(LOT 144)
c.1950 Ted Williams PSA Type I Original George Woodruff Photo – "Image Used for Williams' 1954, 1955 & 1956 Topps Cards" - Measures Approx. 8" x 10" - PSA Encapsulated Type I
No baseball player could possibly boast the myriad of batting accolades achieved by the legendary Red Sox slugger Ted Williams who stands as the last player to hit .400 (.406 in 1941), posted a .344 lifetime batting average, blasted 521 home runs, claimed 2 Triple Crowns, tallied an incredible 1.16 lifetime OPS (second only to Babe Ruth by a mere few decimal points) and accumulated an unfathomable .482 lifetime on-base percentage that stands as the all-time high! Indeed, "The Thumper's" batting exploits arguably supported his lifelong dream of having people walk past him on the street and stating: "There goes the greatest hitter who ever lived". From an "American Hero" perspective, even more impressive is that William's served in both World War II (3 years) and the Korean War (nearly 2 years) at the peak of his career, utilizing his uncanny eyesight as a fighter pilot and shooting down sixteen enemy aircraft.

No wonder he is a National hero, justifying why hobbyists scramble to collect his most valuable keepsakes. One of those just happens to be presented here, a sensational circa 1950's PSA Encapsulated Type 1 George Woodruff 8" x 10" image that is the EXACT photo used for his 1954 (#250 subject), 1955 and 1956 Topps issues. Original photos used for iconic cards are achieving record breaking price tags each and every day, and what better image to seize than a Ted Williams illustration that was the nucleus for THREE of his exalted Topps subjects. The "Splendid Slinter's" classic portrait pose, bat over shoulder, captures him in a candid moment, with his good-natured smile stealing the show.

Spectacular contrast and vivid resolution highlight this black & white marvel that only reveals a few faint surface wrinkles barely visible to the naked eye as well as a diminutive soiling spot directly beneath the upper border. A newspaper caption reading "BOSTON'S BOY" is diagonally affixed to the verso along with some stray markings including several ink stamp dates. Most likely issued right after Williams' returned from his final 1953 Korean War stint, it stands as an incomparable testament to the man they called the "Kid"; whose unparalleled batting feats and War-time courage place him as a true American icon! - LOA – PSA/DNA Type I

MIN BID $300