1938 PITTSBURGH PIRATES TEAM SIGNED BASEBALL WITH HONUS WAGNER
This lot represents an absolute holy grail for advanced sports memorabilia collectors and historians of the pre-war era. The 1938 season remains one of the most legendary, dramatic, and emotionally charged campaigns in the history of the Pittsburgh franchise. Managed by Hall of Famer Pie Traynor, the 1938 squad spent much of the summer locked in a furious, frontline battle for the National League pennant, famously leading the league late into September before being unseated by the Chicago Cubs during the iconic "Homer in the Gloamin'" game. This ball serves as a pristine, self-contained time capsule of that historic roster, capturing a remarkable cross-section of early 20th-century baseball royalty at the absolute peak of their powers.
The ball features an incredibly dense, beautifully arranged assemblage of fountain-pen signatures that map out the core of the 1938 team. Most notably, the ball is anchored by the signatures of the team's legendary, Hall of Fame outfield tandem, the Waner brothers. The signatures of Paul "Big Poison" Waner (Hall of Fame class of 1952) and Lloyd "Little Poison" Waner (Hall of Fame class of 1967) are prominently captured. Paul Waner - a member of the elite 3,000-hit club and a three-time National League batting champion - turned in a spectacular .310 batting average during this very 1938 campaign, making this a premier artifact from his legendary run.
The panels showcase a magnificent roster of the team's stars, including Hall of Fame shortstop Arky Vaughan, hard-hitting first baseman Gus Suhr, third baseman Bill Brubaker, and long-time infielder Pep Young. The pitching staff is heavily represented by foundational arms such as Cy Blanton, Bill Swift, Mace Brown, and Rip Sewell (the creator of the famous Eephus pitch). The complete list of signatures is as follows: Lloyd Waner, Paul Waner, Johnny Rizzo, Woody Jensen, Johnny Dickshot, Lee Handley, Arky Vaughan, Tommy Thevenow, Gus Suhr, Honus Wagner, Bill Brubaker, Pep Young, Al Todd, Ray Berres, Heinie Manush, Red Lucas, Bob Klinger, Rip Sewell, Bill Swift, Cy Blanton, Mace Brown, Joe Bowman, Ed Brandt, Jim Tobin, Russ Bauers, and Ken Heintzelman.
For connoisseurs of vintage sports memorabilia, the presence of the original Spalding box is a monumental addition. Most team-signed baseballs from the pre-war era were immediately removed from their packaging for display, causing the original two-tone red and blue cardboard boxes to be discarded. Finding a 1938 team ball that has remained safeguarded alongside its original box - complete with the distinct Made in Canada markings - is a true market rarity.
This lot is accompanied by a letter of authenticity from Fleischer’s Auctions guaranteeing the signature’s authenticity and providing for a full refund should it fail authentication by PSA/DNA.
[Sports, Sports History, Sports Memorabilia, Autographs, Signatures, Baseball]
The baseball is in very good to fine condition. The original cream-colored horsehide leather remains remarkably bright, showing only uniform, honest age-appropriate toning and no severe localized staining, scuffing, or water damage. The signatures are executed in a vibrant blue fountain-pen ink that remains exceptionally crisp, dark, and highly legible, with minimal fading across the panels. The red stitching is tight, unbroken, and structurally flawless. The exceptionally rare original Spalding box is in good, structurally stable condition, showing typical edge wear, light corner rubbing, and minor surface creasing consistent with cardstock of this age, while retaining its brilliant original color graphics and complete upper flaps.
