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The Opening Inning
10 Lots
 Lot 1. 1933 George C. Miller Lefty Grove Graded PSA VG 3. This card is well centered. The colors are beautiful and striking. Upon close inspection, there is a crease which apparently accounts for the grade of vg. The grade may be technically correct, but it does not do the card justice. As George Miller cards go, this one is exceptional.
Winning Bid $1,391.
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 Lot 2. Real-Photo Postcard Beautifully Autographed by Tris Speaker - Authenticated by Kevin Keating. Few players ever patrolled center field with greater authority than Speaker. As a hitter, he batted .345 lifetime, collected 3,514 hits, scored 1,882 runs, drove in 1,529 runs and stole 434 bases. As a player-manager, he led the 1920 Cleveland Indians to a world championship. As a coach, he transformed Larry Doby from a second baseman into an outstanding center fielder. Many experts regard Speaker, who was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1937, as baseball’s best center fielder ever. He passed away in 1958. His signature on the 3 ½” x 5 ½” postcard in fountain pen is a bold mint 9 to gem mint 10. Scarce and exceptional. Additional Information: Card itself is nm with minor surface blemishes that do not detract from the beautiful signature and card. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $711.
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 Lot 3. Fantastic Honus Wagner Fountain Pen Signature Dated 1935 with Envelope. Maybe there are Wagner autographs more magnificent than this one. We suspect it will take most collectors some time to find one. In bold, decorative fountain pen, the great Hall of Fame shortstop signed “J Honus Wagner” and added “Pirate 1935.” The signature is a gem mint 10. Wagner was a Pittsburgh coach that year. The autograph and notation are large, occupying about 4 ½” x 2” on a 5” x 3 ½” section of paper. The personalization at the top of the paper is well separated from the autograph and can easily be matted out. Some scrapbook residue on the back of the paper has no effect on the autograph. Accompanying the autograph is the envelope in which it was originally mailed from Wagner’s store in Pittsburgh. The address is in Wagner’s hand, and the envelope is postmarked 1935. Wagner remains one of the giants in baseball history. From 1903-09, he led the National League in hitting seven times. He was outstanding defensively. On of the first five players elected to the Hall of Fame, he died in 1955. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $1,612.
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 Lot 4. 1950s “PREMIERE Gum and Card Vendor” Tabletop Vending Machine. This vintage machine dispensed gumballs and cards in the 1950s. The two glass panels displaying the cards are intact, as is the original center glass panel. The baseball cards pictured are include. This machine is virtually pristine with only a very few very small paint chips. It is the finest example of its kind that we have ever seen or offered. This vending machine is original and in good working order; a key that provides access to the machine’s interior is present. Text says “Premiere Ball Gum and Card, INSERT 2 PENNIES TURN HANDLE.”
Winning Bid $1,854.
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 Lot 5. Extremely Rare 1885 Chicago White Stockings at New York Giants Scorecard. The pre-printed lineups in this 3 ¾” x 6” scorecard feature plenty of future Hall of Fame players: Cap Anson, John Clarkson and King Kelly for Chicago and Jim O’Rourke, Roger Connor, Buck Ewing, Monte Ward and Mickey Welch for New York. The scorecard is neatly scored in pencil for a May 11, 1885, game won by the Giants, 8-4. Eventually, the White Stockings edged the Giants to win the 1885 N.L. championship. Few of these scorecards have survived the last 100+ years. This example has survived very well, with some corner wear, a crease and a scuff along the fold on the front. Extremely nice scorecard.
Winning Bid $2,244.
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 Lot 6. Very Rare - and Fantastic! 1889 K.C. at Brooklyn Major League “Score Book.” Baseball fans in the 1880s had two, and sometimes three, professional major baseball leagues competing for their attendance. The established National League and the upstart American Association were the primary competitors. Champions of the two leagues even met in what can be considered the first World Series in 1884. In 1889, the Brooklyn Bridegrooms captured the American Association championship. The yearbook-like program offered here is scored for an Aug. 31, 1889, Kansas City Cowboys at Brooklyn game played at Washington Park. The 32-page 5” x 6 ½” “Official Score Book” contains photos and biographical sketches of 15 Brooklyn players or officials. Among them are Robert Lee (“Parisian Bob”) Caruthers, Dave Foutz, Adonis Terry, Tommy Burns, Doc Bushong, Germany Smith and the manager, Bill McGunnigle. The scorecard part of the program, which has pre-printed lineups, is neatly scored in pencil. Sliding Billy Hamilton was in right field for Kansas City. Technically vg with paper that remains unusually pliable. Not just another generic 19th century scorecard! Outstanding!
Winning Bid $500.
