(LOT 139)
1916 Boston Red Sox "Stag Brand Sweaters" Team Cabinet/Advertising Display Photo 9" x 11" Mount with Rookie-Era Babe Ruth
1916 BABE!!! Any Babe Ruth Boston Red Sox collectible demands the utmost attention from the hobby's most sophisticated collectors, let alone one for which there are only a handful of known examples. Such is the case for this remarkable 1916 Boston Red Sox "Stag Brand Sweater" cabinet (9" x 11" mount) that proudly boasts the BoSox championship team. Issued with both red and green hues, this red-colored rarity portrays a stunning 1916 Red Sox original team 5" x 7" photo, with the immortal Sultan of Swat seated in the front row, fourth from the far left, with fellow Hall of Famers Harry Hooper and Herb Pennock also included. Arguably the finest known specimen, it has stubbornly defied the past 108 years to retain a myriad of its original superior attributes.

Its sanctified stature stems from the fact it depicts an early Babe Ruth original 5" x 7" image as well as sufficing as an undisputed advertising display piece for the popular Stag Brand Sweaters manufacturer. Of course, the inclusion of the incomparable Babe steals the show, with 1915-16 Ruth photos and cards realizing momentous price tags over the past several years. Some of those extraordinary sales include nearly $500K for a 1915 PSA Type 1 rookie photo, and his 1916 M101 rookie nailing down price tags between six and seven figures based on specific grade. Ruth would win 18 games in his inaugural 1915 BoSox campaign while posting a stellar 2.44 ERA, with the Red Sox winning the 1915 World Series. Following up that stellar rookie campaign, 1916 would see the Babe win 23 games, toss nine shutouts, and post a sensational 1.75 ERA, with Ruth making his inaugural World Series start in Game Two against the Brooklyn Robins. The great Bambino would not disappoint the Beantown faithful, besting Brooklyn 2-1 in a heart-stopping 14-inning affair that still stands as the most innings pitched in a single Fall Classic game.

The Robins scored their only run in the first inning, with this game jumpstarting Ruth's World Series record of tallying 29-2/3 consecutive scoreless innings (since then broken by Whitey Ford on October 8, 1961). Ruth's pitching brilliance led the Red Sox to three world championships during his Red Sox tenure (1915, 1916 & 1918), and due to being considered Jack Dunn's "Baby", he would forever take on the iconic "Babe" nickname, with the outstanding southpaw's five full seasons in Boston producing 89 wins to the tune of a sub 2.30 ERA. The incredible resolution and contrast are the highlights of this awe-inspiring heirloom, with "Red Sox" and "Stag Brand Sweaters" printed along the mount's upper border. Affixed to the lower border is "World Series – 1916," as well as a complete listing of all 27 players (including player/manager Carrigan), trainer Green and mascot "Red" Glennon. No unsightly flaws have hindered the classic crystal-clear image, with the modest blemishes being three diminutive surface abrasions (the largest situated to the right of the trainer), a somewhat light vertical discoloration on the left side of the photo/mount's lower region, general surface/corner wear, some light pencil notations along the mount's blank back (possibly being the publisher's editorial notes), and a series of negligible surface ripples that do not impede the obverse side.

Most significantly, these non-obtrusive imperfections do not compromise the critical Red Sox team image that has been encompassed by an elaborate red design. Interestingly enough, this identical image is featured in a Stag Sweater advertisement on the back cover of the Red Sox's 1916 World Series program, further substantiating its world-class status. This exact same offering fetched nearly $23K some seven years ago, and we don't need to elaborate on how Ruth's early Red Sox collectibles have taken off in value over the past five years. One of the Babe's most electrifying keepsakes, it truly turns back the clock to an era when he was laying the groundwork for his irrefutable title as our National Pastime's greatest all-time player!

MIN BID $7,500
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