Love of the Game Auctions Fall, 2018 Catalog

Auction closes November 24, 2018

CLOSES NOVEMBER 24, 2018 FALL 2018 PREMIER AUCTION

(973) 452-9147 | WWW.LOVEOFTHEGAMEAUCTIONS.COM

Welcome One of the great joys I get out of pulling together these auctions is the research that uncovers such amazing stories. There are a lot of them in this auction: • The incredible story of Robin Reed, the Olympic wrestler who hitchhiked across the country and defeated the entire University of Iowa wrestling team (just so he could use their gym), pinned every member of the US Olympic team (including the heavyweight gold medalist), and won Olympic gold in 1924. His story reads like one of the old American tall tales, like a real-life Paul Bunyan. • The mystery of “Big Ed” Delahanty, the Hall of Famer who was put off a train due to objectionable behavior and left at the foot of a bridge. The mystery of his death has never been solved, and never will. • The story of our consignor, a young boy in the mid 1960s whose father helped the Pittsburgh Pirates with their travel arrangements – and who received a beautiful game-used bat from Roberto Clemente as a result. • The incredible story of Billy Miller, an African-American pitcher and infielder who broke all racial boundaries as a semipro ballplayer in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, where he was a superstar, embraced by his community despite his race – and who joined the United States 369th Infantry, an entirely African-American regiment that fought valiantly on the front lines with France. Miller lost an arm and a leg in combat, defending the line in the Second Battle of the Marne. • •The story of Harry Stovey, the game’s first five-tool player, whose eventual Hall of Fame selection is all but inevitable. Baseball is filled with these stories, about how little people make their lives fascinating, creating stories worth telling, often more than 100 years later. Sometimes, like in the case of Delahanty or Stovey, they’re stories many of us already know – stories we’ve told and told again, their fascinating tales capturing our imaginations. Sometimes, like in the case of Miller or Reed, they’re brand new – stories of people who might otherwise have been lost to history, but who did something special, something unique, and something worth keeping alive. It occurred to me as I was writing the descriptions for this catalog that the stories weren’t really about fame, or greatness, or monetary value. The stories are about regular people like you and me, seeing an opportunity and rising to the occasion. In past auctions, we’ve told the stories of people like Young Perez, Moonlight Graham, Lou Criger, Jose Mendez, along with a host of others. They’re all stories of regular people, stepping out of the shadows, maybe fighting insurmountable odds, or maybe just doing the right thing when it would’ve been easier not to. But they’re all great stories, and they’re all worth telling. I’m way too inexperienced to be dispensing wisdom, but one thing I try and do every day: create a story worth telling someday. Do you? What’s your story? Warmest of Holiday wishes to you and your family. We thank you for helping us have a successful 2018, and we join you in hoping for a healthy and safe 2019.

Passion. Results.

$7,200

$18,000

$18,900

$12,000

$13,200

$82,400

$9,600

$6,000

$48,600

$18,900

$37,200

$43,400

$24,800

$21,600

$19,200

$27,000

$16,500

$4,500

It’s time we did a “consignments wanted” ad without a Gehrig bat.

Because after six years in business, our company has established itself as a top resource for rare and valuable material of all kinds. And it’s not just because of one sale. In our six years, our auction has achieved record prices on vintage cards, autographs, memorabilia, tickets, Type 1 photos, and game-used material. We conduct unparalelled research, with an incredible passion for the game and its artifacts, and we present quality auctions with the utmost integrity. The results speak for themselves.

LOTGAuctions.com

We are the auction company you’ve been waiting for. Give us a try.

PLEASE NOTE: Our auction closes using our proprietary “Double Overtime” closing method. Here’s how it works: 1 Extended (“Overtime”) bidding begins Closing Method DOUBLE OVERTIME

none of the remaining items have received a bid for 15 minutes. The auction can close without notice, or no more than 15 minutes after a “Fair Warning” email.

at 9:00 PM Eastern time on the closing night of the session. In order to bid on an item during Overtime, you must have placed a bid on it prior to the start of Overtime. 2 The entire auction will remain open until no item has received a bid for 15 minutes. 3 At 2:00 AM Eastern time, any lot that has not received a bid for one hour will CLOSE. No new bids will be accepted on those items. 4 The remaining items will continue to be open for bidding. This “Double Overtime” will remain in effect until

