(LOT 88)
1936 Lou Gehrig Classic Batting Swing – "Gehrig Wins 1936 MVP Award" - PSA Type I Original Wide World Photo – Measures Approx. 7" x 9-1/4" – Full PSA Type 1 LOA
The legacy of Henry Louis Gehrig is virtually unparalleled in Major League History, with the "Iron Horse" widely considered the greatest 1st baseman in baseball history. The powerful slugger belted 493 home runs, knocked in nearly 2,000 runs, posted a sensational .340 lifetime average, won a Triple Crown (1934) and incredibly knocked in over 100 runs in 13 consecutive seasons! His list of world-class achievements is seemingly infinite, and yet, for all of his batting accomplishments, Gehrig's immortal stature is still linked to his unfathomable 2,130 consecutive game streak that came to an abrupt end in 1939 via the incurable ALS disease that claimed his life in 1941.

It was that illness that eventually led to his incomparable "Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth" speech on July 4, 1939 that still resides as baseball's "Gettysburg address". No wonder elite hobbyists actively pursue his high-end collectibles, with this breathtaking 7" x 9-1/4" batting image destined to find a permanent home in any sophisticated photo gathering. Utilized by the Wide World Photo news service on December 17, 1936, they chose this classic Gehrig illustration to promote Gehrig's "Sports Champion" status as the verso's caption provides the details of the "Iron Horse" claiming his second A.L. MVP via his 49 homers, 152 R.B.I.'s and .354 batting average.

The photo itself reveals Gehrig's mighty swing during a Yankee Stadium batting practice session (Gehrig is donning his Yankee pinstripes home uniform), as the Yankee captain may have just bashed another one of his long round trippers towards the ballpark's furthest confines. The brilliant clarity and contrast allows the viewer to vividly see the muscular structure of Gehrig's uncanny forearms, and you can literally feel his Goliath-like power via this sensational image. The obverse side surface is relatively clean, and the verso reveals the critical aforementioned caption and WIDE WORLD credit stamp. A simply magnificent batting image of the iconic Lou Gehrig, it stands as a sheer reminder of all the supreme attributes the truly courageous "Iron Horse" represents, with his hallowed stature destined to "echo for eternity"! - Full PSA/DNA Type I LOA

MIN BID $500
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