1952 Bowman

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Card #85 - Marty Marion

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1952 marked the first year of direct, fierce head-to-head competition between the Bowman Gum Company of Philadelphia and the upstart Topps Chewing Gum Company of Brooklyn. For the next four years, the two companies proceeded to fight in the courts, the baseball clubhouses and the marketplace for supremacy. In the process, both companies put out some well-loved hobby sets. Losing some players to exclusive Topps contracts hurt immediately; every year from 1948 to 1951, Bowman had increased the size of its baseball card sets. In 1952, however, the company reverted back to 252 cards (the same number it had in 1950).

Bowman's design for 1952 set was not much different than in 1951. Color reproductions of actual black-and-white photos were framed inside a white border. Unlike Bowman's 1950 and '51 pictures, the photos were different (though many of the same pictures would also appear in Red Man sets that year). The cards retained the shape and dimensions used the previous year as well. The only difference in design from 1951 was that a facsimile autograph was used instead of a black box with the player's name inside. Card backs are almost identical to the 1951 series, except they use a 1952 copyright date and eliminated red ink. An offer to send in five wrappers and 50 cents for a baseball cap (valued at one dollar) appears just above Bowman's copyright.

Among major stars, only Ted Williams and Jackie Robinson are conspicuously absent. There are no major design variations. Some cards are found with different print variations, however: first series cards (#1-72) can be found with clear or dull images, and Bill Werle (card #248) is found with or without the letter "W" in his signature. Some collectors overlook these as print flaws rather than variations. Cards #217-252 are slightly scarcer than earlier series. Though not tough, they have a higher value.

Today, the 1952 Bowman set is significantly overshadowed by its competition (but to be fair, few sets are more favorably regarded than 1952 Topps). In comparison, the cards were smaller, fewer in number, and had no major rookie stars; in addition, there was not as scarce a high number series. Its only notable rookie cards feature Gil McDougald, Minnie Minoso and Lew Burdette (good, but not exactly Hall of Fame-caliber players). Despite its diminished stature alongside the juggernaut that was 1952 Topps, 1952 Bowman is still an important set, loaded with stars and much more affordable than one might expect.

