1941 St. Louis Cardinals Team Set (W754) and Checklist

Posted on November 16, 2016 by Pre-War Cards

‘It’s In The Details’

Title	St. Louis Cardinals
Year	1941
Size2	″2 1/4 x 2 3/4″
Images	Black and White
Type	Miscellaneous
Number in Set	30

1941 St. Louis Cardinals Team Set Overview

W754 1941 St. Louis Cardinals Enos Slaughter This is a 30-card team set for the St. Louis Cardinals that was sold at the team’s stadium. It is similar in appearance to another 1941 set for the St. Louis Browns. This one is categorized as W754 in the American Card Catalog while the Browns’ issue is W753.

The cards are basic looking with a black and white head shot of the subject with a white border. No names are on the front but they are printed on the back as well as statistical and biographical information. The cards are unnumbered. They are easily dated as a 1941 issue with statistics on the back going up to 1940.

The team had a strong season in 1941, finishing with a 97-56 record, good for second place in the National League pennant race. The set is buoyed by Hall of Famers Johnny Mize and Enos Slaughter. The card of Slaughter is particularly attractive as it is a rookie issue, even though he had been in the majors for a few years at the time the set was issued. Hall of Famer Stan Musial was also on the roster as a 20-year-old but did not join the team until later, presumably after creation of the set. In his short time there that year (12 games), he already showed incredible promise, batting .426.

While 30 cards are in the set, not that many players are featured. One card is merely a header card that reads, ‘Presenting the St. Louis Cardinals.’ Several cards of coaches and executives are also included, as is a card of manager Billy Southworth.

Branch Rickey Card

Of note is also a card of Hall of Fame executive, Branch Rickey.

Rickey, of course, was later responsible for breaking baseball’s color barrier with the signing of Jackie Robinson. Rickey previously managed the Cardinals and at the time, was the team’s business manager (essentially the general manager).

His card is one of his few contemporary issues as an executive. As a result, it is one of the more valuable cards in the entire set. Whenever it comes up for sale it typically attracts attention because he has so few cards as an executive.

In decent condition, the card starts at around $40-$50 but asking prices can be significantly higher as it is rarely seen.