Happy New Year from the American Oil Company

To all the readers and followers of The Design Morgue, we wish everyone a happy and a healthy New Year.

Last year at this time we took a look at one of my favorite illustrators, J.C. Leyendecker, and his New Year's babies for The Saturday Evening Post.

This year we'll take a look at Leyendecker's babies again, but this time they are pictured on ink blotters for The American Oil Company (AMOCO). Also included in this group is another favorite illustrator, Norman Rockwell.

All of these, with exception of the 1942 and 1948, are from my personal collection. I have looked for other years with Leyendecker and Rockwell, but haven't been able to locate any.

It's interesting to note that Leyendecker's work for The Saturday Evening Post came before Rockwell and here Rockwell's work appeared first.

Happy 2012!

Merry Christmas!

The Design Morgue would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Hopefully you weren't to naughty this year and you'll get everything you wished for.

This little piece of Christmas ephemera is from the Central Savings Bank in New York City. The die-cut could be used as a hanging ornament or the bottom could be folded as a stand up. It was used to promote the banks Christmas Club. I'm not sure if banks still do Christmas Clubs, but it would be nice if they still had cool Christmas stuff like this.

Happy Hanukkah - 1944 style

Happy Hanukkah to all my Jewish readers out there. The above Hanukkah greeting is post marked December 26, 1944. These postcards were apparently supplied to Jewish servicemen by the USO. It's interesting to note that this card had to pass through Army censorship as noted by the stamps on the back. 

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving piece by J.C. Leyendecker

The Design Morgue wishes everyone and their family a Happy Thanksgiving. Eat tons of turkey and watch lots of football, but most important is to spend time with your family and friends and be thankful. I for one am very thankful to be spending the day with my wife Ali and our newest edition, Zachary.

Thanksgiving piece by Norman Rockwell

Grid Iron Dance

I picked up this nice little football themed 1935 dance card on ebay recently. I was drawn to by the great clip art.  I suspect it was produced by one of the sports poster companies I covered previously. The "Kick Off!" was held at the Odd Fellows Temple in San Francisco. The building is still in use. Some great images and history of the building can be found on Up From The Deep. Music was provided by The Melody Stars. The event was hosted by the Golden West Lodge, which is also apparently still in business. 

The Greatest Thing Ever

Having worked in sports publishing and fashion for over 20 years has given me the opportunity to meet some amazing people, travel around the world as well as see and do some pretty awesome things. But nothing will be as great as seeing my son being born. Zachary joined the family on November 6th at 11:07pm. We can't wait to show Zac the world and everything it has to offer. If I never do anything else, I will still be a happy and lucky man.

1966 Birds Eye Ladies' Guide to Football

I recently got this interesting booklet on ebay. It's the 1966 Birds Eye Ladies' Guide to Football. It was written by Pat Kiely and produced by National Football League Properties. The booklet was free with the purchase of any two Birds Eye vegetables.

Pat Kiely was one of the first women to do broadcast television in Pittsburgh. She also wrote "Football - the family affair," which was published by Life Magazine. Kiely knew football well because she was the wife of Ed Kiely, who worked in the Pittsburgh Steelers' public relations department from 1950 to 1989.

To booklet has a 1960's Pop Art, almost School House Rock, look to it.

I really like the NFL uniforms on the following pages.

The important game day recipes

The game day attire has really changed over the years.

It's always interesting to see how certain NFL collectibles were issued back in the day.

Until seeing this logo on the back cover, I never realized the NFL had Selected Official Training Table Vegetables. 

Wonder what ever became of Mike Perkins?

RIP Steve Jobs 1955-2011

Thanks for making life a little more enjoyable.

RIP Peter Gent 1942-2011

Former Dallas Cowboy and author, Peter Gent, passed away Friday.

While Gent enjoys four years with the Dallas Cowboy, he will be remembered most for writing North Dallas Forty. The book which was published in 1973 is regarded as one of the best sports novels ever written. In 1979 the book was turned into a motion picture starring Nick Nolte.

Before joining the Cowboys in 1964, Gent was a standout basketball player at Michigan State University. While there he lead the team in scoring three years in a row. His hoops talent didn't go unnoticed as he was drafted by the Baltimore Bullets in the 14th round of the 1964 NBA draft.

Rather than playing on the hardwood, Gent decided to try out for the Cowboys in '64. He ended up making the team as a receiver and tight end. In his 5 seasons with the Cowboys, Gent appeared in 48 games. He had 68 receptions and 4 touchdowns. In 1969 he was traded to the New York Giants but never played with them.

