Digital Catalog for Love of the Game Auctions' Fall, 2025 sale.
FALL 2025 PREMIER AUCTION CLOSES NOVEMBER 29, 2025 (845) 750-6366 | www.loveofthegameauctions.com
IT WAS A 1960 TOPPS TEX CLEVENGER. That was “the card.” The oldest card in the neighborhood, when I was a kid, and a Holy Grail for whichever one of us didn’t have it. We had plenty of cards – 1977 and 1978 Topps baseball, a few hundred 1976, some 1975s. A classmate of mine had an older brother that had a lot of 1973s, so we got a bunch of those through trades, and one of us had a cousin that had – gasp – 1969 Topps, including a Hank Aaron! But nothing was better than the 1960 Topps Tex Clevenger.
Munson, a Schmidt, a Carew, a Reggie. I liked weird cards – the ones on the Wiffle Ball boxes, inside Kellogg’s cereal, at Burger King, advertised in the pages of Baseball Digest. And every year for Christmas we’d all ask for the Beckett “Price Guide” – not so much to learn what our cards were worth, but to go through the pages and learn about all the exotic sets. East Hills Pirates . Drake’s Cakes . Red Man Tobacco . Names of long- ago sets that were impossible to find, cards we only hoped someday to see in person. They were myths. Eventually, we grew up, and got married. Nick had two beautiful daughters, moved to the Carolinas, works in the medical business. John became a sportswriter, a statistician, and even had a few years as an executive with an NBA team.
There were three of us who collected cards on our block: myself, Nick, and John. We traded constantly. And whenever one of us managed to latch onto a really special new card, whoever owned the Clevenger would have to decide whether or not to use it as trade bait.
Me? I’m still chasing after baseball cards. Weird ones. And I get to research them and write about them for a living, in the pages of this catalog. Even though I see those cards every day now,I still treat them with the same reverence I did as a boy. No job could be better. I hope it’s the last job I ever have. To me, nothing could be more fun than putting together an auction catalog filled with Old Judges, S.F. Hess, Toleteros, PCL cards, and obscure memorabilia – the kind of stuff you don’t see every day. And I’m proud to own an auction company that is rapidly becoming known as the best place to find that stuff. I think Nick wound up with the Clevenger (although a few years ago, I bought a nice PSA 8 for myself). But I discovered something even cooler, in an old cigar box with some of my childhood cards in it. A 1977 Topps Bruce Sutter rookie card. On the back, in thick, green marker, is written “Batting Coach.” It’s one of my favorite cards. Enjoy the catalog. Al Crisafulli Auction Director
I traded it for that 1969 Aaron once. I got it from Nick, who eventually traded it to John for a Jim Rice rookie. Nick was a Red Sox fan. John was a Milwaukee Brewers fan, and I’m pretty sure he traded it for a Yount rookie at some point. John was a frustrating collector, though. He used to play with his cards, using them for imaginary teams he would create, and he would assign make-believe positions for some of the players. To keep track, he would write their new position on the back of the card, with a green marker. “Stop writing on your cards!” we would implore him. But he just kept doing it. Sometimes we would hold back from trading him a card unless he promised he wouldn’t write on it. We traded so often that sometimes we’d get a card back, over and over again, and when Nick or I got one back that had writing on it, we’d go crazy. “I don’t want this card anymore,” we’d yell. “Why would you write ‘outfield’ on the back of a Johnny Bench card? You ruined it, and he doesn’t even play outfield.” We looked high and low for cards that the other guys didn’t know about. On trips to the grocery store, each of us would run to the baked goods aisle and rummage through the Hostess products, looking on the back of every box for a
FALL 2025 PREMIER AUCTION − CLOSES NOVEMBER 29, 2025 1
AUCTION TERMS AND CONDITIONS ABOUT OUR AUCTION
1. This auction is conducted by Crisafulli Ventures, LLC, doing business as Love of the Game Auctions. The auction is conducted under the following rules and applicable laws. Consignors and bidders in this auction agree to be bound by these rules. By bidding or consigning, you are expressly agreeing to these terms. If you have any questions, contact us at info@loveofthegameauctions.com. 2. A buyer’s premium equal to 20% of the high bid will be added to all lots. A $100 winning bidder will thus be charged $120. Any bidder who elects to pay by PayPal will also be subject to a 4% convenience fee on the entire lot. This fee applies only to payments made by PayPal (including credit card payments made through PayPal). 3. This auction closes using the “Double Overtime” method, with a 15-minute rule for the entire auction. In order to bid on an item during the extended bidding session beginning on the date of the auction close, you must place at least one bid on that item prior to 9:00 PM Eastern on the auction closing date. If you do not bid on it by 9PM Eastern on the closing date, you cannot bid on it afterward. To ensure that everyone gets a chance to bid, we will apply the 15-minute rule to the entire auction beginning at 9PM, with the clock resetting every 15 minutes. Bidding continues until no bids have been placed in the entire auction for a full 15 minute interval. As long as there is at least one lot that receives a bid during a 15 minute interval, the entire auction will extend for 15 minutes. Once a 15-minute interval passes without a bid on any item in the auction , the auction will close. At 1:00 AM Eastern, any item that has not received a bid for one hour or more will close without notice. The remaining items will enter “Double Overtime,” with the 15- minute rule applied to the remaining lots. NOTE: There are no exceptions to this. If an item is closed, it is closed and we cannot accept additional bids. This auction may close without notice at any time once the Extended Bidding period begins. We do not guarantee that bidders will receive a “Fair Warning” notice before the auction closes. 