Card #116 - Duke Snider

1952 Bowman 1-cent Wax Pack	1952 Bowman 5-cent Wax Pack

1952 Bowman Display Box

1. Larry "Yogi" Berra
2. Bobby Thompson
3. Fred Hutchinson
4. Robin Roberts
5. Orestes Minoso
6. Virgil "Red" Stallcup
7. Mike Garcia
8. Harold "Pee Wee" Reese
9. Vern Stephens
10. Bob Hooper
11. Ralph Kiner
12. Bob Surkont
13. Cliff Mapes
14. Cliff Chambers
15. Sam Mele
16. Omar Lown
17. Ed Lopat
18. Don Mueller
19. Bob Cain
20. Willie Jones
21. Nelson Fox
22. Willard Ramsdell
23. Bob Lemon
24. Carl Furillo
25. Maurice McDermott
26. Eddie Joost
27. Joe Garagiola
28. Roy Hartsfield
29. Ned Garver
30. Al "Red" Schoendienst
31. Eddie Yost
32. Eddie Miksis
33. Gil McDougald
34. Al Dark
35. Gran Hamner
36. Cass Michaels
37. Vic Raschi
38. Whitey Lockman
39. Vic Wertz
40. Emory Church
41. Chico Carrasquel
42. Johnny Wyrostek
43. Bob Feller
44. Roy Campanella
45. Johnny Pesky
46. Carl Scheib
47. Pete Castiglione
48. Vern Bickford
49. Jim Hearn
50. Gerry Staley
51. Gil Coan
52. Phil Rizzuto
53. Richie Ashburn
54. Bill Peirce
55. Ken Raffensberger
56. Clyde King
57. Clyde Vollmer
58. Hank Majeski
59. Murray Dickson
60. Sid Gordon
61. Tommy Byrne
62. Joe Presko
63. Irv Noren
64. Roy Smalley
65. Hank Bauer
66. Sal Maglie
67. Johnny Groth
68. Jim Busby
69. Joe Adcock
70. Carl Erskine
71. Vernon Law
72. Earl Torgeson
73. Jerry Coleman
74. Wes Westrum
75. George Kell
76. Del Ennis
77. Eddie Robinson
78. Lloyd Merriman
79. Lou Brissie
80. Gil Hodges
81. Billy Goodman
82. Gus Zernial
83. Howie Pollett
84. Sam Jethroe
85. Marty Marion
86. Cal Abrams
87. Mickey Vernon
88. Bruce Edwards
89. Billy Hitchcock
90. Larry Jansen
91. Don Kolloway
92. Eddie Waitkus
93. Paul Richards
94. Luke Sewell
95. Luke Easter
96. Ralph Branca
97. Willard Marshall
98. Jimmy Dykes
99. Clyde McCullough
100. Sibby Sisti
101. Mickey Mantle
102. Peanuts Lowrey
103. Joe Haynes
104. Hal Jeffcoat
105. Bobby Brown
106. Randy Gumpert
107. Del Rice
108. George Metkovich
109. Tom Morgan
110. Max Lanier
111. Walter "Hoot" Evers
112. Forrest "Smokey" Burgess
113. Al Zarilla
114. Frank Hiller
115. Larry Doby
116. Duke Snider
117. Bill Wight
118. Ray Murray
119. Bill Howerton
120. Chet Nichols
121. Al Corwin
122. Billy Johnson
123. Sid Hudson
124. George Tebbets
125. Howie Fox
126. Phil Cavaretta
127. Dick Sisler
128. Don Newcombe
129. Gus Niarhos
130. Allie Clark
131. Bob Swift
132. Dave Cole
133. Dick Kryhoski
134. Al Brazile
135. Mickey Harris
136. Gene Hermanski
137. Stan Rojek
138. Ted Wilks
139. Jerry Priddy
140. Ray Scarborough
141. Hank Edwards
142. Early Wynn
143. Sandalio Conseguera
144. Joe Hatten
145. Johnny Mize
146. Leo Durocher
147. Marlin Stuart
148. Ken Heintzelman
149. Howie Judson
150. Herman Wehmeier
151. Al "Flip" Rosen
152. Billy Cox
153. Fred Hatfield
154. Ferris Fain
155. Billy Meyer
156. Warren Spahn
157. Jim Delsing
158. Bucky Harris
159. Dutch Leonard
160. Eddie Stanky
161. Jackie Jensen
162. Monte Irvin
163. Johnny Lipon
164. Connie Ryan
165. Saul Rogovin
166. Bobby Adams
167. Bob Avila
168. Preacher Roe
169. Walt Dropo
170. Joe Astroth
171. Mel Queen
172. Ebba St. Claire
173. Gene Bearden
174. Mickey Grasso
175. Ranson Jackson
176. Harry Brecheen
177. Gene Woodling
178. Dave Williams
179. Pete Suder
180. Ed Fitzgerald
181. Joe Collins
182. Dave Koslo
183. Pat Mullin
184. Curt Simmons
185. Eddie Stewart
186. Frank Smith
187. Jim Hegan
188. Charlie Dressen
189. Jim Piersall
190. Dick Fowler
191. Bob Friend
192. John Cusick
193. Bobby Young
194. Bob Porterfield
195. Frank Baumholtz
196. Stan Musial
197. Charlie Silvera
198. Chuck Diering
199. Ted Gray
200. Ken Silvestri
201. Ray Coleman
202. Harry Perkowski
203. Steve Gromek
204. Andy Pafko
205. Walt Masterson
206. Elmer Valo
207. Goerge Strickland
208. Walker Cooper
209. Dick Littlefield
210. Archie Wilson
211. Paul Minner
212. Solly Hemus
213. Monte Kennedy
214. Ray Boone
215. Sheldon Jones
216. Matt Batts
217. Casey Stengel
218. Willie Mays
219. Neil Berry
220. Russ Meyer
221. Lou Kretlow
222. Homer "Dixie" Howell
223. Harry Simpson
224. Johnny Schmitz
225. Del Wilbur
226. Alex Kellner
227. Clyde Sukeforth
228. Bob Chipman
229. Hank Arft
230. Frank Shea
231. Dee Fondy
232. Enos Slaughter
233. Bob Kuzava
234. Fred Fitzsimmons
235. Steve Souchock
236. Tommy Brown
237. Sherman Lollar
238. Roy McMillan
239. Dale Mitchell
240. Billy Loes
241. Mel Parnell
242. Everett Kell
243. George "Red" Munger
244. Lew Burdette
245. George Schmees
246. Jerry Snyder
247. John Pramesa
248. Bill Werle
249. Henry Thompson
250. Ivan Delock
251. Jack Lohrke
252. Frank Crosetti