This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 5/11/2001.
There could hardly be a more arcane piece of vintage baseball memorabilia than this 9" x 13" souvenir supplement from the opening game of the 1889 NL season between the Boston Beaneaters and the New York Giants. The game, played at Boston's South End Grounds, would kick off a whizbang pennant race between the teams that would go right down to the last day, when the Giants, led by John Montgomery Ward, would prevail by 1 game over the B's despite the pitching heroics of John Clarkson, whose stats are mind-numbing today – a 49-19 record and 68 complete games in 620 innings! The supplement has a classic green-tinted depiction of a game and a cut-in section on the lower left with head shots of the Beaneaters' players. On the bottom center left it reads, "Opening Game of the Boston Base-Ball Club, Opponents, New York Base-Ball Club, Batsman: John M. Ward, Umpire: Wally Pessenden." The supplement is somewhat faded and yellowed, and there is a small tear on the right side, but the effect only enhances the antique quality of the piece, which is mounted in a 15 3/4" x 20" wood frame. Under the glass there is some dirt along the beige interior background and discoloration of the wood on the right side.