1948 Bowman Basketball Cards

Product Details

1948 Bowman Basketball card set was the first nationally distributed basketball release. It would also be the only set of basketball cards Bowman ever issued before being sold to Topps in the 1950s. At the time, professional basketball was still a fairly new and fledgling league. Founded in 1946, the card companies weren't convinced it was worthwhile. After this set, it would be nearly a decade before another national basketball set was produced.

1948 Bowman Basketball Set Details

Measuring 2-1/16 by 2-1/2 inches, the checklist is comprised of players from the Basketball Association of America (BAA), the precursor to the NBA we know today. The set was issued in two series of 36 cards each. The second series is much tougher than the first. Series two also has the key card of the set, the George Mikan rookie card (#69). He was the first big man of the game and one of the sport's early stars.

Other notable rookies in 1948 Bowman Basketball include Carl Braun (#72), Joe Fulks (#34), Red Holzman (#32), Jim Pollard(#66), Max Zaslofsky (#55), Andy Phillip (#9), Buddy Jeannette (#38) and Arnie Risen (#58).

1948 Bowman Basketball Design

1948 Bowman Basketball card fronts carried the same basic design Bowman would use for its first series of baseball cards in 1949. A colored-in black-and-white player picture appeared with a solid background. There are no names, team logos or any writing anywhere on the front.

Backs feature a card number and the player's name at the top, followed by his vital statistics. A short biographical career write-up follows. Collectors can also learn about several wrapper redemptions available through Bowman. The backs are printed in black ink, with the card number and offer details in red. Scattered throughout the set were cards that had diagrams of plays on them as a way of helping kids understand the fundamentals of the game. The play is then described on the back.

1948 Bowman Basketball Condition Issues / Variations

The 1948 Bowman Basketball card set can be difficult to assemble in high-grade. However, no specific condition issue is common to the entire set. Instead, general wear and tear and the age of the paper stock attribute to their condition. One anomaly that often is seen in the second series is cards missing the solid color background. These variations are most likely the result of the printing press running out of ink.