Lou Gehrig photos sell for $60,000 and $43,200

Before Heritage Auctions’ Vintage Sports Photography auction closed, the final sale price for a 1927 Lou Gehrig Original Photograph by Charles Conlon that was used for a 1933 Goudey Card, PSA/DNA Type 1 soared to $60,000 to claim top lot honors.

The photo captured an important image of Gehrig in 1927, when he won the American League’s Most Valuable Player award. The image was used for his 1933 Goudey cards No. 92 and No. 160. The 7-by-9-inch photo was shot by iconic baseball photographer Charles Conlon.

One of the most infamous events in baseball history is depicted in a 1939 Lou Gehrig Farewell Speech Original News Photograph, PSA/DNA Type 1, which sold for $43,200.

Forced to retire because of symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which often is referred to now as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease,” he stood before a stadium full of emotional fans and delivered one of the most recognized speeches in the history of the game which opened with the famous line: “Fans, for the past two weeks, you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth.” Teammate Babe Ruth can be seen along the image’s right edge, and a flag flies at half-mast in the background.

A 1939 Ted Williams Original News Photograph, PSA/DNA Type 1 hammered at $19,200. The image is from his rookie season and it is recognized as an example of portraiture magnificence, highlighted by the casual, off-center positioning of his Boston “B” cap and Williams’ cool, determined stare through squinting eyes.

A 1955 Roberto Clemente Rookie Year Original News Photograph, PSA/DNA Type 1 realized $19,200. This image, in which Clemente was taking a practice swing at Forbes Field, appeared in the May 13, 1955 issue of the Chicago Tribune.

A 1921 Babe Ruth Original Photograph by Paul Thompson, PSA/DNA Type 1 generated intense competition before eventually bringing $10,200. Thompson supplied his own caption in pencil on the back of the photograph, writing, in part that Ruth is “ambling across the home plate because the ball is in the bleachers.”

Other top items in the auction included:

• A 1927 Babe Ruth 60th Home Run Original news Photograph, PSA/DNA Type 1 sold for $7,200

• A 1927 New York Yankees Original News Photograph by Cosmo-Sileo Studios, PSA/DNA Type 1 sold for $5,040

• A 1930s Lou Gehrig Original News Photograph, PSA/DNA Type 1 sold for $5,040

• An Early 1920s Babe Ruth Original News Photograph, PSA/DNA Type 1 sold for $5,040.