ABOUT 1950 BREAD FOR HEALTH
General Information
In my opinion, this is easily the most underrated set in the vintage basketball hobby. It is the first true NBA set and extremely rare. Given its size and variety of teams represented, it should be considered the fourth true vintage basketball set (the others three being 1948 Bowman, 1957 Topps and 1961 Fleer).
There are 32 cards in the set from twelve different NBA teams. It is the first true NBA set as it came out after the Basketball Association of America merged with the National Basketball League on August 3, 1949.
These are square, die-cut labels that functioned as seals on bread wrappers on the end of each National Baking Company bread loaf. Only issued during basketball season in limited regions, these cards are VERY thin and fragile.
They were issued during basketball season and only in limited regions. While all the bakeries who issued this set are unknown, they were distributed by Fisher's Bread (NY/NJ/PA region) or NBC Bread (Michigan region).
Hall of Famers In the Set
The set includes 9 Naismith Hall of Fame players:
- Al Cervi*
- Bob Davies
- Joe Fulks
- Harry Gallatin
- Buddy Jeannette (misspelled Jeanette)
- George Mikan
- Andy Phillip
- Arnie Risen
- Dolph Schayes
*Al Cervi's only card
Only Available In This Set
The set includes 11 players that do not have any other card:
- Ralph Beard
- Vince Boryla
- Al Cervi (HOFer)
- Dike Eddleman (misspelled Eddelman)
- Alex Groza*
- Paul Hoffman**
- Tony Lavelli
- Ron Livingstone
- Fred Scolari
- Brady Walker
*Groza is football HOFer Lou Groza's brother
**Also available in the rare 1953-54 Gunther Beer set
Bread For Health Checklist By Teams
Baltimore Bullets
Walt Budko
Paul Hoffmann
Buddy Jeannette (misspelled Jeanette)
Boston Celtics
Bob Kinney
Tony Lavelli
Brady Walker
Chicago Stags
Ralph Beard
Stan Miasek
Gene Vance
Max Zaslofsky
Fort Wayne Pistons
Paul Armstrong
Fraud Schaus
Indianapolis Olympians
Alex Groza
Bruce Hale
Minneapolis Lakers
Arnold Ferrin
George Mikan
New York Knicks
Vince Boryla
Harry Gallatin
Connie Simmons
Philadelphia Warriors
Joe Fulks
Ronald Livingstone
Andy Phillip
George Senesky
Rochester Royals
Bob Davies
Arnold Risen
Syracuse Nationals
Al Cervi
Adoph Schayes
Paul Seymour
Tri-Cities Blackhawks
Dike Eddleman (misspelled Eddelman)
Washington Capitols
Charles Gilmur (misspelled Gilmer)
Horace McKinney
Fred Scolari
Original Bread for Health photos - Harry Gallatin, Arnie Risen and Vince Boryla
Original Bread for Health photo - bob Davies
Original Bread for Health photo - Horace "Bones" McKinney
1950 Bread For Health - Exemplars
George Mikan
Paul Hoffmann
Adolph Schayes
Andy Phillip
Ralph Beard
Joe Fulks