1889 N29 Allen & Ginter World's Champions

Chas. H. Getzin

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For the second year, Allen & Ginter issued a 50-card World Champions set in its cigarette packages. In 1888, they released the set now known to collectors as N28. Though a similar format was used with both sets, there are enough differences to tell the two sets apart.

Like N28 cards, they measure 1 1/2 by 2 3/4 inches. And like the previous series, they feature a smilar design, with a lithographed painting of an athlete fading into a solid white background. They even add elements to some cards related to the sport the athlete plays. However, this time there is no Allen & Ginter ad on the front and more information than a simple name is given. Backs feature a full checklist of 50 cards broken down by each sport. This time, the Allen & Ginter ad has been added to the bottom.

As with N28 cards, the 50 images from this set were placed into a paper album that was available as a premium from the tobacco company. They are know by the name A17 in the hobby. Also, large-size cards that add to each of the regular cards were made into a separate series known as N43.

This set of World's Champions features many different subjects who weren't in the N28 series (only two wrestlers are repeated), so there is little overlap of athletes between the two sets. Additionally, there are more sports represented here as well when compared to the N28 set. There are runners, cyclists, pedestrians, hammer throwers, pole vaulters, high jumpers and weight lifters, making it more of a set devoted to track and field events. Among baseball players, there are only six; only one of those players eventually made the Hall of Fame. This has kept some of the demand for these cards down, but the series is a little scarcer than N28 so its lower relative popularity is offset by a lower supply.

N28 back

1888 N28 Allen & Ginter

(1) James Albert/Go As You Please
(2) W.J.M. Barry/12 lb. Hammer
(3) Theobald Bauer/Greco-Roman Wrestler
(4) Edwin Bibby/Wrestler
(5) Capt. Paul Boyton/Swimmer
(6) E.C. Carter/Runner
(7) C.W.V. Calrke/Walker
(8) W.E. Crist/Tricyclist
(9) H.G. Crocker/Cyclist
(10) Wm. Cummings/Runner
(11) Capt. J.C. Daly/All Around Athlete
(12) Patsey Duffy/Pugilist
(13) Dr. James Dwight/Lawn Tennis
(14) Wm. G. East/English Oarsman
(15) Billy Edwards/Pugilist
(16) Wm. Ewing/Catcher, New York
(17) Patrick Fitzgerald/Go As You Please
(18) Jas. H. Fogarty/Right Fielder, Philadelphia
(19) M.W. Ford/All Around Athlete
(20) W.G. George/Runner
(21) Chas. H. Getzin/Pitcher, Detroit
(22) Willie Harradon/Cyclist
(23) Jack Havlin/Pugilist
(24) Gus. Hill/Club Swinger
(25) F.F. Ives/Cyclist
(26) Patsey Kerrigan/Pugilist
(27) Geo. LaBlanche/Pugilist
(28) E.D. Lange/Walker
(29) Hugh McCormick/Skater
(30) Jack McGee/Pugilist
(31) Geo. F. Miller/Catcher, Pittsburg
(32) John Morrell/First Baseman, Boston
(33) Frank Murphy/Pugilist
(34) Johnny Murphy/Pugilist
(35) L.E. Myers/Runner
(36) Wm. O'Connor/Oarsman
(37) W.B. Page/ High Jumper
(38) Axel Paulsen/Skater
(39) Thomas Pettitt/Court Tennis Champion
(40) C.A.J. Queckberner/Put 21 lb.,12 Oz Shot
(41) T. Ray/Vaulted
(42) Duncan C. Ross/All Around Athlete
(43) Wm. A. Rowe/Cyclist
(44) James Ryan/Centre Fielder, Chicago
(45) R.D. Sears/Lawn Tennis
(46) H.W. Slocum/Lawn Tennis
(47) Percy Stone/Cyclist
(48) Ralph Temple/Cycle
(49) Capt. Matthew Webb/Swam
(50) Fred Wood/Cyclist