but many parents, teachers and other critics disagreed. The furor that erupted over the set -- and added sales from the publicity -- did more than establish Gum, Inc.'s card business, it also allowed the company to issue its first set of baseball cards as the industry leader.

As the 1939 baseball season began, neither Goudey nor National Chicle were issuing any regular baseball sets. That gave Gum, Inc. a huge benefit since they were free to sell its cards without any significant competition. Their set was called "Play Ball -- America" and is a notable starting point today for modern collectors not only because it was the first of three Play Ball sets but because it ushered in a new era for baseball cards that would last until the United States entered World War Two. Additionally, the set was noteworthy as it used actual player photographs and featured slightly larger card dimensions than those from earlier gum issues. Cards measure 2 1/2" by 3 1/4", slightly larger than Goudeys and slightly smaller than modern-day cards.

The front design was simple: a black and white player photo surrounded by a white border. There was no name, team or any other ornamentation. The use of player photos was not new; however, the pictures were larger and the quality was better than earlier issues. Card backs feature the player's full name followed by an extensive statistical and biographical write-up about the player. At the bottom of the information on the card back is an advertisement that incorrectly states that there are 250 cards in the set. Sample cards are occasionally seen; they are stamped "Sample" on the back and were given away in packs of other Gum, Inc. products as a "cross-selling" promotion.

Rather than the 250 cards, the set is numbered to 162, with card #126 never having been issued. As with all Play Ball sets, the key cards are of Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams (a rookie in 1939). Several variations exist in the set, most of which occur in the lower series and notated in the checklist below. Cards numbered 115 and higher are scarcer and therefore more valuable.

News from around the world affected Play Ball even more than being a product of the company that made War Gum. Despite American assertion that the images depicted on Horrors of War cards had no place in the pockets of kids, many of those scenes were playing around the world for real. War broke out across Europe that year and resulted in a lessened supply of certain products needed for gum and paper. Due to those shortages and lower quality materials, 1939 Play Ball cards are somewhat more susceptible to damage than earlier gum card issues. The news may have also been partially responsible for the set stopping at card #162.

Card #73 - Hal Schumaker (Back)

