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Berk
Ross was a photographer who took sports
photos in the 1940's and '50s, and who
produced two sets of baseball cards issued in
1951 and 1952. The 72 card sets were called
"Hit Parade of Champions." Ross was
believed to be the "official
photographer" for the Bowman sets
between 1948 and 1950. The 1951 and
1952 Hit Parade of Champions baseball
cards included some of the same
photography used for the Bowman cards.
One example is the 1951 Bowman Mickey
Mantle, and the 1952 Berk Ross, Hit
Parade of Champions.
A small number of photographs used to produced the cards have surfaced
into the hobby over the years. A few,
like the Jackie Robinson Berk Ross
photograph features a white facsimile
autograph, as it appears on the card. Other such photographs
to surface include; Joe
DiMaggio, Pee Wee Reese, and Duke
Snider. There is no
evidence indicating that these photos
were used in any promotion or sold in
the retail market. One possible
explanation is that they are Photostats
made, and used in the process in making
the card.
In the days before computer editing and Photoshop, the artwork for the
card would have involved producing
Photostats of the original photo
would have been placed over the
original photo (or a Photostat of the
original) and a picture with the
"signature" would be produced. Then
they would crop it to size for the card
and add the watercolor. the process is
similar to the way they do animation. A
number of these Photostat copies were
produced and some might have been
saved or, and sold as souvenirs as a
test issue.
A large 19.5" x 29.5" copy of the Jackie Robinson, Berk Ross photograph,
with the white signature was salvaged
in the 1973 renovation, of Yankee
Stadium. It was believed to have hung
in the halls of the stadium. Although
there is no evidence that the 8x10's
were sold as souvenirs, it cannot be
ruled out. The cards were also used in a
Popcorn promotion. A lawsuit involving
members of the NY Giants, Theater
Concessions Inc., a Popcorn firm, and
the Hi Lo Packing Company, who
distributed the cards in packs of gum
was settled in 1953.
The seven Giant players instituted action to recover $50,000. each on the
grounds that their pictures were used
without consent. The Supreme Court
awarded the players $20. each and ended
the distribution of the cards. The 1952
Berk Ross cards were the company's last
issue. There was also a lawsuit
involving Bowman and Topps on the
rights to use the Mickey Mantle Berk
Ross image.
Topps purchased Bowman in 1955.
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