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 Lot 7. 1957-58 Milwaukee Braves Joey Jay-Casey Wise Game-Used Flannel Jersey. This jersey comes with two different letters of authenticity, one from SCD Authenticity, and the other from 100% Authentic. The description from SCD Authenticity reads: “Beautiful and highly sought zippered flannel from the glory years of the Milwaukee Braves franchise. This jersey bore witness to some serious Major League history, including two pennants and a World Series victory while on the back of Brave’s pitcher Joey Jay in 1957 and then when assigned to infielder Casey Wise in ’58.” Features all-important all-original front with classic twill “Braves” and tomahawk. As noted, there was a number change from “47” to “27,” Jay to Wise (Wise’s only year in Milwaukee). The sleeve patch has been expertly restored to the standards demanded by the most discerning collectors. Originally obtained from Casey Wise.
Winning Bid $1,129.
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 Lot 8. Fabulous 1930s Coin Operated Penny Arcade Kicker and Catcher Football Game. Behind a glass front panel, a colorful metal kicker and catcher each clad in vintage 1930s football attire await the insertion of 1 cent. A penny releases 5 metal pin-balls to the kicker, who then punts them one by one in the direction of the catcher with the turn of a knob on the right front of the machine. Before reaching the catcher, each ball must travel through a maze of metal pegs. The skill involved in situating the catcher to catch the ball by turning the knob on the left front of the machine is the challenge. This machine is original and in good working order. It is 17 ½” high, 14” across and 8” deep. Almost 100% of the paint on both the kicker and catcher is present. Text on an inside panel reads “Try Your Skill * Five Balls for One Cent, Each Goal Ball Scores and Returns for Extra Kick, For Amusement Only, Manufactured by THE BAKER NOVELTY COMPANY Chicago Illinois, U.S.A.” An incredible piece.
Winning Bid $888.
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 Lot 9. Huge Collection of 1,700 Different NFL Autographs – 42 HoF, 1920s Players, Etc. If you’ve ever thought about putting together an autograph collection of everyone who ever played in the NFL, here’s a good start! These signatures are on a good mix of unlined and lined 3” x 5” index cards, as well as cards with biographical information. A very small number are cuts that have been affixed to index cards. A few cards are smaller than 3” x 5”. Players range from NFL pioneers in the 1920s-30s to a few who are still playing. More than 250 of the signers are deceased. The Hall of Fame signatures are of Battles, Baugh, Bednarik, Bell, Berry, Butkus, Clark, Connor, Creekmur, Willie Davis, Donovan, Dudley, Graham, Grange, Healey, Hendricks, Hirsch, Kinard, Krause, Lary, McAfee, McDonald, Mack, Mackey, Marchetti, Matson, Nevers, Nomellini, Otto, Ace Parker, Jim Parker, Pihos, Renfro, Robustelli, Schmidt, Shula, Stautner, Strong, Stydahar, Trippi, Wilson and Yary. A sample of the non-Hall of Fame signers includes Hal Broda who played for Cleveland in 1927; Lloyd Cardwell, Detroit 1937-43; George Christensen, Portsmouth 1931-33; J. E. Detwiler, Hammond 1923-24; John Druze, Brooklyn 1938; Alvah Elliott, Racine 1922-24; Gene Gedman, Detroit 1953-58; H. W. Hanson, Frankford 1928-30; Bob Hoernschemeyer, Chicago Rockets 1946-47; Pop Ivy, Pittsburgh 1940; Luke Johnsos, Chicago 1929-36; Jim Nance, Boston 1965-70, and Ed Sauer, Canton, Akron and Pottsville in the 1920s. And many, many more. There are many familiar names from the 1950s-60s, such as George Mira, Jimmy Orr and Milt Plum. The autographs are overwhelmingly 9s and 10s, primarily in pen, with some in sharpie or pencil. The vast majority of this outstanding NFL collection is from the 1970s and earlier. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $2,197.
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 Lot 10. Cassius Clay Signature on a 1967 Police Gazette Cover. When run by Richard K. Fox, The National Police Gazette was known for its boxing coverage. It even awarded a “Police Gazette” belt. It’s not surprising then that Muhammad Ali appeared on the cover of the April 1967 issue. By then, he was widely known by his Muslim name, although some publications still recognized him as Clay. The accompanying article, appearing at the height of Ali’s Muslim preaching, quotes Ali as warning that “Black Power Will Destroy Negroes!” Ali then rails against the Civil Rights movement as being led by “troublemakers” who were responsible for the senseless beatings of the young blacks. For him and for the Nation of Islam, integration was a non-issue and certainly not worth the bloodshed. Extremely interesting period in Ali’s life and development. Ex-m magazine without a mailing label. Scarce Cassius Clay signature in black fine sharpie is a mint 9. Its placement between Clay’s quote and photograph results in an outstanding presentation. This item is one of those Clay-Ali rarities that can “make” a boxing collection. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $578.
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