Auction Item Details
Lot 109
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Lot Number: 109
Description: Exceedingly scarce Archibald "Moonlight" Graham autographed 1951 High School yearbook. Very rare "A W Graham MD" signature (done in ink and rating 8/9 out of 10) appears on a page inside the 1951 edition of the Chisholm, Minnesota Senior High School yearbook. Graham made his one and only appearance in a Major League uniform on June 29, 1905 as a member of the New York Giants in a game vs. the Brooklyn Superbas. While playing Minor League ball in the seasons preceding Graham had spent his down time studying at the University of Maryland Medical School and when his short lived baseball career ended (after a stint in the Minors following his day with the Giants) he relocated to Chisholm. There he would become the Doctor for Chisholm schools, a role he dutifully filled for (50) years until his death in 1965. Graham would be little more than a footnote in baseballs' long and storied history were it not for the 1989 movie "Field of Dreams." He was famously immortalized in the film when the main character Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) travels back in time to meet him. During their short conversation Graham (played by Bert Lancaster) imparts upon Kinsella the importance of living in the moment and chasing your dreams. "We just don't recognize life's most significant moments while they're happening" he said, "I thought well there'll be other days...I didn't realize that that was the only day." The movie has become a beloved classic and Graham's legacy within popular culture is now well entrenched. There are approximately (10) known examples of his autograph which have surfaced over the years with the offered example appearing along the lower edge of a page in the 1951 Chisholm High yearbook which features his image and a touching tribute to the then (75) school Doctor. Additional signatures from school attendees and staff appear throughout the book including (3) which are on the same page as Graham. Yearbook itself shows some light general handling wear. Fresh to the hobby and being offered for the first time publicly by the descendants of a then high school senior who had it signed. Notably rare and it may be many years before another Graham autograph is offered. Includes full LOA from JSA: EX-NMEstimated Price Range: ($5,000-$10,000)
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