(LOT 620)
1932 Times Wide World Photos Lou Gehrig Original Type I Photo - Image Used for Gehrig's Legendary 1933 DeLong Baseball Card & the Day Gehrig Hit 4 Home Runs Newspaper Image For Article (6/3/1932)! - Measures Approx. 8" x 10" - PSA Encapsulated Type I
One of the "hottest" collecting angles in the hobby are seizing original photos used for a player's popular baseball cards. Several examples for this pricing up-tick phenomena are images utilized for the 1951 Bowman Mantle and 1954 Hank Aaron cards selling for an astonishing $70K+ and $30K+! Additionally, we have seen several Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle photos linked to their desirable baseball cards either approach or exceed five figures. To date, what the hobby has yet to see is a legendary Gehrig photo linked to one of his iconic 1930's bubble gum cards (Goudey's, DeLong), and courtesy of Memory Lane, that long awaited search is over!

Presented here is a possibly "unique" (to the best of our knowledge) 1932 Lou Gehrig batting photo that was the EXACT image used for his legendary 1933 DeLong subject. Incredible as it may seem, the superlatives don't end there because this batting illustration was used on June 3, 1932 by "Times Wide World Photos" the day Lou Gehrig belted four home runs against Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics! Indeed, not only was this seemingly "timeless" image utilized for the illustrious DeLong Gehrig card, but it dates us back to a day in baseball history when Lou Gehrig tested the physical limits of what a baseball player can possibly accomplish. On June 3, 1932, the Yankees would crush the Athletics 20-13 at Philadelphia's Shibe Park, with Gehrig walloping 4 home runs.


Amazingly, in the 9th inning, Gehrig would step to the plate a final time in an effort to establish a record 5-homer mark. Gehrig surely did his part, crushing a ball towards the deepest confines of centerfield (468 feet to the fence), where Al Simmons ran down the ball some 460+ feet from home plate, only a few feet short of Gehrig standing alone as the sole player to hit 5 home runs in a single game. Yet, his 4-homer feat easily stands as one of baseball's unfathomable achievements, and coupled with the fact the DeLong Gum Company chose this hallowed image for their 1933 Gehrig subject, it carries virtually no limits for its immense desirability and potential value. Lou Gehrig was 1 of 16 MLB players to hit 4 home runs in a single game since 1894 (over a span of 122 years ).


Lou Gehrig's place in baseball history outdistances most of his peers, enjoying one of the most formidable careers any player could ever hope to achieve. Tragically, Gehrig's incredible career was cut short by the deadly "ALS" disease (now more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease) that took his life at the tender age of 37. Yet, with all of his "on the field" accomplishments, he will always be best remembered for his 2,130-consecutive game streak, accounting for his sacred "Iron Horse" nickname.

Furthermore, his incomparable farewell "Luckiest Man On The Face Of The Earth" speech at Yankee stadium on July 4, 1939 will forever stand as our National Pastime's "Gettysburg Address". It is for all of these reasons that his scarcest artifacts command the utmost attention with few of those possibly depicting the coupled rarity and historical significance as this world-class marvel. Donning his road New York uniform, Gehrig's stoic batting swing pose is brilliant, reflecting spectacular clarity and contrast. No obtrusive surface flaws are evident, and the verso reveals the 'WIDE WORLD" news stamp as well as the significant caption dating the image to the June 3, 1932 date when Gehrig belted 4 round trippers.

From a historical perspective, we couldn't even begin to choose which collecting angle supersedes the other... Gehrig's original Type I DeLong baseball card image or the photo used on the day Gehrig hit 4 home runs? Fortunately for the esteemed enthusiast, you DON'T HAVE TO CHOOSE because by capturing this virtually "one of kind" masterpiece, you claim the right to both extraordinary achievements via a single breathtaking "Iron Horse" heirloom! - PSA Type I LOA included.

Additional Condition - related Comments:

Front of photo reveals a crease 2" from the right border that is evident on the front and through the photo's verso.  There are 3 negligible pinholes near the  top edge; a small surface indentation approximately a 1/4" from the right side of Gehrig's batting pose; and some stray pencil marks above the central image.  Most significant is that none of these diminutive surface flaws negatively impact the outstanding eye appeal of this classic Gehrig marvel; with even the most discerning collector well aware that these typical  condition related issues are evident on most pre-war newspaper archive photos.  Virtually all world class enthusiasts would agree that the captivating and ultra rare "Iron Horse" batting image totally "steals the show".  

MIN BID $2,500