1945 Leister Autographs Game Set and Checklist

Posted on December 7, 2016 by Pre-War Cards

‘It’s In The Details’

Title	1945 Leister Autographs Game Set
Year	1945
Size2	″2 1/2 x 3 1/2″
Images	Black and White
Type	Game Cards
Number in Set	52

1945 Leister Autographs Game Set Overview

Knute Rockne 1945 Leister Autographs 1945 Leister Autographs Game Babe Ruth This unique set appeared in 1945 as a card game. A total of 52 cards were in the set, just like a standard playing card deck. It was created by the Leister Game Company, based in Toledo, Ohio.

Each card featured a subject as well as his or her autograph. A brief biography of the subject was given (in red ink) and the bottom included a clue and cartoon image of another subject in the set (in black ink). The set included mostly non-sports subjects but several athletes were included from baseball, golf, boxing, and tennis.

Of most note to sports fans are the cards of baseball players. Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio. Boxing subjects Joe Louis and Jack Dempsey were also included, as were football cards of Red Grange, Knute Rockne, Bernie Bierman, and Tom Harmon. Golfers included Walter Hagen and Byron Nelson while tennis figures included Don Budge and Bill Tilden.

The game was distributed inside of a red and black box with the title simply known as ‘Autographs.’ The box included the replica signatures of several subjects with Babe Ruth’s one of the few that was featured. A brief description on the box noted this was ‘a card game of famous people’ and that it was for two to ten players to enjoy.

Don’t sleep on the non-sports subjects, though. Plenty of big name celebrities are found in the set and, in particular, the set contains what is sometimes referred to as the ‘rookie card’ of Frank Sinatra. That card in decent raw condition can sell for $50-$100 alone.