(LOT 245)
c.1935 Lou Gehrig PSA Type 1 Louis Van Oeyen Oversized Photo – Measures Approx. 11" x 14" – PSA Type 1 LOA
OVERSIZED IRON HORSE!!! This awe-inspiring Lou Gehrig 11" x 14" oversized batting image was taken by the legendary photographer Louis Van Oeyen circa 1935, depicting the Iron Horse completing his mighty swing. Including a full PSA Type 1 LOA, its Van Oeyen pedigree, remarkable size, and imposing Gehrig batting image all combine to literally send a shiver down one's spine. Taken the year after Larrupin' Lou would claim the prized Triple Crown via his AL league-leading 49 round-trippers, 166 RBIs and .363 BA, it serves as a sheer reminder of his immortal standing, with Gehrig residing as baseball's greatest first sacker and one of the five finest hitters who ever graced an MLB batter's box. In this particular game played at Cleveland's League Park on May 10, 1935, the Yankees would best the Indians by a 6-3 score, with Gehrig blasting a solo homer while scoring two runs.

The incomparable legacy of Henry Louis Gehrig can be traced back to his Columbia University playing days, where Gehrig dominated as both a standout pitcher and slugging first baseman. Catching the attention of renowned New York Yankee scout Paul Kritchell, on April 28, 1923, Gehrig hit one of the longest home runs ever seen at Columbia's South Field, a mammoth 450-foot blast that sailed completely out of the ball park. One of many Lou Gehrig wallops, it was that particular round tripper that sealed the deal for Kritchell as the prominent scout signed Gehrig to a Yankee contract only two days later. It would be the 1925 season that the Iron Horse would enjoy his first breakout season, batting .295 and walloping 20 home runs in nearly 500 plate appearances. The powerful Gehrig would now embark on one of the most formidable careers in baseball history, substantiating why Gehrig collectibles are widely sought after within the collecting community. This Type 1 marvel captures a candid batting moment when Lou's mighty swing has virtually turned him into a corkscrew, with his speed-of-light hip rotation creating incredible torque, resulting in twisted legs and feet that kick up a substantial amount of dirt.

Aside from a few barely noticeable stray wrinkles, a microscopic-sized left border chip and a crease in the lower left quadrant, the somewhat sepia-toned image has miraculously eluded any obtrusive flaws, boasting superb clarity and contrast. The final exclamation point is the critical "L. Van OEYEN" credit stamp affixed to the verso, with an informative notation reading: "Lou Gehrig takes a healthy swing. Cleveland League Park 5-10-35". Tragically, Gehrig's incredible career was cut short by ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig's disease) that took his life at the tender age of 37, and his incomparable farewell "Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth" speech at Yankee Stadium on July 4, 1939, will forever be regarded as our National Pastime's Gettysburg Address. We cannot imagine a finer testament to Gehrig's iconic legacy than an oversized Iron Horse Type 1 batting image originally struck by Van Oeyen, amazingly retaining a majority of its original breathtaking eye-appeal over the past 88 years!

MIN BID $2,500
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