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Defunct

Gum, Inc.

Gum, Inc. produced the Play Ball baseball sets of 1939, 1940 and 1941, the last major pre-war baseball issues.

1933–1941 United States Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Sports cardsBaseball
Image gallery (6) Pre-grade a card
1939 Play Ball #113 Al Schacht "Clown Prince" GD Baseball Card
1939 Play Ball #113 Al Schacht "Clown Prince" GD Baseball Card

Gum, Inc. at a glance

Gum, Inc. produced the Play Ball baseball sets of 1939, 1940 and 1941, the last major pre-war baseball issues.

Full history, sources and grading notes below. Last verified · Published · Confidence: Medium

Company history

The Play Ball sets[1][2]

Gum, Inc. entered baseball cards with the 1939 Play Ball set. The cards used photographic portraits and a simple statistical back, and the 1940 and 1941 sets continued the format. The 1941 set is especially scarce in high grade because production was cut short by the war.

Wartime end[2][3]

Wartime paper and production restrictions ended Gum, Inc.’s card line after 1941. The Play Ball sets remained a bridge between the 1930s gum-card era and the post-war Topps and Bowman boom, and they are still collected as the last of the pre-war baseball issues.

Timeline

Dated milestones with a source for each event. Hover a marker for the short label; the list below carries the detail.

Gum, Inc. timeline
Gum, Inc. timelineDated milestones in the history of Gum, Inc..1939: First Play BallFirst Play Ball19391940: Second Play BallSecond Play Ball19401941: Final Play BallFinal Play Ball19411941: Card production endsCard production ends1941
View timeline events
YearEventDetail
1939First Play BallGum, Inc. issues the first Play Ball baseball set.
1940Second Play BallThe 1940 set continues the photographic portrait format.
1941Final Play BallThe 1941 set is cut short by wartime restrictions.
1941Card production endsGum, Inc. leaves the card market.
  1. 1939
    First Play Ball[1]

    Gum, Inc. issues the first Play Ball baseball set.

  2. 1940
    Second Play Ball[2]

    The 1940 set continues the photographic portrait format.

  3. 1941
    Final Play Ball[2]

    The 1941 set is cut short by wartime restrictions.

  4. 1941
    Card production ends[1]

    Gum, Inc. leaves the card market.

Brand identity

Image archive

Local, provenance-recorded images. Captions and source credits are part of the record; a missing section is shown as an explicit gap rather than filled with a placeholder.

Card fronts & backs

Open the full gallery →
1939 Play Ball #113 Al Schacht "Clown Prince" GD Baseball Card
Card fronts · 19391939 Play Ball #113 Al Schacht "Clown Prince" GD Baseball CardeBay listing image
1939 Play Ball Playball Baseball Card #73 Harold Hal Schumacher NY Giants VG-EX
Card fronts · 19391939 Play Ball Playball Baseball Card #73 Harold Hal Schumacher NY Giants VG-EXeBay listing image
1939 Play Ball—America #76 Goody Rosen Brooklyn Dodgers Baseball Card Base Set — reverse.
Card backs · 19391939 Play Ball—America #76 Goody Rosen Brooklyn Dodgers Baseball Card Base Set — reverse.eBay listing image
1939 Play Ball—America #76 Goody Rosen Brooklyn Dodgers Baseball Card Base Set — reverse.
Card backs · 19391939 Play Ball—America #76 Goody Rosen Brooklyn Dodgers Baseball Card Base Set — reverse.eBay listing image
1939 Play Ball—America #76 Goody Rosen Brooklyn Dodgers Baseball Card Base Set
Card fronts · 19391939 Play Ball—America #76 Goody Rosen Brooklyn Dodgers Baseball Card Base SeteBay listing image

Notable sets

Notable sets
YearSetWhy it mattersSource
19391939 Play BallThe first Play Ball set and a clean photographic design.[2]
19411941 Play BallThe scarce final pre-war Play Ball issue.[2]

Grading notes

How this manufacturer's stock, cutting and production method affect the four grading pillars.

Paper stock[2]

Play Ball cards use thin, brittle paper stock. Creases and edge tears are common and heavily penalised.

Centring[1]

The simple borders make centring easy to judge; off-centre examples are common.

How to identify Gum, Inc. cards

1939-1941[1]

The Play Ball name and Gum, Inc. copyright appear on the back; the photographic portrait style is distinctive.

1941[1]

The 1941 set has a smaller checklist and is much scarcer in high grade.

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Frequently asked questions

When did Gum, Inc. start making cards?

Gum, Inc. began issuing cards in 1939.

Who owns Gum, Inc. now?

Gum, Inc. is defunct; its brand assets have changed hands over time.

What is Gum, Inc. known for?

Gum, Inc. produced the Play Ball baseball sets of 1939, 1940 and 1941, the last major pre-war baseball issues.

Sources & methodology

Every factual claim in the profile is tied to the numbered sources below. Translated sources are tagged with their original language. Media provenance is recorded per image; images are stored locally and credited to their source.

  1. Cardboard Connection: Play Ball (accessed 2026-11-07 · EN)
  2. PSA CardFacts: 1939 Play Ball (accessed 2026-11-07 · EN)
  3. Wikipedia: Gum, Inc. (accessed 2026-11-07 · EN)

Unverified or incomplete

  • Text-first draft; media, design evolution and people/place sections are pending.

Cite this profile

PreGradeCards Research. “Gum, Inc..” Card Manufacturers Directory. Last verified 2026-11-07. https://pregradecards.com/manufacturers/gum-inc

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