This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/5/2022
Eppa Rixey (D. 1963) was a durable, tenacious left-handed pitcher, whose 266 victories for the Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds came while pitching for many second-division teams during his 21 seasons. The tall, slender rookie emerged directly from the University of Virginia campus in 1912, never spending a day in the Minors. He led the National League with 25 wins in 1922 and was still active 11 years later at the age of 42. In 1969, Reds fans named him the franchise's most outstanding left-hander. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1963.
Charles Conlon (1886-1945) was America's first sports photojournalist. In the primitive days of photography, he lugged his camera to the ballpark to capture the heroes of the game in their natural setting and paved the way for a new genre of photography. His work encompassed four decades and he became a true master of his craft. His images range from aging 19th century stars through the golden age of the game and most of the iconic baseball photographs of the early 20th century originate from the camera of Conlon. Due to the nature of his employment, images from Conlon are quite rare to find and highly collectable.
Offered is one of the finest Eppa Rixey portraits ever taken. This 5” by 6¾” original Type I photo snapped by the legendary Charles Conlon dates to circa 1910-19 during Rixey's run of stardom with the Phillies. With its original Conlon stamp on the back, it has been professionally matted and framed to an overall size of 11¼” by 9½”. Oustanding quality and condition, it's ready to go up on the wall. Full LOA from PSA/DNA designating this as a Type I photo.