4. Winning bids will be subject to additional charges for packing, domestic shipping and insurance. We do not make profit on shipping. As a convenience, we now offer a standardized schedule for packing and shipping, based on the total invoice amount. This standardized schedule is $14 per invoice valued at less than $400; $18 per invoice valued between $400 and $999, $25 per invoice valued between $1,000 and $4,999; $35 per invoice valued between $5,000 and $9,999; $60 per invoice valued between $10,000 and $49,999; $85 per invoice valued between $50,000 and $99,999, and $150 per invoice valued greater than $100,000. Bidders who win three or fewer graded cards valued at less than $400 in total may request USPS First Class shipping in a padded mailing envelope for $5, provided that they assume all risk of loss or damage. There are exceptions to the standardized shipping schedule in instances of shipments outside the continental US, or in the instance of large, heavy or fragile items that require special packing or shipping carrier (for example, stadium seats, oversized and framed items, large lots or graded sets, or lots containing many components or requiring multiple packages), or oversized items such as bats, pennants and display items. In the case of high-value items requiring bonded, insured transport and/or transport by special carrier, the winning bidder will also pay all shipping, packing and insurance charges. ALSO NOTE THIS EXPLANATION OF HOW OUR SHIPPING WORKS: We primarily use the USPS and FedEx for shipping, and
generally adhere to the following rules: • If your package is valued at $400 or less, we ship via USPS Priority Mail. • If your package is valued above $400, we ship via USPS Priority Mail with a signature confirmation requirement, USPS Express Mail, or Federal Express, at our discretion. • Oversized packages are shipped FedEx Ground. We generally do not use UPS, as we no longer trust their ability to safely move packages from Point A to Point B without damage or loss, and our experience has been that they do not guarantee their service. Please note, however, that the method of shipping is AT OUR DISCRETION, and we can choose whichever method we feel best fits the item we are shipping. We pride ourselves on packaging all items very carefully and diligently, but cannot honor special packaging and shipping requests. Please bear this in mind when bidding. WE DO NOT SHIP IN PADDED ENVELOPES, EXCEPT UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCE INDICATED ABOVE. We generally ship in corrugated boxes, typically wrapped in heavy-duty bubble wrap with other ultra- protective packaging inside. As a result, we cannot reduce your shipping cost. It’s expensive to ship! 5. Residents of Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington State are subject to sales tax on purchases unless we have a valid resale certificate on file. We reserve the right to modify our sales tax policies, even mid-auction, as the laws and our responsibilities are currently changing. 6. We accept Paypal, Zelle, Check or Money Order. We do not accept direct credit card payment, though you can pay by credit card through PayPal. There is a 4% convenience fee for PayPal payments. Zelle payments can be made to Payment at LOTGAuctions.com. By special arrangement we can accept payment by wire transfer. There is an additional fee of $10 per wire transfer under $10,000. REGISTRATION AND CONSIGNMENT 7. In order to bid, you must be a registered bidder. In order to register, visit www.loveofthegameauctions.com and complete the bidder registration. Bidders are required to provide at least one hobby reference in order to register, and registrations are approved manually by management. We do not accept registrations the day of the auction, because we cannot check references when other businesses are closed. Also please note that if “eBay” is your hobby reference, you must provide your eBay ID. Also please note that if you use eBay as your reference, acceptance of your registration is based on the number of recent transactions, in addition to your positive feedback rating. By “hobby reference,” we are referring to an individual business entity (for instance, nationally- known card dealer, auction house, etc) with whom you have done business as a buyer. All registrants must be 18 years of age. Love of the Game reserves the right to refuse any bidder registration or any consignment, for any reason. At its sole discretion, Love of the Game may at any time place a credit limit on a bidder’s account. The credit limit represents the maximum amount a bidder can bid with LOTG at that time. Registering to bid means you agree to these terms and conditions. 8. Bids can be placed online at www.loveofthegameauctions. com by registered bidders, or by phone at (845) 750-6366. Phone bids will be made by proxy, by Love of The Game Auctions staff acting on your behalf as quickly as possible. We promise that we will execute these bids as quickly
as possible but cannot take responsibility for internet bids that are placed by other users prior to executing a telephone bid. We also cannot take responsibility for busy phone signals or slow internet connections. 9. We reserve the right to withdraw any item from the auction at any time during the auction, for any reason. This includes after the close of the auction, in the event that there are issues or questions with title, authenticity, clerical error, untimely bid, untimely payment, or other issues related to human or mechanical error. On rare occasion, and solely at our discretion, we may feel that an error does not justify withdrawing an item but that placing a confidential reserve on the item is necessary to protect our consignor. Note that this is the only instance where there will be a confidential reserve in our auction. 