The Only Known 1932 New York Yankees Team Signed Photograph....

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Sold on Feb 23, 2013 for:

$33,460.00 Bid Source: Live: Phone bidder

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The Babe's final World Championship season

The Only Known 1932 New York Yankees Team Signed Photograph. The comeback kids? While it seems outrageous to file such a high-octane juggernaut under the heading of "underdog," this is a club that had been relegated to World Series spectator for three consecutive seasons by Connie Mack's second great Athletics dynasty. But the ghosts of Murderer's Row were awakened for the 1932 campaign, taking charge of the American League on May 16th and never surrendering the lead, ultimately clinching the flag with two weeks of regular season to spare. In the twenty-seven World Championship seasons of Yankee history, few editions have been as dominant.

This charmingly casual team portrait was snapped at the club's St. Petersburg, Florida spring training grounds in March of 1932, and bears the official mark of team photographer "Thorne" at lower right. Twenty-nine players pictured have autographed this 8x10" image, most boldly by the iconic Babe Ruth, whose "Called Shot" in Game Three of the World Series remains the most noteworthy event of the 1932 Major League season. From top to bottom, left to right, the cast of signers:

Ed Wells, John Murphy, Dusty Cooke, George Pipgras, Babe Ruth (9/10), Tony Lazzeri (6/10), Mark Roth (traveling secretary), Tommy Padden, Bots Nekola, Jack Saltzgaver, Eddie Farrell, Myril Hoag, John Allen, Herb Pennock (2/10), Sam Byrd, Dusty Rhodes, Joe Sewell (5/10), Johnny Allen, Ben Chapman, Art Jorgens, Frank Crosetti, Lyn Lary, Jimmy Burke, Lou Gehrig (7/10), Ivy Andrews, Bill Dickey (4/10), Lefty Gomez (8/10), Cy Perkins, Red Ruffing (6/10), Earl Combs (5/10), ____, Willard Brown.

Signature quality ranges from 2/10 to 9/10, with the autographs fairly evenly dispersed across that spectrum. All remain discernible at a minimum. The image itself exhibits mild toning with an occasional small tear or loss of emulsion that affects none of the writing. Pre-war team signed photographs are markedly more scarce than contemporary team balls, and the superior potential for display only further enhances their appeal among advanced photograph collectors. As the first fully autographed team shot of the 1932 World Champs to reach the public auction block in the past dozen years, this specimen deserves all the attention it is sure to garner on February 23rd. Full LOA from PSA/DNA. Full LOA from James Spence Authentication.

1932 New York Yankees Team Signed Photograph.

*A donation of $100 to the American Red Cross is required to attend the Live auction.