Pitcher Earl Moore stands on the cusp of an unusual feat in 1910, leading his league in strikeouts (185 in 1910) just one year after leading it in walks (108 in 1909). Further research into 1910 National League games complicate this story, as it seems Christy Mathewson lacked credit for six strikeouts in a late-season 1910 game that would give Big Six its true title with 190. We look forward to people who specialize in the Deadball Era finding a way to work things out! One wonders if Earl and Christy themselves ever chatted about it.

Earl's distinctive card comes from a group of black-and-white proofs offered in this auction, all missing color ink passes during printing. SGC grades this variation as E97 Briggs Lozenge because they share a design and checklist, even if no Briggs advertising appears on card backs. The SGC FR 1.5 grade reflects some surface staining, modest corner wear, and creasing in each direction. Moore's pose remains otherwise clear and recognizable and his card's an accessible example from this tough set. Its population report shows just eight graded examples!