Collectors of trading cards found something unique on the candy counter 80 years ago. These were bubble gum cards issued by the Goudey Company, but they were different from the regular Goudey baseball card issue that contained over 200 cards. Sport Kings Gum was a much smaller set, just 48 cards and included well known names from several different sports—from baseball to dog sledding. Today, though, it’s the baseball cards in the set that generate the most interest and draw the biggest bids. This week, we have the crown jewel of the ’33 Sport Kings set, Babe Ruth. He was card #2 in the set behind Ty Cobb and the example we are offering grades a very respectable PSA 5. However, even a quick glance demonstrates that it has many of the attributes of a high end example. Centered well with corners that barely show any wear, this card has been well preserved. Another PSA 5 Sport Kings Ruth sold not long ago for over $3,500 and we believe this one is a much better specimen, worthy of any vintage collection and yet another example of the adage “buy the card, not the holder”. The colorized photos feature a solid color background and are one of the most aesthetically pleasing sets of all time. The Ruth card features a smiling Babe at the top of his game. The Sport Kings card is among the most popular of all Ruth cards because of the photo and the scarcity. It’s much harder to find than the four cards inside the 240-card Big League Stars set Goudey had produced earlier that year. The image serves as a sort of metaphor for how Ruth was seen, even then. His smiling mug looks on above a silhouette of boys playing sports. Gregarious to the end, there was no bigger backer of youth baseball than The Babe. Bidding on this great piece of baseball history ends Sunday night.
