This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/10/2017
"Baseball gives every American boy a chance to excel, not just to be as good as someone else but to be better than someone else. This is the nature of man and the name of the game." Ted Williams. The offered quote exemplifies exactly what Ted Williams was, a tough-minded and altogether difficult man to figure out who had as many beginnings as he had ends. Asked early in his career what he wanted people to think of his baseball ability he quickly quipped, 'There goes Ted Williams, the greatest hitter who ever lived.' This was the single-mindedness that set Williams apart from other men, and helped him embark on a life that was, in the end, more like John Wayne than any other. Featured is a stunning pasteboard that was issued just as Williams was starting his rookie year with the Boston Red Sox by Gum Inc. of Philadelphia and was sold under the premise of Play Ball! The attractive collectible has been graded NM/MT by PSA and as such there has only been thirteen examples to have achieved a higher grade from the Newport Beach based organization! A pleasing well-imaged presentation of the intense young slugger shines out to the enthusiast who is further smitten by the exceptional contrast of the subject when placed against the darker background. The surface is a resplendent presentation that captivates the imagination with a perfect rendition. The centering is like a perfectly framed picture, with a bright antique white border acting like the gates to greatness. The perimeter of this powerful pasteboard is cornered with four pristine points of pride that show absolutely no evidence of the trials and tribulations that this card has had to endure during its prideful existence. The surface is a smooth palate that offers no evidence of any pitfalls along its pitch. The reverse is a splendidly printed gray-stocked dream with no hindrances to be encountered. A stunning and captivating rendition of this exceptionally important first year cardboard keepsake offered in consuming and defining strong NM/MT+ condition that borders on being MINT!