(LOT 925)
1909-11 T206 Johnny Evers with Bat Chicago on Shirt Broad Leaf 460/25 PSA 2 GOOD
Johnny Evers of the Chicago Cubs was one of the finest second basemen of his generation. In 1901, when Cubs manager Frank Selee, scouting a pitcher, Alex Hardy, with Evers' Troy Trojans in 1902 offered $1,000 for Hardy, which was refused. "If you throw in that kid who played short (Evers), I'll give you $1,500." Deal done as Johnny was considered a nuisance. That reputation saddled him for years, but his Human Crab nickname also stuck as Evers was arguably one of the best fielders in the game. Once with the Cubs, Evers, fellow rookie Joe Tinker and first baseman Frank Chance completed the famed Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance double play combination. Johnny led the Evers, Tinker and Chance led the Cub to back-to-back World Series titles in 1907 & '08. After 12 seasons in Chicago, Johnny Evers was released, of course amid controversy, and signed with Boston in 1914, where he helped lead Miracle Braves from last to first in the waning months of the season and an unlikely triumph over the Philadelphia A's in the World Series. Evers was named the Chalmer's Award recipient as the NL's MVP.

The 1909-11 American Tobacco Company T206 White Borders "Monster Set" from which this issue derives features 16 different backs, with varying degrees of scarcity. The offered T206 Broad Leaf 460/25 Johnny Evers with Bat Chicago on Shirt is one of the rarest examples in the hobby and the highest graded variation matching only a single other issue at this PSA 2 Good assessment. With only five of the 1,068 T206 Evers graded, less than a half a percent feature a Broad Leaf back. Over the past decade, only three have ever sold with the most recent 2024 sale topping $21K. This rare backed Evers is a POP 2 with no superiors.

MIN BID $7,500
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