Vintage Draper & Maynard Die Cut Counter Displays

These incredible die cut counter display pieces were auctioned off in May 2011 by Robert Edwards, one of the premier sports collectibles auction houses.

They all come from the New Hampshire sporting goods manufacturer, Draper-Maynard. Jason Draper and John Maynard began producing baseball gloves in 1881. It's said that D&M was the first company to produce gloves for specific fielding positions.

Around 1900 D&M introduced what is probably their most famous trademark, the "Lucky Dog." The image was actually Maynard's bird dog, Nick.

The first group of five is circa 1913

Walter Johnson

"Shoeless" Joe Jackson

Bob Bescher

"Big Ed" Konetchy

Henie Zimmerman

The next lot of four is from 1930. 

Pat Collins

Lew Fonseca

Hugh Critz

Al Simmons

The company closed in 1937 after Maynard's death. That same year, Goldsmith and Sons purchased the rights to produce sporting goods with the Draper-Maynard name and the "Lucky Dog" mark. This went on until 1962 when they merged with McGregor Sporting Goods.

The name Draper-Maynard is still around today. However, it's more of a novelty thing than an actual sporting goods company. The company bearing it's name only offers t-shirts on their website which can be found here.

Nick, the "Lucky Dog"

Vintage Hans Christian Andersen Die Cuts

I came across these great Hans Christian Andersen die cuts several years ago while shopping in a tiny vintage bookstore in Copenhagen, Denmark. I can only assume they were counter displays used to advertise his fairy tales. Other than the type on the front there is no other text on them. All of the backs are blank, but do have fold outs like easels. All of the titles are in Danish.

The Tinderbox 1835

The Swineherd 1841

The Sheepherdess and the Chimney Sweep 1845

Jack the Dullard 1855

During his lifetime (1805-1875), H.C. Andersen wrote almost 200 fairy tales. Even today, some 136 years after his death, he is still one of the most widely read authors.

Happy Independence Day

The Design Morgue wishes everyone a Happy Independence Day. 

1949 Brooklyn Dodgers team photo showing satin uniforms

A little while back I wrote to my friend Paul at Uni Watch and mentioned that I was surprised I've never seen a team photo showing the teams that experimented with wearing satin uniforms back in the 1940s. 

That changed last week when I came across this auction on ebay. It shows the 1949 Brooklyn Dodgers wearing their satin uniforms. I found it really interesting that even the ball boy one the front row was issued a set of satins.

RIP Harmon Killebrew (1936-2011)

Harmon Killebrew, one of baseball's greatest power hitters, has passed away today at age 74.

Harmon Clayton Killebrew (b. June 29, 1936 in Payette, Idaho) was famous for his ability to hit home runs. Killebrew was an All-State quarterback in high school when Washington Senators’ scout Ossie Bluege saw him playing in an impromptu baseball game. After seeing Killebrew’s raw power, Bluege reported back to the Senators who immediately signed him up to a $30,000 contract. Because of his large bonus, Killebrew was a bonus baby.

Because of the Bonus Rule, he was immediately added to the big league roster in 1954 at the age of 18. He played only small parts for five seasons before finally making it into the lineup regularly in 1959, hitting 42 homers. The Senators moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota to become the Minnesota Twins in 1961.

Killebrew was a stocky 5 ft 11 in, 210 pounds (95 kg) hitter with a short, violent swing that generated tremendous power. Nicknamed “Killer” for his home run hitting ability, Killebrew became one of the American League’s most feared power hitter of the 1960s, belting 40 homers in a season eight times. In 1965 he helped the Twins reach the World Series where they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Killebrew had his finest season in 1969, hitting 49 home runs, driving in 140 RBI, and winning the MVP Award. Killebrew led the league in home runs six times, in RBI three times, and was named to eleven All Star teams.

Despite his “Killer” nickname and his powerful style of play, Killebrew was in fact a quiet, kind man who was not much given to the partying lifestyle enjoyed by his peers. Asked once what he liked to do for fun, Killebrew replied, “Well, I like to wash dishes, I guess.”

Injuries reduced his effectiveness in the early 1970s, and after a one-year stint with the Kansas City Royals he chose to retire. Killebrew hit 573 home runs in his career (eighth best all time, as of 2005) and drove in 1,584 runs. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984; the first Minnesota Twin to be so honored. He is, by a wide margin, the all time homerun leader for players born in the state of Idaho.

Following his retirement, Killebrew became a successful entrepreneur in insurance, financial planning, and car sales. In 1990 he retired from business to pursue endorsement and charity work, especially in the fields of preventive and palliative health care charities and causes.

1955 Topps Rookie Card

1959 Home Run Derby

1961 Peter's Meats