1935 National Chicle #22 Shipwreck Kelley PSA GOOD 2

1935 National Chicle #22 Shipwreck Kelley PSA 2 - A Star from Football’s First Great Card Set

Long before professional football became America’s biggest sporting spectacle, John “Shipwreck” Kelley was one of the colorful personalities helping shape the young game. His 1935 National Chicle #22 comes from the first nationally distributed football card set devoted exclusively to the sport, giving the issue enormous significance within the hobby. The beautifully illustrated design captures Kelley during his years with the Brooklyn Dodgers, creating a vivid artifact from an era when the NFL was still fighting for its place on the national stage.

Graded PSA GOOD 2, this example carries the honest character expected of a card approaching a century in age. National Chicle’s delicate surfaces, colorful artwork, and notoriously condition-sensitive production make surviving examples increasingly compelling, regardless of grade. Unlike later photographic issues, the set possesses an almost storybook quality, with its hand-rendered imagery giving every player a distinct personality. Kelley’s memorable nickname only adds to the charm of an already fascinating pre-war football collectible.

Kelley was more than an unforgettable name. A former Kentucky Wildcats standout, he became an accomplished NFL back and eventually a player, coach, and owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers franchise. That combination of athlete and early football entrepreneur gives his card a wonderful connection to the formative business and playing history of the league.