1924 Tobacco Products Corporation of Canada Sports Champions Set and Checklist (C140)

‘It’s In The Details’

Title Tobacco Products Corporation of Canada Sports Champions (C140)
Year 1924
Size 1 3/8″ x 2 5/8″
Images Black and White
Type Canadian
Number in Set
45

1924 Tobacco Products Corporation of Canada Sports Champions Overview

Tobacco Products Corporation of Canada Champions BasketballThis rare set features athletes in a variety of sports. In all, a total of 45 cards were printed in the set featuring Canadian sports figures.

The cards were printed in Canada and have a ‘C-Card’ designation in the American Card Catalog. Most collectors do not know much about this issue that was only categorized as ‘Canada Sports Champions’ in the book.

It is impossible not to see the similarities between this set and other Canadian issues produced around the same time. In addition to sets that featured solely hockey cards, two multi-sport sets immediately come to mind when in comparison with this issue – the 1925 Dominion Chocolates set (V31) and the 1924 Willard Chocolates set (V122). Those sets, of course, were candy issues, however, while this one is a tobacco release. Still, as black and white multi-sport sets produced within a year of this one, they are strikingly similar.

Among the various sports were cards Canadian basketball and football players with boxing, tennis, wrestling, and golf, also represented in the set. The fronts included a simple black and white design with the picture of an athlete as well as his or her name. As these were Canadian athletes, most of the names will not be recognizable to American collectors.

Canadian football legend Pep Leadley is one of the more desirable cards. Additionally, the card of Bobbie Rosenfeld is significant not because she was one of Canada’s best athletes of all time but because she is featured as a basketball player. Pre-war basketball issues featuring real players are not too easy to come by.

The cards appear to have been issued, in part, as a partnership with Wright and Ditson, a sports equipment source. Backs of the cards included an ad for their equipment, stating that each card had a value of two cents, good towards the purchase of their products. While baseball players are not included in the set, it can be seen as somewhat of a baseball issue as the equipment offered on the backs is mostly from that sport. Equipment offered included baseball bats, balls, gloves, and catcher’s chest protectors, in addition to things such as tennis balls and golf balls.

1924 Tobacco Products Corporation of Canada Sports Champions Checklist

The cards were not numbered so are presented here in alphabetical order.

  1. Cyril Coaffee
  2. Laurie Cohen
  3. Willard Crocker (tennis)
  4. Vic Foley (boxing)
  5. Philip Granville
  6. Alice Hardy
  7. Harry Henning (boxing)
  8. Jean Kirkpatrick
  9. Pep Leadley (football)
  10. R. Leutwyler
  11. Captain Arthur Maranda
  12. E.J. Matheson (wrestling)
  13. T.P. McKay
  14. Roy Nurse
  15. Jack Reddick (boxing)
  16. Gladys Robinson
  17. Bobbie Rosenfeld (basketball)
  18. R. Smyth
  19. Toronto Relay Team
  20. J. Trifunov (wrestling)
  21. T.R. Walker
  22. Albert Webb
  23. George Young
  24. TBD
  25. TBD
  26. TBD
  27. TBD
  28. TBD
  29. TBD
  30. TBD
  31. TBD
  32. TBD
  33. TBD
  34. TBD
  35. TBD
  36. TBD
  37. TBD
  38. TBD
  39. TBD
  40. TBD
  41. TBD
  42. TBD
  43. TBD
  44. TBD
  45. TBD

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