This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 5/11/2001.
Both of these savvy Hall of Famers knew the value of a dollar. Many dollars, actually. Wagner, the bowl-legged shortstop who played from 1897-1917 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and hit over .300 17 times, was the first player to be paid for putting his name on a Louisville Slugger, and of course his tobacco company baseball card he wanted withdrawn so as not to promote smoking is today worth at least six figures. Grove (300-140 lifetime with a 3.06 ERA) saw his worth established when Philadelphia A's owner Connie Mack purchased him for $100,600 in 1925, and again in 1934 when Boston Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey paid twice that to get him. Each man no doubt knew this gently toned, near-mint ONL Frick ball would be worth a price when they signed it in black ink, Grove on the sweet spot and rating a 6, and Wagner a 7.