I was recently checking out the current Lelands Winter Classic auction and came across the above 1958 Packard-Bell poster advertising "pictures" of three Dodger players. (Auction Link) Featured are skipper Walter Alston, beloved player and future coach Jim Gilliam and should-be Hall-of-Famer Gil Hodges.
As you know, 1958 was an important year for the club. It marked the franchise's first season in Los Angeles, and as you can imagine it fueled plenty of interest throughout the Southland. West coast baseball fans without a Major League hometeam to root for came out of the woodwork, so businesses were eager to latch their name/product to the team. The poster featured above is an example of one those early efforts.
Since this poster came to my attention I figured it would be a good time to checklist this scarce regional set on this blog. The 1958 Packard-Bell set featured a total of seven postcard-sized picture cards, and doesn't include only Dodger players. There are also four Giants' available in the set. Below is a complete checklist.
- Walter Alston
- Johnny Antonelli
- Jim Gilliam
- Gil Hodges
- Willie Mays
- Bill Rigney
- Hank Sauer
Each card includes a schedule of the 1958 season, and a nice "pitch" by the player on the reverse. Walter Alston's card says:
Packard-Bell PORTA-BELL TV is the greatest! Gives you big-league performance in a lightweight, indestructible Fiber Glass cabinet that can really take it!As for values, the Willie Mays is obviously the most sought-after card and routinely sells for over $1,000. The three Dodger cards can be found for about $100, depending on condition. Check out pics of all three Dodgers available in the set below:
Walter Alston
Jim Gilliam
Gil Hodges
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