This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/21/2011
Astonishing Joe Jackson 1914 Cracker Jack (SGC 84/7) - Only One Graded Higher!
No premier baseball card collection could possibly be considered absolute without a stellar copy of the iconic 1914 Joe Jackson Cracker Jack card. Along with such legendary issues such as the T206 Wagner, M101 Ruth Rookie, T206 Plank, and 1933 Lajoie, virtually no pre-war baseball specimen carries the distinguished aura of this hallowed hobby specimen. With that in mind, presented here is one of the most extraordinary 1914 Joe Jackson cardboard artifacts, an incredible SGC 84/7 near mint marvel that has only been bested by a single SGC example! With only a sole other copy at this lofty plateau, we find it critical to note that the only higher graded SGC copy is the sanctified Jackson Cracker Jack included in Stuckemeyer’s incomparable 1914 set. As most enthusiast realize, the Stuckemeyer set was never distributed in boxes to the general public, making this earth shattering offering the highest SGC graded 1914 Cracker Jack Jackson in circulation! Whether it is the “Shoeless” or “Black Sox” legacy, every advanced enthusiast yearns to add an elite Joe Jackson card to their collection. Jackson’s sudden departure from the game after the 1920 season limited the number of Jackson cards in the market. His rookie card aside, what may be his most popular issue are the 1914 and 1915 Cracker Jack cards included in boxes of caramel corn. Unfortunately for collectors, the 1914 issues were NOT available through mail-order, with a majority of the remaining specimens carrying unsightly stains from their neighboring candy corn treats. That concept alone makes any near mint 1914 Cracker Jack relic an unfathomable keepsake, let alone one portraying the immortal image of “Shoeless” Joe Jackson. The Jackson legacy began way before he played in his first Major League game with the Philadelphia A’s in 1908. While playing with the minor league Greenville club in the Carolina Association, Jackson developed painful blisters due to breaking in a new pair of spikes. The next game he played without shoes with only his black stockings covering his feet. During the game as he rounded third base after hitting a long home run, one fan finally noticed and shouted “you shoeless sonofagun”! A sportswriter pick up on this, printed it the next day, and the legend of “Shoeless” Joe was born. After entering the Major Leagues, Jackson’s hitting dominance continued to emerge for both the Cleveland and Chicago American clubs to the tune of a .356 lifetime average. This run was tragically cut short when Jackson was banned from baseball forever for, allegedly, taking part in throwing the 1919 World Series. In lieu of this, Jackson was never placed in the HOF; however, due to the “Black Sox” scandal, his popularity has increased profoundly. The overall condition of this landmark offering is scintillating to say the least. His enduring swinging pose emanates high resolution as “Shoeless Joe” scalds another one of his hissing line drives towards the fences. The image is set against a nearly flawless fire engine red background, and the corners retain virtually all of their original right angled formations with the approximate 62/38 “left to right” centering the only immediate imperfection we can detect. More significant is that the front and reverse side surfaces do not reveal any caramel staining whatsoever, a miraculous achievement for any 1914 Cracker Jack. As previously stated, save the legendary Stuckemeyer “Gem Mint 10” copy, you will not come across a finer SGC encapsulated Joe Jackson 1914 Cracker Jack that synonymous with Shoeless Joe’s batting prowess supremacy, stands at the pinnacle of cardboard success!