Winter Auction 2015 closing February 7
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/8/2015
Presented is a multi-signed 1939 Baseball Hall of fame Induction program with a veritable who's who of baseball immortals. The Original owner was present that day June 12, 1939 when the doors of the Baseball Hall of Fame opened and inducted their inaugural class, which included Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb and Walter Johnson. He also was able to obtain the signatures of most of the players in the inaugural Hall of Fame Game, bringing the total eventual Hall of Famers to a whopping 21. The program from the very first Hall of Fame Game was partially scored, likely stopped because he was busy getting the program signed. The First Hall of Included among the (39) scripts are the signatures of Babe Ruth, Walter Johnson, Cy Young, Ty Cobb and Napoleon (Larry) Lajoie. The signatures are spread out over 3 of the 4 pages of the program. To display all of the autographs, the program has been disassembled and mounted to archival board for preservation as well as convenience. The (39) signatories include (21) HOFers Ty Cobb, Eddie Collins, Dizzy Dean, Charlie Gehringer, Hank Greenberg, Lefty Grove, Gabby Hartnett, Billy Herman, Carl Hubbell, Walter Johnson, Bill Klem, Larry Lajoie, Connie Mack, Bill McKechnie, Joe Medwick, Mel Ott, Babe Ruth, Tris Speaker, Bill Terry, Arky Vaughan and Cy Young; and (18) Non-HOFers Johnny Allen, Morris Arnovich, Stan Hack, Frank Hogan, Si Johnson, Art Jorgens, Bill Jurges, Dan MacFayden, Eddie Miller, Terry Moore, Wally Moses, Marvin Owen (signed twice), Cecil Travis, Johnny Vander Meer, Jimmie Wilson and Taft Wright with (1) unidentified. The signatures are all in pencil and are quite legible with the Babe Ruth script among the strongest. This fantastic relic comes with a full photo LOA from PSA/DNA (listing only 36 signatures on the piece when there is actually 39) and two LOAs from JSA (one for each of the two separated items. A once in a lifetime piece that is truly a one of a kind and the centerpiece of any serious baseball collection.