1919-1921 W514 - #107 Ross "Pep" Young, NY Giants - Hall of Fame rookie - SGC 1
On the Player and Card - Ross Middlebrook “Pep” Youngs (1897-1927) was an outfielder who starred for the New York Giants from 1917 to 1926. A skilled all-around player, Youngs was known for his hustle, determination, and infectious energy, earning him the nickname "Pep." He played primarily right field but could also skillfully handle other positions. Born in Shiner, Texas, Youngs displayed athletic talent from a young age, excelling in baseball, basketball, football, and track. He began his professional baseball career in the minor leagues before making his major league debut with the Giants. Despite a brief stint in the military during World War I, Youngs quickly established himself as a valuable member of the Giants' lineup. Youngs’ career blossomed in the early 1920s. He was a key contributor to the Giants' four consecutive National League pennants from 1921 to 1924, playing a pivotal role in the team's World Series victories in 1921 and 1922. Youngs had a lifetime .322 batting average with the Giants and batted over .300 nine times in his career, including eight consecutive seasons. His career was cut short by illness, however, as he died at the age of 30 of Bright's disease. Youngs was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.
This W514 card for sale is considered by many as Youngs’ “rookie” card as it predates American Caramel, National Caramel, and Koester Bread cards from the early 1920s. His last name is misspelled as “Young” on the W514 card, and on many of his other cards from that era.
On the Set - 1919 W514 - One hundred years ago, retailers such as grocery or candy stores had baseball sports cards available in strips for customers to buy, or to give away with purchases to loyal customers. As these “strip” cards often came in a long strip where merchants could cut or rip off a certain amount for customers, rough or uneven edges, and inconsistent card sizes were the norm. They are classified in the American Card Catalog as W-Cards. Of all strip cards, possibly the most popular strip set is the 1919-1921 W514 set. The W514 set is comprised of 120 cards measuring approximately 1-7/16" x 2-1/2". The card fronts portray a color drawing of each baseball player, with a color background and a thin black line surrounding the picture. The player’s name, team, and position are identified at the bottom of the card. Each card number is in small script within the frame, bottom right or left. Card backs are usually blank. Player drawings generally were modeled after photographs taken by famous photographer Charles Martin Conlon (1868-1945). Among thousands of photos, Conlon’s most famous photograph is of Ty Cobb stealing third base, sliding into a waiting Jimmy Austin.