Pre-War Cards

‘It’s In The Details’

Title	Churchman Men of the Moment in Sport
Year	1928 and 1929
Size	1 1/2″ x 2 5/8″ (small) / 2″ x 3″ (large)
Images	Color
Type	Tobacco
Number in Set	50 (small) / 12 (large)

1928 & 1929 Churchman Men of the Moment in Sport Overview

These UK set were distributed by the Imperial Tobacco Company for their Churchman brand tobacco products. Two 1928 sets (a small and large one) were printed and a large 1929 issue followed.

The smaller 1928 cards feature a total of 50 athletes in a variety of sports, such as boxing, golf, and tennis. Fronts include colorful cartoon images of athletes, often with oversized heads. The backs include a biography of the athlete. An artist signature of ‘Mel’ accompanies each picture.

The set is littered with big names that many American collectors will recognize, including boxers Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney. Hall of Fame golfers Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, and Bobby Jones are in the set, too, as are tennis greats Bill Tilden and Rene Lacoste.

As was the case with the 1928 Churchman Lawn Tennis set produced in the same year as this one, Churchman created a larger set that is significantly rarer. That issue, however, is not an exact parallel as it includes only 12 cards as opposed to this one that has 50.

Finally, in 1929, Churchman distributed a second series to the larger 1928 issue. That one again included 12 cards featuring additional players from the small 1928 set that were not in the large 1928 series.

Confused? In all, there are three Men of the Moment sets:

• 1928 Churchman (smaller cards, set of 50)
• 1928 Churchman (larger cards, set of 12)
• 1929 Churchman (larger cards, set of 12)

1928 & 1929 Churchman Men of the Moment in Sport Checklists

1928 – Small Set of 50

1. Lord Burghley
2. J.E. London
3. D. G. A. Lowe
4. Paavo Nurmi
5. W. Ritola
6. G.C. Weightman Smith
7. J.F. Devlin
8. Sir George Thomas
9. Joe Davis
10. Melbourne Inman
11. Tom Newman
12. Willie Smith
13. Jack Dempsey
14. Tom Heeney
15. Harry Preston
16. Gene Tunney
17. A. P. F. Chapman
18. P. G. H. Fender
19. W.R. Hammond
20. J.B. Hobbs
21. D.R. Jardine
22. A. Sandham
23. H. Sutcliffe
24. Archie Compston
25. George Duncan
26. Walter Hagen
27. Bobby Jones
28. Jose Jurado
29. Abe Mitchell
30. T.P. Perkins
31. Gene Sarazen
32. C. J. H. Tolley
33. Roger Wethered
34. T.W. Mansergh
35. H.W. Austin
36. J. Borotra
37. Henri Cochet
38. E. Higgs
39. Karel Kozeluh
40. Rene Lacoste
41. G.L. Patterson
42. P. D. B. Spence
43. Bill Tilden
44. H.A. Barry
45. R. Cove-Smith
46. W. J. A. Davies
47. D. Drysdale
48. G.V. Stephenson
49. W.W. Wakefield
50. A.T. Young

1928 – Large Set of 12

1. Lord Burghley
2. G.C. Weightman Smith
3. Sir George Thomas
4. Joe Davis
5. Gene Tunney
6. A P. F. Chapman
7. Bobby Jones
8. Abe Mitchell
9. T.W. Mansergh
10. H.W. Austin
11. J. Borotra
12. W. J. A. Davies

1929 – Large Set of 12

1. D. G. A. Lowe
2. J.F. Devlin
3. Willie Smith
4. Harry Preston
5. J.B. Hobbs
6. H. Sutcliffe
7. Walter Hagen
8. Roger Wethered
9. Karel Kozeluh
10. P. D. B. Spence
11. H.A. Barry
12. D. Drysdale

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