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This Little Pinkies "The Ball
Player" button was part of a 20 pin set
given away by the American Pepsin Gum
Company. Some buttons* were also issued
by Old Gold Cigarettes.
The Little Pinkies series includes: Boy
Orator, Greenie, Just Landed*, The
Actor, The Ball Player, The bad Boy,
The Boot Black Shine, The Clown*, The
Colonel, The Drum Major*, The Dude, The
Dunce, The Fireman, The Letter
Carrier*, The News Boy Extra, The
Policeman*, The Sailor, The Soldier,
and Uncle Sam.
Produced by Whitehead & Hoag Co., the
pin back buttons measure 7/8" in
diameter. The opened back button has a
paper insert that reads; "The,
Whitehead & Hoag Co., Newark, N.J.,
Patented, July 17, 1894, April 14,
1896, July 21, 1896." The rim has a
patent date July 1896. The front of the
button features a "Little Pinkies"
character wearing a baseball cap, and
holding a 19th century style ring bat
across his shoulder. To the right
reads; "The Ball Player."
Thought to be inspired by Palmer Cox's Brownies, the Little Pinkies start
to surface around 1896 primarily used
for promotional pinback buttons, most
notably for the American Pepsin Gum
Company. The Little Pinkies comic
buttons were building off the
popularity and merchandising success of
Palmer Cox's Brownies, which were
exclusively licensed.
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