1951 Bowman Baseball Cards

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Few sets are more important in the hobby than 1951 Bowman Baseball. Boasting a checklist with 30 Hall of Fame players, including several rookie cards, the release helped usher in a new era of collecting.

1951 Bowman is a groundbreaking trading card product that is one of the most popular and valuable sets ever made.

1951 Bowman Baseball Set Details

The 1951 Bowman Baseball set features color art reproductions of actual photos and consists of 324 cards. The 2-1/16" by 3-1/8" cards are the same width as the previous year, but slightly longer. This release is the crown jewel of the Bowman brand thanks to rookie cards for Mickey Mantle (#253) and Willie Mays (#305).

1951 Bowman Baseball Cards 1

Bowman produced baseball cards from 1948 to 1955. They were the only major baseball card producer in 1950, but in 1951, Topps began producing cards, thereby creating a rivalry between the two that lasted for five years. In 1956, Topps bought out Bowman and integrated the Bowman brand into their product offerings.

There was a period of time between 1948 and 1952 when the Bowman Gum Company was the king of the trading card market. With meticulous attention to detail and a highly competitive nature, Jacob Warren Bowman, the owner and founder of the company, used his entrepreneurial spirit to build a successful trading card series.

The 324-card set was the largest ever produced by Bowman and accounted for a large majority of the league from that season being immortalized on cardboard. Based on black-and-white photographs that were then recreated in full color, the vibrant colors and realism of the depicted players helped 1951 Bowman Baseball stand out from competing brands. Other than the image, the only attribute on the card fronts is a white border, thin black frame and blackened text box with the player's name in white.

1951 Bowman Baseball card backs have a little more to them, including several lines of basic stats and info, a lengthy bio and a large ad at the bottom for the "Baseball Picture Cards." The card number is also noted. Additionally, the player's name in red makes it stand out against the rest of the text on the back.

1951 Bowman Baseball Cards 2

Primarily issued with a vertical orientation, 39 of the cards were printed horizontally, including two of the most significant cards in the set, Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle. The product was issued in multiple series and the high numbers (#253-324) are the most difficult to find. This includes both the Mays and Mantle cards.

1951 Bowman Baseball Cards 3

In addition to the two iconic rookie cards, the checklist is loaded with marquee Hall of Famers, including Ted Williams, Yogi Berra, Roy Campanella, Pee Wee Reese, Duke Snider and Warren Spahn, along with rookies for Whitey Ford and Nellie Fox. 1951 Bowman Baseball Cards 4 However, the impressive checklist still misses a few big names, including Stan Musial, Jackie Robinson and Joe DiMaggio.

While the pricing for the Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays prevents many collectors from completing the set, the rest of 1951 Bowman Baseball can be found for more affordable prices, especially in mid-grade.

1951 Bowman Baseball Cards 5

Key Cards

Key 1951 Bowman Baseball Cards

#253 Mickey Mantle RC

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1951 Bowman Baseball Cards 6

#305 Willie Mays RC

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1951 Bowman Baseball Cards 7

#1 Whitey Ford RC

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1951 Bowman Baseball Cards 8

#165 Ted Williams

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1951 Bowman Baseball Cards 9

#2 Yogi Berra

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1951 Bowman Baseball Cards 10

#198 Monte Irvin RC

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1951 Bowman Baseball Cards 11

#26 Phil Rizzuto

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1951 Bowman Baseball Cards 12

#31 Roy Campanella

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1951 Bowman Baseball Cards 13

#32 Duke Snider

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1951 Bowman Baseball Cards 14

#30 Bob Feller

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1951 Bowman Baseball Cards 15

#232 Nellie Fox RC

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1951 Bowman Baseball Cards 16

#80 Pee Wee Reese

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1951 Bowman Baseball Cards 17

Set Checklist

1951 Bowman Baseball Checklist

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Base Set Checklist

324 cards.

