Lot # 68: “Fresh to the Hobby” 1955 Ashland/Aetna Oil College Basketball 5-Card Strip incl. Jerry Bird (UK HOF); Gerry Calvert; George Francis Jr.; William Baxter & Jerry Riddle

Category: Basketball

Starting Bid: $300.00

Bids: 8 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Spring Rarities Auction 2020",
which ran from 5/6/2020 12:00 PM to
5/30/2020 7:00 PM




(LOT 68)
"Fresh to the Hobby" 1955 Ashland/Aetna Oil College Basketball 5-Card Strip incl. Jerry Bird (UK HOF); Gerry Calvert; George Francis Jr.; William Baxter & Jerry Riddle

Presented here is a 5-card 1955 Ashland/Aetna Oil College Basketball vertical strip including 5 un-cut subjects from the Kentucky-based Wildcats, Eastern Maroons, and Morehead Eagles. Players include forward Jerry Bird/UK HOF (Wildcats); guard Gerry Calvert (Wildcats); guard George Francis Jr. (Maroons); center William Baxter (Maroons) and guard Jerry Riddle (Morehead Eagles). The top header includes the standard "hole-punch" utilized for purposes of hanging the original 6-card strips on a gas station rack. In typical fashion, the Riddle card reveals an abnormal bottom edge since the gas attendants would tear off the next available card for their customers.

Since a full 6-card panel included 2 players from 3-different Kentucky-based schools, we can assume the one missing player is from the Morehead Eagles Kentucky team, with the header caption reflecting "KY. – EASTERN – MOREHEAD NO. 2" text (the "NO. 2 denotes the KY; EASTERN & MOREHEAD schools). Other than the aforementioned standard hole punch and rough lower edge, the strip depicts breathtaking aesthetics highlighted by five sparkling clear portrait images, super sharp edging, and no obtrusive surface flaws. The final "thumbs up" are the classic Ashland Oil ad-backs that reflect the player's vital statistics, graduation class and hometown. An ultra-rare offering and "fresh to the hobby", along with the other un-cut strips in this auction it stands as the first partial strip we have ever encountered, meriting a final resting place in any esteemed "type card" compilation!

MIN BID $300
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