1949 Leaf Football Cards
Product Details
In many aspects, 1949 Leaf Football is more of the same. Still, given the appealing design and strong checklist, the set has plenty of fans.
Following the 1948 product, Leaf produced another set in 1949 that has been a source of confusion for novice collectors. While it resembles the '48 issue and includes many of the same players and pictures, it's not very difficult to distinguish the two sets.
1949 Leaf Football Set Details
Just like in 1948, the fronts feature a picture using a black-and-white photo with added color. There is also a nameplate at the bottom that adds a nickname for some of the cards.
1949 Leaf Football backs are essentially identical to '48, as well. While both versions include the player's basic info and bio along with the All-Star Football Gum ad, two things stand out. First, the copyright date at the bottom notes 1949. In addition, 1948 cards include dashes between the card number and the player's name at the top. The 1949 cards do not have these dashes.
Another way of telling the two sets apart is the checklist. Fortunately, Leaf didn't keep the 1948 numbering in place. However, the 49 cards are skip-numbered. This was also the case in 1948-49 Leaf Baseball. This card numbering may have indicated the company was looking to run additional series, but it's also been criticized as a way for kids to keep spending their pennies and nickels looking for cards that didn't exist. Judging from how more plentiful the 1949 Leaf cards are compared to 1948 cards, it may have worked.
One final difference between the sets is that there were no college players in 1949 Leaf Football. Any team changes are noted and the Boston Yanks' move to become the New York Bulldogs is credited. For some reason, no Pittsburgh Steelers cards were featured in the set. Cards are found with either a gray or cream-colored cardboard stock on the back.
Since the same players featured in the set were also issued in 1948, there are no notable rookie cards to be found in 1949 Leaf Football.
Key 1949 Leaf Football Cards:
Set Checklist
1949 Leaf Football Checklist
Base Set Checklist
2 Joe Scott - New York Giants
3 Frank Reagan - Philadelphia Eagles
4 John Rauch - New York Bulldogs
7 Bill Fischer - Chicago Cardinals
9 Elmer Angsman - Chicago Cardinals
10 Billy Dewell - Chicago Cardinals
13 Tommy Thompson - Philadelphia Eagles
15 Sid Luckman - Chicago Bears
16 Charley Trippi - Chicago Cardinals
17 Bob Mann - Detroit Lions
19 Paul Christman - Chicago Cardinals
22 Bill Dudley - Detroit Lions
23 Clyde LeForce - Detroit Lions
26 Sammy Baugh - Washington Redskins
28 Pete Pihos - Philadelphia Eagles
31 Tex Coulter - New York Giants
32 Mal Kutner - Chicago Cardinals
35 Al "Whitey" Wistert - Philadelphia Eagles
37 Ted Fritsch Sr. - Green Bay Packers
38 Vince Banonis - Chicago Cardinals
39 Jim White - New York Giants
40 George Connor - Chicago Bears
41 George McAfee - Chicago Bears
43 Frank Tripucka - Philadelphia Eagles
49 Charley Conerly - New York Giants
51 Ken Kavanaugh - Chicago Bears
52 Bob Demoss - New York Bulldogs
56 Johnny Lujack - Chicago Bears
57 Jim Youel - Detroit Lions
62 Harry Gilmer - Washington Redskins
65 Robert Nussbaumer - Chicago Cardinals
67 Bobby Layne - New York Bulldogs
70 Herb Siegert - Washington Redskins
74 Skip Minisi - New York Giants
79 Steve Van Buren - Philadelphia Eagles
81 Perry Moss - Green Bay Packers
89 Bob Waterfield - Los Angeles Rams
90 Jack Jacobs - Green Bay Packers
95 Kenny Washington - Los Angeles Rams
101 Pat Harder - Chicago Cardinals
110 Bill Swiacki - New York Giants
118 Fred L. Davis - Chicago Bears
126 Jay Rhodemyre - Green Bay Packers
127 Frank Seno - New York Bulldogs
134 Chuck Bednarik - Philadelphia Eagles
144 George Savitsky - Philadelphia Eagles
150 Bulldog Turner - Chicago Bears
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Hottest 1949 Leaf Football Cards
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