1 Whitey Ford - New York Yankees RC
2 Yogi Berra - New York Yankees
3 Robin Roberts - Philadelphia Phillies
4 Del Ennis - Philadelphia Phillies
5 Dale Mitchell - Cleveland Indians
6 Don Newcombe - Brooklyn Dodgers
7 Gil Hodges - Brooklyn Dodgers
8 Paul Lehner - Philadelphia Athletics
9 Sam Chapman - Philadelphia Athletics
10 Red Schoendienst - St. Louis Cardinals
11 Red Munger - St. Louis Cardinals
12 Hank Majeski - Chicago White Sox
13 Eddie Stanky - New York Giants
14 Alvin Dark - New York Giants
15 Johnny Pesky - Boston Red Sox
16 Maurice McDermott - Boston Red Sox
17 Pete Castiglione - Pittsburgh Pirates
18 Gil Coan - Washington Senators
19 Sid Gordon - Boston Braves
20 Del Crandall - Boston Braves
21 George Stirnweiss - Cleveland Indians
22 Hank Sauer - Chicago Cubs
23 Walter Evers - Detroit Tigers
24 Ewell Blackwell - Cincinnati Reds
25 Vic Raschi - New York Yankees
26 Phil Rizzuto - New York Yankees
27 Jim Konstanty - Philadelphia Phillies
28 Eddie Waitkus - Philadelphia Phillies
29 Allie Clark - Cleveland Indians
30 Bob Feller - Cleveland Indians
31 Roy Campanella - Brooklyn Dodgers
32 Duke Snider - Brooklyn Dodgers
33 Bob Hooper - Philadelphia Athletics RC
34 Marty Marion - St. Louis Cardinals
35 Al Zarilla - Chicago White Sox
36 Joe Dobson - Chicago White Sox
37 Whitey Lockman - New York Giants
38 Al Evans - Boston Red Sox
39 Ray Scarborough - Boston Red Sox
40 Dave Bell - Pittsburgh Pirates RC
41 Eddie Yost - Washington Senators
42 Vern Bickford - Boston Braves
43 Billy DeMars - St. Louis Browns
44 Roy Smalley - Chicago Cubs
45 Art Houtteman - Detroit Tigers
46 George Kell - Detroit Tigers
47 Grady Hatton - Cincinnati Reds
48 Ken Raffensberger - Cincinnati Reds
49 Jerry Coleman - New York Yankees
50 Johnny Mize - New York Yankees
51 Andy Seminick - Philadelphia Phillies
52 Dick Sisler - Philadelphia Phillies
53 Bob Lemon - Cleveland Indians
54 Ray Boone - Cleveland Indians RC
55 Gene Hermanski - Brooklyn Dodgers
56 Ralph Branca - Brooklyn Dodgers
57 Alex Kellner - Philadelphia Athletics
58 Enos Slaughter - St. Louis Cardinals
59 Randy Gumpert - Chicago White Sox
60 Chico Carrasquel - Chicago White Sox RC
61 Jim Hearn - New York Giants
62 Lou Boudreau - Boston Red Sox
63 Bob Dillinger - Pittsburgh Pirates
64 Bill Werle - Pittsburgh Pirates
65 Mickey Vernon - Washington Senators
66 Bob Elliott - Boston Braves
67 Roy Sievers - St. Louis Browns
68 Dick Kokos - St. Louis Browns
69 Johnny Schmitz - Chicago Cubs
70 Ron Northey - Chicago Cubs
71 Jerry Priddy - Detroit Tigers
72 Lloyd Merriman - Cincinnati Reds
73 Tommy Byrne - New York Yankees RC
74 Billy Johnson - New York Yankees
75 Russ Meyer - Philadelphia Phillies RC
76 Stan Lopata - Philadelphia Phillies
77 Mike Goliat - Philadelphia Phillies
78 Early Wynn - Cleveland Indians
79 Jim Hegan - Cleveland Indians
80 Pee Wee Reese - Brooklyn Dodgers
81 Carl Furillo - Brooklyn Dodgers
82 Joe Tipton - Philadelphia Athletics
