'49 Bowman Muncrief mystery

[Bob Lemke]

Why is Bob Muncrief pictured as a Giant on his 1949 Bowman high-number (#221)?

An old colleague emailed that query to me, and correctly pointed out that Muncrief, according to the SABR data base, never had any in-season or off-season connection with the Giants to that point in his career.

49 muncrief trio.jpg

Do these team-issue photos give anybody reason to believe the guy on the Bowman isn't Muncrief? Was this simply a case of Bowman airbrushing on the wrong uniform?

I've posted the long version of this inquiry on my blog. Feel free to post any definitive answers or wild-ass guesses.

[tedzan]

The picture on the 1949 Bowman is Bob Muncrief when he was with the Pirates in 1949. And, of course the back of this card
identifies him with the Pirates.
As you know, this card was printed on the 7th (last sheet) of the 36-card format that Bowman had in production (1948-1952).
There are several other anomalies in this last group of 36 cards in this set; therefore, I do not find it unusual that Muncrief is
depicted with a Giants uniform. Another error is the Norman Young card which actually depicts Bobby Young.

It is obvious (to me) that the George Moll Advertising Agency was in a hurry to complete the printing of this set, by "stuffing"
this last sheet with ballplayers who had retired; and, some notable new rookies. Most disappointing of all.....they re-printed
12 cards from earlier series to fill out this sheet.....instead of including guys like Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Ted Kluzsewski,
Del Ennis, Granny Hamner, Nellie Fox, Hank Bauer, Hal Newhouser, Mel Parnell, Ellis Kinder, Ewell Blackwell & Casey Stengel.


Best regards,

TED Z