1930 HOMESTEAD GRAYS RPPC W/HOFERS: CHARLESTON, JOHNSON, WILLIAMS & POSEY SGC AUTHENTIC.
Item Description
Presented here is an incredible real photo postcard, one of only two known examples, depicting the powerhouse Homestead Grays ball club during the very early stages of their dominance in the world of black baseball. Printed caption at bottom reads "Homestead Grays of 1930, 3-20-30" and shows team in full uniform posed on a ball field. Photographer's name at lower right indicates "Harrison Studios, Hot Springs, Ark." This amazing relic is highlighted by the inclusion of four future National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees: Oscar Charleston, Judy Johnson, Smokey Joe Williams, and Cumberland Posey. Here is a complete listing of all team members pictured: Back row (L-R): Charlie Walker Jr., Raymond "Mo" Harris, William Ross, Buck Ewing, "Smokey Joe" Williams, George Scales, Judy Johnson and Cumberland Posey. Front row (L-R): Vic Harris, Jake Stephens, Oscar Owens, Lefty Williams, George Britt, Bennie Charleston (Oscar's brother during his only professional baseball season) and Oscar Charleston.
This historic photograph was taken during Spring Training in Hot Springs, AR. prior to the start of the 1930 baseball season. Although the team operated independently at that time, by year end they had established themselves as the top black baseball club in the east and would ultimately finish the season by defeating the Lincoln Giants ball club in a hard fought 10 game series to secure the Eastern Championship.
While enjoying a very successful college basketball playing career during the 1910s, a young baseball player named Cumberland Posey founded the inaugural edition of the Homestead Grays back in 1912. After working his way up to player/manager duties in short order, Posey would further his business entrepreneurial skills beginning in 1930 by becoming the team's booking agent, business manager and, ultimately, took over ownership of the ball club. Cumberland would continue to serve in this role until his untimely death in 1946.
"Smokey Joe" Williams would become the first of the early black baseball superstars to join Posey's Homestead team during the mid-1920s, followed shortly thereafter by Cuban baseball legend, Martin Dihigo, who only stuck around for a couple of seasons. Although he was well beyond his prime by the time he joined the Grays, Williams was the unquestioned leader of the pitching staff, taking the mound in every big game for the remainder of the decade, highlighted by one of the all-time great pitching duels with Chet Brewer in 1930 when Smokey Joe fanned 27 batters during a one-hitter vs. the Kansas City Monarchs. Following his playing career, Williams was selected by the Pittsburgh Courier in 1952 as having been the greatest pitcher in Negro League history, topping the legendary Satchel Paige by one vote.
Prior to the 1930 season, future Cooperstown selectees Oscar Charleston and Judy Johnson both joined the Grays and the ball club now had the nucleus to dominate black baseball in the East. Although not as fast as he was during his younger days in Indianapolis, Charleston was one of the preeminent sluggers in black baseball with the competitive demeanor only exceeded by his immense five-tool abilities on the field. Oscar's teammate, Judy Johnson, was the dominant third baseman in black baseball throughout the 1920s and 1930s before eventually handing that torch over to Ray Dandridge by the end of the decade. Judy was both a superb infielder and clutch hitter whose professionalism played a key role for several championship ball clubs during his two-decade playing career.
This glossy real photo postcard has been trimmed to dimensions of 3.5"x4.75". Reverse has paper from scrapbook removal over most of surface. Left and right side margin edges have each been trimmed .25" (hence the SCG "Authentic" designation) though full image of all team members remain. Center has lt. horizontal emulsion hairlines but really only visible in reflected light. Image remains strong and distinct.
This incredible trailblazing postcard marks the first of three consecutive years of Negro League team real photo postcards that were produced by Harrison Studios out of their printing shop in Hot Springs, AR, followed by the 1931 Homestead Grays and 1932 Pittsburgh Crawfords. A number of individual Grays player postcards were also issued, highlighted by the all-time sales record holder for a Negro League postcard, a dual-signed Josh Gibson RPPC produced in 1931. Past auction results indicate that the 1931 Grays team postcard brought $23,000 at auction in 2017 while the 1932 Crawfords team postcard realized a record price of $36,000 during that same auction. The example presented here was previously offered by Hake's in our November 2017 auction, where it finished with a closing price of $17,523. The winning bidder defaulted, thus enabling the marketplace to gain another opportunity at this rare treasure. The Black Ball Collection (originating from The Merkin Collection).