10. Love of the Game Auctions wishes to conduct a reputable auction with reputable collectors and consignors. As such, Love of the Game Auctions reserves the right to refuse to accept bids or approve bidders for any reason. Similarly, Love of the Game Auctions reserves the right to refuse or withdraw consignments for any reason, at any time. PARTICIPATION IN THE AUCTION 11. A bid is a financial commitment, and bidders are responsible for the accuracy of their bids. Once you place a bid, it cannot be retracted. If you’ve got questions about how to bid, please contact us PRIOR TO PLACING YOUR BID. Bidder error does not constitute a reason to retract bids, nor does a lack of understanding of the auction rules. You are required to read and agree to these rules prior to placing a bid. If you have a question, please ask before bidding. YOUR BIDS MAY NOT BE RETRACTED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. Your bid is binding and cannot be retracted. This includes max bids. If you have questions about condition, or specific questions about an item in the auction, please contact us before you place a bid. Inspections of lots by special appointment is available up to 5:00 PM the Thursday prior to the auction close. Contact us for details. 12. Bid increments are as follows: LAST BID BID INCREMENT $0-49 $5 $50-199 $10 $200-999 $25 $1000-2499 $50 $2500-4999 $100 $5000-9999 $250 $10,000-34,999 $500 $35,000-74,999 $1000 $75,000-99,999 $2000 $100,000+ 5% 13. “Max” or “Ceiling” bids can be placed on any lot. They must conform to the proper bidding increment based on a lot’s high bid at the time such a bid is placed. In the event of a tie between bids, the earlier bid received will be recognized as the winning bid. This is especially important with respect to “Max” bids and “straight” bids, because if a bidder places a “straight” bid equal to a “max” bid left by someone earlier, the “max” bid will be considered the winner. 14. We cannot see max bids. We do not have access to max bids in any way. If you choose to leave a max bid, we will not know the amount of that bid. We do not have a fancy brand name for this; we just call it “integrity.” It should go without saying. 15. Consignors may not bid on their own materials. Love of the Game Auctions reserves the right to cancel any bid should we believe that bid was made by a consignor, or representative of a consignor, bidding on his/her own
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A UTHENTICITY, GRADES, DESCRIPTIONS, and CAVEAT EMPTOR 28. Love of the Game Auctions makes every attempt to describe each item in our sale as accurately as possible. We do not “sweeten” or otherwise enhance any scans or images, save for general unsharp mask or image re-sizing, general color correction of photographs, and cropping out unsightly background distractions with the magical Photoshop program. Occasionally, an item in our auction may appear differently in the catalog photograph than in person, due solely to lighting or white balance. We do not enhance scans or photographs, but we do shine light on items we are photographing, in an effort to ensure it is as visible as possible. Despite all this, subtle variations in print color, computer monitors, background lighting, and even camera and scanner settings could result in a catalog or website image not being 100% color accurate, and we make no such guarantees. We cannot accept returns due to discrepancies over color, brightness, contrast, flaws, etc. Any bidder who is unsure of an item’s true appearance is more than welcome to contact us with questions or to schedule an in-person preview or receive additional photographs. Similarly, we cannot accept returns on graded items because of a condition issue or flaw that is not addressed in the written description of an item. This includes marks, discolorations, stains, or any other defect that might not have been described in our written description or is not easily visible in the scan or photo. 29. Card grading and authenticity: We utilize the card grading service of PSA and SGC, and are authorized dealers of each. Additionally, we occasionally offer cards graded by CSG, Beckett or, on rare occasion, GAI. As stated above, we make every effort to properly represent and describe items in our auction. However, we cannot be held responsible for the opinion of a third-party grader or authenticator. As most collectors understand, opinions on grade or authenticity, while typically rendered by skilled workers with vast experience, are exactly that: opinions. We cannot guarantee that every card graded by a third- party grading service, or every item authenticated by a professional authenticator, would receive the same grade upon resubmission to a different (or even the same) grading service, nor would we guarantee that the item would receive a grade or be authenticated at all. All we can tell you is the number on the holder and the company that graded it. WHEN YOU PURCHASE A GRADED OR AUTHENTICATED ITEM FROM US, YOU ARE PURCHASING AN ITEM GRADED OR AUTHENTICATED BY THAT COMPANY. YOU ARE NOT PURCHASING THE PROMISE THAT A COMPETING GRADING COMPANY WILL RENDER THE SAME DECISION. All sales are final, and we do not warrant items will “cross” from one grading company or authenticator to another. This is important: if a graded card that we sell is subsequently discovered to be overgraded or altered, we cannot be held responsible. We do our best to ensure that the items we sell are as described, but we cannot be held responsible for the opinion of an unrelated party, including the accuracy of a grade and whether flaws or alterations were “missed.” We do not warrant or guarantee any item authenticated or graded by a third party. Graded and/or authenticated items are sold “as is.” THIS IS IMPORTANT: Love of the Game shall not in any way be liable for any defect (either patent or latent) or controversy pertaining to or arising from any encapsulated collectible. In any such instance, the buyer’s remedy, if any, shall be solely against the authentication or grading company certifying the collectible. All graded cards are sold “as is” with no exceptions. Your participation in the auction constitutes your acknowledgement, agreement and acceptance of this rule.
