by Bill Retskin

(Editor's Note: Bill Retskin has just completed his first book on
matchcover collecting, The Matchcover Collectors Resource Book and Price Guide, and has a second book coming out in spring 1990. He publishes The Front Striker Bulletin, a newsletter and mail auction for serious matchcover collectors. The FSB Auction frequently include sports matchcovers.)

Introduction

Any new article on matchcovers needs a brief description of the parts of the matchcovers. A matchcover is the flattened cardboard part of a match book with the staple and matches removed. Beyond the striker is the manumark (the area between the sets staple holes). Next comes the advertising surfaces; the back, saddle, and front.

Baseball matchcovers have been popular since the early 1930s. They were first introduced as part of post-depression match series, and in one form or another, have remained popular ever since. After the Great Depression, business and commercial match book accounts dwindled, and companies scrambled for new markets to sell their products. As early as 1927, W. Homer Colgate, designer with The Diamond Match Co., experimented with fancy bridge sets aimed at homemakers. These non-advertising sets featured homey scenes, animals, landscapes, and initials. For the first time, matchcovers sold in local stores rather than given away.

Popular sports figures and film celebrities were the nucleus of the post depression series, known to collectors as Group I. Sports personalities featured greats from baseball, football, and hockey, the former out numbering the other two sports with over 1,200 collectible matchcovers. The scheme worked and millions of matchbooks sold to the public. After the success of the first set, three more baseball sets arrived during the next six years.

Background

One highly respected reference book is The Sports Collectors' Bible by Bert Randolph Sugar and published by Bobbs-Merrill. The book sold for $12.95 in 1983. Starting on page 545 is a chapter entitled Matchbook Covers. Just after its publication, a related article printed in a matchcover collector's newsletter, complained that the book put prices on the matchcovers. Where these values came from remained an enigma to that writer.

The matchcover article goes on to warn new collectors that baseball matchcovers, primarily of the 1930s, were manufactured in large numbers. One example is the 800 different player/color matchcover combinations found in the First Baseball set alone.

The article further notes that a dollar value accompanied each matchcover. In pompous allegory, the writer continues: "We are inclined to think that the money values assigned are very high, as we have never seen these prices obtained at any cover sale or auction."

The article's writer incorrectly restricted herself to the notion that baseball matchcovers were the sole domain of the matchcover hobby. As that hobby had not yet published a price guide of its own, no other related ephemera collectibles groups had the right to dictate prices. (The first matchcover price guide accompanied this author's 1988 book, The Matchcover Collectors Resource Book and Price Guide, published by the author, 270 pp.
$19.95.)

Unfortunately, this myth of zero-pricing and "keep the hobby young with trading," is still a relatively common notion. A complete about face ends her article, praising the quality of the reference Bible and admitting that values may have been realistic after all--all within less than half a page of text.

The Sports Collectors Bible praises the sports matchcovers of the 1930s as "once rare or virtually non-existent," a plaudit true outside the matchcover hobby only. Several hundred collections started by the founders of the hobby in the early 1940s used the Group I sets as the basics of their collections. Hundreds more are still found in general collections and accumulations started in the 1930s.

Mr. Sugar also echoes the dominant tenant of successful collectible hobbies when he says, "With new collectors entering into the field, just as they've done in droves recently, the numbers of those unseen and unknown covers that are listed will continue to surface and be recorded." The understood common denominator hinted at is value. Without it, collectors have no basis or reason to search for new matchcovers. Only recently has a handful of serious matchcover collectors realized the importance of this point. The majority of matchcover collectors sit blissfully and lament the days when matchcovers were traded rather than bought or sold. It would seem as if they took the American Bison as their symbol, waiting helplessly in the fields, as the Bison did so many years ago, to be slaughtered by hunters to the edge of extinction.

Early Baseball Matchcovers

First Baseball

For the First Baseball set issued by The Diamond Match Co. in 1934, Mr. Sugar mentions values ranging between $2 and $4, with special matchcovers priced at $3 to $5. The largest of the sets, it included 200 different baseball players, each with four deep tone color backgrounds including blue, green, orange and red. This is the showpiece set of baseball matchcovers. Never seen in one collection, the complete set, consists of 800 matchcovers. Its estimated value in mint condition is around $15,000.

Matchcovers featured a tight head shot photograph of each player. His name and team were on the saddle. The short history section on the back of each began with a right-hander's glove and ball, fronting crossed bats. Trimmed in silver, each photo highlighted a dark background. Most players are wearing team caps. The First Baseball set is very colorful, pulling the collector into the player's expression.

