Portraits of Sportsmen - Spot The Winner

One of the beautiful things I love about pre-war cigarette cards is the artwork that went into many of them. Celebrities and Sportmen were depicted in a majestic portraits that were recognizable to the public.

 

The 1935 Godfrey Phillips Sportsmen tobacco series was one of the finest examples. A few weeks ago I picked up this DIXIE DEAN  card for my PC.

 

There were 2 variations in this set. Regular backs with a "Spot The Winner" contest. And then there were the up-side-down version ...

 

The error backs are more common as the corrections were printed in fewer quantitiy.

 There are a variety of contemporary star athletes in the series. Along with the footballers are boxers, jockeys, tennis players and cricketers. Each is featured in a full color pastelbackground portrait.

Adding this Dixie Dean increased my personal collection of the great goal scorer. Amazingly, this card can still be obtained for under $10 if you can find it.

Record Setter - Albert Brown - 1902 Ogden Cigarettes

Sometimes its not a long career that highlights an athlete. Sometimes its just one season.

 

Albert Frederick Brown (born April 1879) was an English professional footballer who scored a goal in the 1902 FA Cup Final for Southampton, and also scored a record seven goals in one match. His date of death is unknown. (from Wikipedia)

 

Although his date of death may be unknown, he is immortalized on this 1902 cigarette card.

1902 OGDEN'S Cigarettes - General Interest Series # F369 - ALBERT BROWN

Brown was born in Tamworth, England and started his career with the local Tamworth club, before joining Aston Villa in February 1898. He only made two first-team appearances for Villa in the 1900–01 season (in which he scored two goals) before moving (along with Tommy Bowman) to Southampton in May 1901.
Brown was reputed to be the fastest sprinter in English football and was known as the "Tamworth Sprinter". His career at Southampton got off to a slow start, scoring only once in his first three games before injury forced him to miss three games in October/November 1901. On his return from injury, he started to score more freely and by Christmas he had scored seven goals. In his next game he doubled his tally for the season as he scored a club record seven goals in a match against Northampton Town at The Dell on 28 December 1901. His first goal came almost straight from the kick-off and within five minutes he had completed his hat trick. By half time Saints were 7–0 up, with Brown contributing four. He added three more in the second half as Saints completed the rout (the other goals came from Sam Meston (2), Fred Harrison and Archie Turner).^[1]
He finished the 1901–02 season season having scored 25 league goals from 25 games, as Saints ended the season in third place in the Southern League. He also made eight appearances in the FA Cup, scoring four times including Saints' goal in the replay of the final on 28 April 1902, as Saints went down 2–1 to Sheffield United.
During the summer of 1902, he sustained a serious injury which lost him his place in the starting line-up to John Fraser. Brown only made one further appearance for Southampton, before being sold to Queens Park Rangers in October 1902.
After two seasons with QPR, he moved on to Preston North End in May 1904 and then to Blackpool in March 1906, where he finished his career. (from Wikipedia)

Brown did not have a fantastically memorable career. He did have a great game in a great season. This most likely prompted his inclusion in this 1902 card set. And for that, he is immortalized.

This soccer card is now 111 years old. To my knowledge, any person who found these cards in their original tobacco pack is no longer living. I think it would be amazing if we could trace the history of where this card has been over the past century. Did the individual who smoked keep the card until his death ? Did he pass it on to his son or grandson ? Did it get sold to a card collector or an auction house ? Was it misplaced during the First World War or WWII ? Did it belong to a coal miner, a chimney sweep, a soldier or a lawyer ? I wonder.

Like Albert Brown's date of death, we can only wonder. However, I do know where it is now. But I wonder where will it be 100 years from now ?

 

The First JACKIE ROBINSON - DERBY COUNTY Baseball

The first JACKIE ROBINSON was also instrumental in leading his club to a baseball championship - in England. However, he did this all the while starring as one of England's top soccer players.

With all due respect to the American Baseball's Jackie Robinson (Brooklyn Dodgers), this Derby's Jack Robinson was a 2-sport star long before Bo Jackson (Royals / Raiders). Robinson was also selected to play for England's National Soccer Team with a 8W-1T-2L record.
 

