(LOT 171)
Extremely Rare 1942 Stan Musial "Rookie" PSA Type I Encapsulated Culver Pictures Photo - Measures Approx. 3-1/2" x 4-1/2"
The 1941 campaign would see our National Pastime's two greatest players "Joltin Joe" DiMaggio and Ted Williams battle it out for baseball supremacy, with the Yankee Clipper establishing his seemingly unbreakable record of posting a hit in 56-consecutive games while the "Splendid Splinter" became the last player to bat .400 in a single season. Very quietly, however, over in the Senior Circuit, the St. Louis Cardinals had called up their 20-year old star phenom Stan Musial, who in only 49 plate appearances, provided the baseball community a "glimpse" of things to come by posting an unfathomable .426 average! Indeed, "Stan the Man" was here to stay, in the following 1942 campaign (his official full rookie season), he would bat a very formidable .315 as he was about to embark on one of the most spectacular careers in baseball history.

Interestingly enough, from a collecting perspective, there are no baseball cards of the immortal Stan Musial from that rookie era, with his inaugural mainstream cards issued some 6 years later (1948 Bowman and 1948/'49 Leaf subjects). That is why this extremely rare 1942 Stan Musial PSA Type 1 photo stands as one of the true Musial "Rookie" collectibles since it was issued during his first full season with the Redbirds. Even more impressive is that it portrays the aspiring young superstar (now 21 years of age), in a classic swinging pose at Sportsman Park St. Louis, proudly donning his Cardinals home uniform and cap. Measuring approximately 3-1/2" x 4-1/2", the black & white illustration is completely intact, and while there are a number of stray wrinkles and scratches encompassing the central image, they do not impede the awe-inspiring aesthetics emulating from Musial's legendary swinging pose.

We cannot overemphasize the significance of capturing a "true" 1942 Stan the Man" rookie memento, and synonymous with this offering's world-class stature is Musial's uncanny hitting prowess that is substantiated by his infinite-like list of superlatives including a .331 lifetime average, 3,630 hits, 475 home runs, nearly 2,000 RBI's, 7 batting titles, 3 MVP's and an amazing 24 All Star game appearances. Based on these esteemed statistical highlights, it is mind boggling as to why his name doesn't typically stand alongside the likes of Ruth, Cobb, Williams, Aaron, Mays, Mantle, etc. Fortunately, his playing excellence hasn't eluded elite enthusiasts who actively seek his most precious keepsakes, with rookie era collectibles few and far between. In closing, similar to his superior batting prowess, this ultra-scarce masterpiece stands tall as one of the foremost Musial photos you will ever come across, with its scant existence placing it as one of the ultra-few "Stan the Man" Type 1 1942 rookie photos on the planet!

MIN BID $500
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