How 1948 Bowman Football Paved the Path for NFL Cards

The Legacy of a Historic Hobby Set

In 1948, Bowman decided to produce football cards, building on the success of its baseball cards. That set laid the foundation for nationwide annual releases to follow. Prior to 1948, football cards were issued much more sporadically, depicting only a handful of players at a time.

Bowman continued its football offerings every year until 1956, when Topps took over as the producer following its acquisition of its top card competitor.

In the late 1940s, Bowman’s chief competition for football card dominance came from Leaf, whose cards added color in the printing processes. By contrast, the 108 cards in 1948 Bowman Football featured untouched black-and-white photos. 

As Topps Chrome Football returns for 2025, it’s the perfect time to look back at the first modern pro football set.

The set features 10 Hall-of-Fame rookie cards, including quarterbacks Sammy Baugh, Sid Luckman and Bob Waterfield. Other rookie Hall of Famers include Pete Pihos, Steve Van Buren, Bulldog Turner, George McAfee, Charley Trippi, Alex Wojciechowicz, and Bill Dudley. All the Hall of Famers in the set are rookie cards given the length of time between football card releases. 

The 1948 Bowman set also includes the rookie cards of three Heisman Trophy winners: Bruce Smith (Minnesota, 1941), Les Horvath (Ohio State, 1944) and Johnny Lujack (Notre Dame, 1947). Lujack’s #3 card is short-printed, as is every third card in the set, making 1948 Bowman a particularly difficult vintage set to collect. 

The Stars of 1948 Bowman Football

The 1948 Bowman Football set also includes cultural pioneers who transcended sports. For example, the rookie card of Kenny Washington is featured — a player who broke the color barrier in the NFL, and whose historical significance have kept his cards a point of interest among collectors.

Many of the players in the set were World War II heroes. Since it was common for young men then to have fought bravely in battle, many of the NFL stars have bios that don’t even mention their heroism off the field. For example, Pete Pihos served under the direction of General George Patton during the D-Day campaign as a 2nd Lieutenant, earning Bronze and Silver Stars for his bravery. He’d go on to dominate the gridiron as a receiver for the Eagles, leading the league in catches three times, yardage twice, and TDs once on his way to the Hall of Fame.

The 1948 Bowman set is often overlooked by collectors, but some view the lack of color as fitting for the era, and there is no denying the historic significance of the first full NFL card product. The cards measure 2 1/16″ x 2 ½” with mostly portraits as images. Exceptions include the Luckman and Washington cards.

In addition to the short printing, many 1948 Bowman football cards were damaged by having them affixed in a special album offered by Bowman as a “premium” that collectors could obtain by redeeming football card wrappers. Today, complete sets in good condition are some of the most challenging but rewarding targets in the football Hobby.

1948 Bowman Football Collector FAQs

• Why is the 1948 Bowman Football set so important?
  • It was the first full pro football release of the early modern card era, giving collectors a proper set to chase as opposed to earlier years of more sporadic offerings.
• How many cards are in the 1948 Bowman Football set?
  • The set features 108 cards, including numerous Hall of Famers and historical icons.
• What makes the 1948 Bowman Football set such a challenge to collect?
  • Old cards, poor storage techniques, and the short-printed nature of many cards in the set make it a challenging but rewarding chase for vintage collectors.
• Who are the key chases in 1948 Bowman Football?
  • Players like Kenny Washington, Pete Pihos, and Sammy Baugh are among the top chases, both for historical importance and on-field performance.

Key Facts

• Set: 1948 Bowman Football
• Historical Relevance: First full modern pro football card set
• Key Players: Kenny Washington, Pete Pihos, Sammy Baugh, Hall of Famers
• Collector Category: Football, vintage sports cards

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