(LOT 572)
1953 Topps #220 Satchel Paige PSA 8 NM-MT
By 1953, the 47-year-old Satchel Paige would be pitching his final full MLB season (although as a publicity stunt, he would pitch three innings in 1965 with the Kansas City Athletics). The immortal St. Louis Browns right-hander would only win three games, ending his MLB career with 28 wins amassed with Cleveland and St. Louis. This outstanding 1953 Topps #220 Satchel Paige offering represents his last official Topps card during his illustrious playing days, with a meager eight examples graded higher! Hall of Famer Satchel Paige arguably resides as the most celebrated Negro Leagues player in their illustrious history, even outdistancing the revered Josh Gibson in popularity. Born Leroy Robert Page on July 7, 1906, Page changed the spelling of his name to "Paige" in the mid 1920s. His friends tagged him with the iconic "Satchel" nickname because of an early job whereby he was paid for each carried suitcase and ingeniously rigged a pole to carry additional suitcases at the Mobile train station. His four-decade professional pitching stint commenced in 1926 with the Chattanooga White Sox of the Negro Southern League, ending some 40 years later with the Peninsula Grays of the Carolina League at the age of 60!

After finally reaching the majors in 1948 with the Cleveland Indians, he became the oldest MLB rookie ever at the age of 42, and his professional career would certainly not end following those six seasons with the Indians and St. Louis Browns. He continued to barnstorm and pitch professionally until he was called up by the Kansas City A's in 1965 at the incredible age of 59, pitching three scoreless innings in his final MLB appearance. His uncanny success was attributed to a vast assortment of pitches, tantalizing arm angles, and speeds. Regarding the latter, Joe DiMaggio was quoted as saying "Paige was the fastest and best pitcher I ever faced", after hitting against him in a 1935 six-game tour that included one of baseball's foremost hurlers, Dizzy Dean. Regarding this outstanding PSA 8 offering, Paige's hallowed portrait image emanates a sparkling array of facial hues, with the classic pose modestly favoring the left edge. Strong right-angled corners, clean borders, pack-fresh surfaces and spectacular crystal clear clarity all combine to validate the highly coveted assessment. One of the most popular Hall of Fame issues from the 1950s, it represents a pitcher who many historians arguably claim to be the greatest of them all, with this final Satchel Paige issue proudly standing tall as one of the hobby's most desirable post-WWII Cooperstown Inductees!

MIN BID $4,000