Vintage Bowman - players who didn't get cards

[TanksAndSpartans]

Night Train Lane intercepted 14 passes in the 12 game '52 season and somehow didn't get a football card. Bill Willis is widely considered to be the era's best middle guard, but the Vintage Football Card Gallery (my go to source) only shows a '77 card.

I know Lane got a '57 Topps - did Willis ever get a Browns team issue or anything contemporary? Thanks!

[jefferyepayne]

Originally Posted by TanksAndSpartans

Night Train Lane intercepted 14 passes in the 12 game '52 season and somehow didn't get a football card. Bill Willis is widely considered to be the era's best middle guard, but the Vintage Football Card Gallery (my go to source) only shows a '77 card.

I know Lane got a '57 Topps - did Willis ever get a Browns team issue or anything contemporary? Thanks!

I believe there is a Willis in a team issue from the early 50's. Maybe 1953? Also a 1953 Lane pre-rookie team card that's worth tracking down.

jeff

[TanksAndSpartans]

Thanks Jeff. If anyone has the Lane pre-rookie oR Willis team issue, I'd like to see those if an image is available. Thanks.

[jefferyepayne]

Originally Posted by TanksAndSpartans

Thanks Jeff. If anyone has the Lane pre-rookie oR Willis team issue, I'd like to see those if an image is available. Thanks.

jeff

[TanksAndSpartans]

Very Nice - thanks Jeff. Do you have the whole set?

[jefferyepayne]

Originally Posted by TanksAndSpartans

Very Nice - thanks Jeff. Do you have the whole set?

I do. Bought it as a set. They pop up on ebay occasionally and aren't too expensive so I snagged one a few years ago. This is Lane's TRUE rookie card. I don't care what the ridiculous books say.

jeff

[PowderedH2O]

A lot of the AAFC guys didn't get cards. Spec Sanders was still a fine player by 1950 and he didn't get a card. He was arguably the top running back of the late 40's, and a solid defensive back too.

[TanksAndSpartans]

Originally Posted by PowderedH2O

A lot of the AAFC guys didn't get cards. Spec Sanders was still a fine player by 1950 and he didn't get a card. He was arguably the top running back of the late 40's, and a solid defensive back too.

I would've liked a card of Sanders. I think he's one of those players that gets lost in history. After military service and the AAFC, he only played the one NFL season strictly on defense and winds up setting an interception record with 13 in a 12 game season - the same record I mentioned Lane breaking in my op.

[Rookiemonster]

When I first heard of Benny Friedman I looked for a card of him. I was thinking maybe it would be in National chicle set. Nope 1955 all American. This was very hard for me to believe.

[jefferyepayne]

Originally Posted by Rookiemonster

When I first heard of Benny Friedman I looked for a card of him. I was thinking maybe it would be in National chicle set. Nope 1955 all American. This was very hard for me to believe.

Friedman does have a couple of cards from his playing days but they are extremely hard to find. One is in the 1926 Spalding set and the other in the 1928 Star Player Candy set. There is also a hard to find color "card" of Friedman that was part of a set of college football captains published in a Chicago newspaper in 1926. This one is really tough too!

I have the Spalding and newspaper ones if you want to see what they look like. Have never been able to find a Star Player Candy Benny Friedman. Carl: you want to share an image?

jeff

P.S. Friedman was the first great NFL passer. I'm working on a story on him (and his cards) that I hope to get published in Gridiron Greats magazine at some point.

[TanksAndSpartans]

I think the Chicle set definitely had some big misses. I once did a post here on which 36 cards I would have liked. For example, there were two players that hadn't played a down yet that some probably thought might be pretty good in the pros - Stan Kostka and Don Hutson. In hindsight, it would have been great if they had included the latter. I probably give them a pass on Grange and Friedman as they may have considered that they wouldn't be playing in '35 or as I suspect they may not have known much about pro football at all and just relied on the photos the clubs sent them. They did include a premium photo of Grange.

I guess pro football just wasn't popular enough in the '20s to have a card set issued which is definitely disappointing for collectors. Unless the player was a college star and was included in one of the sets that issued cards of college players in the '20s like Friedman, cards just don't exist. Matchbooks can fill some gaps for players who were active in the 30s.

Back to an earlier topic - the Rams team issues. Are any of:

1950 Admiral TV Los Angeles Rams
1953 Rams Team Issue
1954 Rams Team Issue
1955 Rams Team Issue

large cards that were issued in packs or are they more like photos/premiums and if so, how were they distributed?

[Rookiemonster]

Originally Posted by jefferyepayne

Friedman does have a couple of cards from his playing days but they are extremely hard to find. One is in the 1926 Spalding set and the other in the 1928 Star Player Candy set. There is also a hard to find color "card" of Friedman that was part of a set of college football captains published in a Chicago newspaper in 1926. This one is really tough too!

I have the Spalding and newspaper ones if you want to see what they look like. Have never been able to find a Star Player Candy Benny Friedman. Carl: you want to share an image?

jeff

P.S. Friedman was the first great NFL passer. I'm working on a story on him (and his cards) that I hope to get published in Gridiron Greats magazine at some point.

I would love to see the cards! Also would love to read the article. I searched for a card of Friedman’s and after a few months I settled on the all Americans.

[jefferyepayne]

Originally Posted by TanksAndSpartans

Back to an earlier topic - the Rams team issues. Are any of:

1950 Admiral TV Los Angeles Rams
1953 Rams Team Issue
1954 Rams Team Issue
1955 Rams Team Issue

large cards that were issued in packs or are they more like photos/premiums and if so, how were they distributed?

I've seen envelopes for most of the Rams team sets. They were definitely distributed in sets inside envelopes, probably sent to fans who requested them. Not sure if they were ever given out individually or not.

It is a mystery how Admiral Rams were distributed. There are quite a few out there that have been signed, raising the notion that perhaps they were given away at Admiral TV stores / promotions that players attended. However I recall someone once interviewing one of the Rams players from 1950 and he didn't recall ever doing any events like that or even the Admiral Rams cards for that matter.

For those that haven't seen these cards, here's an example. There are a couple of commons on eBay right now if anyone wants an example.



jeff

[TanksAndSpartans]

Thanks Jeff - I really appreciate the info on the Rams sets. I've been reading up on them recently and the 50s in general. Those Rams teams were really loaded with talent especially on offense, overshadowed by the Browns and Lions (which I understand), but if you look at 45-55, they got two titles and played in a bunch of other title games.

[jefferyepayne]

Originally Posted by TanksAndSpartans

Thanks Jeff - I really appreciate the info on the Rams sets. I've been reading up on them recently and the 50s in general. Those Rams teams were really loaded with talent especially on offense, overshadowed by the Browns and Lions (which I understand), but if you look at 45-55, they got two titles and played in a bunch of other title games.

Yes they were! Great teams during that era. Then they kinda fell off a cliff for a while LOL. Always wondered what the Bell Brand Rams cards from 1959-1960 would be worth if the sets included more stars and the Rams had been good teams during those years. Bell Brand cards are tough to find but the star power in those sets is kinda lacking.

jeff

[jefferyepayne]

Originally Posted by Rookiemonster

I would love to see the cards! Also would love to read the article. I searched for a card of Friedman’s and after a few months I settled on the all Americans.

Here you go, Dustin.





jeff