1934 National Chicle "Batter-Up!" Baseball Wantlist (Updated Feb 14, 2016)

Back in the mid-1930s, National Chicle and Goudey Gum (both Massachusetts-based) competed for dominance in the baseball card market, spreading big-picture sets across multiple years of the Great Depression in an apparent attempt to see which would win by attrition. That "survivor" proved to be Goudey Gum, who acquired a bankrupt National Chicle's assets in 1937. Among them was remaining stock of Batter-Up! Gum cards, this die-cut "set of many colors." (Its #5 is one of my favorites.)

1934 National Chicle Batter-Up! Gum #31, Lefty Grove (all colors)

It's not clear how Goudey dealt with Chicle's various products, but it's doubtful they printed more. Even collectors with deep pockets find Batter-Up hard to complete, given its many scarce high numbers. My current wantlist is heavy with those upper reaches.

1934-36 Batter Up wantlist: See my vintage wantlist for current needs.

Common high numbers cost $10+ each in low grade, so considerable investment lies before me, unless I can pull the trigger on more trades like this one.

OldBaseball.com friend Andy C swapped these Batter-Ups for several Goudey extras, making a rare dent in my high numbers. These particular cards stand out because a previous owner added other names to each player. Augie Galen, for example...

...became Tony York, a cup of coffee player for Chicago in 1944 (career stats). Charlie Gehringer...

...is now Jim Honochick, an obscure 1940s minor leaguer (career stats). Here are their other mentions.

• Bill Deininger, career minor leaguer
• Lyle Grosskreutz, whose obit says he tried out for the pros without sticking
• Babe Picone, who's still alive by Baseball-Reference's reckoning
• Tom Pullig, never reached the majors
• Allan Smith, who might be incorrectly tagged--Al Smith?

It's hard to find rhyme or reason behind most of the name changes, so maybe I'll let the mystery be.

Hall of Thanks

Big thanks to Andy C for his trade! Also props to Peter M, Jim H, Steve R, Bama, and Ed W of OldBaseball.com for earlier additions to my set.

Aug 4: Andy C hit me again with #139 Bill Jurges, who was pencil updated to Norm DeWeese, a 1935-47 outfielder in several minor leagues. Still don't know how to account for the new names, but it's a fun diversion to wonder how they fit together.

Nov 29: Taylor S sent #39 my way! One extra piece of thanksgiving for this week.

Jan 10: HOF Bill Terry arrives from eBay! Took advantage of a post-holiday sale and got him for $18.

May 26: HOF #42 Charlie Gehringer arrives from eBay and knocks my low number list down to 2!

Feb 14, 2016: Finished the low numbers (1-80) with #31 Lefty Grove, fresh from eBay! See my vintage wantlist for remaining high numbers.

Top Five Interesting Things About 1958 Topps

1958 marks a point of significant transition for modern set design. Here are five things that distinguish this one for baseball fans and collectors.

1. California adds first MLB franchises at New York's expense

Brooklyn Dodgers in LA...

...and New York Giants in SF

2. A little too much yellow ink

Thirty-three of the first 108 cards have yellow player or team names, giving variation fans some extra work. Best-known is #30, Hank Aaron.

3. First All-Star cards (#474-495) & the return of Stan Musial

This Topps set debuted All-Star Game lineups (from 1958's game in Baltimore) and its late-season series featured the first mass-produced Stan Musial card since Bowman's 1953 photo set. It's even possible Topps added this All-Star subset thanks to Musial's return; they made it a regular feature soon after.

TRIVIA: Given the 1958 All-Star Game's proximity to Washington, D.C., MLB invited Vice President Richard Nixon to throw out its first pitch, a task he repeated many times as President.

4. Ed Bouchee, You're Outta Here (no #145)

Major League Baseball suspended Ed Bouchee for most of 1958, so Topps did the same.

While Ed appears on this checklist at #145, no card of Bouchee exists outside of hobby creations like the one by SCD editor Bob Lemke.

5. Team Card are Checklists and Checklists are Team Cards

#44 above is also the Washington Senators team card, as Topps first integrated set tracking into the "regular" series.

Topps left 1956 & 1957 checklists unnumbered, assuming kids would discard them after filling all the boxes. Customers might've requested this change, or at least responded well to it, because Topps made it a part of numbered sets going forward.

The Hall of Thanks

OldBaseball.com friends Wes Shepard, Mark Zentkovich, Lynn Miller, Sal Domino, Kevin Martens, and Don Rice all aided my upgrade quest; several hits shown below.

Jan 22: four-pack of upgrades from Mr. Haverkamp!

For posterity, here's the Walt "Moron" card he upgraded. Ouch.

Aug 4: Upgraded #227 Vern Stephens at the 2014 National!

July 30: Five six upgrades from OldBaseball.com brothers at the 2015 National!

David Segui Baseball Wantlist Added

Just posted my second player collection wantlist for former Oriole/Met/Expo/Mariner/Ranger/Blue Jay David Segui, son of original Seattle Pilot and Mariner Diego Segui.

David Segui (as a Met) photobombs a Will Clark card

David played in the heart of the junk wax era (1990-2004), so plenty of cards are out there! According to Beckett, I've filled in most of 1990-1999, but 2000 and up had so many cards it's hard to know for sure. I've got mostly low-grade vintage as trade material.

• David Segui wantlist

Wantlist added for Steve Garvey

This blog now hosts my Steve Garvey wantlist. It's been a long time in the making, close to 30 years! Here's one of my favorite obscurities.

1990 Michigan State #105

Not many vintage gaps remain, but thanks to our modern era's return to 70s and 80s players, more "new" Garveys hit the market each year.

2010 Topps Garvey signed bat barrel

Hadn't even seen that card before, so copped the scan from COMC.

I've got a couple dozen post-1990 Garveys, but there must be plenty more. Expect low-grade vintage in return, 1980 and before, as that's what I collect. If that's what you're seeking, check out the wantlist and let me know!