materials. We reserve the right to decline consignments for the same reason, at any point before, during, or even after the auction, if we believe a consignor or his proxy is placing bids on his lots. Love of the Game Auctions is the sole arbiter of this decision, and by participating in the auction, both bidders and consignors agree to this. 16. Our auction system generates electronic bid confirmations and outbid notices electronically and automatically. Love of the Game Auctions cannot guarantee that you’ll receive the emails or text messages, however. We recommend checking the status of your bids online periodically. 17. Occasionally, on certain high-value items, we will institute a reserve to protect our consignor. Typically, approximately one week prior to the auction closing, we disclose the specific dollar amount of any reserves that have not been met. When we disclose the reserve, the current bid will be set to one increment below the reserve amount, and the next bid will meet the reserve. PLEASE NOTE: The reserve should be treated as a “bidder.” If you choose to leave a max bid that is greater than the reserve, your bid will automatically meet the reserve, and you will become the high bidder at the reserve price. It is our typical policy to disclose whether an item has a reserve, right in the description of that item. If the bidding meets the reserve, the item will sell. We do not permit consignors to add reserves after the auction is underway, and we will not accept a consignment with a reserve unless it is specifically agreed upon prior to the auction. 18. Love of the Game Auctions, its owner or employees are not permitted to bid on any lot in the auction, under any circumstances. Bidders are not bidding against any “house account.” There is no “house account.” 19. Unsold or unpaid lots may be privately sold or re-auctioned at our discretion. Should Love of the Game elect to pay the consignor for an unpaid lot, we take ownership of that item and can re-sell it at our discretion. 20. If, for any reason, our auction is interrupted during bidding, Love of the Game Auctions may elect to extend bidding beyond the stated closing date or time. In the case of a serious outage that we feel impacts bidding, Love of the Game Auctions may elect to take more extreme measures to ensure that bidding is fair and all bidders have had sufficient opportunities to place their bids. Such measures may include stopping all bidding and re-starting from the point of stoppage on a subsequent day, and/or pushing the scheduled auction closing to a later date, or any other remedy that we feel is appropriate. This decision is entirely at the discretion of Love of the Game, and by bidding in our auction, you agree to this. If any bidder experiences a problem bidding, they should contact us at info@loveofthegameauctions.com. PAYMENT AND DELIVERY 21. INVOICES ARE SENT OUT THE MONDAY EVENING FOLLOWING THE CLOSE OF THE AUCTION. Payment must be received on all winning bids within 14 calendar days of notification of items won. This is not negotiable, as it is important to us to pay our consignors as quickly as possible. Notifications and invoices are sent by email, except in the event that a phone bidder has no email address. These methods shall constitute “notification” of winning. It is your responsibility to check your account to see if you are a winning bidder. Any bidder not paid in full within 14 days of notification may have future bidding and consigning privileges revoked, and will be subject to legal action. Additionally, we will publish the full name and location of all reneging bidders in our printed catalog, on our website and on our social media as a reneging bidder, and we will forward your name to other auction houses for informational purposes. Should an account be late with payment more than once, it is our policy to assign a credit limit to that account. Your bidding in our auction
constitutes agreement to all these rules and policies, especially this one. Payments by check or money order should be made to Love of the Game Auctions, PO Box 3931, Kingston, NY, 12402. We make every effort to ship as quickly as possible. We generally ship under a “First In, First Out” policy, meaning we ship packages in the order that payment was received, unless there are extenuating circumstances. If you make your payment by PayPal or credit card, your payment is processed immediately and forwarded to shipping. This does not mean your item will be shipped right away. It means it is “ready to ship,” and is in queue with all the other packages that have been paid for. We hold all checks for 7 days. Please note that the above does not say “we hold all checks until they clear,” it says “we hold all checks for 7 days.” Our bank has advised us that the best way to avoid issues is to hold each check for 7 days. This means that on the 8th day, we make sure checks have cleared, and then we forward the invoice to shipping. This does not mean your item will be shipped right away. It means it is “ready to ship,” and is in queue with all the other packages that have been paid for. We realize this is a one- week delay, which is partially why the buyer’s premium is 4% less for buyers who pay by check than for those who pay by PayPal. While it does require some patience, we can assure you that we are still quicker than most auction houses. 22. Insurance is provided by Collectibles Insurance Services. The buyer assumes the risk of loss on all items purchased once we ship said items. Shipping carriers are chosen at our discretion. In no event and under no circumstance will the liability of Love of the Game exceed the purchase price paid for any lot. 23. We will not commit customs fraud on packages shipped outside the United States. 24. All items are purchased “AS IS” and may not be returned for any reason. No returns are permitted. 25. ALL SALES ARE FINAL. Bid retractions are not permitted for any reason. Once a bid is placed, it may not be retracted. All items are offered “as is.” 26. We accept PayPal, Zelle, checks, certified checks, cash or money orders. We do not accept any other form of payment. We can, by special arrangement, accept payment by wire transfer. Wire transfers under $10,000 are subject to an additional $10 fee. We ship as soon as possible after payment in full is received. Ownership of any lot does not pass to the winning bidder until the lot is paid for in full, nor do we ship items to winning bidders without first receiving payment. 27. If a winning bidder has not honored his/her winning bid per these terms and conditions, then Love of the Game Auctions is entitled to sell the winning lot, reauction the lot, or hold the non-paying bidder responsible for the entire amount, at our discretion, with the bidder responsible for the difference between the price received at resale and the non-paying bidder’s original bid. Love of the Game Auctions is also entitled to publicly disclose the names and locations of all reneging bidders, as well as any aliases or online handles. Bidding in our auction constitutes your agreement to our auction rules. As a bidder, you agree that a non-paying bidder is responsible for any and all losses incurred, plus all fees and/ or commissions related to the subsequent sale of the item(s). Reneging or nonpaying bidders are also responsible for interest charges at the rate of 2% per month for all outstanding balances until paid in full, as well as all legal fees and court costs incurred by Love of the Game Auc)ons in our efforts to collect their unpaid debt. In other words, if a winning bidder does not pay in full, he/she agrees to be held responsible for the value of the lot, any losses incurred as a result of having to re-sell the lot, plus interest charges of 2% per month on all unpaid balances, plus legal and court fees.
