Play Ball

Above: Typical 'Play Ball' trading card.
The cards measure 2.5" wide x 3.25" tall.

PLAY BALL was a promotional game issued by the Atlantic Richfield Company in 1968. This was a collect-and-win game with instant winners. Cash prizes ranged from $1 to $2,500. The game consisted of a paper game piece given to customers each time they visited a participating Atlantic gas station. When the perforated tabs on the game piece were removed, two baseball trading cards were revealed.

Each card has a 'Player Number' printed on the front. This is a pretend batting order number. To win a prize you needed to collect certain combinations of player numbers - in the same league - according to the following prize table.

Collect These Cards	In This League	Win This Prize
Player #1, Player #2 and Player #3	National	$2,500 (Player #2 is the Key)
Player #4 and Player #5	National	$100 (Player #5 is the Key)
Player #6 and Player #7	National	$10 (Player #6 is the Key)
Player #8 and Player #9	National	$5 (Player #8 is the Key)
Player #10 and Player #11	National	$1 (Player #11 is the Key)
Player #1, Player #2 and Player #3	American	$2,500 (Player #3 is the Key)
Player #4 and Player #5	American	$100 (Player #4 is the Key)
Player #6 and Player #7	American	$10 (Player #7 is the Key)
Player #8 and Player #9	American	$5 (Player #8 is the Key)
Player #10 and Player #11	American	$1 (Player #10 is the Key)

The baseball cards are printed such that the backs of the cards are the visible part of the unopened game piece. One side of the game piece shows the name of the game and an action scene. The other side shows the printed rules. Thus, the baseball cards are referred to as 'Action Back' or 'Rules Back' depending on the position in the game piece. This is inconsequential to the function of the game but it does matter to baseball card collectors.

Since the game pieces are loosely regarded as baseball cards, they are slabbed by the major grading companies. Even common cards in high grade sell at a premium.

Above: Front and back of a typical 'Rules Back' player card.

Above: Front and back of a typical 'Action Back' player card.

Fifty different baseball players are featured on the cards. If the printing was random, all fifty players will have an 'Action Back' and 'Rules Back' version for a total of 100 different player cards issued in the game. There are also 'Instant Winner' cards and 'Special Gift Award' cards (one shown below). It is unlikely that a complete set could ever be assembled because the key, high-prize winning cards may no longer exist.

The rules refer to "INSTANT" prizes and "Special Prizes." I am unsure what these prizes are. On the PSA card grading website, they show that they have graded one card that they call an 'Instant Winner Card.' If anyone can email a photo of that card to me, I'd sure appreciate it. Thanks!

Above: This is a 'Special Gift Award' card which was found inside some game pieces instead of a player card. It was redeemable for a 'Play Ball' Baseball Guide and another game piece.

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