1955 Redman Tobacco, NL-7 Willie Mays, MLB Hall of Fame, New York Giants -SGC A
1955 Redman Tobacco, NL-7 Willie Mays, MLB Hall of Fame, New York Giants -SGC A. On the Player and Card - Willie Howard Mays Jr. Beginning his illustrious career with the Birmingham Black Barons in the Negro Leagues, Mays earned a lasting legacy as one of the most exceptional Major League Baseball players in history.
He holds a position of distinction, being ranked second only to Babe Ruth in various all-time records, as recognized by The Sporting News and ESPN. SGC does not provide a numeric grade for Red Man cards when the redemption coupon (tab) is removed, as is the case for this card.
The cards with removed tabs are all graded as Authentic. PSA does numerically grade cards without coupons, providing a numeric grade and listing the cards as Hand Cut without Tab.
This Mays card could be crossed over to a PSA slab, to recognize the card's nice condition. The debut of the Red Man series coincided with a historically significant period in American history. The beautiful cards captured the lively and vibrant spirit of the 1950s, set against the backdrop of Dwight D. Eisenhower's presidency, and the birth of Rock and Roll.
This set was rather elite, consisting of only 52 cards, each measuring a large 3½" x 4" (3½" x 3½" without tabs). The top 25 players from each league appeared, along with one manager.Each card displayed a vibrant, high-quality portrait of the respective baseball player against a solid background. Additionally, the card fronts included the player's name, team, and biographical details in a white block.
Running along the bottom of each card was a perforated tab or coupon, measuring ½, which could be detached and exchanged for a team baseball cap, with a total of 50 coupons needed for redemption. These coupons were frequently removed haphazardly, resulting in damage to the cards. The 1952 Red Man Tobacco set featured a roster of prominent baseball figures, including Ted Williams, Stan Musial, and the budding talent of Willie Mays was in only his second year in the major leagues.It also showcased an impressive array of Hall of Fame talent, including Casey Stengel, Leo Durocher, Yogi Berra, Larry Doby, Bob Feller (exclusively found in the 1952 set), Nelson Fox, Monte Irvin, Ralph Kiner, George Kell, Robin Roberts, Enos Slaughter, Duke Snider, Warren Spahn, and Early Wynn. On the card backs, you would find company advertisements along with an expiration date regarding coupon redemption. The subsequent Red Man sets, spanning from 1953 to 1955, closely mirrored the 1952 set, maintaining the same player artwork while allowing for potential variations in background colors. The 1955 Red Man Baseball Card Set marked the conclusion of the era of these beautiful, oversized cards.