
1940 Play Ball Card Set Guide


Set Description
The 1940 Play Ball set continued with the black and white images first seen in the 1939 set. The Play Ball lineup increased to 240 total cards. This year the photographs were printed with a border around the outside which contained the players name and a baseball glove and bat. The backs of the cards are very similar to the 1939 set. To infuse the set with more talent, Play Ball decided to include many retired Hall of Famers from the dead ball era. Along Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, and Hank Greenberg, Play Ball printed cards of Joe Jackson, Walter Johnson, Honus Wagner, and Christy Mathewson (to name a few). Interestingly Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, and Lou Gehrig were not included. The "high number" cards (#181-240) are more difficult to obtain than the lower number cards.
Set Information
Manufacturer: Play Ball
Year: 1940
Cards in Set: 240
Card Size: 2-1/2" x 3-1/8"
Series
Series 1: 1-180
Series 2: 181-240
Notes
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Cards from series 2 (#181-240) are more scare and valuable than series 1 cards (including commons)
Errors and Variations
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No significant errors/variations
Key Rookie Cards
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None
Key Cards/Hall of Famers
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Joe DiMaggio (#1)
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Ted Williams (#27)
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Hank Greenberg (#40)
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Charlie Gehringer (#41)
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Mel Ott (#88)
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Grover Alexander (#119)
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Walter Johnson (#120)
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Connie Mack (#132)
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Jimmie Foxx (#133)
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Honus Wagner (#168)
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Tris Speaker (#170)
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Christy Mathewson (#175)
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Joe Jackson (#225)
Subsets
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None






