Topsy Hartsel was an excellent outfielder who batted .276 across a 14-year career the majority of which was spent with the Philadelphia Athletics. An outstanding leadoff hitter his lifetime on base percentage was .384 as he led the league in walks five times in his career including four consecutive seasons from 1905 through 1908. Small in stature but an excellent athlete Harsel was considered one of the best leadoff hitters of his era with an outstanding batting eye and excellent speed on the basepaths. Hartsel played his last Major League game in 1911. In 1936 Ford Frick and William Harridge began furnishing silver lifetime passes to players who had lasted between 10 and 20 years in the game with players lasting more than 20 years receiving gold passes (today silver passes are awarded for eight years of service). The first passes were issued by Frick in 1935 to George Wright and to Babe Ruth but by the end of 1936 the passes became commonplace for all veteran players. The practice continues today and is considered a badge of honor among players who have lasted so long in the ultra-competitive world of pro sports. Even today ballplayers receiving their lifetime passes are known to share them on social media as a display of pride. By any measurement Hartsel's professional career as a player did not last 20 seasons. He spent 14 years in the majors with parts of six seasons in the minors totaling 17 seasons as an active player. After his retirement he remained active in baseball but not at the professional level - he was a strong supporter of amateur baseball in Ohio up until his death in 1944. In other words we do not know why Topsy Hartsel has a gold pass and not a silver one. Just the same here is a silver pass originally sold at auction as part of a number of items from his estate. Unlike some it appears that Harsell used his pass as it does exhibit surface abrasion s and discoloration along the edges notably at the top. It is likely that the discoloration is a result of being stored in its leather wallet (also included) a thin folding wallet with a "T.F.H." monogram on the inside flap. The pass - and the wallet - display exceptionally well. It should go without saying that the gold passes are far more scarce than the silver ones as they were ostensibly awarded to fewer people. An exceptional pass very difficult to obtain from one of the premier leadoff hitters of the deadball era.