This set of 1-1/2" X 2-3/4" cards was offered to subscribers to "Sporting Life", a major competitor of "The Sporting News" in the early part of the century. The cards were issued in 24 series of 12 cards each, sold by mail for four cents per series. Card fronts feature hand-tinted black-and-white portrait photos with the name and team printed below. Backs have various ads for the weekly paper. The last 72 cards issued are scarcer than the earlier cards. The scarce blue-background cards appear to have been a second printing of the first two 12-card series which no doubt sold out quickly in the original pastel-background version due to the popularity of the players included. The 12 players in the Third Series can be found in an original printing with the ad on back printed in black, and a later reprinting with a blue ad. Each of the Third Series cards also exhibits on front subtle differences in the size and coloring of the player portrait. NM card with slight border chipping - strong corners.