This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/15/2008
June 12, 1939 was a momentous day for baseball. The Baseball Hall of Fame would open for the first time amid all the pomp and pageantry you would expect on such a highly anticipated occasion. As of that date, including the 1939 class, only 26 men in the 100 year history of the game had been elected for enshrinement. In 1939, 11 of those so honored attended the inaugural induction ceremony. This remarkable commemoration of the event is an original 1939 First Day Cover signed by each of the following eleven inaugural inductees; Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Napoleon Lajoie, Walter Johnson, Cy Young, Connie Mack, Eddie Collins, George Sisler, Honus Wagner, and G.C. Alexander. Additional signatures include Kenesaw Mountain Landis and one unidentified. This cover was sent to each of these individuals by an ambitious autograph collector by the name of Paul Wunder of New Orleans, Louisiana on behalf of his daughter Doris to whom the cover is addressed. The piece was dutifully signed and returned each time, usually with an item of correspondence (see next lot). A substantial amount of time and effort put forth by Mr. Wunder has yielded a mini-masterpiece. Nearly every signature is flawlessly rendered and beautifully preserved. Considering the mount of handling and travel this piece must have endured, its present state is extraordinary. The overall aesthetic appeal is virtually unimprovable, with signatures averaging 9/10 or better. LOA from PSA/DNA.
15,000 USD - 20,000 USD