1. 1910 Loving Cup Presented to George Wright (HOF) by The Old Golfers The name George Wright is most often associated with baseball; the shortstop is one of the game’s pioneers, a member of the first professional team and the game’s first superstar. He led the Boston Red Stockings to four consecutive pennants, and then led the Providence Grays to defeat Boston in 1879. Hailing from one of the country’s first true sports families, Wright was also one of the country’s best cricket players, and his Wright & Ditson sporting goods company was the first to bring tennis and hockey equipment to the United States. A lesser-known fact is that Wright is considered the father of golf in New England. Wright designed what was technically America’s first public golf course - Franklin Park in Boston, and was part of the first foursome to play golf on American public land. Constructed in 1938, the George Wright Golf Course in Boston is a testament to Wright’s introduction of the sport to the nation. Beginning in 1907, Wright began bringing together the “old golfers” - those pioneers who played the game in the 1890s - for a tournament. The “Old-Timers Day” became an annual event, with invitations limited to those who had played the game for ten years or more. For the 1910 event, the old golfers turned the tables on Wright, as they held a surprise banquet in his honor and presented
him with a silver loving cup in admiration and appreciation for his contributions to the game. Presented here is that very cup, a spectacular trophy measuring 14” in height by nearly a foot in width. Engraved on its face is the following inscription: “From the Old Golfers to George Wright – Fourth Annual Reunion, Oct 26, 1910” The three-handled cup is made entirely of sterling silver, weighing in at just under 3 lb, 1 oz. The piece was manufactured by the Frank W. Smith Silver Co of Gardner, Massachusetts, which made high quality silver between 1886 and 1930. While we have elected to avoid polishing the piece in favor of letting it retain its natural patina, it remains in outstanding condition, with some minor scuffing in places obscured by a slight layer of tarnish and some areas of residue from silver polish applied long ago. An incredible display piece, remarkable in size and appearance, but even more remarkable in its historical significance. Accompanied by an original photo of Wright playing golf, some printed research on the cup itself, and a copy of Jack Mahoney’s The Go lf History of New England, one of the finest pieces we have ever offered, directly related to one of the most important names in the early days of American sports. MINIMUM BID: $3,000.00
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