The 1980’s and 90’s gave us several trading card sets which were manufactured by obscure companies. This 1992 box set featuring the 1919 Chicago “Black Sox” is one of them.
This set was created by TNTL Studios out of Toms River New Jersey, and features 25 black and white cards and one additional color card of Shoeless Joe Jackson. The cards measure approximately 2” x 3” and were sold as a complete box set. They are unnumbered and most of them are blank backed, however the eight players who were part of the scandal received special treatment. Those eight cards have a thin black border on the front and a brief player write up on the back.
As I looked into these cards I had several questions.
Shoeless Joe Jackson had two cards, one black and white and one with a color background and border.
First, what the heck is TNTL Studios? Well, I have no idea. I couldn’t find any other cards or references to the company.
Second, many of the references to this set refer to it as the “1992 Manning” Black Sox set, but I the name is nowhere to be found on the packaging. It turns out a dealer named Greg Manning was the mastermind behind this box set and despite not being named on the packaging, was still associated with the set description according to the Sabrbaseballcards blog. Uncut sheets of cards which are similar, but not exactly like these, can be found on eBay with “The Greg Manning Company Inc” printed on the back.
Finally, the box says it was a reprint set, but what set is it a reprint of? Apparently, in 1917 the White Sox had a team issued box set printed by Davis Printing Works in Chicago. That was the inspiration for this 1992 version.
The sets came in 48 count boxes, and full boxes can be found for around $70. Individual sets sell for about $5 or $6.
The Danforth is a standard borderless, black back, and the others show what the cards look like for the players involved in the scandal.
Checklist:
Joe Benz
Eddie Cicotte
Eddie Collins
Shane Collins
Charles Comiskey
Dave Danforth
Red Faber
Happy Felsch
Chick Gandil
Kid Gleason
Joe Jackson (Color)
Joe Jackson (B&W)
Joe Jenkins
Ted Jourdan
Nemo Leibold
Brad Lynn
Fred McMullen
Eddie Murphy
Swede Risberg
Pants Rowland
Reb Russell
Ray Schalk
James Scott
Buck Weaver
Lefty Williams
Mellie Wolfgang