Babe Ruth 100th Anniversary Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/12/2014
Presented is a very unique vintage signed item, a 6” x 9” generously multi-signed 1936 “Who’s Who in the Major Leagues?” containing a whopping 297 signatures. Harold (Speed) Johnson began publishing “Who’s Who in the Major Leagues in 1933, offering fans photographic and written capsules of all the baseball players in the game. As advertised on the cover, the book includes “PHOTOS, STORIES AND RECORDS OF EVERY PLAYER IN THE AMERICAN AND NATIONAL LEAGUES.” It was a young baseball fans dream come true!
This paperback version has been well-handled! It had to have been to accumulate so many signatures, which were likely obtained over a period of years. The cover has been repaired and held together with tape, plus there are numerous scrapes and abrasions. However, none of the signatures are affected. Each of the major league teams has several pages of pictures and small bios, and it is on these images which most of the signatures were applied. None of the signature back up to another page of signatures, so there's unlimited potential in break-up value as you won't lose any signatures. There is also a section for the umpires and the original Hall of Fame class of 1936 which was just elected. The signatures include black fountain pen and pencil versions, with the pencil signatures including a multitude of colors with blue, red and yellow.
Of the almost 300 signatures are those of 42 Hall of Famers, plus all the other major stars of the day, everyday regulars and bench warmers. Includes: Hall of Famers (40) – Arky Vaughan (2x), Mickey Cochrane, Charles Gehringer, Al Simmons, Lou Gehrig (beautiful black fountain pen “L.Gehrig), Joe McCarthy, Charles Ruffing, Lefty Gomez, Bill Dickey, Tony Lazzeri, Joe DiMaggio (rookie signature), Earle Combs, Earl Averill, Joe Cronin, Herb Pennock, Ted Lyons, Bucky Harris, Rogers Hornsby, Jim Bottomley, Bill McGowan, Cal Hubbard, Gabby Hartnett, Leo Durocher, Joe Medwick, Jesse Haines, John Mize, Mel Ott, Travis Jackson, Carl Hubbell, Bill Terry, Paul Waner, Lloyd Waner, Pie Traynor, Waite Hoyt, Honus Wagner (2x), Casey Stengel, Ki Ki Cuyler, George Kelly, Al Lopez and Babe Ruth.
Other notables include Red Rolfe, Frank Crosetti, Wes Ferrell, Doc Cramer, Moe Berg, Cecil Travis, Earle Mack, Charles Root, Pepper Martin, Mark Koenig, Wally Schang, Muddy Ruel, Charlie Dressen and Hank Gowdy.
A full listing of each player is available on our website.
This book contains all vintage signatures and it a tremendous multi-signed item containing over 40 Hall of Famers including some of the greatest names to ever play the sport. A truly unique item. Comes with full LOA from JSA