Legendary November 2009
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on:
11/19/2009
Frank Leroy Chance was the embodiment of Cubs fans' hopes and aspirations. Although nary a living soul today remembers his presence firsthand, Chance stood for everything that the often-hapless squad's fans have so desperately craved for what is now becoming frighteningly close to a full century. A Hall of Famer based on his merits as a player, Chance was enshrined in 1946 by the Committee on Baseball Veterans. But he could just as easily have been inducted by way of his managerial accolades, as he won 932 games over 12 seasons and posted a .593 winning percentage—which equates to the sixth best ratio in Major League history. Having taken the helm in 1905, Chance, monikered "The Peerless Leader," guided Chicago to three successive National League pennants (1906-08), making the Cubs the first team to accomplish that feat. In both 1907 and 1908, the Cubbies would reign as World Series champions (also a baseball first). Therein lies the persistent reminder for agonizing Cubs fans of modern times: it hasn't been done since. Gone are the days of the Cubs' National League pennant "three-peats," repeats and heck, since 1945, even one N.L. flag has been ever elusive—let alone a World Championship. The prosperous era Chance helped to author saw the North Siders triumph 530 times from 1906 to 1910 for a .693 winning percentage—the best five-year record in the history of baseball. Chance and Co. flourished beyond the diamond, too. Accompanied by teammates Joe Tinker and Johnny Evers, Chance helped to form what was arguably the greatest double-play combination of all time. The trio's defensive prowess figuratively commissioned one of baseball's most famous literary passages, "Baseball's Sad Lexicon." Penned by New York Evening Mail columnist Franklin Pierce Adams while en route to the Polo Grounds one afternoon, the poem immortalized the Cubs' trio: "These are the saddest of possible words: "Tinker to Evers to Chance." Trio of bear cubs, and fleeter than birds, Tinker and Evers and Chance. Ruthlessly pricking our gonfalon bubble, Making a Giant hit into a double—Words that are heavy with nothing but trouble: "Tinker to Evers to Chance." The term "gonfalon" was a reference to a flag or pennant and, more specifically, "our" referred to the New York Giants—whose biggest obstacle was the Chicago Cubs. Aside from being eternally etched into baseball's annals via Adams' piece, the Cubs—and moreover, the "Second City"—learned a sense of civic pride and perhaps superiority the likes of which haven't been felt with such fervor since. Alive (and unwell) for the whole of Cubs fans today are: the lingering distaste of 1969; the apparently sieve-like composition of Leon Durham's glove in 1984; the "earthquake" before the "earthquake" of 1989 and the unmentionable horror of 2003. But also alive—and exuberantly well—is this decidedly breathtaking garment donned by Chance during the very days to which Cubbies faithful long for their beloved team to return. This thoroughly vintage, light gray-flannel, blue pinstriped Chicago Cubs home jersey is of a pull-over variety, with its four original buttons at the top. The then-trademark deep blue "C" measures 5-1/4" and is proudly situated on the left chest portion of the majestic garment. (Affixing thread color variations and the extensive edge wear suggest strongly that the "C" is original and that the Bear logo was replaced after initial season usage. Both felt identifiers are definitely from the period with period style affixing, and they are correct in composition, size, color hue, and detailing.) Embroidered in thin blue, cursive chain-stitching on the outside of the left rear shirttail is the name "Chance"; this, of course, is the key identifier linking the jersey to Chance in the pre-numbered days of uniform jerseys. The original "A.G. Spalding" tag rests securely at the top inside the collar, which, from the neck, raises to a full 1" on the rear end. Through and through, a "classic" that can only be accurately described in the loftiest of superlatives, this incredibly well-preserved jersey has no rips or tears. This is a piece for the ages, for all who believe that "next year" is always imminent! LOA from Legendary Auctions. This lot is subject to a reserve. Estimate $50,000–$60,000
Additional Note: We had a question from a prospective bidder regarding the bear logo and thought it appropriate to clarify. As documented in the write-up: although it is period, “the Bear logo was replaced.” This replacement is a vintage logo from the same year! This begs the question, where does one get a 1911 bear logo? When this jersey originally turned up in the hobby in 2004 it did not have the bear logo. Since that time a bear logo from a 1911 Jack Pfeister Cubs jersey was painstakingly re-applied.
Frank Chance 1911-12 Chicago Cubs Game Used Home Jersey
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