This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/19/2012
Carl Yastrzemski had one of the longest careers in major league history, appearing in 3308 games over twenty-three seasons, all with the Boston Red Sox. Signed as a shortstop off the Notre Dame campus in February 1959, Yastrzemski replaced Ted Williams in left field for the Sox in 1961 and followed him into the Hall of Fame in 1989. When he retired after 23 years, Yastrzemski ranked first in career games (3,308), third in at-bats (11,988) and walks (1,845), sixth in total bases (5,539), seventh in hits (3,419) and doubles (646), and ninth in RBI (1,844). He's the only American League player with both 3000 hits and 400 homers. Although he won three batting titles, played in 18 All-Star games, and was acknowledged as the finest defensive left fielder of his time, Yastrzemski will be primarily remembered by Red Sox rooters for his 1967 season, the year of The Impossible Dream. That year, Yaz won the American League Triple Crown and AL MVP while carrying the Red Sox to a miracle pennant in an epic four-team race that was not decided until the season's last day. The single finest Yaz rookie card in the hobby, this gem features pure white borders, dramatically sharp corners and flawless print quality that are rarely seen characteristics of this '60's classic. Among a startling population of 3,893 Yaz rookies that have been assessed by PSA to date, this stands alone as the only specimen worth of GEM MINT 10 status.