Last week, I was able to finally finish off another Dodgers Union Oil Player Portrait set. This time I was able to complete the 1962 Union Oil Dodgers Player Portraits set, and I have scanned it in its entirety in order to share. Earlier in the year, I snagged a 1969 Union Oil set for a bargain of a price. This time, I had to build this set from several large lots I was able to find on eBay.
As you know, these portraits feature drawings by noted artist Nicholas Volpe. The 1962 set consist of 24 different sheets, and measure 8 1/2" x 11". I am not entirely sure if these were given out by select Union Oil gas stations or were a giveaway at games at Dodger Stadium. My trusted standard catalog doesn't provide any clues about that, but it does mention that it has been reported that as many as 200,000 copies of each portrait was produced. I know that sounds like a lot, but considering the passage of time it's likely a vast majority of them are long gone. Still, it's a gorgeous set that tends to command a premium when in great condition.
Check out the entire set below. Click on any pic to embiggen.
BTW, I've got only the 1964 set remaining to complete, and I only need 3 more sheets - Willie Davis, Joe Moeller and Lee Walls.
Larry Burright
Doug Camilli
Andy Carey
Tommy Davis
Willie Davis
Don Drysdale
Ron Fairly
Jim Gilliam
Tim Harkness
Frank Howard
Sandy Koufax
Joe Moeller
Wally Moon
Ron Perranoski
Johnny Podres
Ed Roebuck
John Roseboro
Larry Sherry
Norm Sherry
Duke Snider
Daryl Spencer
Lee Walls
Stan Williams
Maury Wills
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I've got Willie Davis, Joe Moeller and Lee Walls Volpe's, along with a bunch of others. I also have Vin Scully 45's talking with that era of dodgers. My dad worked for Union Oil and was in charge of the gas station at Dodger Stadium. If you're interested let me know. Tom Daniels
ReplyDeleteThese portraits(1 per week) were given out weekly at the Union 76 gas stations. I rode my bike to the gas station every week to pick mine up-all 24. What is a good asking price for the set?
ReplyDeleteTo the article author: Did you ever complete the 1964 set? I have three copies of the 1964 Willie Davis.
ReplyDeleteI have the complete 1962 set in pristine condition. I also have several from 1964 (Koufax, Gilliam, Drysdale, Podres, Miller and both T. and W. Davis. I also have several years of Dodger pins that 76 gave away. Great memories.
ReplyDeleteThese were definitely given out at Union 76 stations, not at the stadium although Dodger radio broadcasts contained many plugs.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great collection, thanks for sharing it here. I collected about half of that set as a kid, and still have a few of them (I traded the others for baseball cards). By the way, I also used to have a number of Bell Brand Potato Chips baseball cards of the 1962 Dodgers (but unfortunately, I traded all of them away for other baseball cards).
ReplyDeleteI have a Stan Williams is it worth something
ReplyDelete