Lot 1. Magnificent Early 1930s Peo “World Champion Miniature Baseball” Game. Considered the Rolls Royce of tabletop arcade-style game machines, this example is complete, entirely original, near pristine and in excellent working order. It measures 16 ½” x 9 ½” x 7 ¾”. For 1 cent, a player is given the opportunity to catapult three metal balls toward a winding glass enclosed metal playing surface in order to achieve either an “Out, Home Run, Third Base, Second Base, First Base or Sacrifice.” Instructions read “1 Cent for Inning At Bat. Player continues at bat until he makes 3 outs.” Runs are tallied for each team with dials on circular scorers near the top of the machine. Innings are recorded in similar fashion. Metal base runners pop up at first, second and third base as bases are achieved or advanced. Superb period graphics appear throughout. A key provides access to the machine’s interior. Exceptional, extraordinary, awesome; pick your superlative - it applies! If you to have one tabletop game, this is the one to own!
Winning Bid $1,735.
Lot 2. Joe DiMaggio Autograph on a Museum-Quality Bachrach Photograph. Widely respected photographer Ernest Bachrach was know for eschewing background props and capturing the characteristic expression of his subjects. The result is a legacy of stunning portraits, such as this classic of the charismatic, dapper “Yankee Clipper.” Bachrach also photographed Marilyn Monroe, and this portrait likely was made during their relationship. According to many authorities, DiMaggio was Monroe’s one true love. We hope she had a copy of this magnificent portrait. It is matted and beautifully framed to 22 ½” x 26 ¼” with a gold DiMaggio signature, which measures 4” and grades gem mint 10. Autograph authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $700.
Lot 3. Impressive Print Signed by 51 Members of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 1970s Dynasty. This 23” x 39” Wayne Prokopiak print is autographed by the Steelers’ stars and support players. The sharpie signatures are strong 10s. The colorful print includes the signatures of Larry Anderson, Matt Bahr, John Banaszak, Tom Beasley, Theo Bell, Rocky Bleier, Mel Blount, Terry Bradshaw, Ed Bradley, Larry Brown, Jim Clack, Robin Cole, Craig Colquitt, Dick Conn, Steve Coursin, Bennie Cunningham, Gary Dunn, Glen Edwards, Frenchy Fuqua, Steve Furness (died 2000), Reggie Garrett, Roy Gerela, Joe Greene, L. C. Greenwood, Jack Ham, Reggie Harrison, Ernie Holmes (d. 2008), Ron Johnson, Marv Kellum, Jon Kolb, Mike Kruczek, Jack Lambert, Rick Moser, Gerry Mullins, Chuck Noll, Ted Petersen, Dave Reavis, Andy Russell, Donnie Shell, John Stallworth, Lynn Swann, J. T. Thomas, Sidney Thornton, Loren Toewes, Mike Wagner, Bobby Walden, Mike Webster (d. 2002), Dwight White (d. 2008), Dwayne Woodruff and a couple of others. Autographed at a 1998 Steelers reunion, this signed print was purchased by our consignor from Steelers linebacker Reggie Harrison. The print and autographs serve as an outstanding commemorative of the Steelers’ 1970s success. The print is matted and framed to 26 ½” x 43”. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $949.
Lot 5. Rare 1970s Joe DiMaggio Prototype “1938 Goudey” Pocket Watch. The face of this watch, which is 2” in diameter, has the same image as Goudey used on its 1938 trading cards. Only a handful of prototypes were made; the watch was never mass-produced. This example, from a veteran collector of sports watches, works intermittently and is nm.
Winning Bid $220.
Lot 6. Dec. 23, 1972 Steelers vs. Raiders “Immaculate Reception” Game Program. Ex-m 118-page program for the AFC divisional playoff game that featured one of the most famous and controversial plays in NFL history. The play gave Pittsburgh its first playoff victory. With only 22 second left in the game, Oakland led, 7-6. The Steelers faced fourth-and-10 on their own 40 yard line when Terry Bradshaw threw the ball toward Frenchy Fuqua at the Raiders’ 35 yard line. The ball, Fuqua and Raiders safety Jack Tatum arrived at a point on the field at the same time. In the aftermath of the collision, Fuqua fell to the ground, and the ball sailed toward Franco Harris, who had run downfield as a receiver. Harris scooped up the ball before it hit the ground and ran for a touchdown. Pittsburgh broadcaster Myron Cope popularized the term.
