In 2013, it was announced that the Pre-Integration Committee of the Baseball Hall of Fame had elected Hank O’Day, with Hank receiving 15 votes from the 16-member commission. O’Day, the only man in history to play umpire and manage in the National League, was an umpire in the first World Series in 1903, along with nine more Series during his 35-year career. It was Hank O’Day who made what is probably still the most famous “out” call in history – the one where Hall of Famer Johnny Evers produced the baseball and stepped on second base forcing out Fred Merkle in that infamous 1908 game. O’Day, who passed away in 1935, was also a serviceable pitcher in his younger years, compiling a 73-110 record over a 7 year career lasting from 1884 to 1890. It was in in 1889 that O’Day pitched for the champion New York Giants team that featured greats such as Buck Ewing, Jim O’Rourke, John Montgomery Ward, Roger Connor, Tim Keefe and Mickey Welch – one of the most famous 19th Century baseball teams. After the 1889 season O’Day’s career blossomed as he moved with his Giants teammates to Monte Ward’s player’s league – however more than 300 innings pitched took a toll on O’Day’s arm and after one season in the minors he became an umpire, working his first game in 1895.

The definitive guide to Old Judge baseball cards, The Photographic Baseball Cards of Goodwin & Company, was published in 2008, five years before O'Days induction. As such, he is not included in the book's scarcity list of Hall of Famers - however, our anecdotal evidence is that O'Day N172s are scarce in comparison to many of the issue's Hall of Famers - this is only the fifth we have offered.  A strong example with a slight registration issue causing a minor blur to the image and text, the technical grade is largely due to scrapbook damage on the reverse that creates a bit of waviness to the top right corner of the photo. Regardless, a clean example of a tough, recently inducted Hall of Famer.