(LOT 116)
1914 Cracker Jack #57 Walter Johnson PSA 4 VG-EX
Arguably standing tall as the greatest pitcher who ever toed a rubber, Walter Johnson's impeccable stature is substantiated by both his "traditional" and baseball's new "sabermetric" statistics that place his as "number one" on virtually every all-time pitcher lists. No wonder advanced collectors pursue his most esteemed pre-WW1 cardboard gems, with this PSA 4 1914 Cracker Jack offering one of his most desirable baseball cards extant! One of the most coveted pre-WWI sets is the 1914 Cracker Jack issue, with a single card distributed in each Cracker Jack box containing the ultra-popular candy corn treats. Exhibiting ultra-thin card stock, Cracker Jack subjects were mixed in with the sticky caramel candy popcorn, accounting for the significant condition sensitivity of any 1914 example. Adding to the excruciating task of either completing this set or obtaining the high-end Hall of Famers in high grade condition was the unavailability of obtaining the completed set via mail order, a convenient alternative for the following year's 1915 issue.

While this explains why most superior graded cards are 1915 Cracker Jacks, fortunately for the most sophisticated collectors, there are a handful of mid-grade specimens to choose from, such as scarce for the grade PSA 4 exemplar. Johnson's aforementioned premier pitching stature is justified by his unfathomable 417 lifetime wins that still stands as a modern-day record; placing only second to Cy Young who claimed approximately half of his victories in the 19th century. Amazingly, Johnson pitched for a poor Washington Senators team most of his career, winning a staggering 38 games by the classic "1-0" pitching ticket score, and also being on the short-side of 26 "1-0" games. His 110 lifetime shutouts also stand as an all-time mark, and the admiration bestowed upon this Hall of Fame 1936 charter member is virtually unparalleled in the baseball community.

Synonymous with Johnson's impeccable baseball stature are some of the superb attributes radiating from this 1914 Cracker Jack marvel. Johnson's classic pitching pose is absolutely breathtaking, and depicts the finest crystal-clear clarity and registration imaginable. You can almost feel Johnson's intensity as he swings his mighty throwing arm backwards in preparation of unleashing another one of his practically unhittable blistering side-arm fastballs. Somewhat right-angled corners exhibit only some peripheral wear at the utmost tips, and no glaring creases are evident. Offsetting these solid mid-grade aesthetics is a skewed image that favors the left edge and a strong caramel corn stain situated on the left border.

Save these two blemishes, the remaining technical attributes are consistent with any "EX+" example. Seldom does a "VG/EX" 1914 Cracker Jack portraying the supreme pitching artist in or National Pastime's glorious history become available for the taking. This Walter Johnson masterpiece serves as a transient link to the "dead-ball" era when a plethora of diamond stars paved an indelible path leading to the unparalleled success of America's most treasured pastime. Courtesy of Memory Lane, we now invite you to jump aboard the "Big Train" express and ride this classic heirloom directly into the winner's circle!

MIN BID $1,500
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