FALL 2025 PREMIER AUCTION − CLOSES NOVEMBER 29, 2025 3
LOVEOFTHEGAMEAUCTIONS.COM 4
FALL 2025 PREMIER AUCTION − CLOSES NOVEMBER 29, 2025
Featured Items.................................................................................................................................................................6 Great Cards....................................................................................................................................................................32 19th Century Baseball Memorabilia...........................................................................................................................51 Prewar Baseball Memorabilia......................................................................................................................................54 Postwar Baseball Memorabilia....................................................................................................................................63 Baseball Photography...................................................................................................................................................67 Baseball Postcards.........................................................................................................................................................75 19th Century Baseball Cards.......................................................................................................................................77 1900-1948 Baseball Cards............................................................................................................................................96 1914 T222 Fatima Cigarettes.....................................................................................................................................110 1916-20 W-Unc “Big Head”.......................................................................................................................................113 1949-Present Baseball Cards.....................................................................................................................................122 Football Cards.............................................................................................................................................................132 Basketball Cards..........................................................................................................................................................133 Other Sports and Non-Sports Cards........................................................................................................................136 Other Sports Memorabilia.........................................................................................................................................138 Autographed Baseballs...............................................................................................................................................140 Autographed Baseball Cards.....................................................................................................................................140 Autographed Flats, Photos, Etc.................................................................................................................................149 Other Sports Autographs...........................................................................................................................................153 Pop Culture/Americana.............................................................................................................................................156 TABLE OF CONTENTS IMPORTANT NOTE: Customers in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania,Virginia and Washington are subject to the appropriate state sales tax if we do not have a valid resale certificate on file. Nonpaying bidder from our last auction: Brady Phelps of San Diego, CA
AL CRISAFULLI – Auction Director ANDREW ARONSTEIN – Operations Manager SANDY CRISAFULLI – Finance Manager TIM GALLAGHER – Consignment Director SPIKE GLIDDEN – Copywriter STEPHANIE KOWALSKY – Graphic Designer EVELYN MARIE ROSE – Marketing Coordinator CARY SMITH – Inventory Coordinator
FALL 2025 PREMIER AUCTION − CLOSES NOVEMBER 29, 2025 5
1. Incredible Signed 1933-36 Zeenut PCL Joe DiMaggio (w/Coupon) – PSA VG-EX 4/AUTO 7 (HOF RC)
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At Love of the Game, we do our best to avoid excessive hyperbole, saving it for those cards that are truly deserving. When we were made aware of the existence of this card, we were skeptical – could an autographed Zeenut Joe DiMaggio with the coupon still attached really exist? In high grade? It seemed impossible. And yet here it is: the most incredible Zeenut the hobby has ever seen, bar none. Well-deserving of all the hyperbole we can muster. Presented here is as much a “perfect storm” of cards as there is. The two Zeenut Pacific Coast League cards to feature Joe DiMaggio are the first to picture the future Hall of Famer in a professional baseball uniform. They are considered the most important cards in Zeenut’s 27-year run of producing baseball cards and are incredibly rare and desirable in any grade. The degree of difficulty increases exponentially when considering the coupon at the bottom of the card; collectors typically removed the coupon for redemption offers, so finding an example intact is a rare achievement. Indeed, PSA has graded 18 examples of DiMaggio’s throwing pose with the coupon removed, and just five – including this example, just graded – with the coupon intact (SGC has graded just one). When they are found, Zeenuts are typically at the lower end of the grading scale: just 20% of the cards from this issue graded by PSA are at the VG/EX level or greater, and this PSA 4 is the second-highest graded of DiMaggio’s throwing poses. The card appears far stronger than its grade; the PSA grader notes with this card refer to the corner wear and light surface scratches and nothing more. The eye appeal is tremen- dous for any Zeenut; more so when considering the player pictured on the card. What vaults the card into the stratosphere, however, is the back: a period autograph from the future Yankee Clipper. Graded NM 7 by PSA/ DNA, the autograph was applied in graphite pencil, likely at a PCL game where such pencils were handed out with scorecards. DiMaggio’s signature was elegant even at this young age; he was just 20 years old in 1935 when this card was issued. DiMaggio had already signed with the Yankees by this time; torn knee ligaments suffered in 1934 made teams wary of him, so the