Babe Ruth 100th Anniversary Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/12/2014
Offered is one of the greatest team panoramic photographs known to our hobby. There are a couple of known examples of this vaunted image, but this particular example was actually owned by one of the participants – Yankees pitcher Wilcy Moore. As a member of the Yankees for five seasons, Moore comprised a very nice 19-7 record, with 2.28 ERA and 13 saves during the 1927 World Series championship season. He also was a member of the 1928 Yankees team which set the St. Louis Cardinals for a second consecutive World Series title. This fantastic 8 x 31 inch image was snapped at Spring Training just months after the Babe clubbed his 60th home run and the Yankees swept the feeble Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1927 World Series.
Shortly after the Yankees arrived in St. Petersburg in 1928 to being their quest for another World Series title, 36 members of that squad posed for photographer "M.P. Mayberry Photo St. Petersburg, FLA", whose identity is noted in the lower right corner. No wonder why they won another World Series as there is a tremendous amount of talent here! You'll be hard-pressed to find an image with a greater supply of Hall of Fame Yankees as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri, Bill Dickey, Leo Durocher, Stanley Coveleski, Waite Hoyt, Earle Combs, Herb Pennock and diminutive manager Miller Huggins are included. Covaleski was in the last season of his great mound career. Even famed batboy Eddie Bennett is here, sitting cross-legged in the lower left corner. Moore, the original owner of the photograph, is standing next to the rotund Babe in the back row, with rookie Bill Dickey on the other side, forming a pitching/catching tandem around the Bambino.
An interesting bit of photographer's trickery expands the photo past its original dimensions, as you will note a white vertical stripe four inches from the left which marks the spot where two negatives were joined to complete the vastness of the scene. This factor is of extreme importance as this “added” portion contains the image of Lou Gehrig. While the magnificence of this image cannot be mentioned enough, there are two heavy vertical creases, neither which affects the Hall of Famers in attendance. In addition, there are a myriad of small wrinkles, moderate smaller creases and edge wear. However, the crisp photo maintains its impeccable clarity and superb eye appeal. Headlined by Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, this Hall of Famer laden original image contains one of the most complete baseball teams of all time, a group of players which swept consecutive World Series titles, and is virtually the same team as the great 1927 Murderers Row. The 1928 team was no slouch either, mimicking the great ’27 team game for game. Included with this item is a Letter of Authenticity (dated December 3, 2013) from Steve Sheid, grandson of Yankee pitcher Wilcy Moore, attesting this exact panoramic photograph was owned by Moore. One of the most superb team panoramic photographs ever offered, and the only one owned by a member of Murderer’s Row.