(LOT 139)
Ted Williams Type I Original Paul McGuire (Official Red Sox Photographer) c.1940's/'50's Photo – Measures Approx. 7" x 9" - Full PSA Type 1 LOA
"I would love to walk down the street one day with people passing me and stating, there goes the greatest hitter the game has ever seen"! Such was the dream of a young Ted Williams as he pursued his place in baseball history with a steadfast persistence. Ted's dream DID become a reality for most baseball experts agree that Ted Williams is the greatest hitter who ever graced a batter's box. The "Splendid Splinter" not only handled the bat better than anyone who ever stepped into a batter's box, but served two stints as a fighter pilot in World War II and the Korean War.

It is, therefore, both his baseball iconic stature and wartime heroism that led to him being the true embodiment of a National hero. For all these reasons, his Boston Red Sox artifacts hold a special place in collectors' hearts with this outstanding PSA original Type I half-body photo most likely issued during the late 1940's/early 50's. Williams' spectacular portrait pose portrays a good-natured almost "boyish" grin, reflecting spectacular resolution and contrast. While not the exact same image, the pose is strikingly similar to the different illustrations used for his 1952 Berk Ross and 1954 Bowman issues. The brilliant central image has eluded any serious flaws, with some modest tape remnants affixed to the upper and lower right borders. The verso reveals the "Paul McGuire" stamp who resided as the official Red Sox photographer during this period.

The irony is that Ted Williams, whether hitting a baseball or shooting down enemy aircraft, was the best at his craft, and it is no coincidence that the "Splendid Splinter" even managed to hit a home run in the last swing of his illustrious career. Poetic justice at its best for baseball's greatest hitter of all-time, with this marvelous offering residing as a quintessential heirloom for the immortal Theodore Samuel Williams! - Full PSA Type I LOA


MIN BID $200