National League umpires, such as Bill Klem and Ernest C. Quigley wore regulation cap and jacket or jacket and tie. Catchers like Glenn Myatt (Cleveland Indians) looked up and wore a chest protector, or like Frank T. Grube (St. Louis Browns) and Richard Ferrell (Boston Red Sox), both glaring at the camera, with spun-around cap. Outfields Charles "Chuck" Klein (Chicago Cubs), and Charles "Chick" Hafey (Cincinnati Reds) showed waist-high photos with bat over shoulder. Pitcher Eldon L. Auker (Detroit Tigers) faces the camera in mid wind-up, ready to throw a strike.

Below is an alphabetical listing of a few Hall of Fame players in the First Baseball set. All spelling and punctuation remains as it is found on the matchcover. These matchcovers are from my own collection and are just a sampling of what the set contained.

Jim Bottomley, Cincinnati Reds - First baseman. Bats and throws left handed. Age 33. Height 6 ft. Weight 177 lbs. Home, Nokomis, Ill. Batter known as "Sunny Jim". After 11 straight years with the Cardinals, he was transferred to the Reds in 1933. For his 12 years in the majors "Sunny" has a lifetime batting average of .318. He was voted the National League's Most Valuable Player in 1928. An outstanding fielder and slugger.

James A. Collins, St. Louis Cardinals - First Baseman. Throws left, bats either. Age 29, height 5 ft. 9 in., weight 165 lbs. He started as an outfielder but became first baseman when he joined the Cardinals in 1930. Replaced Jim Bottomley and batted .310 in first year as a regular. He is married and makes his home in Rochester, N.Y.

Chas. Gehringer, Detroit Tigers - Outstanding second baseman of the American League. Went to the University of Michigan for a year before adopting professional baseball as a career. After a couple of years in the minors, he joined Detroit and has been a regular ever since. Was a member of the American League All-Stars, Last July. Has batted about 320 during his A.L. career. His age is 30, weight 180 lbs., height 5 ft. 11 in.

William M. Harris, Pittsburgh Pirates - Pitcher. Bats and throws right handed. Age 32, height 6 ft. 1 in., weight 185 lbs. He started baseball in 1921 and came up to the Pirates in 1932. Pitched an 0-hit game for Galveston against Shreveport. In 1928 with Asheville Bill won 25 and lost 9. He is expected to start as regular this year. Married and lives in Matthews, N.C.

William Herman, Chicago Cubs - Infielder. Bats and throws right handed. He was born in New Albany, Ind., in 1909. He is 5 ft. 11 in. tall and weighs 170 lbs. Bill came up to the Cubs in 1931 from Louisville and played in 25 games for Chicago that year. Broke in as a regular second baseman in 1932 and has been doing a swell job at that post ever since. He has a three year batting average of .299.

Waite Hoyt, Pittsburgh Pirates - Right hand pitcher. Age 34 years, height 5 ft. 11 in., and weight 186 lbs. One of the real veterans. He was in the American League from 1919 through 1931, and came to Brooklyn in 1932. His lifetime record shows 220 victories and 148 defeats. Jointly holds record for most world series victories, with six victories in seven series. His home is in New York.

Charles "Chuck" Klein, Chicago Cubs - Outfielder. Born in Indianapolis, Ind., October 7, 1905. Was with the Philadelphia Nationals from 1928 to November 9133 when he was traded to the Cubs. His lowest batting average with the Phillies was .337 in 1931, and in 1933 he led the National League with .368. "Chuck" throws right handed but bats left. He got 200 or more hits per season since 1929 and in 1932 he led the League in hits, runs and stolen bases.

Bill Klem, Umpire - National League - Bill is dean of all major league umpires with a colorful record of more than 20 years in the National League. He is considered the greatest judge of balls and strikes in the business and has worked in more world series than any other umpire in the game. Plays golf during the off season. He makes his home in Miami, Florida.

Emil Leonard, Brooklyn Dodgers - Right Hand pitcher. Came to Brooklyn from the Coast League. Wasn't conceded chance but showed so much stuff he won place. He is a knuckle ball pitcher and the only Belgian in Baseball. He is 6 ft. tall, weighs 198 lbs., and is 23 years of age. Won his first big league start by a shut-out. His home is in. Auburn, Illinois.

Alfonso Lopez, Brooklyn Dodgers - Catcher - Bats and throws right. Age 25. Height 5 ft. 10 1/2 in. Weight 175 lbs. Home, Tampa, Fla. Secured by Brooklyn from Jacksonville, in 1928. Optioned to Macon and Atlanta in 1928 and 1929, he was brought back in 1930 and has been first string catcher ever since. "Al" handles his pitchers perfectly, has a deadly accurate arm and is unusually fast. Batted .309 in 1930 and .301 in 1933.

