(LOT 203)
1909-11 T206 Cy Young Cleveland, Portrait Sweet Caporal 150/30 PSA 5 EX
TOBACCO CY!!!... It's no secret among advanced T206 collectors that many of the Sweet Caporal 150 subjects portray the finest rich-hued backgrounds, with this stellar PSA 5 EX T206 Cy Young "Sweet Cap" 150 offering substantiating that notion. Indeed, one look at this tobacco keepsake can make any hobbyist's heart skip a beat, with its extremely bold green setting ably assisting the timeless Cy Young portrait image (originally struck by Carl Horner) to jump off the card! One of the most desirable T206 subjects, the portrait Cy Young issue stands right alongside the likes of Honus Wagner, Cobb, Mathewson, Johnson and Speaker as the "Monster Set's" most distinguished and valuable players. It should come as little surprise that Denton "Cy" Young holds a prestigious niche in the iconic ATC issue, since his unbreakable record of 511 lifetime wins will unquestionably withstand the test of time.

When MLB commissioner Ford Frick instituted the Cy Young Award in 1956 as the honor bestowed upon the league's premier pitcher, it is no secret he chose Cy Young's name to rightfully represent this illustrious award. Along with his 511 wins, Young compiled a miraculous and record setting 749 lifetime complete games in 815 starts, finishing a seemingly impossible 92% of his games over an unparalleled 22-year career. Uncontested to say the least, current MLB pitchers seldom complete a single game in an entire season, truly placing Young's achievement in total perspective. Regarding the card itself, Cy's classic Carl Horner image is breathtaking, revealing superb clarity and contrast as well as being encompassed by the aforementioned bold green backdrop. The relatively well-centered illustration has eluded any obtrusive flaws, and preventing a higher assessment is some negligible/faint soiling along several of the borders as well as even corner wear consistent with the grade. An irrefutable keeper, it was issued during Young's final winning season, with Cy posting 19 wins and a spectacular 2.26 ERA for the Cleveland Naps in the 1909 campaign!

MIN BID $2,500
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