Auction Item Details
Lot 359
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Lot Number: 359
Description: Significant 1903 World Series panoramic photograph from the collection of Charlie Wagner. Since its inception in 1901, the fledgling American League had locked horns with the establishment, otherwise known as the National League. In 1903, the owners of the respective pennant winning teams from the two leagues agreed to play a championship series in a nine game format. Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss and BostonÆs owner Henry Killilea insisted on calling this contest the "World Series". The mighty Pirates were favored to win, but were besieged with injuries, including their star player Honus Wagner. Additionally, one of the Pirates' pitchers was lost to an asylum after suffering from a mental breakdown. All circumstances aside, the inaugural series lived up to its billing with several exciting games and exceptional pitching performances by Boston's Cy Young and Pittsburgh's Deacon Phillippe. The Boston club would prevail in the end with a total of four games to three. One hundred and five years later, the World Series remains the crown jewel of professional sports championships. Offered is a significant original panoramic photograph taken at Boston's Huntingdon Ave. Grounds during the 1903 World Series. Both the Pittsburgh and Boston teams are pictured in uniform on the field including Honus Wagner, Cy Young, Deacon Phillippe, Fred Clarke, and Jimmy Collins. Actual image size measures 10"x29" remaining affixed to its original 15"x34" mount. "Boston Red Sox Worlds Champions 1903" is written in period pencil on the bottom margin of the mount. The image itself remains fairly clean with a few small areas of staining primarily to the far right border. The mount has some surface soiling to a few areas and two small tape residue stains at the top edge (not visible under the current matting). This image is the earliest dated professional baseball panoramic photograph that we have handled. Furthermore, to the best of our knowledge, the offered image is the only known surviving exemplar inclusive of the archives at the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Highly significant and likely unique photographic relic dating to the inception Major League Baseball's World Series. Matted and framed. Includes letter of provenance from the Wagner family: EX
Estimated Price: ($30,000.00-$40,000.00)
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