Summer 2018 Premier Auction – Closes August 11, 2018

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FEATURED ITEMS. ............................................................................. 8 HARRY STOVEY COLLECTION........................................................ 28 PREWAR BASEBALL MEMORABILIA .............................................. 34 POSTWAR BASEBALL MEMORABILIA............................................ 47 BASEBALL POSTCARDS. ................................................................. 52 19TH CENTURY BASEBALL CARDS. ............................................... 58 1900-1948 BASEBALL CARDS. ...................................................... 111 CHARLES M. CONLON PHOTOGRAPHY. .................................... 124 VINTAGE BASEBALL PHOTOGRAPHY.......................................... 131 FOOTBALL CARDS. ....................................................................... 140 BOXING AND OTHER SPORTS CARDS. ....................................... 143 AUTOGRAPHED BASEBALLS........................................................ 146 AUTOGRAPHED BASEBALL CARDS............................................. 149 AUTOGRAPHED FLATS/CUTS/PHOTOS....................................... 152 FOOTBALL MEMORABILIA........................................................... 156 OTHER SPORTS MEMORABILIA. .................................................. 157 ROBIN REED COLLECTION........................................................... 158 POP CULTURE/AMERICANA......................................................... 160 TABLE OF CONTENTS

The following are non-paying bidders from our Summer, 2018 auction: Glen Chaytor • Brian Ginsberg • Rick Hoops • Allen Kogan • Zary Smith

ABOUT OUR AUCTION

1. This auction is conducted by Crisafulli Enterprises, 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. If you have any questions, contact us at info@loveofthegameauctions.com. 2. A buyer’s premium equal to 23% of the high bid will be added to all lots. A $100 winning bidder will thus be charged $123. Any winning bidder who elects to pay by cash, check, or money order will receive a 3% discount on their buyer’s premium, thus paying 20% (a $100 winning bidder would thus be charged $120), provided payment is made within 14 calendar days of the invoice date. Winning bidders who do not pay within 14 days automatically forfeit this discount. 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, you must place at least one bid on said item prior to 9:00 PM EST on the auction date. If you don’t bid on it by 9PM EST the day the auction closes, you can’t bid on it afterward. To ensure that everyone gets a chance to bid, we will apply the 15-minute rule to the entire auction. Once approximately 15 minutes pass without a bid on any item in the auction, the auction will close. At 2:00 AM EST, 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 will not accept additional bids. The auction may close without notice at any time once the Extended Bidding period begins. In the event that we send a “Fair Warning” email, the auction will close within 15 minutes. 4. Winning bids will be subject to additional shipping and insurance charges. We do not make profit on shipping. Shipping and handling charges will be reasonable (given our shipping methods), and will be updated after the auction closes when you receive your invoice. Please be patient with us on this; it may take us a little longer than other auction houses, we want to get it right. ALSO NOTE THIS EXPLANATION OF HOW OUR SHIPPING WORKS: We use USPS, UPS, 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 between $401 and $2,000, we ship via USPS Priority Mail with a Signature Confirmation required, or by FedEx Ground. • If your package is valued between $2,001 and $10,000, we ship EITHER via USPS Registered Priority Mail, FedEx Ground, or via USPS Express Mail (signature confirmation required). • If your package is valued between $10,001 and $25,000, we ship via USPS Express Mail (signature confirmation required). • If your package is valued over $25,000, we ship via FedEx Next-Day. For extremely heavy packages, we do use UPS or UPS Freight. 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. The actual shipping costs are determined by the weight of the package and the method of shipping, and not by its value. WE DO NOT CHARGE YOU FOR INSURANCE. We have a blanket policy that we have to buy, regardless of whether or not you win anything, so we do not think it’s fair to make you pay for insurance. 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, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. Once you win something from us, it is important to us that you receive it undamaged. Because of this, we 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. New Jersey residents are subject to 6.625% sales tax on purchases unless we have a valid resale certificate on file. 6. We accept Paypal, Check or Money Order. We accept credit cards only on sales under $5,000. Please allow us to repeat: we accept credit cards only on sales under $5,000. We do not, and can not, “split” orders to accept partial payments on credit card. 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 one hobby reference in order to register, and registrations are approved manually by management. Thanks to some non-paying bidders, we no longer 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. By “hobby reference,” we are referring to an individual business entity (for instance, 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. 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 (973) 452-9147. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 12. Bid increments are as follows: Last Bid Bid Increment 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. 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 materials. We reserve the right to decline consignments for the same reason. 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, however. We recommend checking the status of your bids online periodically. 17. We do not have hidden reserves. Occasionally, we will feature a high-value item with a reserve. Occasionally, on certain high-value items, we will institute a reserve to protect our consignor. There is never a hidden reserve. It is our policy to disclose whether an item has a reserve, right in the description of that item. If a reserve is not noted, and the item receives a bid, it will sell. If a reserve is noted, you can expect that approximately one week prior to the close of the auction, we will disclose specifically the dollar amount of the reserve. 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 re-auctioned at the discretion of the consignor. 20. We do not do “deals” during the auction. This means 1) We will not reduce or waive the buyer’s premium on an item as incentive for someone to place or increase a bid. 2) We will not bundle an auction item together with another item that is not in the auction as an incentive for someone to place or increase a bid. 3) We will not reduce a consignor fee or buyer’s premium in exchange for the consignor bidding on another lot in the auction, nor will we make bidding on any individual lot part of a consignment agreement. 4) We will not entertain purchase offers for items in the auction that do not have bids. Yes, these things happen with other auctions, and yes, we believe they hurt bidders and consignors. 21. If, for any reason, our auction is interrupted during the final week of bidding, Love of the Game Auctions may elect to extend bidding. If any bidder experiences a problem bidding, they should contact us at info@loveofthegameauctions.com. PAYMENT AND DELIVERY 22. 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. Invoices may also be sent by mail or fax, at our discretion. These $0–49.................................$5 $50–199.............................$10 $200–499...........................$25 $500–$999.........................$50 $1,000–2,499.....................$100 $2,500–4,999.....................$250 $5,000–9,999.....................$500 $10,000–34,999.................$1,000 $35,000+............................5%

