On Display: 1909 T204 Ramly Walter Johnson, PSA 8 (NM-MT)
Issued: 1909 by Ramly Turkish Cigarettes
Back: Turkish Cigarettes Advertisement
Photographer: Carl Horner (Portrait)
Hall of Fame Induction: 1936 (Charter Member)
Career Wins: 417 | Shutouts: 110 | Strikeouts: 3,508 | ERA: 2.17
“He was the most threatening sight I ever saw on a ball field.” — Ty Cobb
“The thing just hissed with danger.” — Ty Cobb, recalling his first encounter with Walter Johnson in 1907
This extraordinary artifact—a 1909 T204 Ramly card of Hall of Famer Walter “Big Train” Johnson—represents one of the rarest and most coveted treasures from baseball’s early 20th-century golden age. Issued by the Ramly Turkish Cigarette brand, this card stands as Johnson’s most desirable traditional-sized rookie card and one of the finest preserved examples known to exist, graded PSA 8 Near Mint-Mint. Only one other example shares this elite status.
Johnson debuted in 1907, a lanky 19-year-old from Kansas wielding a sidearm fastball so explosive it drew immediate awe—even from fierce competitors like Ty Cobb. Over the next two decades, Johnson would carve out a staggering career: 417 wins, 110 shutouts, and 3,508 strikeouts, making him a towering figure in baseball lore. His career ERA of 2.17 remains one of the lowest among pitchers with over 200 wins.
The T204 Ramly set, known for its lavish gold-bordered Art Nouveau designs, curiously excluded most elite Hall of Famers like Cobb, Wagner, Mathewson, and Young. Johnson is the singular exception—his inclusion in this set elevates it among the most significant pre-war baseball card issues. The card’s portrait, adapted from Carl Horner’s famous photographic image, captures a youthful Johnson just as he began his path to greatness.
This particular specimen dazzles with its crisp black-and-white clarity, near-perfect centering, and minimal gold border wear—a rarity among Ramly cards. It is not only a tribute to the quiet dominance of baseball’s greatest pitcher but also a masterwork of early sports card design and production.