(LOT 25)
1911 M131 Baltimore News Newsboy Series "Old" Cy Young SGC 3 VG – Extremely Rare & One of Only Three Examples on the Combined SGC & PSA Pop Charts!
SCARCE M131 CY!!!... By 1911, the immortal Denton True "Cy" Young was winding down a stupendous 22-year career that would ultimately see him tally an unfathomable 511 wins and 749 complete games, both unbreakable records! Although he started his final season with the Cleveland Naps, he would be traded to the Boston Rustlers of the National League (eventually becoming the Boston Braves), now back in Beantown where he had ably assisted the Boston Pilgrims in winning the inaugural 1903 World Series. On September 22, 1911, the 44-year-old Young would shut out the Pittsburgh Pirates 1-0 for his 511th victory and 76th career shutout, with his eventual retirement prompted by his final start of the season resulting in the last eight batters he faced belting a triple, three doubles, and four singles. The great Cy Young would finally hang up his cleats, with his miraculous pitching records becoming the rightful basis for our National Pastime, eventually utilizing his exalted name to represent baseball's annual pitching excellence award.

While some of Young's rarest cards include his unique 1893 Just-So and early 1890s Ryder Cabinets, presented here just happens to be another one of his most elusive cardboard keepsakes, a near-impossible SGC 3 VG 1911 M131 Baltimore News scarcity that stands as one of only three examples listed on the combined SGC and PSA census reports (all three examples are SGC). In 1911, the Baltimore News issued a 30-subject set strikingly similar to the E94 George Close Candy issue. All the players and checklist numbers were exactly the same, with the first 35 boys completing the set offered a $1 prize. The difference in this ultra-rare regional issue versus the E94 candy cards is that all Baltimore News players reveal a blue background, with the back of the cards portraying a Baltimore News Newsboy Series caption. To place the rarity of these cards in perspective versus their E94 peers, the combined PSA and SGC M131 counts for all 30 subjects is a mere 88 examples, or 4%, versus the significantly higher 1,975 E94 Close Candy examples (at the time this was written).

Regarding the Cy Young M131 subject, the mere three examples represent a fractional 4.7% of the 64 Cy Young E94 George Close Candy graded copies, substantiating the significant paucity level of the Baltimore News Cy Young. Did you ever wonder how the iconic Cy Young achieved his legendary "Cy" nickname? In 1889, while trying out for the Canton, Ohio minor league team, one of Young's blazing fastballs whizzed past the catcher and broke the rear fence. This prompted a reporter to state, "The fence looked as if it had been hit by a cyclone!" Word of this quote spread like a brushfire throughout the local town, and the "Cy" nickname was forever etched in stone for this 22-year-old fireball phenom. One of the finest eye-pleasing M131 subjects extant for any subject, it's no secret that the Baltimore News Newsboy Series cards are ultra-condition sensitive, with most known examples exhibiting low grades.

This particular offering just happens to reveal one of the most imposing M131 central images we have ever encountered, with Young's classic E94 Close Candy pitching pose eluding any notable blemishes. Presenting itself in nearly mid-grade fashion, the near-perfect centering, crystal-clear clarity, and brilliant powder blue background are super eye-pleasing attributes, and the "OLD" CY YOUNG, CLEVELAND caption along the lower border is bold and vivid. Preventing a higher assessment is standard corner wear, border toning, some faint areas of surface etching along the edges, and scattered soiling situated on the verso's 30-subject checklist. Most would agree that its sheer existence as one of Young's rarest known issues coupled with the magnificent central image aesthetics merit it the highest accolades, tantamount to Young's king of the hill standing as one of baseball's greatest twirlers to ever toe a pitching rubber!

MIN BID $5,000
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