Yankees elected to have him play one season in San Francisco to prove he was ready. He responded by winning the batting title, hitting .398 with 34 home runs and 154 runs batted in, winning the league’s MVP, and earning a trip to New York. By the following summer he was a national celebrity, appearing on the cover of Time magazine and batting .323 in his first major league season. Joe DiMaggio was an American icon. As quoted in his SABR biography, our friend Rico Petrocelli said of DiMaggio, “We were in the bleachers, and Joe DiMaggio was still playing. I looked around and noticed nobody was watching the pitcher throw the ball. Everyone was looking at DiMaggio. When he’d catch a ball, he’d lope after it. It was just beautiful to watch. I’ll never forget it.” Though statistically, there were players who eclipsed the numbers posted by DiMaggio over his brief career, very few baseball players matched his celebrity and his- torical significance. Emerging from a Depression and a war when America needed heroes and inspiration, Joe DiMaggio provided both. When reflecting on the loss of true American heroes, iconic songwriter Paul Simon penned the immortal lyric “Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio? A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.” Joe DiMaggio has meant more to America than just sports. Even today, a quarter century after his passing, Joe DiMaggio remains a truly iconic American name that transcends sports – he is truly one of the few athletes that have managed to achieve a level of significance well beyond the parameters of the game. Joe DiMaggio’s name belongs on an exclusive list of the most important figures to emerge from the world of athletics. An incredible baseball card like this – a high-grade rarity with a period autograph from an American icon, the only known example of a signed Zeenut DiMaggio with the coupon still attached – belongs in an elite collection. It’s not hyperbole to state that this card is the single greatest Zeenut known , and by extension the single most important PCL card. Its rarity and historical significance transcend card collecting and propel this incredible piece into the realm of consequential American memorabilia. MINIMUM BID: $50,000
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2. 1924-25 Aguilitas #869 Oscar Charleston (HOF) – SGC VG 3
Stunning, rare card from the 1924-25 Aguilitas Segundas tobacco issue, fea- turing the great Oscar Charleston, considered the greatest player in Negro Leagues history and one of the top handful of players ever to set foot on a diamond. The card is part of a 44-card subset within the 900-card “Segun- das” set, distributed in Cuba in 1924 and 1925 with Aguilitas cigarettes. Jam- packed with superstars, 28 of the issue’s 44 baseball subjects are enshrined in the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame, with six having been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The alluring set features beautiful portrait photography, with many of its subjects appearing their best, as light back- grounds and simple lettering puts features and expressions into sharp relief. Like all Cuban cards, the issue is rare, with SGC having graded just 353 ex- amples and PSA 107 more. Just 15 cards of Charleston have been graded by either company, with only five higher than this. One of the key figures of Negro League baseball and considered by Bill James to be the fourth greatest player of all-time, Charleston played or managed with more than a dozen teams in his 43-year career, also playing nine years of winter ball in Cuba. It was during this time that this card was issued, one of just three cards issued during his playing career. Charleston’s lifetime bat- ting average of .364 is just .002 behind Ty Cobb. His 1921 season was, per- haps, his finest, when he posted a .433 batting average and .512 OBP, though he continued to post incredible numbers through the 1920s. In addition to ranking among the Negro Leagues’ top five all-time in batting average and home runs, Charleston is its all-time leader in stolen bases. Though James ranks Charleston fourth all-time, other baseball scholars feel Charleston may be the greatest player ever. The great John McGraw said of Charleston, “If Oscar Charleston isn’t the greatest baseball player in the world, then I’m no judge of baseball talent.” The card has been graded VG 3 by SGC, though the canvas is sharp and clean, with square corners and a strong image. The grade is impacted by
some loss to the photographic emulsion of the card, visible underneath Charleston’s face as well as the text area, with a few small specks on his image as well. Minor glue staining is visible on the reverse, the result of having once been mounted in an album – a common issue with cards from Cuba. Cuban cards are also notoriously condition-sensitive, particularly with photographic issues like Aguilitas and Billikens, which were unforgiving to both handling and climate. In recent years, as Charleston begins to gain recognition as one of the game’s most elite players, his cards have begun to fetch prices more consistent with his legend. A Charleston card from his 1923-24 Tomas Gutierrez issue set a record in our Summer auction, realizing a price of more than $250,000, becoming not only the highest-selling Charleston card but also the highest-selling card depicting any Negro League player. Another Aguilitas Charleston graded SGC 2 realized a price of $132,000 at auction three years ago, at the time setting a record. In- deed, Charleston cards have reached six-figure sale prices three times, as we sold a Tomas Gutierrez Charleston for more than $142,000 in 2023. Charleston’s legend will only grow, and collectors will only become more aware of the rarity of the 1920s Cuban issues as time goes on. Any chance to own a playing days card of a Negro League Hall of Famer is exceptional, and the possibility of obtaining a card of a player of Charleston’s caliber is significant. An elite card, one of the most significant we have ever offered, a true rarity, and an incredible opportunity. MINIMUM BID: $20,000
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3. Historically Important Signed 1895 John Montgomery Ward (HOF) Stock Certificate (PSA/DNA)
