The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

BASEBALL CARDS

AS A BOY IN NEW YORK CITY, IF OFTEN GAMBLED PART(S)
OF MY EXTENSIVE CARD COLLECTION BY MATCHING "HEADS"
AND "TAILS" WITH ANOTHER COLLECTOR BY FLIPPING THE CARD
FROM ONE'S HAND (AS ONE MIGHT THROW A SOFTBALL--
UNDERHANDEDLY) TO THE GROUND.
ONE OF MORE CARDS WOULD BE WAGERED AT A TIME. I
RECALL GAMBLING UP TO 1000 CARDS IN A MATCH; THE FIRST
PLAYER "FLIPS" DOWN 1000 CARDS, AND LET'S ASSUME THAT
THEY COME OUT 995 "HEADS" (FACE UP) AND 5 "TAILS" (FACE
DOWN). THE SECOND PLAYER MUST THEN DO EXACTLY THE SAME
WITH HIS CARDS. THERE WERE MANY TIMES THAT THE MATCHER
LOST ALL 1000 CARDS ($10 FACE VALUE) ON THE LAST FLIP.
WHEN MY FAMILY MOVED TO DETROIT, I INTRODUCED THE GAME
TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD BOYS AROUND HENRY FORD HOSPITAL
(1953).
IN 1959, I SOLD THE MAJORITY OF MY COLLECTION (CARDS
FROM 1932-1959) FOR OVER $900 (OVER 30,000 CARDS)
TO A NEW JERSEY DEALER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; NEW YORK

Date learned: 12-00-1971 ; 00-00-1953