This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/5/2022
In 1924, Stanley "Bucky" Harris was the tough second baseman for the Washington Senators known for his fiery competitiveness. Though just 27, Harris was also chosen to manage the team and he immediately took the Senators to the World Series where they defeated the Giants for their first and only World Championship. Harris' boys won the pennant the following summer, and although they failed to take the series, he solidified his reputation as a great manager and future Hall of Famer. Harris would manage in the majors through 1956 with multiple stops in Detroit, Boston, and Philadelphia as well as winning another World Championship with the Yankees in 1947. With a phenomenal record like that, it is no mystery why Spalding chose Harris as one of the players depicted in their 1928 ad campaign. Like the other ads in the series, Harris is artfully shown in a pastel-colored portrait and action pose along with a larger illustration of his signature model glove.
The 14” x 22” sign shows overall toning and edge wear from age and use. The colors remain bright and clear. This sign was used to make a copy for a large banner that hung in the Red Porch dining area on National Park in Washington D.C. and was later moved to the concourse section of the Club level at Nats Park. The piece has been professionally matted and framed in UV glass to highlight the visual beauty of the artwork and presents in Near Mint condition, superior to others we have seen. This item also comes with a signed note (shown in the photograph below) from Bucky Harris’ son to our consignor. The note contains a photo of Bucky’s son standing beneath the replica of this sign at Nats Park and explains in good humor that his Dad’s name was misspelled, "Stanlay" instead of Stanley. To read an article about this collection from Sports Collectors Daily, click here.