Just for fun, I decided to list out a Chicle set that would be even more expensive to put together than the actual one. Like any all time list, someone has to get left off, so if I excluded one of your favorite cards/players - let me know. I kept 20 cards the same (over half) and I managed to get 11 new HOFers in (a retired Grange and past his prime Hubbard might be stretches, but if my goal is to sell gum, why not include them?). For a timeframe, the back of Stan Kostka’s card was helpful as it mentions: “latest addition to the Dodgers”, “last Fall”, and makes reference to the Bears playing the college All-stars on August 29 (I’m not sure why it wasn’t the reigning champion Giants, but I vaguely recall reading this was Red Grange’s last football game, so I believe it is accurate). I wonder if all the cards were printed after August 29, or just the second series? And how long after August 29 were the cards printed? I assume they were printed before the end of the season, so Chicle wouldn’t have had a crystal ball to know the Lions would win the 35 title, but with my 20/20 hindsight, I added some extra Lions.
Note that Gridiron Greats (Vol. 10 Issue 32) in an article coauthored by board member John Spano has hypothetical artwork on 3 of the players I added and a 4th that I didn’t.
Of course this will all be a moot point once the 204 missing cards start surfacing
Feedback is welcome, here is the list:
1 “Dutch” Clark, Lions (Card erroneously says Eagles) (original)
2 “Bo” Molenda, Giants (original)
3 George Kenneally, Eagles (original)
4 “Ed” Matesic, Eagles (original)
5 Glenn Presnell, Lions (original)
6
“Ace” Gutowsky, Lions (change was Rentner)
7 “Ken” Strong, Giants (original)
8
Ed Danowski, Giants (change was Zyntell)
9
George Halas, Bears (change – HOF was Rockne; college coach replaced with pro coach)
10 Cliff Battles, Redskins (original)
11 “Turk” Edwards, Redskins (original)
12
“Ox” Emerson, Lions (change was Hupke; swap of Lions Lineman)
13
George Christensen, Lions (change was Griffith)
14 Phil Sarboe, Cardinals (original; card spells last name incorrectly)
15
Mike Michalske, Packers (change - HOF was Ciccone)
16
Arnie Herber, Packers (change - HOF was Ben Smith)
17 Tom Jones, Giants (original; nickname “Potsy” not used on front)
18 Mike Mikulak, Cardinals (original)
19 Ralph Kercheval, Dodgers (original)
20 Warren Heller, Pirates (original)
21
“Swede” Hanson, Eagles (change was Montgomery)
22 “Shipwreck” Kelley, Dodgers (original; interestingly didn’t play in 35)
23 Beattie Feathers, Bears (original)
24 Clarke Hinkle, Packers (original)
25
“Red” Badgro, Giants (change – HOF; was Burnett, swapped Giants)
26
Mel Hein, Giants (change – HOF; was Dell Isola, swapped Giants Lineman)
27
Johnny “Blood” McNally, Packers (change – HOF; Pirates in 34; was Tosi, what if Blood was most rare card?)
28
Don Hutson, Packers (change - HOF; was Kostka; rookie swap, both AA in 34)
29
Cal Hubbard, Packers (change – HOF; was MacMurdo, missed 34 season, returned in 35)
30 Ernie Caddel, Lions (original)
31 “Nic” Niccolai, Pirates (original; why not shown in Pirates uniform like others?)
32 Chester Johnston, Packers (original; would’ve been cool if shown in 34 Gunners uniform)
33
"Red" Grange, Bears (change – HOF; was Ernie Smith, retired, but active in 34)
34 Bronko Nagurski, Bears (original)
35
Bill Hewitt, Bears (change - HOF; was Johnsos, swap of Bears Receivers)
36
George Musso, Bears (change - HOF, was Masterson, Bears swap)