Two original news photographs of Lou Gehrig; one taken during his prime and the other just after his career had come to an unexpected end, sold for over $100,000 combined in Heritage Sports’ Vintage Photograph Auction.
The top price went to a 1927 image of Gehrig wielding a bat, one collectors of the 1933 Goudey baseball card set will recognize. The model for the card, the image originated with legendary baseball photographer Charles Conlon. The $60,000 price tag came despite the “Do Not Remove, File Copy” raised blindstamp appearing on the front. Conlon shot the 7×9 photo, which was distributed by Underwood and Underwood.
A 10×8 PSA/DNA Type 1 New York Daily News image, taken the day of Gehrig’s 1939 “Luckiest Man” speech at Yankee Stadium soared to $43,200.
Other photos sold in the auction included a 5×7 Ted Williams dating to 1939 which sold for $19,200, a rare rookie year photo of Roberto Clemente from the archives of the Chicago Tribune where it appeared on May 13, 1955. It also brought $19,200.
A total of 48 original photos of Babe Ruth were among the lots in the catalog. Tops among them was a 6 ½” x 8 ½” shot of the spindly-legged Babe trotting across home plate after one of his 59 home runs in 1921. The Paul Thompson image sold for $10,200.
Complete results can be found here.
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