methods shall constitute “notification” of winning. 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 your name in our printed catalog or on our website as a reneging bidder, and we will forward your name to other auction houses for informational purposes. Your bidding in our auction constitutes agreement to all these rules. Payments by check or money order should be made to Love of the Game Auctions, PO Box 157, Great Meadows, NJ 07838. We make every effort to ship as quickly as possible. We 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. Sadly, this is a policy that we needed to institute, thanks to Mr. Jason Williams of Pioche, NV. 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 being burned like we were with Mr. Williams 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 why we offer a 3% discount on the Buyer’s Premium for those who pay by check. While it does require some patience, we can assure you that we are still quicker than most auction houses. 23. Insurance is provided by Collectibles Insurance Agency. The buyer assumes the risk of loss on all items purchased once we ship said items. We ship via USPS, FedEx, or UPS, at our discretion. 24. We will not commit customs fraud on packages shipped outside the United States. 25. All items are purchased “AS IS” and may not be returned for any reason. No returns are permitted. 26. 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.” 27. We accept Paypal, Visa, Mastercard, checks, certified checks, cash or money orders. We do not accept any other form of payment (including Bitcoin, trade in kind, travelers cheques, cigarettes, or chocolate). Personal (or business) checks are held for 7 days. 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. 28. 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 to an underbidder, re-auction the lot, or hold the non-paying bidder responsible for the entire amount, at our discretion. Love of the Game Auctions is also entitled to publicly disclose the names of all reneging bidders. 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 non-paying 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 Auctions 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. AUTHENTICITY, GRADES, DESCRIPTIONS, and CAVEAT EMPTOR 29. 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 lighter in the catalog photograph than in person, due solely to lighting. 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. 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. 30. Grading and authenticity: We are very confident in the expertise and skill of the hobby’s premier grading and authenticating professionals. However, they are not perfect. 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 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. Additionally, we do not warrant or guarantee authenticity of any item authenticated by a third party authenticator. Essentially, we cannot be held responsible for the opinion of an unrelated party. Graded and/or authenticated items are sold “as is.”

