1920s Babe Ruth Home Run Candy Club Membership Card

Posted on September 10, 2016 by Pre-War Cards

‘It’s In The Details’

Title	Babe Ruth Home Run Candy Club Membership Card
Year	1920s
Size	2 1/2″ x 3 1/2″
Images	Black and White
Type	Candy/Gum
Number in Set	1

1920s Babe Ruth Home Run Candy Club Membership Card Overview

The Babe Ruth Home Run Candy Club Membership Cards provide a nice look back into the 1920s and the popularity of the Yankees star. Ruth began a candy company and, later, a club.

Members in the club would receive one of these cards featuring Ruth’s likeness. The ‘card’ was actually a foldout with a few different features and not a typical membership card as we know them today.

The front cover had a picture of Ruth and stated it was a membership card for the Babe Ruth Home Run Candy Club. The inside featured a certificate that stated the following:

“This is to certify that _______________ is a member in good standing & has complied with all rules & regulations of the organization, and is entitled to all benefits & good fellowship derived therefrom.”

The person’s name was typewritten where the blank line appears. Beneath the statement was a replica Babe Ruth autograph.

Ten Rules

Finally, the backs of the cards included a list of ten rules centered around sportsmanship and fair play that were to be obeyed:

Don’t give up or alibi
Don’t take advantage of your opponents
Don’t ask your opponents for anything that you won’t give yourself
Don’t be afraid to give your opponents an even break
Don’t brag about your powers or (sic) critisize your (sic) opponents weaknesses
Don’t be a sore loser
Don’t think of individual honors but of your team
Don’t be boastful after you win
Don’t lay down on your team or anyone else, remember your reputation and your team
Don’t be afraid to play the game hard and fair, because when you lose this way you are satisfied that you did your best, so you win

An example of the card was featured on Antiques Roadshow in 2013 where it was claimed that only four copies were known to exist at that time.

Baseball League

One of the goals of the candy club was unique. Today, we only know about this based on a letter that was distributed to members.

The club sought to find boys from all over the country to join and, ultimately, they hoped to establish actual baseball leagues in different cities.

At the time, baseball leagues were a popular sort of thing as the sport continued to emerge. In the late 1930s, Kellogg’s actually created a version of them through a promotion established with player Lew Fonseca and other players around the country.

By all indications, Ruth Home Run Candy Club leagues either didn’t happen or they weren’t wildly successful. But in 1951, a Babe Ruth League was eventually established three years after his death.