Posted By:
Ted ZanidakisIt was the Summer of '47....my sister and I carefully opened up Homogenized Bond Bread packages, for a Joe DiMaggio, a Ted Williams,
a Stan Musial, or the new rookie sensation....a Jackie Robinson BB card. Our Mom couldn't buy enough of the Bond Bread loafs. So, we
had our Dad buying Bond Bread for his restaurant and our Aunt buying Bond Bread. In the Fall of 1947, we experienced one of the most
exciting World Series ever played. 1947 was a tremendous year for BB, and a great start for me in the wonderful life-long hobby of col-
lecting BB cards. These B/W cards were really popular with the kids in our neighborhood. By trading & sharing our collections with each
other, we eventually realized that there were no more than 44 BB players and 4 Boxers in a complete set.
1947 Homogenized BOND BREAD wrapper
Many cards in this set are the very 1st (or rookie) cards issued of the players. Shown here are the 1st cards of Yogi Berra, Stan Musial,
Jackie Pobinson, Gil Hodges, Ralph Kiner and Bobby Thomson.
This set has been the source of much confusion in the hobby for many years. The only true 1947 Bond Bread cards are these 48 in this
general set and the Jackie Robinson set. All of which have beveled (or ROUNDED) corners in order to fit into the bread loaf packages.
Unfortunately, other issues that resemble the Bond Bread cards that were issued after 1947 and were never packaged in Bond Bread loafs
have been mis-identified as "1947 Bond Bread" cards. Grading Co. have been most guilty of erroneously labeling these SQUARE "imposters".
Shown here are two cards from the 1949 (unknown) issue which includes 24 of the BB players depicted in the 1947 Bond Bread issue and
an additional BB player (or 2). Also, many of the popular Movie Stars of that era were included. These cards may have been printed by the
same firm that printed the 1947 set. However, their SQUARE corners and their inferior cardboard stock belie the fact that these cards are
NOT related to the "1947 Bond Bread" issue.
A recent find of many of these SQUARE cards (BB and Movie Stars) suggest a 1949 issue date since Walker Cooper is depicted in this col-
lection as a NY Giant (Cooper was traded to Cinci in the Summer of '49).
1949 (unknown) issue
A 1947 Bond Bread Team/checklist will follow in the next post here.
TED Z