Furthermore, we do our best to accurately describe the condition of ungraded items in our auction. We do not guarantee that a bidder, consignor, grading or authenticating company will agree with our descriptions. Our descriptions, like those of the grading and authentication companies, are based on our opinions. We try to be as detailed and thorough as possible, but occasionally make errors in descriptions or images. Any error we discover or that is brought to our attention will be rectified as quickly as possible, provided that such an error is an actual error, and not an issue of opinion or speculation. We occasionally sell autographed items that have not been authenticated by third-party entities. In general, these are lower-value items. We will not sell a high-dollar autographed item that has not been authenticated. In the event that we sell an unauthenticated item, we guarantee the authenticity of said item for 60 days from the date of purchase. Should either JSA, PSA/DNA, or SGC, the only entities we currently recognize as authorities in autograph authentication, reject an unauthenticated item purchased from our auction within 60 days of purchase, we will refund your money. Also please note that we reserve the right to obtain a second opinion prior to providing a refund. Should our chosen authenticators render a favorable opinion on authenticity (at our expense), we will return the item to the initial winner. When we provide data with respect to grading company population reports or set registry rankings, please understand that people submit cards to grading companies and register or update sets every day. Population reports and registry rankings are a moving target. While we warrant that data we offer is accurate as of the date our descriptions are written, we cannot warrant that the data is accurate as of the date you read the description. As such, we strongly recommend that interested bidders check population data and registry rankings prior to bidding, if the bidder finds such a thing important. With respect to photo authentication, we have deep respect for the various photo authenticators and auction companies in our field. However, we only recognize the opinion of one firm in the hobby: PSA/DNA. While we reserve the right to change this in the future, it is our current policy. In the event that we offer a photo that does not carry a Letter of Authenticity from PSA/DNA, you can trust that every photo that we sell has been thoroughly scrutinized by a leading expert in the field, and is guaranteed to pass as advertsed with PSA/DNA. This guarantee is good for 90 days after the close of the auction in which the item was purchased, and must be accompanied by a rejection letter from PSA/DNA. Lastly, with respect to any large lots of authenticated autographed items, we offer these lots with the understanding that a few of the items in such a lot may not be authentic. When rendering an opinion on such a lot, authenticators may spend more time verifying the authenticity of the “key” items, and thus an inauthentic signature may occasionally slip by. All bidders who choose to bid on such lots do so with this understanding. HOUSEKEEPING 31. Any person who registers for the auction agrees to be bound by these terms and conditions, and accepts them freely. Anyone who places a bid agrees to personally guarantee payment on any winning bid. 32. Love of the Game Auctions will not be held liable for any damages or claims arising of or in connection with the sale of any item. 33. These terms and conditions shall be enforced in accordance of the law of the State of New Jersey. Any claims arising from this auction shall be brought in the appropriate court in the State of New Jersey, Warren County. In the event the Love of the Game Auctions is the prevailing party in any such claim, it shall be entitled to the recovery of all attorney fees and costs, whether or not such remedy is entitled by law. 34. Love of the Game Auctions and Crisafulli Enterprises reserve the right to amend these rules at any time, for any reason, without notification. It is the responsibility of our bidders and consignors to review these rules periodically; continuing to bid in our auction serves as your repeated agreement to these rules and policies. PRIVACY POLICY We value your privacy, and are committed to protecting it. When you register for our auction, or consign material to us, we collect your information and store it in our system. We may also automatically receive and record information on our server logs from your browser. We utilize your contact information so that we can communicate with you, send you periodic marketing emails or “snail mail,” ship you your goodies, and send you money when you consign your valuable material to us. Any personal information that we maintain is stored on a secure server courtesy of our friends at SimpleAuctionSite and Mailchimp or YMLP (our email software providers). SECURITY POLICY Your personal and payment information is always safe. Our SSL software is the industry standard and among the best software available today for secure commerce transactions. It encrypts all of your personal information, including credit card number, name and address, so that it cannot be read over the internet. Our credit card processing provider is one of the leading companies in its industry. We strive to utilize service providers that are industry leaders, utilizing state-of- the-art technology.

1 Christy Mathewson Signed, First Edition “Pitching In A Pinch” (JSA) Beautiful first editionof Pitching inaPinch byChristyMathewson, signed on the interior by Mathewson in beautiful, bold fountain pen, and dated June 3, 1912. One of just a handful of signed examples of this book we have found in our research, this example has been tucked away in an advanced collection for quite some time. During the 1912 season, the Giants took on four teams during a lengthy homestand that began on May 31 and lasted until June 18. Each of the signed examples of Pitching in a Pinch we have encountered were dated during that stretch, an indication that perhaps Mathewson was engaged in some sort of local promotion to help book sales.

