Legendary August Live 2010
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on:
8/5/2010
The precursor to the World Series, baseball's Temple Cup was introduced with the same purpose that underlies the current-day Fall Classic: to lure fans—and their wallets—to the diamond for postseason play. The brainchild of one-time Pittsburgh Pirates President William Temple, the October event called for a best-of-seven series between the first and second place clubs in the National League. Introduced in 1894 (one year after the runner-up Pirates had nothing to show for their status), the showdown was played with baseball bragging rights and an ornately designed, 30"-tall silver cup at stake. Here offered is a sizable vintage print depicting the historic event's inaugural run. Housed in a 53" x 40" black frame with white, textured matting, this 41" x 28-1/2" visible image depicts championship action between the Baltimore Orioles and New York Giants at the Polo Grounds, with cameo likenesses of series principals lining the upper and lower borders. Composed by renowned artist Hy Sandham, the detailed work reveals a double-deck venue and on-field action showing the host Giants at bat with the rough-and-tumble Birds manning their defensive spots. Clad in dark uniforms, the O's appear about to fall victim to a Giants hit-and-run, as the runner is sprinting toward second base while the pitcher is still in his motion. Such fates awaited the Orioles throughout the series, as they were felled in four straight. But inherently resilient, Baltimore was to become synonymous with the event, participating in all four series until its demise following the 1897 tilt. The original plan was for permanent possession of the trophy for the first team to win the series three times. That never came to fruition for any of the Senior Circuit participants, though Baltimore came close by emerging victorious in each of the final two confrontations. Unruly behavior -- mostly by the Orioles -- and poor attendance were major culprits in the event's discontinuation. (In fact, upon winning the 1897 series, Baltimore players were awarded $310 apiece, but the attendance was so low that management refused to give its exact count.) Printed in Paris, France in 1896, the black-and-white rendering boasts 20 likenesses of baseball executives, with the likes of Harry Wright and A.G. Spalding among the most prominent of the pioneers. Accenting the piece along the lower border, 24 images of 1894 National League stalwarts include Wilbert Robinson, Ed Delehanty, and Cy Young. A diamond masterpiece, the item has not been subjected to restoration, and nevertheless projects apparent EX/MT quality. Nominal faults are limited to small traces of inevitable age-spotting (the most visible concentration of these at the lower left), and a single, peripheral tear at the bottom margin between the cameos of D. Pfeffer and W. Robinson. Please Note: Due to the size and/or weight of this lot, the cost of shipping may be substantial.
1894 Temple Cup Print - Magnificent Unrestored Example!
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