I HAVE ALREADY HAD THIS ITEM INDEPENDENTLY EXAMINED AND AUTHENTICATED IN THE US BY PSA - THE BUYER WILL RECEIVE THE ORIGINAL AUTHENTICATION LETTER WITH THE PHOTO.
BOTH photo and authentication letter carry identical tamper-proof authenticator numbering : M65679.
Ricardo Alonso Gonzalez but known around the world as "Pancho" was the American tennis player who was World #1 for an unequaled 8 years in the 1950s and early 1960s and is widely considered to be one of the greatest players in the history of the game.
Largely self-taught, Pancho was a successful amateur player in the late-1940s, twice winning the US Championships.
Pancho tuned pro in 1949 and got off to a slow start but by 1954 he was the dominant player in the men's game and continued to be so right through into the mid-60s beating such tennis greats as Frank Sedgman, Tony Trabert, Ken Rosewall, Lew Hoad, Mal Anderson, and Ashley Cooper on a regular basis.
In that period, Pancho won the US Pro Championship 8 times and the Wembley pro title in London 4 times, plus beating, in head-to-head tours, all of the best amateurs who turned pro, which included every Wimbledon champion for 10 years in a row. During this time Pancho was known for his fiery will to win, his cannonball serve, and his all-conquering net game, a combination so potent that the rules on the professional tour were briefly changed in the 1950s to prohibit him from advancing to the net immediately after serving!
HERE IS A VERY RARE PHOTO FROM PANCHO (WITH A RARE SMILE !!) THAT HE HAS PERSONALLY INSCRIBED AND SIGNED.
Pancho inscribed the photo
"Best Wishes,"
and then signed in blue, ball-point pen.
The photo is 8-inches by 10-inches.
The photo remains in excellent condition.
Pancho's inscription and signature are permanent.
Pancho's inscription and signature is perfectly legible, crystal clear and completely free from any stains, smears or bleeding.
An outstanding addition to ANY sports memorabilia collection.
As always - no nonsense - I GUARANTEE THE AUTHENTICITY OF THIS AND EVERY SIGNATURE IN MY COLLECTION FOR LIFE or your money back and I put that in writing too!
POSTAGE :
Anywhere in New Zealand : A$10
Anywhere in Australia : A$15
Rest of the world : A$20