1911 NEW YORK LINCOLN GIANTS RPPC W/HOFERS SOL WHITE, POP LLOYD & LOUIS SANTOP SGC 20 FAIR 1.5.
Item Description
Offered here publicly for the first time in nearly 20 years is the only known example depicting one of the most significant ball clubs in black baseball history, the 1911 New York Lincoln Giants. Printed "Copyright 1911 by C. Mason Photo, N.Y." in the lower left and "Lincoln Giants 1911" at bottom center. Not only is this image the earliest known of the Lincoln Giants baseball club, as 1911 was their inaugural season, but this fascinating relic also represents the only known "card" appearance of Hall of Fame player/manager, Sol White (standing, center). Further adding to the allure of this amazing postcard is the presence of fellow Cooperstown enshrinees, John Henry "Pop" Lloyd (standing, second from left) and Louis Santop (standing, third from right), both pictured at the dawn of their illustrious Negro League baseball careers. In addition, all-time pitching great Dick "Cannonball" Redding (standing, fourth from right) and speedy outfielder Spotswood Poles (standing, third from left) are pictured here and would certainly be at the top of any short list of future Negro League candidates for Cooperstown selection. Other notable stars of the day that we have also identified are: Dan McClellan (the first black pitcher to throw a perfect game doing so for the Cuban X-Giants in 1903), Pete Booker, Bill Francis, Harry Buckner, George Wright, Phil Bradley and Jude Gans.
Founded by Jess McMahon, a white businessman and sports promoter, the Lincoln Giants were one of early black baseball's greatest and most legendary teams. This club is credited with a 108-12 record in 1911, winning the first of three straight Eastern championships. Much of this roster came from two other notable early teams, the 1903-04 Cuban X Giants and the 1905-06 Philadelphia Giants. As manager, Sol White was involved with both of those ball clubs and brought many of his former teammates over with him to New York in 1911. In 1914, several members of the Lincoln Giants broke away and formed a new team called the New York Lincoln Stars, who would only operate for three years before folding after the 1916 season. When the Eastern Colored League was formed in 1923, the Lincoln Giants became charter members but their only winning season was 1924, when they finished with a 31-25 record.
At the helm of the early 1910s Lincoln Giants dynasty was manager, Sol White. As a player, White would star for predominantly white semi-pro teams during the 1880s, oftentimes being the only black ballplayer on the club. From the late 1880s and throughout the 1890s, Sol would be a key member of the independent Cuban Giants and, later on, the Page Fence Giants clubs that would dominate black baseball at the end of the 19th Century. White would spend most of the first decade of the 20th Century playing for the Philadelphia Giants before coming to New York in 1911. Sol was deservedly elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Pop Lloyd began his professional career playing briefly for the Cuban X-Giants in 1906 before joining the Philadelphia Giants in 1907 and spending the next three seasons there. After one season with the Leland Giants in 1910, Lloyd would join the Lincoln Giants the following year and jump start their dynasty. Pop would go on to star for many other top black ball clubs over the next 20 years before finally hanging up his spikes in 1932 with the Atlantic City Bacharach Giants. Known as the "Black Honus Wagner", Lloyd would be selected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977.
The third future HOF'er to join the Lincoln Giants in 1911 was Louis Santop. Like his teammate, Pop Lloyd, Santop would play the two previous seasons for the Philadelphia Giants before coming to New York. Once there though, Santop would spend the entire decade of the 1910s playing for three different city ball clubs, the Lincoln Giants, the Lincoln Stars and Brooklyn Royal Giants. During the 1920s, Santop was a mainstay for the great Hilldale Daisies teams of the Ed Bolden era. Santop was selected to Cooperstown in 2006.
3.5x5.5". The postcard reverse has players identified neatly in period ink. Based on some of the extra notations added, it appears that this postcard was once owned/penned by someone closely connected to the team. Various minor imperfections include some scattered tiny surface flaking, few small stains and light creasing. Redding has an inked "X" above his head and his face has surface paper flake. This is an incredibly rare and significant postcard, with a superb image of one of the Negro League baseball's most important early teams. Despite flaws, the postcard displays sharp photo clarity. Surely one of the best Negro League postcards in existence. Don't pass up this opportunity to own Sol White's only baseball "card" as well as a more economical alternative to the 1910 Pop Lloyd Punch rookie card that sold previously in our March, 2012 auction for $94,875. The Black Ball Collection.
