Legendary April 2009
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on:
4/30/2009
Perhaps it was the sense of implausibility, a sentiment consistent with his perennially rising E.R.A., that made Howard Ehmke's 1929 World Series performance—indeed, his story—all the more magical. Starting just eight games and making appearances in only eleven contests during the regular season, Ehmke's sidearm brand of pitching was certainly no staple of Connie Mack's dominant Philadelphia Athletics regular rotation (a line-up helped by the arms of Lefty Grove, George Earnshaw, and Rube Walberg). Nevertheless, the right-hander served as yet another of the "Tall Tactician's" calculated implements, and by the end of July—roughly about three-quarters of the campaign's battles in the books—Ehmke notched five wins for Mack's A's. But it was his losing effort against the Yankees on August 7 that proved to be significant. Ehmke pitched the A's to a 13-1 loss against New York, a late-season dismantling so great that manager Connie Mack decided Ehmke would not accompany the team for the following week's four road meetings at Detroit. How would Ehmke respond to having been shelled by the offensively stout New York Yankees? How could Ehmke, now 35 years old, regroup from what was effectively being benched? After prompting from Mack, Ehmke returned to the diamond in early September and added two more wins to his season total. A World Series showdown with the National League's Chicago Cubs looming, Mack again sought to avail his ballclub of the pitcher's veteran savvy, but this time, he directed Ehmke to personally scout the Senior Circuit stalwarts. Despite some late season success, it would seem that Ehmke's role with the A's in the postseason was to be that of a scout, his observations to benefit aces Grove, Earnshaw, and Walberg. Then, in a shocking move, the Athletics skipper chose Howard Ehmke, a fourteen-year veteran and widely considered the seventh-best pitcher on Philly's roster, to start Game 1 of the World Series! What followed from Mack's intriguing decision was a record-setting performance, and one that stood until 1953. Ehmke pitched the A's to a 3-1 victory, striking out a record 13 batters! Among the Cubs luminaries disposed of by Ehmke were Rogers Hornsby, Hack Wilson, Kiki Cuyler, Riggs Stephenson, and Gabby Hartnett. The former three athletes each struck-out twice, while Stephenson and Hartnett accounted for a strike-out apiece. Here presented is an ONL (Heydler) ball that appears to hail directly from this special performance. Ehmke has signed and inscribed the used and toned sphere at the sweet spot (with neat black fountain pen scripting projecting "6-9" quality) and a side-panel notation in his hand reads, "Athletics - 3 / Cubs - 1 / Oct. 8, 1929." This is a fabulous relic of the Philadelphia Athletics moundsman who was instrumental in what his manager identified as the most memorable moment of the Hall of Famer's own distinguished major league career. Pre-Certified by PSA DNA.
Howard Ehmke Inscribed Baseball - Attributed to Game 1 of the 1929 World Series!
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