Lot # 2361: 1911 Philadelphia Athletics "Champions" Fold-Out Panoramic Team Photo Postcard with World Series Narrative on Reverse!

Scarce 1911 Philadelphia Athletics team panoramic fold-out postcard featuring a contemporaneous, hand-written account of Game 4 of the 1911 World Series on the reverse. The interior section of the postcard displays a team photo of the Philadelphia Athletics as they pose together shoulder to shoulder on the field at Shibe Park. Each player, with the exception of manager Connie Mack, is pictured wearing his team sweater with a white elephant on the left breast. All are identified in print (last name only) below their respective images, including Mack, Collins, Baker, Bender, and Plank. The caption "Philadelphia Athletics Champions 1911" is printed on the photo and again along the bottom white border. This is a rare postcard made all the more desirable by the firsthand narrative on the reverse. Dated "Phil 10/24/11" (which was the date of Game 4 of the 1911 World Series), a woman writes to her friend describing the game, which was won by the A's, 4-2. In part: "What do you think of our white elephants? . . . Bender win [sic] his game to-day - score 4-2. Mathewson was put out. Wiltse finishes game. It was great playing all through the game, especially when Baker, Murphy and Davis each made a double. . . . While at practice Baker first turn at bat sent one over the fence, but he didn't do that in the game to-day. . . ." Obviously, these postcards were sold at the stadium during the Series, but we cannot recall having another with such a detailed summary of one of the games on the reverse. This is both a unique and fascinating World Series souvenir dating from Mack's fabled 1910 to 1913 World Championship dynasty. The narrative takes up both sides of the reverse of the postcard. As a result, there was no room to write the address or place the stamp; therefore, it was most likely mailed in an envelope. The postcard (11 x 3.5 inches; unfolded) displays a light fingerprint smudge along the top border and is otherwise in Excellent to Mint condition overall.