Each time I believe I do know the whole lot on the market for a participant I acquire I discover myself stunned to stumble onto one thing I’d by no means seen and even heard about. Such was the case sooner or later once I was browsing eBay and got here throughout this tiny comedian that includes Hank Aaron.
Much more surprisingly, the comedian got here from Topps in 1981, a yr I used to be fairly positive I purchased each single factor the corporate made. (Ditto Fleer and Donruss after all.) How was it that this explicit set slipped by me?
A bit extra analysis revealed that the comics have been packaged with a refreshment gum known as “Thirst Break,” which you may think as a cross between Bubble Yum and Gatorade. (Goudey historians may as an alternative comp it to the gum firm’s 1921 Lemolyme product.) In all, there have been 56 different comics, protecting a variety of sports activities, although 20 of the comics have been baseball-themed.
Digging in slightly deeper, I realized that the gum itself was a Topps take a look at situation with restricted distribution confined to Ohio and Pennsylvania, which defined why I’d by no means seen it as a child in Los Angeles. And because of eBay, I even landed my very own pack.
There was just one factor left to do: open it! In any case, I had questions.
- Would the pack have 5 comics or only one?
- Would the comedian(s) even survive or be hopefully fused to the moldy gum inside?
- Would I get the Carl Hubbell I badly wanted for my assortment?
Reasonably than discover all these solutions on my own, I scheduled a stay break that 4 different collectors have been variety sufficient or curious sufficient to attend.
As I started eradicating the pack’s outer wrapper, I used to be greeted rapidly with excellent news and dangerous information. The excellent news is it appeared every bit of gum got here with its personal comedian. The dangerous information is that the outer wrapper, comedian, and gum have been virtually inseparable. Regardless of recommendations to desert the break and as an alternative soak the product in water, I cast forward.
The outcomes have been 5 particular person comics fused to gum and stained with some form of purplish black mold-like substance. Although I used to be unable to learn any comedian in full, there was sufficient seen textual content on every to find out that I had 5 consecutive entries on the guidelines, all of them soccer and pulled in succession.
38. Jim Brown
39. Jim Marshall
40. George Blanda
41. Jack Tatum
42. Jim Brown
At this level, the break itself ended, and my fast plan was to throw the tip merchandise away somewhat than likelihood a brand new pandemic from no matter biohazards may now be multiplying on my counter. Once more, although, recommendation got here from fellow collectors to see if soaking may free the comics from their bondage that was directly thirst-quenching and suffocating.
Actually solely 20 minutes later, I had my 5 comics, or maybe 4.6 if you wish to cut up hairs.
Oh, and even the gum cleaned up properly, although I didn’t dare attempt it.
Total, was it value it? Completely, if for nothing else the flexibility to be taught first hand a couple of product about which I’d beforehand identified basically nothing. And definitely for any of you eyeballing unopened packs and even packing containers on eBay, now you realize:
- You’ll get 5 comics per pack somewhat than only one.
- Soaking the product, earlier somewhat than later, could assist forestall in depth harm.
- As soon as you realize your first comedian, chances are you’ll properly know the opposite 4.
Simply please bear in mind this. If you find yourself with doubles on Carl Hubbell, I’ve received some soccer comics to commerce you!
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