1901 Ogden's Robinson "rookie" card

 

Robinson won 8 of the 11 times he was called to guard the England nets winning the British Championship 4 times (1898, 1899, 1901 and 1903). He appeared in 2 F.A. Cup Finals with Southampton F.C. and later went to America to play his soccer. In an age where the goalkeepers wore the same jersey as the field players, Robinson appeared on his 1st card (see above) in the stripes of Southampton Saints.

 

He won 2 baseball titles with Derby County in 1895 and 1897.

 

Derby County F.C.

 

Through the efforts of industrialist Sir Francis Ley, a baseball park was built at Derby after his visit to the U.S. in 1889. He met and was later assisted by the American sporting pioneer and publisher - A.G. SPAULDING. The stadium, to be known as the BASEBALL GROUND, was home to both the fledgling American pastime and its famed soccer team. It was closed in 2003.

 

1890 Baseball Champions - Derby County club included Robinson and Bloomer.

 

In addition to Robinson (3rd base), one of England's all-time greats - STEVE BLOOMER, played 2nd base.

1906 Ogdens' Club Colours with Steve Bloomer's likeness.

 

Bloomer's fame has transended into American folklore as his card rightly appears in last year's Upper Deck Goodwin Champions baseball set (see last week). 

 

Robinson toured Europe with Southampton and made this impression as quoted on wikipedia:

 

"In that year (1899) the first English professionals came over, Southampton F.C. They beat the Viennese city eleven 6-0 and their goalkeeper, Robinson, showed for the first time how to tackle low shots by flying through the air with the greatest of ease. Until this day (1930) that type of save is called a 'Robinsonade' in Austria and Central Europe. After the match, Robinson gave an exhibition. His goal was bombarded simultaneously with six balls and he blocked most of the shots."

THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE 100 : # 19 Harry HIBBS

As the year progresses, I am making headway on my project to collect original cards of the 100 greatest FOOTBALL LEAGUE players. As of today, I have obtained 86 % of the list. The hardest ones to find are the pre-war issues. But I did score on one of late.

 

HARRY HIBBS

 

It may seem like a small achievement when looking at Harry Hibbs' trophies, but the former Birmingham goal keeper accomplished more than just an F.A. Cup runners up medal in his career..

 

1935 Churchman Cigarettes caricature

 

In an age when the England National Team selection was done by committee rather than a Manager, Hibbs made an astonishing 25 appearences for his country. On 10 of those occasion he shutout his opponents.

 

1931 Lambert & Butler illustration

 

While 25 caps can be earned today in 2 World Cups and 2 Qualifying seriess, it was not so before World War II.

 

A closer look at England's goal keepers from 1920 up to the years before the war, Hibbs surpasses all his rivals and dwarfs almost all others. Sam Hardy was England's No. 1 through March 1920. However, 21 England goalies stood between the posts before Harry Hibbs debut in November 1929. He was a cousin of Harold Pearson* who also kept goal for England.

 

Sam Hardy - 21 caps (last cap March 1920)

Jack Brown - 6 caps

Ted Hufton - 6 caps

Jack Hacking - 3 caps 

Benjamin Olney - 2 caps

Dan Tremeling - 1 cap

Albert  McInroy - 1 cap

George Ashmore - 1 cap

Ted Taylor - 8 caps

Richard Pym - 3 caps

Howard Baker - 2 caps

Freddie Fox - 1 cap

Harry Hardy - 1 cap

James Mitchell - 1 cap

Ronald Sewell - 6 caps

Ernest Williams - 2 caps

Jack Alderson - 1 cap

Jerry Dawson - 2 caps

Teddy Davidson - 1 cap

Harold Gough - 1 cap

Bert Coleman - 1 cap

Jack Mew - 1 cap

Harry Hibbs - 25 caps (first cap Novemeber 1929)

 

1934 Ardath Cigarettes portrait

 

This revolving door continued after even after Hibbs last international match (February 1936). The singular mainstay was Vic Woodley, with 19 appearences, until the halt of international football in 1939.

 

Hugh Turner - 2 caps

Harold Pearson - 1 cap*

Frank Moss - 4 caps

Ted Sager - 4 caps

Henry Holdcroft - 2 caps

George Tweedy - 1 cap

Vic Woodley - 19 caps

 

Harry Hibbs held the England record for appearences for a goalkeeper until it was broken by Ron Springett in 1962. Harry Hibbs played 358 league games with the club. The club shows its best run in the pre-wars years staying in Division 1 his entire career. During this time, Birmingham reached its only pre-war F.A. Cup Final in 1931.