Hoyt Wilhelm (7 results)

This major leagues relief pitcher, nicknamed "Old Sarge," debuted with the New York Giants in 1952 and for the next two decades moved about a lot, playing in order after the Giants for St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, California Angels, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers; in 1985 this knuckleball master was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. SPC, 6½" X 3 3/4", cancelled in Cooperstown, New York on 28 July 1985 and bearing single 22-cent U.S. flag stamp at upper right. Fine. NOT a First Day Cover, but a postal commemorative cancelled on the date of Wilhelm's Hall of Fame induction. At left is mounted a color 2" X 3" portrait of himself and of him pitching, surrounded by decorative gilt border, and at lower right is a printed brief recap if his career highlights. Near the center, he signs large and bold in blue fineline. A choice example. …

Condition: New.

Condition: As New. Unread book in perfect condition.

Condition: New.

Paperback. Condition: Brand New. reprint edition. 319 pages. 10.98x8.27x0.70 inches. In Stock.

Hard Cover. Condition: Good. Dust Jacket Included. First Edition. Illustrated with black and white photos. First edition, first printing, with no subsequent printings noted on the copyright page. Signed by 19 NY Giants on the front free endpaper and half-title page, including Willie Mays (HOF), Johnny Mize (HOF), Monte Irvin (HOF), Hoyt Wilhelm (HOF), Alvin Dark, Eddie Stanky, and Bobby Thomson. With JSA Letter of Authenticity. Publisher's black cloth, with spine printed in red; in its original black, orange, and white pictorial dust jacket. Good or better book, with minimal chipping to spine ends, light toning to spine, some separation along outer front joint, else sturdy, and light spotting to front and rear pastedowns and text block edges; very good unclipped dust jacket, with bright panels and slightly faded spine, some wear to spine ends, light scratches to front panel, traces of soiling to rear panel, and nicked edges. Overall, an outstanding assortment of signatures. In The New York Giants, Frank Graham traces 69 years of the team's history. As the dust jacket blurb states, "There never has been a ball club more colorful than the New York Giants. This is their story, from the time they were fashioned by John B. Day in the Elegant Eighties to their latest departure for their training camp in Phoenix, Arizona." Frank Graham (1893-1965) was a legendary sportswriter, who, in addition to The New York Giants, wrote books on the New York Yankees and Brooklyn Dodgers, and baseball icons Lou Gehrig and John McGraw. Willie Mays started playing professional baseball at 16 in the Negro Leagues and was soon drafted by the New York Giants. He went on to play 21 seasons with the Giants, winning a World Series with the team in 1954. His over-the-shoulder catch in that World Series is one of the most iconic moments in sports history. A 24x All-Star and a 12x Gold Glove award winner, Mays was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979 and was voted to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team in 1999. Monte Irvin played nine years in the Negro leagues with the Newark Eagles before getting the call up to the major leagues in 1949. One of the first players after Jackie Robinson to break the MLB's color line, he played seven seasons with the New York Giants, winning a title with the team in 1954 after sweeping the Cleveland Indians. Hoyt Wilhelm was an 8x All-Star pitcher who also played on the 1954 championship team. Interestingly, he entered the major leagues at the relatively advanced age of 29 because of prior military service but still managed to play 21 seasons in the league, retiring when he was nearly 50 years old. Johnny Mize was a 10x All-Star who won an incredible five straight World Series titles with the New York Yankees (1949-1953). Signed. …

Rare unbranded baseball signed in blue ballpoint on the sweet spot and side panels by 25 members of the 1955 New York Giants, including: Willie Mays, Monte Irvin, Hoyt Wilhelm, Al Dark, Sid Gordon, Al Corwin, Bill Taylor, Sal Maglie, Jim Hearn, Bobby Hofman, Marv Grissom, Davey Williams, Whitey Lockman, Wes Westrum, Joey Amalfitano, Windy McCall, Ray Katt, Paul Giel, Don Liddle, Hank Thompson, Dusty Rhodes, Billy Gardner, Johnny Antonelli, Ruben Gomez, and Don Mueller. The ball also bears a stamped Leo Durocher signature on the sweet spot. In fine condition. Accompanied by a full letter of authenticity from JSA. During most of their 75 seasons in New York City, the Giants played home games at various incarnations of the Polo Grounds in Upper Manhattan. Numerous inductees of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum played for the New York Giants, including Christy Mathewson (a member of the Hall of Fame's inaugural class), John McGraw, Mel Ott, Bill Terry, Willie Mays, Monte Irvin, Frankie Frisch, Ross Youngs and Travis Jackson. During the club's tenure in New York, it won five of the franchise's eight World Series wins and 17 of its 23 National League pennants. Famous moments in the Giants' New York history include the 1922 World Series, in which the Giants swept the Yankees in four games, Bobby Thomson's 1951 home run known as the "Shot Heard 'Round the World", and the defensive feat by Willie Mays during the first game of the 1954 World Series known as "the Catch.".…