October Legends Closing October 27,2018
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/27/2018
For the second fall in a row, the New York Yankees and Giants met in the World Series. The rivalry between the two teams dated back to the first decade of the century when the Giants were the penultimate team in the land and the Yankees were perennial cellar dwellers. That all changed with the coming of Babe Ruth, and after several hard-fought World Series between the two teams, the Yankees usurped the Giants claim to the title of greatest baseball team in the land. More than a decade later in 1936, the two teams met again, and after a tough series, the Yanks emerged once again as World Champions.
The next year found the two franchises going head to head again. The first two games were played at Yankee Stadium and ended with the exact same outcome and score: 8-1 Yankees. Shortly before one of those two games, Lou Gehrig took time out to pose for a candid photo with Joe Bihler, the personal assistant of his business agent Christy Walsh. In the 1920’s and 30’s, Christy Walsh established himself as the first sports agent, starting with his first client Babe Ruth and eventually representing Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Dizzy Dean, and of course, Lou Gehrig. The Yankees cruised to the second of four consecutive World Series Championships, with Gehrig contributing a .294 performance, including his tenth and final post-season home run. The 1937 Series was last time Gehrig played at his full potential as the next season he began showing the signs of the debilitating illness that would eventually take his life in 1941.
The offered photograph measures 3 ¼ x 3 ½ inches and has been signed by the Yankees legend in strong black fountain pen. A hand written “Lou Gehrig Yankees First baseman World Series 1937” along with a stamped “B7” are found on the reverse in black ink. A beautiful shot of Lou Gehrig relaxed, and in his element, complete with a flawless and bold signature. This photograph comes with a LOA from PSA/DNA (AE08534), who have graded this signature a GEM MINT 10. There is an additional LOA from JSA (Z79819) for the signature.