Why are they all from Pennsylvania?

[Peter_Spaeth]

That doesn't seem disproportionate for a sizeable state. All sorts of sets were made, for example, in Boston.

[yanks87]

I think all major cities had candy and baking companies, some focused on non-sport cards, others just focused on the candy. New York had candy brands like Leader Novelty that had all sorts of non-sport cards. Boston had Goudey and World Wide Gum. Chicago was another hot bed, with Wrigley, Cracker Jack and Leaf Brands (Dietz and Overland issues are also from the Leaf family).

At the root of it, immigrants hit the east coast and spread throughout the country. The fact that there are so many brands rooted in PA may be more related to success of start ups setting down roots early, or the fact that the iconic card sets had staying power and coincidentally were all based in the Keystone State.

[uyu906]

Pennsylvania also had Bowman and Play Ball cards.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Boston also had Boston Garter, US Caramel, DeLong, Double Play, probably more I am forgetting.

[drcy]

Before they moved it, Boston was in Pennsylvania

[brianp-beme]

Originally Posted by drcy

Before they moved it, Boston was in Pennsylvania

Boston was moved? Get out of town!

Brian

[iwantitiwinit]

Don't forget Bowman and the Philadelphia gum company. A friend of mine's father, Edward Fenimore was a Vice President of Bowman before he established the Philadelphia Gum Company in Haverford, PA. Previously, he was a professor of engineering at UPENN. Philadephia gum's main business was confectionary's though it obtained a license from the NFL to produce football cards from 1964 through 1967.