Ted Lyons, Chicago White Sox - Famed not only for his pitching ability but also for his ability to field his position, bat and run the bases. In addition he is noted for his uncanny knack of holding runners close to the bases: very few bases are ever stolen when he is pitching. He joined the White Sox in 1923 on leaving Baylor College and has been with them since. His weight is 190 lbs., height 6 ft.

Rabbitt Maranville, Boston Braves - Infielder. Bats and throws right handed. Age 42, height 5' 5". Weight 146 lbs. The "Rabbits" first professional engagement was with New Bedford N.E. in 1911. He was Secured by the Braves in 1912 and except for one year he has been in the Majors ever since, 22 years. Batted .308 in two World Series, 14 years apart. Rabbit is known as one of baseball's great players.

William Mckechnie, Boston Braves - Manager. Born 1877. Infielder. Came up with Pittsburgh and was with Pirates, Braves, Yankees, Cincinnati and Newark Federal League clubs during his active career. He managed Pirates and Cardinals before going to Boston. Bill won pennants at Pittsburgh and St. Louis. His home is in Williamsburg, Pa.

Joe Medwick, St. Louis Cardinals - Outfielder. Age 22. Bats and throws right handed. Height 5' 10". Weight 187 lbs. After two and a half years in professional ranks he came to the Cardinals late in 1932 as one of the brightest prospects of recent years. In 26 games in 1932 Joe batted .349 and in 148 games in 1933 he hit .306. Was born, and lives in Carteret, N.J.

Melvin Ott, New York Giants - Outfielder. Bats left, throws right. Age 25, home Gretna, La. Mel came direct to Giants from Gretna High School and never played in the minors. He came up as a catcher but was changed to outfielder by late John McGraw. He is one of the outstanding hitters in the game. Has a lifetime batting average of .315.

Casey Stengel, Brooklyn Dodgers - Manager. Casey Stengel had a long and honorable career in the big leagues climaxed by the world series of 1923 when, playing for the Giants, he hit two home runs to win the only two games won in that series by the Giants. Following his playing days he managed the Toledo team, returning in 1932 to Brooklyn as coach. He is a colorful fighting player and manager with a keen sense of humor.

Dazzy Vance, Cincinnati Reds - Pitcher. Bats and throws right handed. He is 40 yrs. of age, is 6 ft. 2" tall and weighs 220 lbs. "Dazzy" is one of the immortals of the game. He led the league in strikeouts for 7 years in succession; and in earned run average 3 yrs. He has one no-hit game to his credit, and has hung up 7 consecutive strikeouts in 1 game.

Lewis (Hack) Wilson, Brooklyn Dodgers - Outfielder. "Hack" bats and throws right handed. He is 5 ft. 6 in. high, weighs 195 lbs., and is 34 years of age. He came up with the Giants in 1923; went to Cubs in 1926, and came to Brooklyn in 1932. "Hack" holds the National League home run record with 56 hits in 1930. His home is in Martinsburg, West Virginia.

This set also featured players such as Kiki Cuyler, Leo Durocher, and Carl Hubbel.

Second Baseball

Diamond Match issued the Second Baseball set in 1935. It consists of one each of 24 different players. Background colors were eight in red, eight in blue and eight in green. The Sports Collectors' Bible places prices at $5 to $7.50 in this set with special matchcovers ranging up to $9 each. This set featured a distinctive black border entirely around a tightly air-brushed picture on the front with the player's history on the back. The player's name and team appear on the saddle and his name leads off the history copy on the back. Ghosted under that copy is a white image of a batter in motion.

Frankie Frisch is the only Hall of Fame player that I have in my Second Baseball collection.

Frankie Frisch, St. Louis Cardinals - Manager and second baseman. Throws right handed. turn-over batsman. Age 36, height 5 ft. 11 in., weight 165 lbs. Home, New Rochelle, N.Y. Joined the Giants on graduation from Fordham University in 1919 and was instant and sensational success. Transferred to the Cardinals in 1927. One of the greatest of second basemen, a leading base runner, has a 16 yr. batting average of .319. Batted over .300 in 8 World Series.

Featured players also include Dizzy Dean, Frankie Frisch, Carl Hubbel, Rabbitt Maranville, Mel Ott, and Casey Stengel.

Third Baseball

Third Baseball, Type I appeared in 1935 and 1936, manufactured by Diamond Match. There are 544 known matchcovers in this set, but it is unknown if this is complete.