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RayBI would agree with any consensus here about first major league card = rookie card. I am definitely not fussy about it being a major card issue.
The R312 set (50 cards; or paper photos depending on how you look at it) were an in store give away Premium. Store owners gave these to kids when they brought back a batch of wrappers, likely National Chicle Diamond Star wrappers, in 1936.
Not only is the 36' R312 Premium the first card of Mize and DiMaggio but they are both sparkling images of the future HOF'ers.
The colorized look is a little disconcerting at first, but in person these cards are really cool. Looks great in that new SGC holder above.
Premiums were a very popular way to stimulate more gum card pack buying in the 30's and thereby stand, in my opinion as real baseball card collectibles.
As others said though, we all establish our own parameters for "rookie cards".
RayB