Winning Bid $198.
Lot 8. Autograph of John (Blood) McNally, Hall of Fame Charter Inductee. Playing halfback and wingback, McNally was the top NFL receiver of his era (1925-38), and he was also a top-notch runner, punter, passer and defensive back. He was in the first class enshrined at Canton. His best seasons were with Green Bay. He played in the NFL as Johnny “Blood,” an alias he chose to preserve a year of college eligibility, which he never used. McNally died in 1985. His signature is in pencil on a form used to order a postcard-sized photo made from a “moving picture” frame. The printed form is matted and framed, without glass, to 17 ½ x 21 ½” with the envelope used to mail the photo to McNally, an 8” x 10” b&w Hall of Fame photo of McNally and a copy of a Goal Line Art card depicting him, The signature, “John V. McNally, is nm-m 8. As framed, the “y” in McNally is obscured, but it is present, and the matt simply needs to be re-cut to expose it. McNally’s signature is moderately difficult to come by, and this is the first utilitarian example we’ve seen. Authenticated by Kevin Keating.
Winning Bid $327.
Lot 9. 1940s-50s “World Champions” Boxing Poster with Louis, Dempsey, Sullivan, Etc. This 22 ½” x 28” poster has photos of former boxing champions representing the heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, lightweight, bantamweight and featherweight divisions. Among the boxers pictured are Joe Louis, Jack Dempsey, James Corbett, Sugar Ray Robinson, John L. Sullivan, James Jeffries, Joe Gans, Benny Leonard, Manuel Ortiz, Stanley Ketchell, Rocky Graziano, Billy Conn and others. The poster has some edge tears and creases and displays as ex.
Winning Bid $182.
Lot 10. PSA-Graded 1938 Churchman “Boxing Personalities” Set of 50. This popular set averages PSA EX-MT 6 with 10 cards less than ex-m, only one less than ex and eight better than ex-m. VG-EX 4: #20 Johnson. EX 5: #3 Baer, 5, 26 Louis (strong ex), 32, 33, 36, 44 and 49. EX+ 5.5: #12 Dempsey. EX-MT 6: #1 Ambers, 2 Armstrong, 6 Braddock, 8 Carpentier, 9, 13-19, 21, 23-25, 27-30, 34 Schmeling, 35 Tunney, 37, 39, 40, 42-48 and 50. EX-MT+ 6.5: #11. NM 7: #4, 7 Carnera, 10, 22 Kilrain, 31, 38 and 41. Quality, desirable set.
Winning Bid $198.
Lot 11. Circa 1900 Cabinet Photo of the Nebraska Indians Barnstorming Baseball Team. The Indians were among the great barnstorming teams of the early 1900s. Established in 1897 by Guy W. Green, a young lawyer and promoter, the team took on town teams across the country. The original team had 12 players, nine Native Americans and three white players. The Indians came primarily form Nebraska schools and the Omaha and Winnebago reservations. The team entertained fans while playing excellent baseball. Through 1914, they won 1,237 games, lost 336 and tied 11. The sepia photo, by Kern Bros. of New York, shows nine players in uniform with “NI” on their jerseys, three other players and a man in the center in a suit, presumed to be Green. The 4 ¼” x 6 ½” photo, including the mount, couldn’t be better. It is sharply focused with strong contrast. Nm photo on an ex mount that has some minor, light stains. The photo represents important chapters in baseball barnstorming and race relations.
Winning Bid $390.
Lot 12. Rare Early 1900s Baseball-Scene Ad for Allen & Ginter Perfection Cigarettes. Fabulous artwork on a 17 ¾” x 25 ¼” hard-board panel depicts the third base side of a baseball game as a vendor promotes Perfection Cigarettes. A Perfection pack toward the top of the scene indicates that the brand belonged to Allen & Ginter, which was owned by Liggett and Myers. Huge letters on the back say “Perfection Cigarettes 5 c.” It appears that there may be a right-hand panel to complement this one. Nevertheless, this scene stands alone, and displays beautifully with some scuffs, primarily along the edges and near the center fielder at the top. Wonderful display and a great conversation piece.
