Bowman Gum was a Philadelphia-based manufacturer of bubble gum and trading cards in the period surrounding World War II founded by Jacob Warren Bowman. Originally known as Gum, Inc., the company produced a series of cards known as the "Play Ball" sets each year from 1939 to 1941. Production halted after the United States entered the war, and the company did not return to making baseball, football, and other sports-related trading cards until 1948, then under the Bowman name.
For a few years, Bowman was the leading producer of baseball cards, but was overtaken by The Topps Company, Inc. After a period in which the two fought to sign players to exclusive contracts for their cards, Topps bought out Bowman in 1956. Much later, the Bowman brand was resurrected by Topps in 1989 to use on some of its subsidiary sports card sets. In recent years, the Bowman company has become known for being a top brand in making Rookie Cards.
Famous quotes containing the word gum:
“The hunchback on the corner, with gum and shoelaces,
Has his own wisdom and pleasures,”
—Robert Penn Warren (1905–1989)