One of the more interesting issues of the era, the Batter-Up set was a 192-card set produced by the National Chicle company, comprised of blank-backed photographs cards that were die cut so that young collectors could fold the top of the card down so that it could stand up on its own, revealing only the figure of the player portrayed on the card. The set was issued in two series, the high-numbered cards measuring about a quarter-inch shorter than the first series. The cards were also issued black and white or a variety of color tints, and the set is loaded with Hall of Famers. Due to the die cuts and the way the cards were meant to be used, they are difficult to find in high grade.
Presented here is a complete run of the first series of Batter-Up cards. Entirely graded by SGC, this is an attractive collector-grade set, but with eye appeal typically stronger than the assigned grade. It is important to note that when assessing the condition of this set, grading companies factor in the die cuts, and whether the perforations have been broken, and the resultant creasing from folding the card down. If they have, the card is almost guaranteed to fall at the bottom of the grading scale. However, in many cases that is the primary technical flaw of a card, and with few exceptions (noted in the condition breakdown), these cards present very well.
A condition breakdown is as follows: SGC VG/EX 4 (8 cards): #13, #38, #46, #48, #49, #59, #67, #69. SGC VG 3 (9 cards): #14 Traynor, #16 Hafey, #19, #21 Vaughan, #37 Maranville, #41, #55, #60, #70 (creasing). SGC GOOD+ 2.5 (3 cards): #15 (creasing), #20, #26. SGC GOOD 2 (14 cards): #3 Lopez, #5 Hubbell, #9, #10 Ferrell (vertical creasing), #12 (heavier creasing), #27 Ott (some staining), #30 Dickey (tape remnant on reverse), #33 Frisch, #40, #44, #52, #71, #72, #79. SGC FAIR 1.5 (23 cards): #1, #6 Terry, #7, #8 Bottomley, #22, #23 Gomez (staining on reverse), #24 Averill (stamp on back), #25 Cochrane, #28 Foxx, #31 Grove, #35 Hornsby, #39, #43, #45 Lazzeri (tape on reverse), #68 (tape on reverse), #50 (heavy creasing), #51, #56, #74, #75, #77 Manush, #78). SGC POOR 1 (10 cards): #2, #18, #32 Cronin (heavy creasing), #53 (tape on back), #58 (tape on back), #61, #64 Dean (tape on back), #65 (tape on back), #66 (tape on back), #73 Wilson (heavy creasing). SGC A (12 cards): #4, #11, #29, #34 Simmons, #36 Lyons, #42 Gehringer, #47, #54, #57 Greenberg (tape on back), #63, #76, #80. 80 cards total.