Lot # 184: 1959 Willie McCovey “Rookie” PSA Type 1 Encapsulated Wide World Photos – Measures Approx. 6-1/2” x 8”

Category: Photos

Starting Bid: $200.00

Bids: 5 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "20th Anniversary Auction",
which ran from 9/18/2020 4:30 PM to
10/10/2020 7:00 PM




(LOT 184)
1959 Willie McCovey "Rookie" PSA Type 1 Encapsulated Wide World Photos – Measures Approx. 6-1/2" x 8"

One of the most underrated power hitters in MLB history is the Hall of Fame first baseman Willie McCovey who terrorized pitchers with his colossal 6'4" size and mammoth-like home runs that rocketed off his bat like an ICBM missile! Indeed, "Mac" could wallop a baseball as hard and far as any hitter who ever played the game, and at the time of his 1980 retirement, his 521 lifetime homers tied the immortal Ted Williams with only Babe Ruth having recorded more home runs as a left-handed hitter. His inaugural MLB season would be 1959, when the San Francisco Giants called up McCovey from their AAA Phoenix club whereby his 29 round-trippers and .372 batting average was literally tearing up the Pacific Coast League. McCovey would continue his batting onslaught as a S.F. Giants rookie for the remainder of the 1959 campaign, posting a .354 batting average and blasting 13 dingers in only 219 plate appearances.

That stellar performance was good enough to land "Willie-Mac" Rookie of the Year honors, with McCovey's finest season being 1969 when he paced the league in seven different categories including 45 homers, 126 runs batted in and a sensational 1.108 OPS, earning him the National League MVP. It didn't take long for McCovey to impress both his teammates and opposition for after being called up to the Majors, he would make his MLB debut on July 30, 1959 and incredibly go 4-4 (with 2 Triples) against future Hall of Fame Phillies twirler Robin Roberts. As a spectacular testament for that inaugural performance by "Stretch" comes along this miraculous photo that was issued by Wide World Photos that same July 30, 1959 day (caption dated on back).

Measuring approximately 6-1/2" x 8", McCovey portrays a classic portrait pose, with this star 21-year old not even remotely realizing the remarkable career he was about to embark on. Brilliant contrast and impeccable resolution literally bring this "Willie-Mac" rookie photo to life, with the flipside including the WIDE WORLD PHOTOS credit stamp and critical caption that clearly reads: "Willie McCovey of the San Francisco Giants – 7/30/59." Arguably speaking, this certainly might reside as the most significant Willie McCovey photo extant, boldly depicting this powerful young first baseman on the exact day of his Major League debut!

MIN BID $200
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