57. 1934 R309-1 Goudey Premiums Babe Ruth (HOF) - PSA PR 1(MK)
59. Signed 1949 Bowman #23 Larry Doby (HOF RC) - MSA EX-MT 6, PSA/ DNA NM-MT 8 - Highest Graded
Unquestionably the key card in the scarce and attractive 1934 Goudey premium issue, the R309- 1 Babe Ruth is typically found in lower grades for the obvious reason that young collectors coveted the oversized premiums and used them as display items in their rooms. Tack holes, creases, and various forms of wear are common to the issue. Graded POOR 1 (MK) by PSA, this example appears strong for the
While much is made of Jackie Robinson’s 1947 debut in the major leagues - and deservedly so - often overlooked is that just three months later, Larry Doby became the first Black player in the American League, and the second to break the color barrier. The first Black player to make the jump directly from the Negro Leagues to the majors, Doby had a difficult time in 1947, even from his own teammates, and only started in one game that season.
grade. A black marking can be observed above Ruth’s hand, though not distracting from the visual appeal of the image. Additional surface wear is apparent, along with some light abrasions, corner wear and light corner creasing (most notable at the bottom left). Paper loss on the reverse, along with soiling and an ink marking above the easel, are largely responsible for the grade. Regardless, an exceptional example of a popular gum era premium, always in high demand in any grade. collector-grade example of the key card in the 1948-49 Leaf set, and certainly one of the most important cards of its era, a rookie card of Jackie Robinson. Surface and corner wear are responsible for the grade, though coloration remains bright. The reverse remains clean. A card that has escalated in value so rapidly that the opening bid is just slightly less than the hammer price of an SGC 7 example we sold less then a decade ago; the window in which this card will remain affordable in any grade is closing. 58. 1948-49 Leaf #79 Jackie Robinson (HOF RC) - SGC GD 2 MINIMUM BID: $2,000 MINIMUM BID: $500 Outstanding
In 1948, however, Doby won a starting outfield job, and batted .301 with 14 home runs and 66 RBI. In the 1948 World Series, Doby became the first Black player to hit a Series home run, and along with his teammate Satchel Paige, became the first black players with a World Series ring. His major league career lasted 12 seasons, which, coupled with his Negro League record, gave him a 17-year career with a .288 lifetime batting average, 273 home runs and 1,099 RBI. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998 by the Veteran’s Committee. Despite being a prolific signer of autographs, the number of signed examples of his rookie card - the 1948 Bowman card presented here - is fairly small. Just 22 examples have been assessed by PSA, an illustration of how signed cards were frowned upon in the time Doby was signing. Of the 22 examples, only one other has attained a grade of EX/MT 7 from PSA. Sharp and clean, the card is centered slightly low on the canvas, with lightly-touched corners consistent with the grade. Doby carefully signed the card in blue ballpoint in the yellow background above his hands, his hands not encroaching on his image. A beautiful example with a dark, legible signature graded NM-MT 8 by PSA, due to some very light inconsistencies in ink coverage. Regardless, one of the finest examples of a signed Larry Doby rookie card in existence.
MINIMUM BID: $2,000
SPRING 2025 PREMIER AUCTION − CLOSES APRIL 5, 2025 37
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