Winning Bid $121.
Lot 13. Incredibly Rare Pittsburgh Pirates 1925 Poster from the Pittsburgh Gazette Times. Only the second time in more than 30 years that we’ve seen this 19” x 28” poster, which recognizes the Pirates as National League 1925 Champs. These Pirates went on to become world champs by defeating Washington in a seven-game World Series. The poster, which probably hung in news stand, encourages readers to follow the Series in the Gazette Times, with special reports from Damon Runyon, Ring Lardner, Max Carey, the Pirates’ captain, John McGraw, Muddy Ruel and others. Near the center of the poster, Barney Dreyfuss, the Pirates’ president, is pictured with Carey and Bill McKechnie, the manager. Twenty-five other Pirates are pictured, including Pie Traynor and Kiki Cuyler. Carey was the series batting star. The poster has been folded twice, and there are tears along the folds, some of which are reinforced on the blank back with tape. There are some other tears along the edges, various creases, and chips and tack holes in the corners. It isn’t pristine, but it seldom turns up in any condition.
Winning Bid $198.
Lot 14. Rare Stangl Pottery Babe Ruth Bust by Noted Designer Dominick DeChristopher. Almost life-size, this limited-edition bust, #1 of only 50 produced, was intended for use as a hat stand. It commemorates Ruth’s first home run on May 6, 1915 at the Polo Grounds. There, Ruth connected with the first pitch off Yankee pitcher Jack Warhop and drove it into the right field grandstand. Neatly hand-lettered on the back of the bust is: “#1, May 6, 1915, New York, Warhop.” The bust is numbered 1 of 7,500. Only a few were actually produced, however, because the Stangl Company went out of business - for the second time. From the 1920s-70s, the company manufactured popular folk-art pottery. It folded in 1978 but was revived briefly in the early 1990s. DeChristopher had worked for the company in the 1960s-70s until health problems forced him into early retirement in 1975. He had designed many of the figural Avon cologne bottles. When Stangl started back up, DeChristopher worked on new designs from his home. This bust of Babe Ruth was his biggest project. He not only designed and sculpted the bust, but also hand-numbered and hand-glazed each one. Not long after completing the project, DeChristopher passed away, in October 1993. Of the 50 hat stand busts produced, 38 were actually sold. They were numbered 1 through 30 and 83 through 95. There apparently were two number 10s, 10 and 10B. Samples make up the remainder. The bust is nm-m with some very minor toning in Ruth’s hair. If that’s a concern, just cover it with a hat; after all, it is a hat stand! Take advantage of this opportunity to own a rare Ruth collectible, literally #1 of a kind!
Winning Bid $242.
Lot 15. Rare First Dummy Issue of Sports Illustrated – Dec. 5, 1953. The first regular issue of Sports Illustrated, which has Eddie Mathews on the cover, reached the nation’s mail boxes and news stands in August 1954. Production followed two years of market research and testing by George Luce and his staff. Luce also founded Time and Life magazines. The SI staff produced two dummy issues and sent them to potential advertisers to obtain their opinion of the magazine. Both demonstration issues are very scarce; distribution of the first dummy was more limited. In both prototypes, the magazine is unnamed. The cover of the first dummy simply identifies it as “The New Sport Magazine.” Inside are 140 pages of advertising and current articles and photos, including a five-page spread on the Bobo Olson-Randy Turpin fight, a Major League Baseball fight between owners and players over radio and TV revenues, a preview of the upcoming football bowl games, commercialization of hockey, pro wrestling on TV and various other topics. The dummy is vg+ to ex with a bright, clean front cover that has the owner’s stamp and several relatively light creases that do little to detract from the cover’s appearance. The interior is ex-m, clean and tight. This is a rare and very desirable piece of history from the development of the most enduring sports magazine.
Winning Bid $525.
