Posted By:
fkwHi Joann, to answer your question.
The Willards Chocolate cards name has most likely followed the set from the 1920's, from old school collectors who collected them as kids and remembered where the cards came from. It is also listed in the old American Card Catalog (ACC) as V100 Willard's Chocolate and much of the info in this book goes back to the late 1930's.
The 1911 E-Unc. "Base-Ball Bats" cards are far far rarer. It is unlisted in the ACC. The set is named mainly because there have been uncut complete candy boxes found with the card on the back side (see photo in the 2006 SCD catalog). Same with the "Orange Border" (Geo. Davis Co.), and "J=K Candy" (J.Koenigsberg Co.). And maybe someday a candy box will surface with a few W555's on the side. many collectors are waiting to see where the W555's came from, its still a mystery.
A couple months ago I was emailed by a noncollector about an empty box of candy with a picture of Stahl on one side and the Pirates Team on the other. From experience I knew it was a complete box from the set called "Orange Border". I told them what they had, I made a good offer, and asked for a picture, but never heard back from this noncollector. The candy boxes are still out there waiting to be discovered.
IMO Other cards that may end up being candy issues are W503, W574, W575-2, and a few others. Someone just needs to find a candy/gum package with one of the cards in it. May never happen, though.