When 1948 Bowman Basketball cards were released, no other major company had produced a series of player cards before. In fact, Bowman wouldn’t do it again and the market for basketball cards was left wide open until the release of 1957 Topps Basketball.
Each card in this set measures 2 1/8″ by 2 1/2″ making them nearly square and over an inch shorter than modern day cards. Scattered throughout the checklist are also play cards that explain a particular basketball play with a diagram on the front and an explanation on the reverse.
Our checklist is separated by team. You may scroll through the entire list or jump to your favorite team by selecting them from the list below. Clicking a link will direct you to an affiliate retailer or to relevant eBay listings.
1948 Bowman Basketball Checklist
Base – 72 Cards
Basketball Play
| 5 | Single Cut Off Post |
| 11 | Single Cut Off Post |
| 17 | Single Cut Using Post |
| 23 | Double Cut Off Post |
| 29 | Double Post |
| 35 | Screen Play |
| 41 | Double Screen |
| 47 | Out of Bounds |
| 53 | Out of Bounds |
| 59 | Out of Bounds |
| 65 | Held Ball |
| 71 | Guards Play |
Bombers
| 7 | John Logan | |
| 18 | Red Rocha | |
| 28 | Don Putman | |
| 45 | Bob Doll | |
| 60 | Ariel Maughan |
Bullets
| 38 | Buddy Jeannette | RC |
| 52 | Connie Simmons | RC |
| 63 | John Mahnken | |
| 67 | Lee Mogus | |
| 70 | Walter Budko |
Capitols
| 6 | Bob Feerick | RC |
| 16 | Sid Hertzberg | |
| 27 | John Norlander | |
| 46 | Bones McKinney | RC |
| 61 | Dick O’Keefe |
Celtics
| 8 | Mel Riebe | |
| 19 | Eddie Ehlers | |
| 30 | Jack Garfinkel | |
| 43 | Chuck Halbert | RC |
| 57 | Arthur Spector |
Jets
| 4 | Fred Lewis | RC |
| 15 | Bruce Hale | RC |
| 26 | Price Brookfield | |
| 36 | Hal Tidrick | |
| 50 | Charlie Black |
Knicks
| 39 | Ray Kuka | |
| 54 | Bud Palmer | RC |
| 64 | Tommy Byrnes | |
| 68 | Lee Knorek | |
| 72 | Carl Braun | RC |
Lakers
| 37 | Don Carlson | |
| 51 | Jack Dwan | |
| 62 | Herman Schaefer | |
| 66 | Jim Pollard | RC |
| 69 | George Mikan | RC |
Pistons
| 2 | Ralph Hamilton | |
| 13 | Paul Armstrong | |
| 24 | Leo Crystal Klier | |
| 33 | Jack Smiley | |
| 49 | Bob Kinney |
Royals
| 10 | Bob Davies | RC |
| 21 | Fuzzy Levane | RC |
| 32 | Red Holzman | RC |
| 44 | Arnie Johnson | |
| 58 | Arnie Risen | RC |
Stags
| 9 | Andy Phillip | RC |
| 20 | Gene Vance | |
| 31 | Chuck Gilmur | |
| 40 | Stan Miasek | |
| 55 | Max Zaslofsky | RC |
Steamrollers
| 1 | Ernie Calverley | RC |
| 12 | Kenny Sailors | RC |
| 22 | Earl Shannon | |
| 42 | George Nostrand | |
| 56 | Lee Roy Robbins |
Warriors
| 3 | Gale Bishop | |
| 14 | Howard Dallmar | RC |
| 25 | George Senesky | |
| 34 | Joe Fulks | RC |
| 48 | Ed Sadowski |