1951 Bowman Baseball: Five Little Known Facts
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Don't look now, but the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Bowman baseball card set is right around the corner. Collectors familiar with the set likely know it brought the Hobby its rookie cards of Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays, not to mention Whitey Ford and Nellie Fox. But here are Five Fun Facts even the most experienced vintage card collectors may be surprised to learn.
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Connection to the Upper Deck Griffey Rookie
At first glance, the card of Pete Castiglione may not ring a bell, but take a closer look at the trees in the background. Now look a little closer. You are looking at Fiscalini Field in San Bernardino, California, spring training site of the Pirates at the time of the Bowman set. Fast forward a few decades and the venue was home to the San Bernardino Spirit and Ken Griffey, Jr., whose Upper Deck rookie card shows the same grove of trees.
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Jackie Robinson Cameo
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Though Jackie Robinson was in the 1949 and 1950 Bowman sets, he disappeared from the brand for its 1951-55 sets. However, the Dodger legend earns at least a small cameo on the high number card of Brooklyn skipper Charlie Dressen. Check the first column on the chalkboard and you'll notice "J. ROBINSON" just above Dressen's outstretched arm.
Recycling Was the Rage
It's not unheard of for a set to reuse player images from one year to the next, but Bowman really took the practice to new heights in 1951. Of the 208 players to appear in both the 1950 and 1951 sets, 118 used the same image twice. Then again, they were great images so why not!
First Baseball Card in Space?
This one veers a bit from the baseball card set and into another 1951 Bowman release titled "Jets, Rockets, and Spacemen." Card 91 in the set narrates extraterrestrial astronomers watching an Indians-White Sox game on their videoscope. The image of the Cleveland batter bears a strong resemblance to the 1950 Bowman card of Jim Hegan.
Fighting Irish Connection
For decades collectors looked at the set's White Sox manager card of Paul Richards and wondered, "What's up with that?" In December 2024, baseball card super sleuth Roy Carlson figured out the artist behind the oddball image was Ted Drake. That may or may not be a name you know, but you almost certainly know his more famous creation: the Notre Dame leprechaun.
Jason A. Schwartz is a collectibles expert whose work can be found regularly at SABR Baseball Cards, Hobby News Daily, and 1939Bruins.com. His collection of Hank Aaron baseball cards and memorabilia is currently on exhibit at the Atlanta History Center, and his collectibles-themed artwork is on display at the Honus Wagner Museum and PNC Park.