83 Carl Scheib - Philadelphia Athletics
84 Barney McCosky - Philadelphia Athletics
85 Eddie Kazak - St. Louis Cardinals
86 Harry Brecheen - St. Louis Cardinals
87 Floyd Baker - Chicago White Sox
88 Eddie Robinson - Chicago White Sox
89 Hank Thompson - New York Giants
90 Dave Koslo - New York Giants
91 Clyde Vollmer - Boston Red Sox
92 Vern Stephens - Boston Red Sox
93 Danny O'Connell - Pittsburgh Pirates RC
94 Clyde McCullough - Pittsburgh Pirates
95 Sherry Robertson - Washington Senators
96 Sandy Consuegra - Washington Senators RC
97 Bob Kuzava - Washington Senators
98 Willard Marshall - Boston Braves
99 Earl Torgeson - Boston Braves
100 Sherm Lollar - St. Louis Browns
101 Owen Friend - St. Louis Browns
102 Dutch Leonard - Chicago Cubs
103 Andy Pafko - Chicago Cubs
104 Virgil Trucks - Detroit Tigers
105 Don Kolloway - Detroit Tigers
106 Pat Mullin - Detroit Tigers
107 Johnny Wyrostek - Cincinnati Reds
108 Virgil Stallcup - Cincinnati Reds
109 Allie Reynolds - New York Yankees
110 Bobby Brown - New York Yankees
111 Curt Simmons - Philadelphia Phillies
112 Willie Jones - Philadelphia Phillies
113 Bill Nicholson - Philadelphia Phillies
114 Sam Zoldak - Philadelphia Athletics
115 Steve Gromek - Cleveland Indians
116 Bruce Edwards - Brooklyn Dodgers
117 Eddie Miksis - Brooklyn Dodgers RC
118 Preacher Roe - Brooklyn Dodgers
119 Eddie Joost - Philadelphia Athletics
120 Joe Coleman - Philadelphia Athletics
121 Jerry Staley - St. Louis Cardinals RC
122 Joe Garagiola - St. Louis Cardinals RC
123 Howie Judson - Chicago White Sox
124 Gus Niarhos - Chicago White Sox
125 Bill Rigney - New York Giants
126 Bobby Thomson - New York Giants
127 Sal Maglie - New York Giants RC
128 Ellis Kinder - Boston Red Sox
129 Matt Batts - Boston Red Sox
130 Tom Saffell - Pittsburgh Pirates RC
131 Cliff Chambers - Pittsburgh Pirates
132 Cass Michaels - Washington Senators
133 Sam Dente - Washington Senators
134 Warren Spahn - Boston Braves
135 Walker Cooper - Boston Braves
136 Ray Coleman - St. Louis Browns
137 Dick Starr - St. Louis Browns
138 Phil Cavarretta - Chicago Cubs
139 Doyle Lade - Chicago Cubs
140 Eddie Lake - Detroit Tigers
141 Fred Hutchinson - Detroit Tigers
142 Aaron Robinson - Detroit Tigers
143 Ted Kluszewski - Cincinnati Reds
144 Herm Wehmeier - Cincinnati Reds
145 Fred Sanford - New York Yankees
146 Johnny Hopp - New York Yankees
147 Ken Heintzelman - Philadelphia Phillies
148 Granny Hamner - Philadelphia Phillies
149 Bubba Church - Philadelphia Phillies RC
150 Mike Garcia - Cleveland Indians
151 Larry Doby - Cleveland Indians
152 Cal Abrams - Brooklyn Dodgers RC
153 Rex Barney - Brooklyn Dodgers
154 Pete Suder - Philadelphia Athletics
155 Lou Brissie - Cleveland Indians
156 Del Rice - St. Louis Cardinals
157 Al Brazle - St. Louis Cardinals
158 Chuck Diering - St. Louis Cardinals
159 Bud Stewart - Chicago White Sox
160 Phil Masi - Chicago White Sox
161 Wes Westrum - New York Giants RC
162 Larry Jansen - New York Giants

