Baseball Advertising

Rare Vintage Advertising – 1950s Leo Durocher Sugar Crisp Cereal Store Display

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Leo Durocher managed the Giants to a World Series title and pitched sugary cereal to kids! Mastro offered this one in their November 2001 catalog.

Here’s the full item description from the catalog:

In the early 1950’s, Leo Durocher managed the New York Giants to two pennants and a World Championship. During those exciting years, the feisty and popular Durocher endorsed a variety of products, and Madison Avenue saw fit to use his image on this store display advertisement for the Sugar Crisp Cereal Baseball Facts and Fun Book. The offered display ad shows a beaming Leo the Lip with his Giants cap on, encouraging youngsters to eat Sugar Crisp. The display is printed on sturdy advertising stock cardboard and is in Near Mint to Mint condition with the exception of some very light creasing to each of the four corners. The sign has never been used and is quite rare, especially in this exceptional condition. In retrospect, all that sugar may help to explain the many tantrums for which Durocher was so well known. An attractive and very colorful 1950’s advertising sign featuring one of the game’s most memorable managers. Measures an impressive 23” x 28”

Minimum Bid $300

In September 2004, Heritage sold a copy of this display for $489.95 but noted it measured 20″ x 31″ at its greatest dimensions and dated it to 1954.

In the Fall of 2024, REA sold a framed copy for $330, approximating its release to 1955.

You can pick up copies of the Post Sugar Crisp Baseball Facts and Fun Book for ~$45 on eBay, where most copies are dated to 1954.

Happy collecting!

A 1950s Stan Musial Rawlings Die-Cut Advertising Sign

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I’ve shared plenty of vintage advertising signs before, but I think Stan Musial deserves more focus since he had fewer major card releases than his peers. Here’s a great Rawlings die-cut sign from the mid-1950s.

This one was offered in Ron Oser Entperises April 2001 catalog with the following description:

A circa 1955 Rawlings 17″ x 26″ cardboard sign which features a full body photo of Musial with fan-filled stands in the background, facsimile “Stan the Man” signature below. The oddly-shaped sign would fit together to form a store stand-up display. The lower right corner of the display has a few creases, otherwise, the body of the display is very clean. This Musial die-cut ad piece is incredible looking and if you have the glove or just happen to like the Cardinals or advertising pieces, this one will thrill you. Nicely framed to 21 x 28 inches. Minimum Bid $400

Heritage sold the similarly designed Musial Pro Leaguer Advertising Sign in October 2022 for $288, which they described as follows.

1950’s Rawlings Stan Musial Pro Leaguer Advertising Sign. Fine image of “Stan the Man” dominates this heavy cardboard advertising sign measuring approximately 18×16″ at its tallest and widest dimensions. Considerable water damage is apparent, and bat has been restored. We believe this is only part of the full display. Easel on back is missing.

Happy collecting!

Bob Feller Now Pitching For Popsicle Advertising Sign

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I’ve shared a Bob Feller Popsicle and Dreamsicle advertising signs before, but this version is the rarest of them all!

Mastro offered this one for sale in their August 2002 Sports & Americana Premier Catalog Auction. They described the piece as a 7” x 20” store display with a light center fold in NR/MT condition.

They said it was from 1947, but Feller and the Indians won the 1948 World Series, and the ad says World Champion on the left.

The rarity is undeniable; I’ve only found one other example on Paul Lukas’ Flickr page.

1950’s Wonder Bread Advertising Sign With Mickey Mantle and Stan Musial

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Here’s an early to mid-1950s Wonder Bread Cardboard advertising sign that features black and white portraits of Mickey Mantle and Stan Musial.

Mastro offered it in their July 1998 catalog and described the multicolored, blank-backed counter sign as 10-1/2” x 14-3/4” in Ex to Mt condition but with minor restorations. They also implied the Stan Musial fountain pen signature was authentic. The minimum bid was $1k.

The Mantle looks a little like the 1957 Jay Publishing New York Yankees Picture Portfolio “card,” but a touch wider.

The Musial looks a lot like one of Musial’s 1958 Jay Publishing “cards” (All-Stars Set A, All-Stars Set B, St. Louis Cardinals Set A, and St. Louis Cardinals Set B).