Extremely Rare 1903 Boston Americans (vs. Pittsburgh Pirates) World Series Game 1 Ticket - One of Only Two Examples Known!

Sold For:

$270,000

Year:

1903

Auction:

2023 Summer

Lot #:

16

Category:

Post-1900 Baseball Memorabilia

Presented is one of the rarest of all sports tickets and a "Holy Grail" for all World Series ticket collectors: the first game of the 1903 World Series between the Boston Americans and Pittsburgh Pirates held on October 1st at Boston's Huntington Grounds. The printing on the blank-back ticket reads "Boston vs. Pittsburg" at the top and is numbered "1" in the center. The printing at the base reads "Admission Rain Check Void After 5 Innings Are Played." The 1903 World Series ticket is one of the few printed memorabilia items with a significance equivalent to that of a T206 Wagner to the world of baseball cards. This is an item of monumental importance to the history of the game and is revered as one of the pinnacle items of all historic baseball memorabilia. It is also extremely rare (ten times as rare as a T206 Wagner). Very few 1903 World Series tickets exist (less than five), and the fact that the offered example was issued for Game 1 further distinguishes it as one of the most desirable examples extant. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of only two known 1903 tickets dating from the historic first game of the Series. It should be noted that the condition of the offered example is far better than the other known copy. Game 1 featured what many expected to be a duel between Boston ace Cy Young, winner of a league-leading twenty-eight games, and twenty-four-game winner Deacon Phillippe. Unfortunately for Boston fans, Young was roughed up for four runs in the first and later served up the first home run in World Series history, to Jimmy Sebring in the seventh, in the Americans' 7-3 loss. Young later avenged his opening-game loss by defeating Pittsburgh in Games 7 and 10, helping Boston upset the Pirates. The World Series was born when Barney Dreyfuss and Henry Killilea, the respective owners of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox, each agreed in August to match their first-place clubs in a best-of-nine postseason series that fall to determine what they declared to be the "World's Championship." (The 1903 World Series was the first postseason series between interleague champions since 1890, when the National League champion Brooklyn Bridegrooms met the American Association champion Louisville Cyclones.) Fan interest in such postseason championships had waned during the 1890s, but the revival staged by Boston and Pittsburgh was well received, as evidenced by the 16,242 fans who showed up to watch Game 1. In total, nearly 100,000 fans poured through the turnstiles to witness the first World Series in modern history. That patronage, with the brief exception of John McGraw's obstinate refusal to play in 1904, all but ensured that the World Series would remain the institution it is today. One of the most curious side notes to the 1903 World Series that bears mentioning concerns the players' share of the profits. Boston players each received $1,182, and Pittsburgh players received $1,316.25. The reason for that anomaly was the generosity of Dreyfuss, who turned over his share of the gate receipts to his players. It was the first and only time in World Series history that the losers' shares exceeded those of the winning players. The ticket (1-1/2 x 3-9/16 inches) has moderate to heavy creasing and a short note neatly written in black ink on the reverse. In full: I went to this game Thursday p.m. Charlie - it was great 17,000 people there. You have probably read about the Pittsburg v Boston series - it is for the worlds championship. Pittsburg being the winners of National League and Boston of the American. In Fair condition overall. This is one of the most historically important pieces in the entire hobby and one that would be a significant addition to any serious baseball or World Series ticket collection. Opening Bid $10,000.