(LOT 8)
1909 T206 Walter Johnson "Hands at Chest" - Polar Bear Cigarettes (PSA 6) - "1 of 1"; Highest Graded Polar Bear Johnson "Hands at Chest"!
Presented here is a spectacular PSA 6 T206 Walter Johnson "Hands at Chest" gem that stands as one of the finer T206 subjects in the truly classic 524 card "Monster" set. Adding to this card's already prestigious stature is its eclectic Polar Bear Cigarette verso that suffices as a more obscure advertisement than the typical Sweet Caporal or Piedmont Cigarette ad backs. Its rarity for the grade is substantiated by PSA's population report that lists this is the SOLE and HIGHEST graded Johnson "Hands at Chest" Polar Bear card of the current 74 PSA encapsulated copies!

It is no secret that many historians consider Walter Johnson the greatest pitcher in baseball history, and he not only holds that ranking via sheer opinion, but is ranked as the #1 hurler among many of baseball's new Sabermetric listings including the critical WAR category (Wins Above Replacement). Traditional statistics also support that notion including 417 lifetime wins, 3,508 strikeouts and a sensational 2.17 lifetime ERA. More significantly, Johnson personified the pure innocence correlated with "turn of the century" baseball as evidenced by his kindness and sense of fair play. He succeeded the great Christy Mathewson as baseball's consummate professional and was idolized by thousands of aspiring young ballplayers.

We cannot imagine a better testament for this fire-balling icon then this supreme Polar Bear offering that projects a brilliant "Hands at Chest" image that reveals near-perfect centering. Brilliant hues and vivid resolution dominate this splendid offering as Johnson's prepares to unleash another one of his blazing fastballs. Atypically, the Polar Bear verso also reveals fine centering with only some faint snow visible on the bold midnight blue surface. White borders and somewhat square corners are the final exclamation points to a card that is synonymous with the "Big Train's" pinnacle standing among all pitchers, proudly stands as the "best of the rest" via its obscure Polar Bear verso!

MIN BID $750