(LOT 56)
1955 Topps #164 Roberto Clemente Rookie PSA 7 NM
NEAR-MINT CLEMENTE ROOKIE!!!... Exalted to say the least, the 1955 Topps #164 Roberto Clemente rookie proudly resides as one of the hobby's irrefutable cornerstone issues! The inaugural Topps baseball card of the iconic Clemente transcends time back to an era when this outstanding player was about to embark on a career for the ages. This sensational PSA 7 exalted keepsake depicts a sparkling Clemente portrait image that literally jumps off the card, and most significantly, it reveals the virtually impossible-to-find near-perfect centering. Following his 1954 campaign with the Montreal Royals of the AAA International League, Clemente would be summoned by the Pirates to be their starting right fielder for the 1955 season. While he only posted a .255 batting average in his inaugural campaign, his flashes of brilliance captivated the Pittsburgh faithful, and in his second 1956 campaign, Clemente would bolster his batting average to .311.

He would ultimately achieve a .317 lifetime batting average, 3,000 career hits, the 1966 regular season MVP award, four batting titles, and an astonishing 12 consecutive Gold Glove Awards. It would be the 1971 World Series that would be his ultimate shining star when he dominated the Baltimore Orioles with his stellar hitting and fielding prowess, earning the MVP for his supernatural accomplishments. The card itself boasts awe-inspiring aesthetics, with the sparkling green and red-orange hues, crystal-clear portrait and batting images, and relatively clean surfaces all justifying the assessment. Yet, as previously stated, stealing the show is the excellent centering, an elusive attribute tantamount to finding a needle in a haystack. Right-angled corners and the lack of any glaring flaws are additional superlatives, with the upper and side edges exhibiting slightly rough factory cuts (typical for many 1955 subjects).

Roberto Clemente coined the eloquent phrase: "Any time you have an opportunity to make a difference in this world and you don't, then you are wasting your time on Earth", living his sanctified life to the tune of that hallowed quote. No truer words were ever spoken by even the most articulate of philosophers, and it comes with little surprise that the immortal Clemente would utter such a quote. He truly represented the embodiment of human valor, well demonstrated by his courageous actions that would tragically claim his life the final day of 1972 in an effort to assist stricken earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Indeed, it is with bittersweet irony that for all of Roberto Clemente's world-class diamond achievements, the HOF right fielder's iconic legacy will forever be linked to his heroic death.

MIN BID $5,000
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