163 Monte Kennedy - New York Giants
164 Bill Wight - Boston Red Sox
165 Ted Williams - Boston Red Sox
166 Stan Rojek - St. Louis Cardinals
167 Murry Dickson - Pittsburgh Pirates
168 Sam Mele - Washington Senators
169 Sid Hudson - Washington Senators
170 Sibby Sisti - Boston Braves
171 Buddy Kerr - Boston Braves
172 Ned Garver - St. Louis Browns
173 Hank Arft - St. Louis Browns
174 Mickey Owen - Chicago Cubs
175 Wayne Terwilliger - Chicago Cubs
176 Vic Wertz - Detroit Tigers
177 Charlie Keller - Detroit Tigers
178 Ted Gray - Detroit Tigers
179 Danny Litwhiler - Cincinnati Reds
180 Howie Fox - Cincinnati Reds
181 Casey Stengel - New York Yankees
182 Tom Ferrick - New York Yankees RC
183 Hank Bauer - New York Yankees
184 Eddie Sawyer - Philadelphia Phillies
185 Jimmy Bloodworth - Philadelphia Phillies
186 Richie Ashburn - Philadelphia Phillies
187 Al Rosen - Cleveland Indians
188 Bobby Avila - Cleveland Indians RC
189 Erv Palica - Brooklyn Dodgers RC
190 Joe Hatten - Brooklyn Dodgers
191 Billy Hitchcock - Philadelphia Athletics RC
192 Hank Wyse - Washington Senators RC
193 Ted Wilks - St. Louis Cardinals
194 Peanuts Lowrey - St. Louis Cardinals
195 Paul Richards - Chicago White Sox
196 Bill Pierce - Chicago White Sox RC
197 Bob Cain - Detroit Tigers
198 Monte Irvin - New York Giants RC
199 Sheldon Jones - New York Giants
200 Jack Kramer - New York Yankees
201 Steve O'Neill - Boston Red Sox RC
202 Mike Guerra - Washington Senators
203 Vern Law - Pittsburgh Pirates RC
204 Vic Lombardi - Pittsburgh Pirates RC
205 Mickey Grasso - Washington Senators RC
206 Connie Marrero - Washington Senators RC
207 Billy Southworth - Boston Braves RC
208 Blix Donnelly - Boston Braves
209 Ken Wood - St. Louis Browns
210 Les Moss - Boston Red Sox
211 Hal Jeffcoat - Chicago Cubs RC
212 Bob Rush - Chicago Cubs
213 Neil Berry - Detroit Tigers
214 Bob Swift - Detroit Tigers
215 Kent Peterson - Cincinnati Reds
216 Connie Ryan - Cincinnati Reds RC
217 Joe Page - New York Yankees
218 Ed Lopat - New York Yankees
219 Gene Woodling - New York Yankees RC
220 Bob Miller - Philadelphia Phillies
221 Dick Whitman - Philadelphia Phillies RC
222 Thurman Tucker - Cleveland Indians RC
223 Johnny Vander Meer - Cleveland Indians
224 Billy Cox - Brooklyn Dodgers
225 Dan Bankhead - Brooklyn Dodgers RC
226 Jimmie Dykes - Philadelphia Athletics
227 Bobby Shantz - Philadelphia Athletics
228 Cloyd Boyer - St. Louis Cardinals RC
229 Bill Howerton - Pittsburgh Pirates
230 Max Lanier - St. Louis Cardinals
231 Luis Aloma - Chicago White Sox RC
232 Nellie Fox - Chicago White Sox RC
233 Leo Durocher - New York Giants
234 Clint Hartung - New York Giants
235 Jack Lohrke - New York Giants
236 Buddy Rosar - Boston Red Sox
237 Billy Goodman - Boston Red Sox
238 Pete Reiser - Pittsburgh Pirates
239 Bill MacDonald - Pittsburgh Pirates RC
240 Joe Haynes - Washington Senators
241 Irv Noren - Washington Senators
242 Sam Jethroe - Boston Braves
243 John Antonelli - Boston Braves
244 Cliff Fannin - St. Louis Browns
