You can’t fully understand this card without reading… This link about the 1948 Bowman set as a whole.
In the 1948 Bowman set, the Series Two cards are typically more rare. But there are certain cards towards the end of the 36-card first series that really stand out in terms of value. The #32 Red Holzman is one. This #34 Joe Fulks is certainly another. Just like the Holzman card, the 2001 Standard Catalog of Basketball Cards lists it at $425 compared to a common value of $50, giving a good relative price comparison. It’s definitely on a different level than a Series One common. Ironically, Fulks’ popularity while he was playing meant that his particular card was preserved more often during those early years, so it’s actually less rare than many lesser players.
“Jumping Joe” Fulks was an unstoppable scorer during his time. To imagine the respect he commanded, look at the nickname on the back of the card, the “Babe Ruth of Basketball.” The card mentions him holding the single-season scoring record (1,611 points in 70 games) at the close of the 1946-47 season. He led Philadelphia to the championship that season. This brings up a typo on the card!!! The back says “In title series with Toronto against Chicago in 1947…” Despite the typo, the mention of him scoring 21 points in a single quarter is quite impressive. So you can see he was crucial to the Warrior’s first of seven championships (remember, the Philadelphia Warriors became San Francisco Warriors and then Golden State Warriors). As his career continued in the NBA, he set multiple single-game scoring records and was credited with developing the modern-day jump shot. Him being a HOF member also adds value to the card.
Many price guides will call this a rookie card, but a note about this… Nearly all of the 1948 Bowman cards can be considered rookies being that these are the first basketball cards of these players. For some in the set, like Red Holzman and Bob Davies, it was their first year in the BAA, but not their first playing professional basketball. For Joe Fulks, this wasn’t even his first year in the BAA. As the back of the card indicates, it was his third. This context should be kept in mind if calling this a rookie card.
As a tangent, the basketball ring mentioned on the back of this card has been seen recently! Here is a link to an auction where it appeared!
In Short: The 1948 Bowman cards are a legendary set for basketball card collectors. We’ve seen so many, and we’ve also seen those mail-in offers on the back. Uniforms, varsity letters, even an actual basketball! Just mail in those wrappers. Did you ever wonder if anyone still has those items? I only ask you to open descriptions and click links on shorts if it’s really worth it! Click those three dots and check out the link! You can see the actual ring! It was sold at auction back in 2014. What a neat addition to someone’s collection.
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