SCP Auctions November 2006 Internet Auction

Frederick Foto is considered one of the scarcest of all PCL issues with barely a sample card to be found in even the most comprehensive collections. As the official photographer for the PCL's Sacramento Senators Frederick Foto branched out with a series of cards in 1920 which according to some reports included over one hundred different cards most depicting players in the Pacific Coast League. Perhaps it was the high profile sale of Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees the year before which prompted the company to include Ruth among the minor leaguers of the Pacific Coast League. The Sultan of Swat is pictured in his Red Sox uniform but with the notation Babe Ruth N.Y. it pinpoints the date to 1920/21. As one of only two or three known copies this is perhaps the scarcest Babe Ruth card in existence. Ruth's photographic image is well-centered and some pencil marks appear on the reverse. All told the cards appearance is much stronger than the technical grade of SGC 10. This example of the elusive Frederick Foto Babe Ruth card is the first ever graded by any company. An extremely rare offering.