MHCC: Some Nice Vintage Stuff

Mile High Card Company is running their first premium auction of 2012 and it is filled with some very nice stuff. Here are a couple of items I thought would be fun to share. Tomorrow, I'll put up a couple of Dodger related collectibles from their auction.

You've all seen "Field of Dreams," right? Well, as you may know Archibald "Moonlight" Graham, the character who Costner helped get an at-bat against a ghostly pro, was a real player. At least, the book/movie character was based on him. Anyway, below are the good doctors real eyeglasses.

(Auction Link)

I had briefly written about Spaldings World Tour of 1888 that lead a bunch of Victorian Era ballplayers to Egypt in past. See it here. Well, apparently, there were subsequent tours of Africa (and the world) that lead to the below photograph being taken. It features members of the New York Giants and Chicago White Sox at the foot of the Sphinx in 1914.

(Auction Link)

REA: Seeing Moonlight

I don't think the gentlemen highlighted in this post needs much of an introduction. Below is one of the few photos known to exist of, the one and only, Archibald "Moonlight" Graham. Yes, the character made famous in the movie "Field of Dreams" was based on a real player. Check out this auction with one of the finest photos known to exist of him. He is second on the right on the top row.

(click pic to enlarge)

Auction Link:

Card of the Week: Archibald "Moonlight" Graham

This weeks card of the week really isn't a card at all, but is instead a Sporting Life team composite print circa 1906-1907 of the Scranton Baseball Club. Sporting life magazine was one of the premier baseball journals of the time. From 1902 to 1909 they sold these large 13" X 14" prints to fans throughout the country. They are very rare and look great framed and matted. This particular print was sold in a portfolio book of 24 different teams, but they where also sold individually for 10 cents a piece.

The reason why the 1907 Scranton Baseball Club of the New York State League is notable is because it includes one of Baseballs more mythical players- Archibald "Moonlight" Graham. See him on the bottom left below. As we all know his story was highlighted in the movie called "A Field of Dreams." Graham played in one game in the field, but never got a chance to bat. He was left standing in the on-deck circle while the final out was recorded to end the game. He would never appear in a Major League game again. He ultimately left Baseball to became a doctor in the town of Chisholm, Minnesota. Doc Graham was beloved there as he worked in the town for fifty years.

The print below is, from my understanding, one of the few known Baseball vintage artifact/ memorabilia pieces known to exist of "Doc" Archibald "Moonlight" Graham.
(Hat Tip: Vintage Baseball Card Forum)