This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/27/2012
Having established virtually every Major League hitting record during his illustrious career and creating a standard of excellence that few players to this day can dare challenge, Yankee outfielder Babe Ruth is generally considered to be the most iconic athlete, not just of professional baseball but the entire realm of all professional sports. Even with the undeniable magnificence of Ruth's accomplishments, so grandiose that the term "Ruthian" became a staple of American vernacular to signify a feat of superhuman ability, it has been reported by some baseball historians and eyewitnesses over many decades that Negro League catcher Josh Gibson was actually better than Ruth. Gibson never played Major League baseball, victim of an unwritten "gentleman's agreement" that excluded non-whites during his lifetime, thereby relegating his performance to the Negro Leagues as well as professional leagues in Mexico and the Dominican Republic. Known for his amazing ability to launch titanic blasts, he was often referred to as "the black Babe Ruth," though some fans who saw both Gibson and Ruth play preferred to call Ruth "the white Josh Gibson." While statistics were not accurately maintained, the Baseball Hall of Fame claims Gibson hit "almost 800 home runs" against Negro League and independent baseball opposition. His lifetime batting average, according to the Hall of Fame's official data, was .359, though other sources have claimed that his career average may be as high as .384 against all levels of competition. It is believed that Gibson hit a home run in a Negro League game at Yankee Stadium that struck just below the top of the wall circling the center field bleachers, approximately 580 feet from home plate, and smashed another over the third deck next to the left field bullpen that would stand as the only fair ball ever hit out of Yankee Stadium. The lack of verifiable statistics from Negro League games makes it impossible to accurately record Gibson's lifetime achievements, but there's little doubt that Gibson, who died from a stroke at age 35, was one of the most skilled players that baseball has ever known and helped pave the way for Jackie Robinson to become the first black player in modern major league history just three months later. In 1950, Toleteros released the last of three annual issues that featured players from the Puerto Rican Winter League and included Josh Gibson as a posthumous tribute to his league record .480 batting average in 1941-42. With no other known cards featuring Josh Gibson as the subject, the thin cardboard stocked 1950-1951 Toleteros issue is his rookie card, even though it was released three years after his passing. It may never be known exactly how many of these cards exist, though it is commonly thought to be no more than a few dozen and as few as single digits. The featured specimen is one of just 3 to be graded PSA 7, and the combination of extreme scarcity and condition-sensitivity makes this museum-worthy prize one of the most treasured specimens in the entire industry. While originally released with an album for mounting, a common practice with Latin American issues, the clean white back verifies that this card was never used in the intended manner. The alabaster borders on the obverse surround a tantalizing image of the fabled superstar and provide a rare glimpse into Gibson's astonishing career. Minor corner wear is negligible and virtually undetectable to the naked eye, likely resulting in the conservative assessment from PSA given the magnitude and scope of the issue. One of the hobby's most celebrated masterpieces, brought to you in world-class condition as a fitting testimonial to perhaps the greatest player to ever step on a baseball diamond!