This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/10/2017
In his autobiography, Satchel Paige wrote, "Signing Jackie (Robinson) like they did still hurt me deep down. I'd been the guy who'd started all that big talk about letting us in the big time. I’d been the one who'd opened up the major league parks to colored teams. I'd been the one who the white boys wanted to go barnstorming against." But ultimately Satchel Paige knew that even though it was the right time, he wasn't the right guy. While recognized by many as the greatest black pitcher of his era, the hero who led his Negro League Crawfords to a 4-1 barnstorming victory over an all-white team led by Dizzy Dean, who was fresh off of a World Series championship in 1934, Paige knew that an aging hurler with a brash, cocky attitude, no matter how well-respected he was for his talent, couldn't successfully serve as the emissary for integration. One year after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, 41-year old Satchel Paige was finally a major league pitcher, making his debut for the Cleveland Indians in July of 1948. Even with his skills clearly declining from the days when many baseball fans considered him the greatest pitcher of the game, regardless of skin color, Paige showed that there was still some magic in his tattered arm, posting a 6-1 record with a 2.48 ERA, including two shutout victories. Maybe it's poetic justice that Satchel Paige's long overdue rookie card comes from the 1948 Leaf set, a collection as offbeat and quirky as old "Satchmo" himself. And of course, the story just wouldn't be complete without his debut pasteboard being included as one of the extremely difficult short-prints that are nearly impossible to find in any condition above EX. But here we go, offering up one of the most stunning examples of one of the most treasured rookie cards ever produced, a PSA 7 graded 1948 Leaf card of Hall of Famer Satchel Paige. The always smiling Paige is perfectly captured on this incredible pasteboard, surrounded by a sun-soaked yellow backdrop that is usually marred by heavy overprint, though to a much lesser degree here than is typical for the series, allowing the original color of the heavy pigmentation to project forth. The reverse is truly breathtaking as the deep black print on classic gray stock is pristine, appearing as though it was just unearthed from its wax confinement. But the real stars of this museum-quality piece are the endpoints, easily surpassing NM specifications and appearing more in line with cards at the NM/MT level, compensating for the usual centering bias toward the bottom edge that likely took a half to full point off of the final assessment. Only 5 examples have ever graded higher at PSA, and a side by side comparison might have you believing that this beauty belongs in that exclusive company.