Incredible 1895 stock certificate signed by Hall of Famer John Montgomery Ward. In addition to being an outstanding player, Ward was one of the most important figures in the establishment of professional baseball, as a manager of the Giants in the late 19th Century and as one of the game’s early labor leaders. The stock certificate entitled the bearer (Ward) two shares of the National Exhibition Company, the corporate entity that owned the New York Giants, Ward’s team. Ward had an antagonistic relationship with the Giants, and in 1885 helped found the Brotherhood of Professional Base Ball Players, the league’s first players’ union. Ward was particularly frustrated with the league’s reserve clause, and in 1890 he led players to form their own league – the Play- ers’ League. The league folded after just one year, with Ward returning to the National League, with Brooklyn. Soon, however, Ward would acquire a small stake in the Giants, returning there in 1893 with possible ownership in mind. As manager of the Giants, he would lead the club to a Temple Cup victory be- fore retiring as a player at the end of the 1894 season. The following summer, he would pass the New York bar examination and set up his Brooklyn law office. The certificate presented here, was issued on February 13, 1895, and serves as evidence of the small stake in the ballclub held by Ward during the period following his retirement. The following day, the team conducted its annual meeting, establishing a new Board of Directors and an Executive Committee that included president Andrew Freedman,treasurer V.P. Snyder, and secretary Horace A. Bonnell. All three of those figures also signed this stock certificate, though the key here is Ward, whose signature is the most bold and legible of the group, a clean, dark fountain pen signature that has survived remarkably well. The signatures of Freedman and Snyder have been obscured by the can- cellation stamps and crossouts, likely occurring when the shares were can- celled the following October 4. According to newspaper reports, Ward was admitted to practice in Federal courts on October 21, just a few weeks after the shares were relinquished. John Montgomery Ward passed away in 1925, leaving precious few signatures behind for collectors. In this case, the signature is part of a document of his- torical importance, recognizing Ward’s affiliation with the National Exhibition Company, a small stake held in the team against which he once rebelled. The certificate shows some edge wear and a bit of staining along one edge, and has been authenticated and encapsulated by PSA/DNA with the reverse facing
outward, so that Ward’s signature is most visible. Also included is the receipt that corresponds with the certificate. An outstanding piece bearing the rare signature of an important figure in the development of the game, with Ward’s role in establishing a player’s union particularly relevant today, given the possibility of an impending baseball labor stoppage. MINIMUM BID: $5,000
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4. Historically Significant 1890-1891 Cincinnati Reds Documents Collection – Reds Join – and Then Leave – the Players’ League
W ith their appearance in the 2025 postseason, the Cincinnati Reds have generated renewed fan interest in the club, which often bills itself as one of the longest continuously running National League teams, its timeline dating back to its admission to the league in 1889. Presented here is a historically important trove of documents that show that, for a brief period in 1890, the Cincinnati ballclub actually left the National League.
After a dispute over the selection of a new league president, the Cincinnati Red Stockings, a charter member of the American Association, were reinstated to the National League as the “Cincinnati Reds” for the 1890 season. This came during a time of intense jockeying among the teams in the three major circuits – the American Association, the National League, and the upstart Players’ League, which had launched for 1890. The three-way competition produced heavy financial losses for the game and resulted in the
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Players’ League deciding that its poor-performing Buffalo team should be replaced. Within days of the season’s end, Aaron Stern, owner of the Reds, sold his club for cash to a consortium of capitalists tied to the Players’ League. The club was then reorganized with Al Johnson installed as club president. The plan was for the new Cincinnati club to join the Players’ League for 1891, with the league dropping the underperforming Buffalo team in an effort to help stabilize itself financially. The sale was a controversial one: the National League never recognized the transfer, and the league contested control of the franchise. The October 18 issue of Sporting Life was filled with commentary on the transaction, with many surmising that the “”sale of human beings”” was in direct contrast with the founding principles of the Players’ League. At the same time, the Players’ League was experiencing its own issues and ultimately collapsed, filling the winter of 1890-91 with uncertainty, negotiations, buyouts, and court cases among National League, American Association, and Players’ League figures. To stabilize the team for reentry into the 1891 season, a complicated litany of stock transfers, negotiated buyouts, and court cases resulted in the Reds playing under National League control for the 1891 season. The purchase was ratified by National League owners in March of 1891, and the Reds opened the season in the Senior Circuit – where it has remained ever since. Presented here is a trove of documents highlighted by the handwritten contracts dated October 4, 1890, detailing the sale of the Reds and all its contracts and assets to Frank Brunell, Edward Talcott, Albert Johnson, and Hall of Famer John Ward for the total of $40,000. The agreements have been signed by Reds owner Aaron Stern and director Harry Stern. The documents include a breakdown of financial responsibility for the transaction on behalf of each of the teams (each team owing $7,500 with the exception of Philadelphia, which owed $2,500). The documents contain extraordinarily rare signatures from many of the figures associated with the leagues and the transactions, including Edwin McAlpin (Players’ League president), Frank Robinson (secretary of the New York Players’ League club), L.C. Krauthoff (Western Association president), John L. Rogers (NL representative), Edward Talcott, and many of the lawyers involved with the transactions. The collection includes:
• Two handwritten contracts dated 10/4/1890 detailing the sale of the Reds • An associated handwritten document breaking down the financial responsibilities of each Players’ League club • 10/29/1890 letter from attorney John Bruce to attorney Henry Bacon in response to a request for information about the sale • 12/17 and 12/18/1890 legal letters regarding the agreement
Continued...
