Hi Howard,

I was about to post my first "image by request" suggestion, then it occurred to me maybe it's already in the thread and I missed or forgotten it--or that others will run into the same problem in scouring 90+ previous pages of material... so I am currently cut/paste building a comprehensive text list of everything here for quicker reference. (I know the site has a basic search function of course, but I've had limited luck searching forum-based sites using keywords, because it's laborious and fraught with various search inconsistencies like spelling idiosyncrasies, etc.).

Anyway, I hope what I'm doing will prove useful to someone and end up being somewhat less onerous than every individual going back over every page one by one looking for an image of one particular item. (I'm about 1/4 finished and figure it will take quite a few more hours.)

That is a great idea and a laborious undertaking! I always thought it would be nice to have a community album for threads like this. Thanks for all the time and effort.

(just to bring this issue to completion)
Yep to the size guess apparently, since the Greiner set just recently hit the pop report, presumably permitted for grading now due to the recent addition of the 8x10 size slab that's been suggested for so long...

Hi Howard,

(apologies to all for now digging up the older thread entries, but seeing as I'm going through them on by one for my project, new things are surfacing)

So, your '52 scorecard which you acquired 'long ago' seemed earliest to you like you mentioned, which made the description from this 2009 Leland's item seem lame, since they added to the lot title "Earliest Known": https://auction.lelands.com/bids/bidplace?itemid=48357

But then I came across this 2005 Leland's item which is a '50-51 scorecard and they report references Clemente (though the image file is too small for a proper look to me), which suggests 2 things, 1) that their lot description writers in 2009 weren't doing as much diligence as they could even researching their own records and 2) about his playing in '51, further bolsters the evidence in the questionnaire you captured: https://auction.lelands.com/bids/bidplace?itemid=22172

(ok, it suggests a third thing too, for your scorecard, but let's not dwell on that)

Howard, love the original artwork. Where did you find that gem?

Wow!
 

Awesome research Mike! Don't really care if mine is the "earliest" - great to see a couple of other really early ones out there - no surprises regarding due diligence by AH's - I know a number of times I have consigned, they have relied on me for history/provenance.

Doc - Years ago Mastro had a sale with a whole bunch of the original art for the SN painted covers - I had the Seaver (subsequently sold it) and the Clemente - hanging on my wall!

Very well said, and my exact sentiments as well.

Thanks, Doc! :)

...about halfway there...

Hi Howard,

Given your reluctance described above to slab your regular size complete Bazooka boxes, have you reconsidered that lately in light of the new "jumbo" size PSA holders, where I presume they would fit? Or do we even know if that's how they have switched to handling them?

Will not take the chance
 

I will not even get started with all my frustrations with PSA - they are adequately expressed in numerous other threads. I and most who look at the boxes know exactly what they are AND how nice they are - don't need a 3rd party opinion for me. They also seem to have a different grading scale for the bazooka boxes - as I have submitted some nrmt-mt 20 piece boxes that have come back with grades between 4 and 5 - a complete joke.
Further, I suspect till someone points out to them that the boxes might fit with unfolded flaps into the larger holder, they would continue to put them in the smaller holders! That said, I expect to see (and ultimately submit) some additional larger items (mostly team issued stuff that they will likely mislabel if they choose to holder them at all).