The book itself is in outstanding condition, the cover exhibiting minor wear and the interior pages stable and intact. Some professional restoration has been done on the interior to stabilize the title page and repair a small tear, and it appears that similar efforts have been undertaken with the flyleaf, to secure it to the spine. Overall, however, the book has been remarkably well-preserved. With Mathewson signatures coming under increased scrutiny, this example was freshly authenticated in advance of this auction, a clear and stunning example of a Mathewson-signed item dating to his playing years. An outstanding item, the centerpiece to even the most

advanced autograph collections. MINIMUM BID: $2,500.00

Fall 2018 Premier Auction – Closes November 24, 2018

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2 Spectacular Oversized Christy Mathewson Type 1 Presentation Photo (PSA/DNA), Signed by Mrs. Mathewson! Gorgeous oversized presentation photo, taken by Unity Studios in New York, featuring Christy Mathewson in full uniform, leaning against a bat, posed against a white backdrop. The photo measures 10” x 13”, the image area in fantastic condition. Some significant wear is evident, particularly in the lower left corner, which has some minor tears that have been repaired by clear tape on the reverse. The remnants of some framer’s tape can also be found on the top edge of the reverse.

The photo has been signed in the lower-left, inscribed “To Mr. J.R. Thurston, Kind Wishes, Mrs. Christy Mathewson.” Our research into J.R. Thurston revealed a gentleman by that name who lived in Mathewson’s home town of Factoryville, PA, and in 1920 became that town’s Postmaster. It is entirely likely that Mathewson’s wife inscribed the photo to her local postmaster; the signature closely resembles other “wife-signed” items we have seen and offered in the past. Simply a spectacular photo, depicting a younger Mathewson in full uniform, likely originating from the Mathewson family. Full LOA from PSA/DNA. MINIMUM BID: $1,000.00

www.LoveOfTheGameAuctions.com

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has been an extraordinary level of demand on the rare occasion that a card becomes available, and extremely high prices realized. Presented here is a magnificent example of Hall of Famer John Ward, a crisp, clean card with outstanding image quality that, at first glance, appears to be a VG/EX card. The existence of a John Ward card in this issue is a relatively recent discovery; this particular card only became known to the hobby in 2005. The example has been encapsulated as AUTHENTIC by SGC, however, with restoration

noted. When the card was initially discovered in 2005, the Four Base Hits ad at the bottom border had been removed. Very careful and painstaking professional restoration has reattached a Four Base Hits ad from a more common actress card. The work is exemplary, careful to maintain the integrity of the original card and remain respectful of the rarity of the set, while utilizing original components to restore the card to its original form. As part of the restoration, some light cleaning has also been employed to remove light soiling from the card surface. Extraneous and unnecessary restoration was not employed, however, as one can still see the signs of paper loss on the reverse from scrapbook removal. This is one of just two examples of John Ward’s Four Base Hits card known; the other has never been made available for public sale but did sell privately for more than $200,000 several years ago. A very similar Kalamazoo Bats Ward, which utilized the identical photo and is identical in size, sold in 2008 for $141,000. On the rare occasion that a Hall of Famer from the issue makes itself available publicly, collector demand is invariably strong, pushing the sale price to new heights. Please note that this card is being offered with a modest reserve, well within the range of past sale prices and consistent with past sales of this very card. As is the case with any item offered with a reserve, we will publish the exact dollar figure of the reserve within approximately 7 days of the auction close, provided that the reserve has not been met prior to that date. An extraordinary card from one of the hobby’s most rare and highly desirable 19th Century issues, one of very few Hall of Famers known to exist. One of the most important baseball cards we have ever had the privilege of offering. MINIMUM BID: $6,000.00

3 Incredible 1887 Four Base Hits John Ward (HOF) - One Of Just Two Known Examples! Four Base Hits cards are considered among the most important rarities in the hobby; the beautiful photographic cards are similar in appearance to the Kalamazoo Bats cards and also have design (if not size) similarities to the Yum Yum Tobacco issue of 1888. The cards have become legendary in the hobby due to their rarity as well as due to player selection; of 18 different subjects known, six are Hall of Famers, and of those players, several boast just one known specimen. The result

Fall 2018 Premier Auction – Closes November 24, 2018

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4 Extraordinary c.1910 Reach Co. Baseball Tin Litho Advertising Sign The A.J. Reach Co. of Philadelphia produced some of the finest tin lithograph advertising signs during an era when such signs were in their “golden age;” they were typically well-designed and colorful, and of exceptionally high quality. The signs are in considerably high demand today, and typically do not make themselves available for sale with any regularity. When they do, there are several different designs that are typically seen; this is not one of them. Bold and impactful, the sign advertises the Official baseball of the American League, a distinction the Reach brand maintained from the inception of the league until 1975 (even after the company’s 1934 sale to Spalding). The sign was manufactured by the American Art Works, an Ohio-based manufacturer of beer trays and advertising novelties best known for manufacturing the Coca-Cola advertising trays favored by collectors today. The industry leader, the company was so strong that their home city of Coshocton became an economic hub, even through the Great Depression. Today, their products are highly desirable among advertising collectors, part of the reason the Reach sporting goods advertising items are so seldom found. The extremely high production value is part of the reason this 6” x 13” sign has remained in such outstanding condition, though these advertising signs are typically found today with considerablewear and rust. In this case, a fewsurface abrasions can be noted throughout, along with some very minor bends to the tin (very typical for this type of item) and some minor blemishes, but the overall display value is superb. Clean and

