Lot # 115: Tim Keefe 1890 Sporting Goods Store Card (KEEFE & BECANNON) & 1889 Articles of Agreement Draft to Manufacture Baseballs for the Players’ League

Category: Memorabilia

Starting Bid: $500.00

Bids: 2 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Holy Grail Rarities Auction",
which ran from 11/19/2018 6:15 PM to
12/15/2018 7:00 PM




(LOT 115)
Tim Keefe 1890 Sporting Goods Store Card (KEEFE & BECANNON) & 1889 Articles of Agreement Draft to Manufacture Baseballs for the Players' League

19th Century Hall of Fame hurler Tim Keefe was a regular "superman" and someone who did it all! Baseball enthusiasts are all too familiar with his staggering 342 lifetime victories and resounding right arm that completed 554 or 93% of his 594 career starts. In addition to his uncanny pitching ability, Keefe became the treasurer of the 1890 Players' League and along with William H. Becannon, started a Sporting Goods Store titled: "KEEFE & BECANNON" that was contracted to supply the Players' League with their baseballs for three years (1890-1892). Unfortunately, the Players' League would fold after their inaugural 1890 season, with the Baseball Supply company only issuing PL baseballs for a single season. As an additional Players' League find, presented here is a business card from Keefe's renowned sporting goods company, measuring approximately 3-1/4" x 5".

The card boldly reads "KEEFE & BECANNON, MANUFACTURERS and DEALERS IN BASE BALL SUPPLIES and SPORTING GOODS 157 BROADWAY T.J. KEEFE W.H. BECANNON NEW YORK." William H. Becannon actually umpired 12 games in the American Association in 1883 and his brother "Buck" played briefly for the New York Metropolitans and Giants from 1884 1887. Most significantly, this lot includes a December 17, 1889 Articles of Agreement 2-page "Draft" specifying that Tim Keefe (assumingly via his Sporting Goods Company) will supply the Players' League with all of their baseballs for a 3-year period from 1890-1892. The ball was called the "Keefe Official Players' League Ball" and would be presented at a Board of Directors meeting on March 11, 1890 for final approval. A neat collection of two artifacts dating 128 years old, they rekindle memories of the evolution of this upstart League, with their content strongly relating to its 1890 inauguration!

MIN BID $500
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