Card Album for 1933 Goudey (R319)
In 1933, the Goudey Gum Company released three sets of cards packaged with its gum products - the 1933 Sport Kings set, the Indian Gum cards, and its now classic 1933 Big League Gum baseball card set. These sets, and the other card sets released that year and over the next few years, renewed interest in sports cards in general, and in baseball cards in particular. The Goudey Gum Company produced card sets between 1933 and 1941 as premiums for the redemption of gum wrappers, and also for inclusion with packages of gum. The 1933 Goudey Big League Chewing Gum set is the largest and most popular of these issues. It's full color design was a success with the public, and it featured cards of many of the biggest stars of the time, including four cards of Babe Ruth and two of Lou Gehrig. The original set was advertised 240 cards, but card #106 (Nap Lajoie) was never issued. This was intended to keep people buying packages of gum to complete the set. A card #106 was released in 1934 (with the 1934 card design) as a mail-in offer to answer complaints; however very few of these were produced, as demand was low.
Goudey continued releasing cards until 1941, when World War II caused shortages in cardboard. They relased a non-sports set in 1947-1948, but never returned to baseball cards. The company went out of business in the 1960s.
There are twenty-three cards featuring players from St. Louis in the set, including two of Rogers Hornsby. Late in the 1932 season, Hornsby was released by the Cubs. He re-signed with the Cardinals after the season, and in July was released by the Cardinals to become a player-manager for the Browns. He appears with both teams in the 1933 Goudey set.
Click here for a complete 1933 Goudey virtual set
from vintagecardtraders.com.
The PSA website provides a history of the Goudey Gum Company
as well as this article on the 1933 Goudey set.
Goudey (R319) (Set size 240)
