(LOT 1576)
c.1950s Willie Mays Type 3 Photo PSA LOA – Same Image Used for His 1952 Topps Rookie Card
"If somebody came up and hit .450, stole 100 bases, and performed a miracle in the field every day, I'd still look you right in the eye and tell you that Willie was better." Leo Durocher stated in his memoir Nice Guys Finish Last. And who would know better than Mays' first Major League manager? In 1947, Jackie Robinson opened the door for African Americans to join the big leagues, and four years later, Willie Mays kicked it down. He burst into the National League, winning the 1951 Rookie of the Year Award with ease after hitting .274 with 127 hits including 20 home runs. Over the next 22 seasons, Willie Mays collected 3,293 hits including 660 home runs (second only to Ruth when he retired), stole 339 bases and drove in 1,909 RBIs, not to mention earning 12 consecutive Gold Gloves, 24 All-Star nods and two National League MVP awards in 1954 and 1965.

This wondrously youthful 8" x 9-3/4" of Willie Mays was used to produce his rookie issue for the 1952 Topps series. This extremely rare boyish image of the Giants center fielder is a Type 3 according to PSA with a clubhouse signature across his uniform. No matter the "Type", these hardly ever surface for bidding. "Made off of a "dupe" negative", this image is still remarkably sought-after for its significance in the hobby as his 1952 Topps #261 portrait. Original Mays photographs that were ultimately used for his trading cards have run the gamut as far as pricing is concerned with an original Type 1 image for his 1952 Topps card commanding an astonishing $6,000. The photo remains in good condition with a visible crease at the bottom left quadrant with the border missing across the bottom. However, little can take away from Mays' candid photo, surely uncertain as to what the game had in store for him, and even he could never have imagined becoming the greatest five-tool player in the history of Major League Baseball.

MIN BID $750
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