(LOT 109)
1915 Cracker Jack #103 "Shoeless Joe" Jackson PSA 5 EX
SHOELESS JOE CARAMEL CORN TREAT!!! It is Memory Lane's distinguished honor to present one of the most coveted cardboard masterpieces extant: a spectacular 1915 Cracker Jack Joe Jackson in a seldom seen PSA 5 EX holder. This imposing specimen suffices as one of Jackson's most coveted cards. Ultra-popular with enthusiasts, Cracker Jack baseball cards share the distinction with "the Monster" T206 set as the most exalted pre-WWI issues. Its momentous stars include Cobb, Wagner, Mathewson, Johnson, Lajoie, Speaker, etc., with its premier 1915 subject being none other than Shoeless Joe. Jackson's sudden departure from the game after the 1920 season limited the number of Jackson cards on the market, and his most popular issues are his 1914 & '15 Cracker Jack subjects. Only Babe Ruth can boast the myriad of baseball anecdotes applied to the great Joe Jackson, including "Shoeless Joe", "Black Betsy" and one of the most famous quotes in baseball history, "Say it ain't so Joe!" Jackson's unbridled legacy began before he played in his first MLB game with Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics in 1908. While playing with the Greenville Spinners in the Carolina Association, Jackson developed painful blisters due to breaking in a new pair of spikes.

The next game, he played without shoes, with only his black stockings affixed to his feet. During the game, as he rounded third base after hitting a long home run, one fan finally noticed and shouted, "You shoeless son of a gun!" A sportswriter picked up on this, printed it the next day, and the legend of "Shoeless Joe" was officially born. After entering the Major Leagues, Jackson's hitting dominance continued to emerge for both the Cleveland and Chicago White Sox clubs, to the tune of a .356 lifetime average. This run was tragically cut short when, near the end of the 1920 season, Jackson was banned from baseball forever for allegedly taking part in throwing the 1919 World Series. In lieu of this scandal, Jackson was never placed in the HOF; however, due to his inclusion with the Black Sox Eight, his popularity has increased profoundly. His unparalleled batting prowess was evident among his most competitive peers, with both Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth clearly indicating that Joe Jackson was the greatest hitter they ever saw. It's for all of these reasons that Jackson has established a nearly unequivocal status among the hobby's foremost collectors, and what better cardboard gem to pursue than one of his eye-popping Cracker Jack keepsakes.

The aesthetics of this miraculous heirloom simply take your breath away via the spine-tingling Jackson batting image as the iconic slugger completes his classic swing via his famous Black Betsy lumber. Crystal clear clarity, impeccable contrast and the lack of any glaring surface blemishes pave the way, and the fire engine red background is virtually flawless. Excellent centering only reveals a slight favoritism towards the right edge between four relatively clean borders. Atypically, there is no obtrusive caramel corn staining on either side; only some faint traces of staining exist along the borders, barely visible to the naked eye. Preventing a higher grade is modest corner wear, with the upper left corner exhibiting a microscopic chip at the utmost tip. Its unlimited value and unparalleled prestige are substantiated by a 1915 low-grade PSA 2 example fetching a lofty $63,000 earlier this year. One of the most significant Joe Jackson cards extant, it certainly merits serious attention from a host of esteemed collectors, and while we would not expect the most passionate hobbyists to clear their property to build a Field of Dreams,if you bid strong, this world-class Shoeless Joe Cracker Jack will surely come!

MIN BID $20,000
_