Auction Item Details
LOT 210
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Lot Number: 210
Description: Significant 1887 Detroit Wolverines World Championship Dauvray Cup pendant as issued to Charles "Lady" Baldwin. Since its inception in 1884, the World Championship series between the victors of the National League and American Association had become extraordinarily popular. The 1887 match would feature the NL Champion Detroit Wolverines and the Amer. Association Champion St. Louis Browns. The series would be decided after the eleventh game (15 total played) in which the Wolverines captured their eight victory and thusly were crowned Champions of the World. In addition to the laud and admiration of Detroit and baseball fans in general, the team received the Dauvray Cup award as the winners of the series. Actress Helen Dauvray, who was the wife of New York Giants player John Montgomery Ward, had donated a $500.00 silver baseball trophy cup that would be awarded to the series champion each year. If a given team won three titles the cup would then become the personal property of that team. After 1891 the series was disbanded and the cup was misplaced and, to date, has not been located. In addition to the "Dauvray Cup" trophy, each member of the winning team received a Dauvray Cup medal. Offered is one of three surviving Dauvray Cup medals issued to the Detroit Wolverines which had been presented to star pitcher Charles "Lady" Baldwin. The other two known pins, from Dan Brouthers and Sam Thompson, reside in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The ornately designed medal features "Detroits" engraved into a pennant style pin bar with gold crossed bats and ball decor beneath. Three gold link chains suspend a diamond shaped field inscribed "First Winner of The Dauvray Cup" surrounding an applique figural baseball batter. Laurel garniture frames the base of the diamond field and the reverse is inscribed "Chas. Baldwin-P." Baldwin was a very well regarded left handed pitcher of the era who won a record 42 games in 1886. The pin remains in fine overall condition with original surface and patina having only minor surface wear. Medal also includes a portion of its original blue silk covered box which has gilt lettering of the highly regarded New York metalworks company Gorham. This blue covered box piece is identical to the one that once contained Sam Thompson's medal. Total length of the pin is 3 1/4". World Championship award pieces of this nature and dating period are virtually non-existent with the offered exemplar being the first of its type to become available to the collecting public. Fine baseball related Championship award piece of the highest quality and significance: EX-MT
Estimated Price: (Estimate Upon Request)