bright, the wear is secondary to its rarity, as the corners, edges, and overall aesthetic appeal of this piece are tremendous, among the strongest of the few examples we have managed to locate in past public sales. The reverse remains in outstanding condition with minor abrasions, its original hanging cord intact, along with its printed message to retailers: “This sign is one of a series and costs us big money to have them made...if for any reason, you do not care to hang it up kindly return it to us and we will put it to work elsewhere.” One of the hobby’s finest and most important tin lithographic baseball pieces. MINIMUM BID: $3,000.00

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5 Spectacular 1895 Mayo’s Cut Plug Buck Ewing (Cleveland - HOF) - SGC NM 7 - Highest Graded! The Mayo’s Cut Plug issue of 1895 is a 48-card set featuring 40 different players in black and white or sepia portrait photos. The photos are set against stark, black borders, with the Mayo’s Cut Plug logo and slogan along the bottom border. The backs, also black, are blank. Black borders and backs are extremely susceptible to chipping and scrapbook damage; the result is a dearth of high-grade specimens. In fact, with more than 2,000 examples graded by SGC and PSA, just 15 individual cards have graded NM or better. Presented here is one of them, and easily one of the most important: that of Hall of Famer Buck Ewing. Pictured with the Cleveland Spiders, the team with which Ewing spent the 1894 campaign, the Hall of Famer switched teams in 1895, joining the Cincinnati Reds. The card is simply spectacular, with a clean image and sharp, unblemished corners and edges with virtually no chipping. A true show-stopper, the finest example

from the issue we have seen. MINIMUM BID: $7,500.00

Fall 2018 Premier Auction – Closes November 24, 2018

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6 1895 N300 Mayo’s Cut Plug Cap Anson (HOF) - SGC EX/NM 6 Simply stated, Cap Anson is the key to any 19th Century issue. The most popular player of his era and the best-remembered today, his cards remain extremely desirable in any grade, from any issue. His 1895 Mayo’s Cut Plug card is one of his most attractive, depicting the subject in a clean, sharp portrait photo, “Chicago” emblazoned on his uniform breast. The card itself has graded EX/NM 6 by SGC, one of just six examples from the issue to grade at that level from either company, with just two higher. Two pronounced chips along the right edge account for the grade; given the tendency of these cards to exhibit significant chipping, it is but a minor flaw here. Corners are sharp, with a flawless image and centering well within the standards for the grade. A wonderful card, one of the finest known. MINIMUM BID: $2,500.00

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7 Spectacular 1967 Roberto Clemente (HOF) Pro-Model Bat - PSA/DNA GU 8 - Fresh to the Hobby! Brand new to the hobby, this Roberto Clemente pro-model Louisville Slugger has direct provenance, tracing the bat directly to Clemente. The beautiful model U1 is in pristine condition, manufactured between 1966-1968, and traced right to the 1967 season. The monstrous club weighs in at 38.6 ounces, measuring 36” in length, with Clemente’s uniform number 21 written on the knob and the top of the barrel, both in black marker. A young boy in 1967, our consignor, then a Pittsburgh resident, was actually a fan of the San Francisco Giants, the slugging first baseman Willie McCovey his favorite player. His father was a supervisor at the ticket counter for TWA Airlines, and worked at the Greater Pittsburgh Airport. In that capacity he met many celebrities, none more important than Roberto Clemente, who looked to our consignor’s father for help making his personal and family flight arrangements. As an expression of gratitude, Clemente would occasionally pass along tickets to Pirates games. Such was the case in the midsummer of 1967, when our consignor’s father brought his young son to Forbes Field to see the Pirates take on his favorite team, the San Francisco Giants. Upon their arrival, however, they learned that the Pirates outfielder would not be playing in the game. Our consignor’s father quietly excused himself, making his way to the Pirates clubhouse in hopes of taking his young son inside to meet the Hall of Famer. He was unsuccessful in gaining admittance for the young

