(LOT 76)
1955 Topps #123 Sandy Koufax Rookie PSA 8 NM-MT
KOUFAX ROOKIE!!! "We need just two players to be a contender. Just Babe Ruth and Sandy Koufax." - HOF Manager, Whitey Herzog
To be mentioned with the Bambino the way Herzog did here, just may be the best compliment a fellow ball player can receive. And for a five season stretch, Sandy Koufax was the Babe Ruth of ball players. From 1962-66 Koufax led the league in ERA every year, while compiling a 111-34 record.

He topped the Majors in wins in '63, '65, and '66 with 25, 26, and 27 respectively, and tossed 33 shutouts. He also won three Cy Young awards (also in '63, '65, & '66) at a time when there was only one winner for both leagues, and in those same three years, Koufax won the "Pitcher's Triple Crown", leading the Major Leagues in Wins, ERA, and Strikeouts. Koufax was also voted the National League's MVP once and runner-up twice. BTW Did I mention that he also hurled four no-hitters in that same span, one of which was a perfect game! Enough you say, I'm convinced Koufax was the greatest!

Just one more thing. Sandy retired at the end of the 1966 season, at the tender age of 30. Five years later, the Baseball Writers made Koufax the youngest player ever elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, as he garnered 87% of the votes, edging out Yogi Berra as the top vote getter. Synonymous with those world-class achievements are the breathtaking aesthetics of this museum worthy masterpiece, starting with the brilliant Koufax portrait and pitching images that portray crystal clear clarity and sparkling hues. The radiant and virtually flawless background atypically depicts near-perfect centering between four absolutely blinding white borders. The pinpoint corner tips and razor sharp edging would be leading candidates to cut any surface, and the verso likewise depicts spectacular quality with both surfaces virtually immaculate.

The phrase "pack fresh" is synonymous with this 61-year old cardboard marvel emanating unparalleled aesthetics, and easily meriting the hallowed PSA 8 assessment. Over a 5-year period, Koufax set the ultimate benchmark for pitching excellence, with his 1955 Topps rookie card residing as his most exalted cardboard heirloom. While no one can guarantee how long the 1950's high-grade rookie card surge will continue, at this juncture it certainly appears that no end is in sight!

MIN BID $3,500
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