(LOT 320)
1933 DeLong #7 Lou Gehrig PSA 7 NM
The DeLong Gum Co. in Boston was one of the first manufacturers to issue baseball cards with bubble gum when they produced their popular 24-card set in 1933. Irrefutably, the immortal Henry Louis Gehrig stands as the foremost subject in this obscure set, presented here in a magnificent PSA Near Mint 7 holder. DeLong cards represent a mere fraction of their Goudey Gum brethren, with only 225 Gehrig examples encapsulated by PSA at the time this was written, of which only a meager 9 specimens have been graded higher! The Lou Gehrig DeLong subject stands "heads and heels" over the remaining 23 subjects, especially considering that the incomparable George Herman Ruth was inadvertently omitted from the set. Indeed, entering the 1933 season, Gehrig had placed a back seat to the "Babe" for his entire Yankee career, not only on the playing field but on virtually every baseball card issue released during their joint playing days.

However, that trend would now experience a sudden finality, not only due to the Bambino's absence from the DeLong compilation, but likewise due to Ruth's batting prowess now considered inferior to the "Iron Horse" who was in the prime of his remarkable career. The uncontested "king" of the DeLong set, the '33 campaign would see Gehrig post another array of incredible batting achievements, including a formidable .334 average, 32 homers, 140 R.B.I.'s, and sensational 1.030 OPS! His classic batting pose, unique for the DeLong Gum issue, reveals a sparkling array of colored tints and vivid resolution as Lou pulverizes another pitch towards the grandstands. The iconic image is set against the famous DeLong stadium backdrop that includes sparkling yellow, green, red and blue hues, and atypical for any DeLong subject, the illustration is extremely well centered between four super clean borders. Four square corners depict minimal wear, the front/back surfaces have eluded any serious blemishes, and the verso's verbiage is bold and vivid.

A brilliant "pack-fresh" specimen to say the least, its awe-inspiring eye appeal is a strong testament to its previous owners who painstakingly sought to preserve the card's original integrity. Six years later, the remarkable "Iron Horse" would sadly be diagnosed with the tragic ALS disease, abruptly ending his unfathomable 2,130-conecutove game streak that led to his iconic "Luckiest man of the Face of the Earth" July 4, 1939 speech at Yankee Stadium. It is a sheer combination of Gehrig's amazing courage and batting accomplishments that have elevated his hobby stature to a pinnacle level, with collectors painstakingly pursuing his exalted cardboard mementos. This DeLong heirloom resides as one of the most undervalued Gehrig issues from his peak playing days, with its seldom surfacing PSA 7 assessment and unquestionable rarity versus its Goudey brethren placing this "scarce for the grade" offering as one of the most significant pre-WW1 cards extant!

MIN BID $7,500
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