Easily
the most popular of all the 1920s strip card sets, the W514 set of
1919-21 features a large checklist of 120 players. Issued in 10-card
strips, they were meant to be cut along dotted lines, separating each card. The
result - as with many strip cards - is a host of off-condition cards that
were often torn rather than carefully cut. As a result, miscuts and
poorly-shorn borders are common condition flaws. The flimsy paper on
which the cards were printed is also an issue, making high-grade examples
very difficult to obtain.
Chicago's Oscar "Happy" Felsch is the subject of this hand cut example with surprisingly nice centering, despite the uneven and misshapen borders. Gorgeous, bold colors overpower the light soiling on this one, and even soft corners and light surface abrasions can't take away the eye appeal of this important card.
Felsch was one of the participants of the Black Sox Scandal in the 1919 World Series and was banned for life from the game for his role. This, along with his 1920-21 Holsum Bread D327 example, would be Felsch's last appearance on a baseball card until the 1975 TCMA set.
SGC has only ever
graded 39 total examples of this W514, with only nineteen receiving a
higher grade than the Good 2 offered here of Oscar "Happy" Felsch.