245 Johnny Berardino - St. Louis Browns RC
246 Bill Serena - Chicago Cubs
247 Bob Ramazzotti - Chicago Cubs RC
248 Johnny Klippstein - Chicago Cubs RC
249 Johnny Groth - Detroit Tigers
250 Hank Borowy - Detroit Tigers
251 Willard Ramsdell - Cincinnati Reds RC
252 Homer Howell - Cincinnati Reds RC
253 Mickey Mantle - New York Yankees RC
254 Jackie Jensen - New York Yankees RC
255 Milo Candini - Philadelphia Phillies RC
256 Ken Silvestri - Philadelphia Phillies RC
257 Birdie Tebbetts - Cleveland Indians RC
258 Luke Easter - Cleveland Indians RC
259 Chuck Dressen - Brooklyn Dodgers
260 Carl Erskine - Brooklyn Dodgers RC
261 Wally Moses - Philadelphia Athletics
262 Gus Zernial - Philadelphia Athletics
263 Howie Pollet - Pittsburgh Pirates
264 Don Richmond - St. Louis Cardinals RC
265 Steve Bilko - St. Louis Cardinals RC
266 Harry Dorish - Chicago White Sox RC
267 Ken Holcombe - Chicago White Sox RC
268 Don Mueller - New York Giants
269 Ray Noble - New York Giants RC
270 Willard Nixon - Boston Red Sox RC
271 Tom Wright - Boston Red Sox RC
272 Billy Meyer - Pittsburgh Pirates RC
273 Danny Murtaugh - Pittsburgh Pirates
274 George Metkovich - Pittsburgh Pirates RC
275 Bucky Harris - Washington Senators
276 Frank Quinn - Washington Senators RC
277 Roy Hartsfield - Boston Braves RC
278 Norman Roy - Boston Braves RC
279 Jim Delsing - St. Louis Browns RC
280 Frank Overmire - New York Yankees
281 Al Widmar - St. Louis Browns RC
282 Frankie Frisch - Chicago Cubs
283 Walt Dubiel - Chicago Cubs RC
284 Gene Bearden - Detroit Tigers
285 Johnny Lipon - Detroit Tigers RC
286 Bob Usher - Cincinnati Reds RC
287 Jim Blackburn - Cincinnati Reds
288 Bobby Adams - Cincinnati Reds
289 Cliff Mapes - New York Yankees
290 Bill Dickey CO - New York Yankees
291 Tommy Henrich CO - New York Yankees
292 Eddie Pellagrini - Philadelphia Phillies
293 Ken Johnson - Philadelphia Phillies RC
294 Jocko Thompson - Philadelphia Phillies
295 Al Lopez - Cleveland Indians RC
296 Bob Kennedy - Cleveland Indians RC
297 Dave Philley - Philadelphia Athletics
298 Joe Astroth - Philadelphia Athletics RC
299 Clyde King - Brooklyn Dodgers RC
300 Hal Rice - St. Louis Cardinals RC
301 Tommy Glaviano - St. Louis Cardinals RC
302 Jim Busby - Chicago White Sox RC
303 Marv Rotblatt - Chicago White Sox RC
304 Allen Gettel - New York Giants RC
305 Willie Mays - New York Giants RC
306 Jim Piersall - Boston Red Sox RC
307 Walt Masterson - Boston Red Sox
308 Ted Beard - Pittsburgh Pirates RC
309 Mel Queen - Pittsburgh Pirates RC
310 Erv Dusak - Pittsburgh Pirates RC
311 Mickey Harris - Washington Senators
312 Gene Mauch - Boston Braves RC
313 Ray Mueller - Boston Braves RC
314 Johnny Sain - Boston Braves
315 Zack Taylor - St. Louis Browns
316 Duane Pillette - St. Louis Browns RC
317 Smoky Burgess - Chicago Cubs RC
318 Warren Hacker - Chicago Cubs RC
319 Red Rolfe - Detroit Tigers
320 Hal White - Detroit Tigers RC
321 Earl Johnson - Detroit Tigers
322 Luke Sewell - Cincinnati Reds
323 Joe Adcock - Cincinnati Reds RC
324 Johnny Pramesa - Cincinnati Reds RC