This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/10/2010
It is widely agreed among former players and baseball historians that Ernie Lombardi was the slowest runner in baseball history. Baseball statistician Bill James called him "the slowest man to ever play major league baseball well." The Schozz, as he was affectionately called, earned every one of his 1792 hits. One of his highlights was catching both games comprising Johnny Vander Meers back to back no-hitters. He was one of the premier catchers of the 1930's, and was at the height of his career when this premium was issued. The 1936 R312 is a large premium (4 x 5-3/8 inches), with bright pastel colors, making them very distinctive in their appearance, and very undervalued relative to other issues from the era. Due to their size, high grade examples are very difficult to obtain. This example is graded by SGC 86 NM+. Of the total 188 R312's graded by SGC, only two have graded at NM-MT 88, and this example is the highest graded Lombardi evaluated by the New Jersey based company. In checking the PSA website, an additional 358 R312's have been graded, with only two total premiums grading PSA NM 7, one of which is a Lombardi. There are no higher graded PSA examples of any R312. This is the highest professionally graded Lombardi extant, in an issue which is very difficult to find in high grade.