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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