1939 Play Ball Wrapper

1. Alvin Powell
2a. Lee Grissom (name in upper case letters)
2b. Lee Grissom (name in upper and lower case letters)
3a. Charles Ruffing (name in upper case letters)
3b. Charles Ruffing (name in upper and lower case letters)
4a. Eldon Auker (name in upper case letters)
4b. Eldon Auker (name in upper and lower case letters)
5a. James Sewell (name in upper case letters)
5b. James Sewell (name in upper and lower case letters)
6a. Leo Durocher (name in upper case letters)
6b. Leo Durocher (name in upper and lower case letters)
7a. Robert Doerr (name in upper case letters)
7b. Robert Doerr (name in upper and lower case letters)
8. Henry Pippen
9a. James Tobin (name in upper case letters)
9b. James Tobin (name in upper and lower case letters)
10. James DeShong
11. John Rizzo
12. Hershel Martin
13a. Luke Hamlin (name in upper case letters)
13b. Luke Hamlin (name in upper and lower case letters)
14a. James Tabor ("Tabor batted .295,")
14b. James Tabor ("Tabor batted 295,")
15a. Paul Derringer (name in upper case letters)
15b. Paul Derringer (name in upper and lower case letters)
16. John Peacock
17. Emerson Dickman
18a. Harry Danning (name in upper case letters)
18b. Harry Danning (name in upper and lower case letters)
19. Paul Dean
20. Joseph Heving
21a. Emil Leonard (name in upper case letters)
21b. Emil Leonard (name in upper and lower case letters)
22a. William Walters (name in upper case letters)
22b. William Walters (name in upper and lower case letters)
23. Burgess Whitehead
24a. Richard Coffman ("Senators the same year")
24b. Richard Coffman ("Browns the same year")
25a. George Selkirk (name in upper case letters)
25b. George Selkirk (name in upper and lower case letters)
26a. Joe DiMaggio ("206 hits in 1938 games")
26b. Joe DiMaggio ("206 hits in 138 games")
27a. Fred Ostermueller (name in upper case letters)
27b. Fred Ostermueller (name in upper and lower case letters)
28. Sylvester Johnson
29a. John Wilson (name in upper case letters)
29b. John Wilson (name in upper and lower case letters)
30a. William Dickey (name in upper case letters)
30b. William Dickey (name in upper and lower case letters)
31a. Samuel West (name in upper case letters)
31b. Samuel West (name in upper and lower case letters)
32. Robert seeds
33. Del Young
34a. Frank Demaree (name in upper case letters)
34b. Frank Demaree (name in upper and lower case letters)
35a. William Jurges (name in upper case letters)
35b. William Jurges (name in upper and lower case letters)
36a. Frank McCormick (name in upper case letters)
36b. Frank McCormick (name in upper and lower case letters)
37. Virgil Davis
38a. William Myers (name in upper case letters)
38b. William Myers (name in upper and lower case letters)
39a. Richard Ferrell (name in upper case letters)
39b. Richard Ferrell (name in upper and lower case letters)
40. James Bagby
41a. Lonnie Warneke ("the earned run department")
41b. Lonnie Warneke ("the earned-run department")
42. Arndt Jorgens
43. Melo Almada
44. Donald Heffner
45a. Merrill May (name in upper case letters)
45b. Merrill May (name in upper and lower case letters)
46a. Morris Arnovich (name in upper case letters)
46b. Morris Arnovich (name in upper and lower case letters)
47a. John Lewis (name in upper case letters)
47b. John Lewis (name in upper and lower case letters)
48a. Vernon Gomez (name in upper case letters)
48b. Vernon Gomez (name in upper and lower case letters)
49. Edward Miller
50a. Charles Gehringer (name in upper case letters)
50b. Charles Gehringer (name in upper and lower case letters)
51a. Melvin Ott (name in upper case letters)
51b. Melvin Ott (name in upper and lower case letters)
52a. Thomas Henrich (name in upper case letters)
52b. Thomas Henrich (name in upper and lower case letters)
53a. Carl Hubbell (name in upper case letters)
53b. Carl Hubbell (name in upper and lower case letters)
54a. Harry Gumbert (name in upper case letters)
54b. Harry Gumbert (name in upper and lower case letters)
55a. Floyd Vaughan (name in upper case letters)
55b. Floyd Vaughan (name in upper and lower case letters)
56a. Henry Greenberg (name in upper case letters)
56b. Henry Greenberg (name in upper and lower case letters)
57a. John Hassett (name in upper case letters)
57b. John Hassett (name in upper and lower case letters)
58. Louis Chiozza
59. Kendall Chase
60a. Lynwood Rowe (name in upper case letters)
60b. Lynwood Rowe (name in upper and lower case letters)
61a. Anthony Cuccinello (name in upper case letters)
61b. Anthony Cuccinello (name in upper and lower case letters)
62. Thomas Carey
