1909 Baseball Dinner Program Signed by Cap Anson, Hank O'Day, Harry Pulliam....

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$8,962.50 Bid Source: Internet bidder

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1909 Baseball Dinner Program Signed by Cap Anson, Hank O'Day, Harry Pulliam. Remarkable early relic is the first of its kind we've encountered, a banquet program for a "Dinner given by John A. Heydler and Harry C. Pulliam in honor of some of their friends." At the time of this event, Pulliam was serving as the sixth President of the National League and Heydler as secretary/treasurer, though five months later Pulliam would take his own life with a revolver, leaving Heydler to finish out the 1909 season in his place. As such, Pulliam's signature found on the rear cover with forty-two others ranks as one of the rarest executive autographs from the sport.

Among the other signers:

Cap Anson: First member of the 3,000 Hit Club. Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 1939.

Hank O'Day: Home plate umpire for first World Series in 1903 and "Merkle's Boner" game in 1908. Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 2013.

Ban Johnson: First President of the American League (1901-27). Inducted Baseball Hall of Fame, 1937.

John Heydler: President of the National League (1909, 1918-34).

Louie Heilbroner: Founder of Heilbroner's Baseball Bureau Service, the first commercial statistical bureau dedicated to baseball.

Joe S. Jackson: First President of the Baseball Writers Association of America (1908-19).

All but a couple of the signatures are applied in pencil, all remaining readily legible and easily identifiable. Each of the sixteen pages of the program measures 10x10.5" and are bound by the original ribbon. Some scattered staining and creases from having been folded into quarters. Certainly one of the most exciting Dead Ball Era autographed items to surface in some time. Full LOA from James Spence Authentication.