Circa 1913 Chicago American Giants Real Photo Postcard SGC 10 Poor 1 -- Only Example Known!. ...

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Circa 1913 Chicago American Giants Real Photo Postcard SGC 10 Poor 1 -- Only Example Known!
Remarkable rarity derives from a series of real photo postcards produced from images captured at a southwestern Wisconsin festival popular in the early years of the twentieth century. The caption at the bottom of the image reads, "23. American Giants of Chicago at Fennimore's 'Big Days', Fennimore, Wis," confirming the identity of this Negro League powerhouse that is proudly announced on the jerseys they wear.

Cultured collectors need no reminder of the rarity of Negro League artifacts from the period, and we are unable to find any other example of this image in the various auction results databases available for research. In fact, a deep dive into Internet archives comes up empty for this uniform style in any photographic format whatsoever.

We have identified three Cooperstown immortals in the cast of characters present. Seated at far left and right respectively are first baseman Ben Taylor and pitcher/pioneer Rube Foster, arguably the most important figure in Negro League history. Standing second from left we find Pete Hill, an outfielder often described as "black baseball's first superstar."

Graded SGC 10 Poor 1. The postcard presents marvelously, with minor corner rounding and a diagonal center crease the only distractions to the glorious silver gelatin image. Verso bears a handwritten message and postmark from Stitzer, Wisconsin, five miles from Fennimore.