63. Emmett Mueller
64a. Wallace Moses (name in upper case letters)
64b. Wallace Moses (name in upper and lower case letters)
65a. Harry Craft (name in upper case letters)
65b. Harry Craft (name in upper and lower case letters)
66. James Ripple
67. Edwin Joost
68. Fred Singleton
69. Elbert Fletcher
70. Fred Frankhouse
71a. Marcellus Pearson (name in upper case letters)
71b. Marcellus Pearson (name in upper and lower case letters)
72a. Debs Garms (Born: Bango, Tex.)
72b. Debs Garms (Born: Bangs, Tex.)
73a. Harold Schumacher (Born: Dolgville, N.Y.)
73b. Harold Schumacher (Born: Dolgeville, N.Y.)
74a. Harry Lavagetto (name in upper case letters)
74b. Harry Lavagetto (name in upper and lower case letters)
75a. Stanley Bordagaray (name in upper case letters)
75b. Stanley Bordagaray (name in upper and lower case letters)
76. Goodwin Rosen
77. Lewis Riggs
78a. Julius Solters (name in upper case letters)
78b. Julius Solters (name in upper and lower case letters)
79a. Joseph Moore (Weight: 157 lbs.)
79b. Joseph Moore (Weight: 175 lbs.)
80a. Irwin Fox (Weight: 165 lbs.)
80b. Irwin Fox (Weight: 157 lbs.)
81a. Ellsworth Dahlgren (name in upper case letters)
81b. Ellsworth Dahlgren (name in upper and lower case letters)
82a. Charles Klein (name in upper case letters)
82b. Charles Klein (name in upper and lower case letters)
83a. August Suhr (name in upper case letters)
83b. August Suhr (name in upper and lower case letters)
84. Lamar Newsome
85. John Cooney
86a. Adolph Camilli ("start of the 1928 season")
86b. Adolph Camilli ("start of the 1938 season")
87. Milburn Shoffner
88. Charles Keller
89a. Lloyd Waner (name in upper case letters)
89b. Lloyd Waner (name in upper and lower case letters)
90a. Robert Klinger (name in upper case letters)
90b. Robert Klinger (name in upper and lower case letters)
91a. John Knott (name in upper case letters)
91b. John Knott (name in upper and lower case letters)
92a. Ted Williams (name in upper case letters)
92b. Ted Williams (name in upper and lower case letters)
93. Charles Gelbert
94. Henry Manush
95a. Whitlow Wyatt (name in upper case letters)
95b. Whitlow Wyatt (name in upper and lower case letters)
96a. Ernest Phelps (name in upper case letters)
96b. Ernest Phelps (name in upper and lower case letters)
97a. Robert Johnson (name in upper case letters)
97b. Robert Johnson (name in upper and lower case letters)
98. Arthur Whitney
99a. Walter Berger (name in upper case letters)
99b. Walter Berger (name in upper and lower case letters)
100a. Charles Myer (name in upper case letters)
100b. Charles Myer (name in upper and lower case letters)
101a. Roger Cramer ("the Martinburg club")
101b. Roger Cramer ("the Martinsburg club")
102a. Lemuel Young (name in upper case letters)
102b. Lemuel Young (name in upper and lower case letters)
103. Morris Berg
104a. Thomas Bridges ("280 games, winning 283")
104b. Thomas Bridges ("280 games, winning 133")
105a. Donald McNair (name in upper case letters)
105b. Donald McNair (name in upper and lower case letters)
106. Albert Stark
107. Joseph Vosmik
108a. Frank Hayes (name in upper case letters)
108b. Frank Hayes (name in upper and lower case letters)
109a. Myril Hoag (name in upper case letters)
109b. Myril Hoag (name in upper and lower case letters)
110. Fred Fitzsimmons
111a. Van Mungo (name in upper case letters)
111b. Van Mungo (name in upper and lower case letters)
112a. Paul Waner ("Waner, the older")
112b. Paul Waner ("Waner, the elder")
113. Al Schacht
114a. Cecil Travis (name in upper case letters)
114b. Cecil Travis (name in upper and lower case letters)
115a. Ralph Kress (name in upper case letters)
115b. Ralph Kress (name in upper and lower case letters)
116. Eugene Desaultels
117. Wayne Ambler
118. Lynn Nelson
119. Willard Hershberger
120. Harold Warstler
121. William Posedel
122. George McQuinn
123. Ray Davis
124. Walter Brown
125. Clifford Melton
126. (Not issued)
127. Gilbert Brack
128. Joseph Bowman
129. William Swift
130. Wilbur Brubaker
131. Morton Cooper
132. James Brown
133. Lynn Myers
134. Forrest Pressnell
135. Arnold Owen
136. Roy Bell
137. Peter Appleton
138. George Case
139. Vitautas Tamulis
140. Raymond Hayworth
141. Peter Coscarart
142. Ira Hutchinson
143. Howard Averill
144. Henry Bonura
145. Hugh Mulcahy
146. Thomas Sunkel
147. George Coffman
148. Willaim Trotter
149. Max West
150. James Walkup
151. Hugh Casey
152. Roy Weatherly
153. Paul Trout
154. John Hudson
155. James Outlaw
156. Raymond Berres
157. Donald Padgett
158. Luther Thomas
159. Russell Evans
160. Eugene Moore
161. Linus Frey
162. Lloyd Moore