man, with

but

returned beautiful

this

Louisville Slugger, a gift for the young boy from Clemente himself. The bat has remained in possession of our consignor ever since, displayed in his Pittsburgh sports- themed basement bar, a highlight of his collection. Based on the details of our consignor’s story, the events in question likely happened during a Pirates homestand between July 18 and 20 of 1967. The Giants were in town for that period, splitting a

four-game series that included a Tuesday d o u b l e h e a d e r . Clemente sat all four games of that series, attributing his “rest” to an ailing knee. Some felt, however, that anger of the recent firing of Pirates manager Harry “The Hat” Walker contributed to his off-days. The bat itself is pristine, with very light use and no cracks. A few ball marks are visible on the barrel, along with some very light additional markings throughout. Roberto Clemente remains one of the most widely-collected players of his era, a true superstar who transcends the game. His tragic 1972 death by plane crash while delivering supplies to Nicaragua to aid victims of a December 23 earthquake cemented his reputation as a hero; the Baseball Hall of Fame waived themandatory waiting period and inducted him into the Hall of Fame just three months after his death. A beautiful bat, freshly introduced to the hobby, with impeccable provenance. Full LOA from both PSA/DNA and our consignor. MINIMUM BID: $3,500.00

Fall 2018 Premier Auction – Closes November 24, 2018

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8 Historically Important 1946 Jackie Robinson Signed Heilbroner Baseball Bureau Card - The First Document Signed By Robinson in Integrated Baseball! 1946 baseball information card that includes what is likely Jackie Robinson’s first signature after shattering baseball’s color barrier, the first document an African-American ballplayer ever completed in Major League Baseball. Louis Heilbroner was a former manager and executive who founded Heilbroner’s Baseball Bureau, the first statistical bureau devoted to baseball. He was the publisher of the Baseball Blue Book, a baseball guide marketed to insiders of the game. At the beginning of their first year of pro ball, each player received an index card with the player’s name typed at the top of the card. The player would then complete the small questionairre on the card, describing basic biographical information. The reverse contained blank spaces where the Bureau would update the card each season with current team information. This card was sent to Jackie Robinson in 1946 when he started with the Montreal Royals. Robinson completed the information, adding in his birthday, vital information, college attended, name and address. In the space where he was asked to enter the team he was with the prior year, Robinson wrote “Kansas City Monarchs,” the famous Negro League club where Robinson played in 1946. Adjacent to where he filled in his second favorite sport (football), someone added “Negro,” just in case some

researcher or intern wasn’t aware of who Jackie Robinson was and what he represented. The reverse of the card notes Robinson as a member of the Montreal team in 1946. In the space for 1947, “Montreal” was written in, followed by “Brooklyn” in April. The historical importance of this card cannot be overstated. After thousands of cards that had been completed by white players, this is likely the first Heilbroner card completed by an African- American player, and quite possibly the first form Robinson filled out as a member of established baseball. The significance of Jackie Robinson cannot be overstated, and this card traces the remarkable three-year Robinson began as a Negro Leaguer and ended as a Brooklyn Dodger, perhaps the most important figure in modern American history. This card, like all the other Heilbroner cards, is one of a kind, the one that represents the integration of baseball - a single card among thousands, the importance of which is far greater than the mere words written on it. Full LOA from James Spence Authentication. Please note that the historical significance of this item dictates that it be sold with a reserve. We feel, as does our consignor, that this is a museum-quality item, a piece of American history that far surpasses the traditional Jackie Robinson collectibles typically found at auction. As is our policy, the actual number of the reserve will be published with approximately 7 days remaining in the auction, unless that figure is surpassed beforehand. MINIMUM BID: $5,000.00

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9 Spectacular 1907 George W. Hull Chicago White Sox Postcards Complete Set (16) w/Original Envelope Spectacular complete set of scarce 1907 GeorgeW. Hull Chicago White Sox postcards, along with their original envelope. An astonishing find that was part of a family inheritance that contained a handful of minor baseball-related items, we have handled very few cards from this set and certainly have never seen a complete set. Even more exciting is the condition of the cards, as they appeared to have hardly been handled, stored in their original envelope for more than a century. The presence of the envelope gives us some information about how the cards were distributed (by mail as a complete set), but speaks little to their current scarcity today. The cards offer a play on the team name “White Sox,” depicting photos of each of the players, superimposed over a sock, hanging on a clothesline. Underneath the clothesline is an inset photo of Charles Comiskey, with a larger photo of an individual player along the right side of the card. The upper border contains a humorous phrase, such as “As they hang in Commy’s back yard,” or “Not worn by ladies, but admired by them” to describe the socks on the line. The cards are extremely scarce today, and are simply never found in this condition. In fact, with each of the cards in this

