T206 Wagner and Plank - They both didn't want their image on Tobacco cards

[Pat R]

Originally Posted by insidethewrapper

Wagner died in 1955. It is funny that no one ever asked him about it to get the story straight !

Mike, you don't think the numerous newspaper clips of him saying he didn't want his pictures to influence kids to buy/use cigarettes is enough evidence?

[JustinD]

Originally Posted by Pat R

Mike, you don't think the numerous newspaper clips of him saying he didn't want his pictures to influence kids to buy/use cigarettes is enough evidence?

I think the great confusion really is in phrasing. Everyone states Wagner was anti-tobacco when he most certainly was not. He was anti-cigarette only, which is semantics but a really confusing stance. It was a completely uneducated opinion which certainly showed his age.

[JustinD]

There are plenty of these to trash any anti-tobacco sentiment. However, you won't find a cigarette as his science was a tad ridiculous.

[JustinD]

Oh, and there were the cigars that he did put his name all over -

[G1911]

Wagner's stance seems odd now but was not uncommon then - being anti-cigarette but fine with other tobacco's. Cigarette's seem to have born a social stigma that wasn't present for other types. There are many period articles like this, expressing a disapproval for the relatively-new-in-the-US-cigarettes but having no problem with other forms of tobacco.

I did another research dive and can still find no reference in primary literature to Plank and an opinion on tobacco or cigarette use.

[JustinD]

Originally Posted by G1911

Wagner's stance seems odd now but was not uncommon then - being anti-cigarette but fine with other tobacco's. Cigarette's seem to have born a social stigma that wasn't present for other types. There are many period articles like this, expressing a disapproval for the relatively-new-in-the-US-cigarettes but having no problem with other forms of tobacco.

I did another research dive and can still find no reference in primary literature to Plank and an opinion on tobacco or cigarette use.

Oh, in practice his cigarette stance due to the amount of child smokers in the early 1900's actually makes sense. I only hold disagreement with the consistent misinformed statement that he was anti-tobacco as it is disingenuous.

I have more faith in the Plank statement as very little physical material exists to verify it, however in the reverse there is more than exists to disprove. Also, to be accepted in the rarified air of Connie Mack's "righteousness" you've got to be anti everything from soup to nuts, lol.

[mrreality68]

The plot thickens