This photo of "The Old Perfessor" shows off his stately profile during younger (40s) managerial years leading Brooklyn and its R312 pastel style accentuates facial features that would age into a legendary, long-toothed leader of many successful Yankees and unsuccessful Mets seasons.

Clean examples of any R312 player prove hard to find, let alone in middle or high grades. The set's oversized (5 3/8" x 4"), paper-thin stock left them vulnerable to a whole range of issues. Stengel shows near-perfect centering, corners, and edges on its front. The back features a Hitchcockian profile picked up from wet ink of the sheet below during National Chicle's production process. It stands alone on SGC's population report at EX 6. with none graded higher! The wrinkle in its back scan blongs to an inner sleeve SGC added for protection during grading. Look for other standout examples of this classic 1930s set in our auction!