We’d call it a ‘Subway Series’ today. Nearly seventy-eight years ago, the New York Yankees faced the New York Giants in the World Series with future Hall of Famers dotting the roster of both clubs.
Today’s RMY Auctions Photo of the Day is this shot, taken on the first day of the Series, September 30, 1936 and showcasing friendly rivals Lou Gehrig and Mel Ott, posing for photographers.
Just a few hours after this was taken, Ott and the Giants pounded the Yanks, 6-1 to take a 1-0 lead in the series. However, the Bronx Bombers rallied to win the next three and eventually clinched the title.
Taken at the Polo Grounds, this original Acme News Service photo is complete with a paper caption attached to the back, which refers to the ‘Five Cent Series’. It measures 6×8 and according to RMY Auctions, it is one of the best known original pictures from the 1936 World Series.
The current high bid is over $500 with biddings set to close Saturday, June 21.
1936 marked the first Yankees World Series without Babe Ruth and the first with Joe DiMaggio patrolling center field. Gehrig was now the unquestioned leader and star of the club. He would be named the American League Most Valuable Player that season, after hitting .354 with 49 homers and 152 RBI.
He would hit a pair of home runs and drive in seven runs as the Yankees took the 1936 World Series 4-2. For his part, Ott hit .304 with a home run and three runs batted in.
The photo is one of 430 vintage baseball photographs and more than 1,000 lots in the Premier Auction now underway. To register, visit RMYAuctions.com.
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