1951 Berk Ross Football set

In 1951, Berk Ross issued a set of 72 cards from a number of different sports. Led by 40 baseball players, the rest of the 1951 Berk Ross set features a mix of football and basketball players, as well as boxers, golfers, figure skaters and Olympic athletes.

Officially designated W-532-1 in the American Card Catalog, 1951 Berk Ross is also know as "Hit Parade of Champions." This is the tagline for the set, which highlights champions across many athletic fields. With the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees having won their respective pennants the previous year, the baseball portion of the checklist is dominated by players from those teams. Collectors can also find the earliest card for basketball great Bob Cousy.

1951 Berk Ross Baseball Cards 1 1951 Berk Ross cards were issued as two-card panels and released in four separate series with 18 cards in each. The cards are numbered by their series, so #1-1 through #1-18 are the first series, #2-1 through #2-18 covers the second series, and so on. Baseball subjects are found on the first ten cards in each series, making the baseball set complete at 40 cards. However, a truly complete set will feature all 72 subjects.

While the actual card pairings on the 1951 Berk Ross panels are mixed, the majority group consecutive odd and even-numbered cards (i.e. #1 - #3, #2 - #4). The final cards in each series (#17 and #18) are featured on the same card. Because a perforation is found between the two cards in each panel, intact versions are not as common.

1951 Berk Ross Baseball Cards 2 The actual 1951 Berk Ross design has the appearance of a subdued 1950 Bowman. The individual Berk Ross cards are the same basic size at 2-1/16" by 2-1/2", have a similar uncluttered design and occasionally use the same player pictures that were used in that Bowman set. Card backs feature basic players info, a single line of statistics from 1950 and the card number.

1951 Berk Ross Baseball Cards 3 Unlike the more common distribution methods, boxed sets of 1951 Berk Ross were available in the hobby through a single dealer by the name of Bruce Yeko. Yeko was one of the first full-time vintage dealers and had exclusive rights to the distribution of the boxes. Boxes were originally available through his catalog for $19.95. While it is not sure exactly how many sets were produced, it is believed that several hundred boxes were made available.

Interesting to note, Joe DiMaggio, who never appeared on a Bowman card and had largely been excluded from sets since 1948-49 Leaf, is the key card to the set. An early card of Whitey Ford appears as well.

Aside from a mix of stars and Hall of Fame baseball players, Olympic legend Jesse Owens, Raging Bull subject Jake LaMotta, golfer Ben Hogan, boxer Sugar Ray Robinson and skater Dick Button have cards in the set as well.