The Play Ball brand of baseball cards were produced from 1948 to 1962 by Folz, Incorporated and contained some of the biggest names in the early days of Major League Baseball. While not as well known today as Topps or Bowman, Play Ball cards offer collectors a glimpse into the stars and teams from during these pivotal mid-20th century seasons.
The Play Ball company was founded in Newark, New Jersey in 1946 and began producing various non-sports trading cards such as dogs, movie stars, and flowers. Their initial foray into baseball cards came in 1948 with their “Play Ball Baseball” set which featured 240 player cards across 14 teams from that year. Some of the biggest names included in the set were Hall of Famers Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Robin Roberts, and Phil Rizzuto. While production values and photography were certainly more basic than what we see in modern cards, these early Play Ball issues documented the players and uniforms from post-World War 2 MLB.
Quality and design evolved over the years, aided by increasing competition from Bowman and Topps who became serious competitors in the 1950s. Play Ball released multiple sets per year of around 100 cards each from 1948 through 1955. Notable inclusions were stars like Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial, and Hank Aaron in their early career. Rooke cards in these early Play Ball issues are quite valuable today, especially for iconic players who went on to Hall of Fame careers like Mays in 1951. Condition is especially important for these early issues, as they saw tremendous production but have not aged as well as higher grade vintage cards. Even poorly preserved examples can be worth a few hundred dollars for the right young star players, however.
Along with annual single season sets, Play Ball also tried their hand at various innovative subsets including MVP collections highlighting top player performances in 1951 and 1952. They released 120 card All-Star sets in 1952 and 1953 showcasing the best talent from both leagues. Additional separate All-Star card issues were also produced in 1954, 1956, and 1960. These specialty Play Ball cards tend to command higher prices today than base cards from the same sets due to their scarcer production and subject matter focusing on the very best MLB had to offer at the time. graded EX-MT examples can easily top $100 even for less heralded All-Stars from these games.
Play Ball’s photography and card stock improved noticeably through the mid-1950s as they aimed to compete directly with the industry leaders. Their 1955 set is considered among the best of their entire run both in terms of image quality and the talent featured, headlined by future Hall of Famers like Sandy Koufax, Roberto Clemente, and Brooks Robinson in early career cards. High numbers of this 255 card flagship set were printed, but pristine specimens still change hands for $50-100 today. Rooke cards have the best long term investment potential, of course.
1956 brought Play Ball’s only true “rookie card” as they spotlighted Brooklyn Dodgers lefty Sandy Koufax on a special young talent card prior to his official Topps rookie issue the following year. Only about 50 of these elusive Koufax cards are known to exist today in any condition. Even poorly preserved examples sell for thousands due to their iconic subject and blaze of ultra-scarcity. Similarly rare from 1956 are rookie cards for future 300 game winner Jim Bunning and batting champion Billy Williams, each only identifiable in the hobby due to their Play Ball issues.
Perhaps the most visually dramatic design in Play Ball history came with their 1957 offerings. Centering individual player photographs on a royal blue colored background with light colored borders, the cards truly popped from the pack both in terms of photo clarity and aesthetic appeal. Members of the “1957 Set” as it’s fondly known by collectors today often command significant sums. For example, a pristine mint condition Hank Aaron from this design has sold for over $1000 given his rarity in high grades. The 1957 format continued into 1958 and is one of the most collected vintage Play Ball designs.
Through the late 1950s, Play Ball found success with multiple 100 card annual sets as well as special print runs highlighting individual teams like the 1959 Milwaukee Braves and Cleveland Indians. Still, competition proved difficult against the dominant forces of Topps. Play Ball’s final original baseball card product came in 1962 with a 135 card “Hail to the Chief” issue released during John F. Kennedy’s presidency. After this they shifted focus towards non-sports confectionery premiums and discontinued original card manufacturing.
While never achieving the nationwide ubiquity of Topps, Play Ball cards remain popular with collectors fascinated by pre-1960s designs and players. Rarity factors like original rookie cards and short print specialty sets provide investment potential far beyond base cards from these years. Condition, of course, is paramount for value with lower print runs more susceptible to wear. Overall, Play Ball documents a fascinating transitionary period of America’s pastime and the early years of some all-time great ballplayers featured during baseball’s Golden Age. For dedicated vintage collectors, mining these relatively obscure issues can offer affordable access to coveted heroes from sports’ earliest television era.
While Play Ball cards were never the industry giant like Topps, they offer collectors an important window into the players and uniforms of the late 1940s and 1950s. Innovation like specialty subsets and team-focused issues move beyond the standard annual checklist. Scarce rookie cards have provided long term financial upside for savvy investors. General issues are often affordable compared to pricier Bowman and Topps of the same years. For those fascinated by history of baseball card manufacturing and the earliest years of legends like Mays, Mantle and Koufax, Play Ball remains a treasured part of the vintage hobby.
