(LOT 1253)
1923 Yankee Stadium Opening Day PSA Type 1 Encapsulated Underwood & Underwood Photo - Taken on April 18, 1923 with Huggins, Ruppert & Chance - Measures Approx. 6-1/2" x 8-1/2"
From 1913 - 1922, the New York Yankees would share the Polo Grounds with their cross-town rival New York Giants, coincidently playing and losing to them in both the 1921 and 1922 World Series contests. "Sharing a ballpark" would ultimately end at the start of the 1923 season, with the highly anticipated opening of the newly constructed Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. Appropriately dubbed "The House That Ruth Built", construction on the new park had commenced in 1922, ending in early April 1923 just in time for the Yankees opening game of the season on April 18th against their arch rival Boston Red Sox.

Housing virtually 75,000 fans, the construction cost totaled approximately $2.5 million and was completely funded by wealthy Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert. This magnificent 6-1/2" x 8-1/2" PSA Type 1 image was taken on that extremely historic April 18, 1923 day before game-time, and features Yankees manager Miller Huggins, Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert and Red Sox manager Frank Chance, with a huge ceremonious wreath situated directly behind Ruppert. Ironically, it was the "Sultan of Swat" that would hit the first home run ever in the newly built stadium on that illustrious April 18th afternoon, belting a 3-run round-tripper off of a Howard Ehmke offering deep into the right field seats in the bottom of the third inning. The Yankees would go on to win 4-1 before a nearly packed house of 74,200 adoring fans, with ace hurler Bob Shawkey tossing a stellar 3-hit complete game.

No Hollywood script could have been written better, with the Yankees ultimately going on to win the American League Pennant and best their cross-town rival Giants in the 1923 Fall Classic. This "awe-inspiring" heirloom is the perfect testament for that glorious event, and although it reveals several corner chips and some stray wrinkles, the critical central image portrays outstanding contrast and clarity. The final superlative is the flipside's most significant caption that is affixed on top of the Underwood & Underwood credit stamp, providing a detailed account of this momentous opening day. A Cooperstown worthy heirloom, it effectively transcends time to an era when the "Sultan of Swat" would lead his Yankees to their first World Championship in this newly built colossal stadium so fittingly dubbed "The House That Ruth Built!"

MIN BID $200