collection grading above EX, we have nearly doubled the total number of cards graded at that level betwee n both grading companies. As a testament to their scarcity, just 70 examples have been graded between PSA and SGC. Of course, many of the cards in this set represent the highest-graded examples available, and the three cards graded EX-MT+ 6.5 are the highest-graded cards from this set in existence. The envelope is in poor condition, valuable for its rarity and the fact that it protected the cards so well. A complete breakdown of the cards is as follows: Altrock (PSA EX-MT+ 6.5, 1/1, none higher); Davis (HOF - PSA EX-MT 6, 1/1, none higher); Donohue (PSA EX+ 5.5, 1/1, none higher); Dougherty (PSA EX 5, 1/1, one higher); Hahn (PSA EX+ 5.5, 1/1, one higher, plus one EX+ 5.5 SGC), Isbell (PSA EX 5, 1/2, none higher); Jones (PSA EX 6, 1/2, plus one SGC 6, none higher), McFarland (PSA EX-MT 6, 1/1, none higher), Owens (PSA EX- MT+ 6.5, 1/1, none higher); Patterson (PSA EX-MT 6, 1/1, none higher), Rohe (PSA EX 5, 1/2, none higher); Smith (PSA EX-MT 6, 1/1, none higher); Sullivan (PSA EX-MT 6, 1/2, none higher); Tannehill (PSA EX-MT 6, 1/2, none higher); Walsh (HOF, PSA EX-MT 6, 1/1, none higher); White (PSA EX-MT+ 6.5, 1/1, none higher). An incredible set, all but two of which are the highest- graded examples in existence. 16 cards total, plus envelope. MINIMUM BID: $2,500.00

Fall 2018 Premier Auction – Closes November 24, 2018

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10 1888 A35 Goodwin Round Album Outstanding and colorful example of the beautiful Goodwin Round Album. Made available by mail in exchange for coupons packaged with Goodwin’s tobacco brands, the album included nine individual player pages that featured either full-color portraits or full-body illustrations with four players on each. The reverse of each page contained team player records or schedule, set in an ornate design. Presented here is a complete album, disassembled but with all parts intact, including the original binding string. The pages themselves are clean and colorful, telltale signs of scrapbook mounting visible on the reverse of each page in the form of moderate glue staining. Some minor wear at the edges is visible, including a few very small tears, wear at the grommets,

and occasional light creases. The creases are visible near the grommet on the Anson page, the Foster/Brown/George/ Tierney page, the Richardson/O’Rourke/Gore/Connor page, with more pronounced creasing at the top of the Ewing/Welch/ Ward/Keefe page. With the exception of the latter, the creasing is minor, and is consistent with page turning. Additional minor wear is evident at the front and back covers in the form of slight edge chipping, simply a result of age and storage. A former owner’s handwriting is visible, however faint, on the cover. One of the era’s most beautiful and highly-coveted issues, each page bright and colorful, all its components present and easily reassembled, but stored carefully in plastic pages for better display and protection. MINIMUM BID: $2,000.00

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11 1915 Cracker Jack #103 Joe Jackson - PSA AUTHENTIC At a time when the 1914 and 1915 Cracker Jack issues are subject to incredible demand, the 1915 Joe Jackson stands out as one of the issue’s key cards. Jackson, one of baseball’s most popular and enduring names, leads the way in a set that is loaded with stars and Hall of Famers; his card is one of the issue’s most desirable. This is also one of the most sought-after cards of Jackson himself, partially due to the beauty of Cracker Jack cards and partially due to the card’s relative affordability in comparison with Jackson’s other attractive issues such as the T210, Boston Garter or even the 1914 Cracker Jack counterpart. This is an exceptional example, clean and crisp with a bright, clear image and uniform, cream-colored borders. Initially appearing as an EX condition card, a closer inspection reveals what appears to be a slice at the top border, the slice subsequently having been reattached. The restoration is done expertly, in a way that reveals itself without appearing a deceptive alteration, but still maintains the card’s stunning visual appeal. The work has been noted by PSA on the grading label, but from the standpoint of aesthetics, is barely an issue. A truly outstanding card. MINIMUM BID: $2,000.00

Fall 2018 Premier Auction – Closes November 24, 2018

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