(LOT 196)
1909-11 T206 Tris Speaker Sweet Caporal 350/25 PSA 7 NM
HIGH END SPEAKER ROOKIE!!!... The true Tris Speaker rookie is his highly coveted 1909 T206 subject, offered here in an outstanding PSA 7 holder. Sporting a Sweet Caporal 350 Subjects/Factory 25 ad back, it joins a mere five other Sweet Cap examples at this hallowed tier, and only bested by six Sweet Cap specimens on the prestigious PSA Pop Chart! Since no 1908 Speaker Rose Postcard has ever been officially confirmed, Speakers 1909 T206 tobacco gem stands as the inaugural Speaker cardboard issue that is a must have for their esteemed rookie card compilation. Hall of Famer Tris Speaker clearly stands right alongside the likes of Ty Cobb, Willie Mays, Joe DiMaggio, Ken Griffey Jr., and Mike Trout as one of our National Pastime's greatest all-time center fielders. Somewhat underrated, the Gray Eagle's 22-year career with Boston, Cleveland, and Philadelphia netted 3,514 hits, including 792 doubles and 222 triples to the tune of an unfathomable .345 lifetime batting average.

Yet, it wasn't just his premier batting skills that set him apart from the rest, with Speaker's centerfield play beyond sensational. Speaker played an extremely shallow centerfield, almost daring the batter to drive the horsehide sphere over his head. This led to Speaker accumulating the most outfield assists in MLB history (449) including a single season record of 35 in his 1909 rookie campaign. One look at this timeless masterpiece literally turns back the clock to the pre-1910 era when Speaker, Cobb and Wagner dominated the grand old game, with his brilliant batting image coming to life via an immaculate bold blue background. While the image does favor the upper left edges, the sparkling central pose, sharp edging, bright white borders, and pack-fresh surfaces more than offset the somewhat skewed illustration. Seldom surfacing in a PSA 7 NM holder, this bona fide inaugural Speaker heirloom truly merits a final resting place in one of the finest rookie card collections extant!

MIN BID $2,500
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