1948 Colts Matchbooks
There are ten matchbooks in the 1948 Baltimore Colts Matchbooks set. The Colts were an All-America Football Conference team that entered the league in its second year, 1947. The Colts were one of three AAFC teams (the others being the Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers) that joined the NFL in 1950, after the AAFC folded. The team lasted just one season in the NFL. (Another Baltimore Colts franchise, which is now the Indianapolis Colts, was founded in 1953.)
The key matchbook in the 1948 Colts set is Y.A. Tittle, who was a rookie in 1948. Tittle's rookie card is a 1950 Bowman, so his matchbook is a pre-rookie issue.
Jeff Payne provided the images for this set. Thank you, Jeff!
| Image | Set | # | Card Title/Players | Pro Team | Position | College | Honors | Notes | Grades available at Nearmint Sports Cards |
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1948 Colts Matchbooks | Dick Barwegen | Baltimore Colts | guard | Purdue | ||||
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1948 Colts Matchbooks | Lamar Davis | Baltimore Colts | end, defensive end | Georgia | ||||
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1948 Colts Matchbooks | Spiro Dellerba | Baltimore Colts | linebacker, fullback | Ohio State | ||||
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1948 Colts Matchbooks | Lu Gambino | Baltimore Colts | fullback | Indiana, Maryland | Error card Gambino's first name is mispelled "Lou" on this matchbook. |
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1948 Colts Matchbooks | Rex Grossman | Baltimore Colts | linebacker, fullback | Indiana | Grossman was the grandfather of Rex Grossman III, who played quarterback for the Chicago Bears, Houston Texans, and Washington Redskins. | |||
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1948 Colts Matchbooks | Jake Leicht | Baltimore Colts | halfback, defensive back | Oregon | ||||
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1948 Colts Matchbooks | Charlie O'Rourke | Baltimore Colts | halfback | Boston College | College Hall of Fame 1972 | |||
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1948 Colts Matchbooks | Y.A. Tittle | Baltimore Colts | quarterback | LSU | 49ers Hall of Fame 2009, Giants Ring of Honor 2010, Pro Football Hall of Fame 1971 | Pre-rookie card | ||
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1948 Colts Matchbooks | Sam Vacanti | Baltimore Colts | quarterback | Purdue, Nebraska | ||||
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1948 Colts Matchbooks | Herman Wedemeyer | Baltimore Colts | back | St. Mary's | College Hall of Fame 1979 |