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Continued...
between McAlpin and Al Spalding to bring the Reds back to the National League • 2/20/1891 handwritten letter documenting one of the private transfers from a C.A. Weidenfeller to J. Walter Spalding (Al Spalding’s brother), which suggests that Spalding was formalizing the return of Cincinnati before the March, 1891 announcement that the Reds would return to the National League • 2/21/1891 notarized letter from John Addison, J.W. Spalding, J.W. Murdoch, and N.F. Feffer appointing Edward Talcott as their attorney regarding their acquisition of the Reds, signed by each of the four as well as the notary. • 2/28/1891 letter signed by McAlpin, Robinson and an illegible third party • Six 1891 demand letters sent to various parties from Cincinnati law firm, and an additional piece of legal correspondence • Three additional court documents and agreements regarding the unwinding and restructuring of the transaction The key here, however, are the two handwritten contracts, the very documents that paved the way for the Reds’ incorporation into the
Players’ League – one of the game’s long-forgotten dramas. The contracts shed some light on the value of a baseball franchise in its early days – the purchase price of $40,000, adjusted for inflation, is just $1.425 million today – a paltry sum in comparison with the $1.7 billion reportedly paid for the 77-85 Tampa Bay Rays just a few months ago. Even more interesting is the informality of the documents – two agreements, handwritten on lined paper, casually signed by the Reds’ owner. These documents, of course, are museum-quality, historically significant, and critical to understanding the early development of the business of baseball. These documents remain in remarkable condition, each legible and sturdy with limited wear related to folding for mailing, as well as light aging. Stored away for more than a century, they were part of a large find of documents relating to the Players’ League from nearly a decade ago. Perhaps overlooked in the excitement of the find, these represent a very important period in baseball history, where one of the game’s great franchises was stabilized and strengthened, becoming a fixture in the National League for more than 130 years. An archive of true historical significance. MINIMUM BID: $15,000
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5. 1895 Cap Anson “A Runaway Colt” Original Theater Advertising Poster (HOF)
The most popular player of his day, Cap Anson had visions of stage stardom as well, appearing in a theatrical production called A Runaway Colt . The play was written spe- cifically for Anson by leading playwright Charles Hoyt, and was performed on Broad- way as well as throughout New York State, Chicago, Duluth, and Minneapolis. The play was, by all accounts, a dismal failure, largely a comedic drama focusing on the impeccable character of Cap Anson (sic), climaxing with Anson hitting a game-winning home run. Though the play was written with Anson as its star, many professional players also joined the cast as the play made its way around the Northeast. Tim Keefe played the role of um- pire on Broadway when actual umpire Tim Hurst played the role as well (he called Anson out at home to end the play, resulting in bed- lam on the stage as Anson flew into a rage). In New York, Hughie Jennings, Willie Keeler, Joe Kelley, Arlie Latham, John McGraw and Wilbert Robinson joined the cast, Keeler trip- ping Anson as he rounded third. Eventually, the production succumbed to poor reviews. Presented here is an advertising poster for the production. Professionally matted and framed to a finished size of 35” x 28”, the piece is visually stunning, a large-format image of Anson set against a cream-colored background. The piece is in remarkable con- dition; a few areas of minor restoration have cleaned up some minor water staining and repaired some small tears, notably at the left above Anson’s right shoulder. The restoration work is well done and barely visible, helping preserve what is a gorgeous piece. A wonder- ful 19th Century advertising poster, a color- ful large-format piece that represents what is perhaps the earliest example of a professional athlete trying – however unsuccessfully – to “cross over” into the entertainment business. MINIMUM BID: $750
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6. 1918-21 Babe Ruth (HOF) Game-Used Louisville Slugger Bat (MEARS A7)
Perhaps no piece of sports equipment is more closely associated with a player than a bat is with the great Babe Ruth. Even in editions of the Boston Globe from before the 1918 season, when Ruth was purely a pitcher, articles made reference to the Babe’s batting practice home runs as he entertained teammates and fans with his colossal clouts. By 1919 Ruth’s batting exploits were such that his role as a pitcher became sec- ondary; he led the league in home runs and runs batted in despite starting 15 games on the mound. By his 1920 sale to the Yankees, he was a celebrity, and his notoriety only increased from there. Even today he remains arguably the most famous and beloved figure in American sports, and those bats – the tools of the hitting giant – are among the most highly coveted pieces of sports memorabilia. Presented here is a gorgeous top-of-the-line Louisville Slugger model 250 from early in Ruth’s career, the labeling period dating between 1918 and 1921. The bone-rubbed ash bat measures 35 inches and weighs in at 36.3 ounces, consistent with bats ordered during Ruth’s playing career. The bat exhibits moderate to heavy wear, with professional repair work to the handle and the back of the barrel, both signs of heavy game use. Some very light chipping is visible on the knob, and some damage – perhaps from cleat impressions – is visible at the facsimile signature stamped into the barrel. Though the bat itself does not appear on any of Ruth’s player ordering records, factory records prior to 1920 are very incomplete, and there are no records of specific lengths and weights of bats ordered by Ruth in 1918 and 1919. However, the manufacturing traits are consistent with what Ruth would have ordered. It should be noted that the restoration of this bat was supervised by John Taube of JT Bats, and since John is PSA’s bat authenticator and is aware of the degree of restoration done to the bat, PSA/DNA has declined to authenticate this model. However, the MEARS grade deducts a full point for said restoration, assigning a base grade of 5 with 3 points for the heavy use. Further, the bat is con- sistent with another 250-model Ruth bat sold by Love of the Game for $46,800 several years ago, which carried a grade of PSA/DNA GU 7. An incredible artifact, a wonderfully balanced tool of the trade used by the greatest to ever play. Expertly restored to its playing condition, with very little indication of dead wood or checking, the repaired barrel and handle crack virtually invisible. A tremendous and historically significant item, one of the most important and desirable relic from the game’s greatest name. Full LOA from MEARS. MINIMUM BID: $20,000
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