1875 Hartford Blues CDV with Candy Cummings

Sold For:

$8,100

Year:

1875

Auction:

2022 Summer

Lot #:

29

Category:

Pre-1900 Baseball Cards (1830-1899)

Rare and historically significant CDV of the 1875 Hartford Blues, including Hall of Fame pitcher Candy Cummings. The formal studio photo pictures ten members of the club posing together in uniform, including Cummings (standing in the center) and player/manager Bob "Death to Flying Things" Ferguson (seated in the center). It is interesting to note that the team is pictured in front of an unusually elaborate studio background on the offered example. The photographer's name and city, "Prescott & White - Hartford," is printed on the reverse. Candy Cummings, in addition to being one of the top pitchers of the National Association (baseball's first professional league), and a member of baseball's Hall of Fame, is best known today as the inventor of the curveball. Surprisingly, despite his widespread fame, photos of Cummings are practically nonexistent. This CDV is one of the very few known images of Cummings dating to his playing career. The 1875 Hartford Blues team CDV is well known but exceedingly rare. This is just the fourth example we have ever offered, and we cannot recall having seen more than a few others over the years. Cummings enjoyed the finest season of his career in 1875. As the workhorse of the staff, Cummings finished the year with a 35-12 record, a 1.60 ERA, and league-leading totals for both shutouts (7) and strikeouts (82). Cummings' career included time in both the American Association and National League, and he also briefly served as the first president of the newly formed International Association (minor league) in 1876. The photo exhibits outstanding clarity and detail. The mount (4-1/8 x 2-7/16 inches) displays minor edge and corner wear. A light surface crease is visible on back. Graded FAIR 20 by SGC due to writing and a small spot of paper loss, both on the reverse. This is a stellar representation of this great rarity! Reserve $5,000.