(LOT 262)
c.1910s Ed Cicotte PSA Type 1 George Grantham Bain Encapsulated Photo - Measures Approx. 5" x 7"
Did you ever wonder how Ed Cicotte would have reacted to Chick Gandil's offer to accept money for "throwing" the 1919 World Series if Charles Comiskey had allowed him to pitch the final two weeks of the season? As the story goes, 29-game winner Ed Cicotte needed only one more victory to achieve the landmark 30 total, that based on an incentive clause in his contract, earn him an additional $10,000 bonus. Manager Kid Gleason rested Cicotte the final two weeks before the World Series, obviously under orders from penny-pinching owner Charles Comiskey and Cicotte lost his chance for the bonus he so desperately needed. The rest of the story is history with Cicotte agreeing to $10,000 up-front for his part in playing poorly in the games he pitched against Cincinnati. Presented here is an absolutely incredible Ed Cicotte 5" x 7" PSA Type 1 George Grantham Bain photo depicting the fiery right-hander in his classic pitching pose.

Unfortunately for Cicotte, his legacy will always be linked to the White Sox 1919 scandal, and although he was the losing pitcher in games 1 and 4, he managed to pitch his heart out and win game 7 because he had not received the lofty funding promised to him by head White Sox conspirator Chick Gandil. His breathtaking illustration on this ultra-scarce memento may suffice as the finest Cicotte image we have ever come across as he dons his classic black road uniform. Iconic photographer George Grantham Bain certainly captured Cicotte in one of his more defining moments, as he has just released one of his masterful pitches. Other than some faint wrinkles, the surface is relatively clean, and the verso reveals the critical "BAIN NEWS SERVICE" credit stamp. A sensational Cicotte offering portraying the by-gone twirler in his classic black uniform, it would easily reside as a centerpiece attraction in any world-class "Black-Sox" gathering!

MIN BID $300
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