If you are a fan of vintage sports cards, you probably have seen or owned some of the classic Topps cards from the 1960s. These cards featured colorful photos of baseball, football, basketball, and hockey stars on the front, and interesting facts, stats, cartoons, and quizzes on the back. But do you know who were the creative minds behind these card backs? They were Len Brown and Woody Gelman, two writers, editors, and artists who worked for Topps for decades and shaped the hobby of sports card collecting.

Len Brown was born in Brooklyn in 1941 and started working for Topps right after he graduated from high school. He joined the Product Development Department, headed by Woody Gelman, and became a creative editor. He developed ideas for both sports and non-sports cards, working with leading comic book artists who illustrated Topps humor cards. He also wrote many of the card backs for sports cards, using his knowledge and passion for sports to come up with fun and informative content.

Woody Gelman was born in Brooklyn in 1915 and started his career as an animator, cartoonist, novelist, and comic book artist. He worked for Fleischer Studios and Famous Studios, where he created and wrote animated shorts featuring Popeye, Superman, Betty Boop, and others. He also created and wrote comic book features such as “The Dodo and the Frog” for DC Comics and “Nutsy Squirrel” for Quality Comics. He also co-created Popsicle Pete, a cartoon character used in advertising campaigns for Popsicle.

In 1952, Gelman joined Topps as the creative director of the Product Development Department. He hired comic book artists such as Jack Davis, Wally Wood, Bob Powell, and Norman Saunders to work on various card series. He also collaborated with Len Brown on many projects, such as Civil War News, Garbage Pail Kids, Wacky Packages, Mars Attacks, and Bazooka Joe. He also oversaw the production of sports cards, giving them a distinctive look and feel.

Together, Brown and Gelman made Topps cards more than just pieces of cardboard. They made them entertaining, educational, and collectible. They added personality and humor to the card backs, making them appealing to kids and adults alike. They also introduced innovations such as trivia questions, puzzles, cartoons, team logos, player nicknames, action photos, all-star selections, league leaders, rookie stars, checklists, variations, errors, and more.

Brown and Gelman were not only colleagues but also friends. They shared a love for comics, cartoons, nostalgia, and sports. They also collected sports cards themselves and appreciated their history and value. They were pioneers in the hobby of sports card collecting and influenced generations of collectors.

Brown retired from Topps in 2002 after 41 years of service. He moved to Texas with his wife Abby and became a radio personality specializing in classic country music. He also wrote several books about trading cards, country music, rock music, and baseball.

Gelman died in 1978 at the age of 62. He left behind a legacy of publishing vintage comic strips in quality hardcovers and trade paperbacks through his company Nostalgia Press. He also left behind a legacy of creating some of the most memorable card series in history.

Len Brown and Woody Gelman were the men behind the 1960s Topps card backs. They were creative geniuses who made sports cards more than just pieces of cardboard. They made them a hobby that millions of people enjoy to this day.

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Learn more: references and sources for this article which is strictly for entertainment and information purposes only.

1. en.wikipedia.org 2. en.wikipedia.org 3. mentalfloss.com