Hall of Fame outfielder Tris Speaker cocks his bat with intent, a distinctive pose seen on few other cards. Tris already ranked as Boston's best hitter by age 21 and soon paired with ace Smoky Joe Wood to capture the 1912 World Series.

Two hard-to-find sets share the checklist that includes this card: E94 George Close Candy of Cambridge, MA, and M131 Baltimore News of that Maryland city. The Newsboy series uses all blue backgrounds and its $1 giveaway for complete set collectors no doubt reduced cards in circulation today.

The SGC POOR 1 grade reflects its rounded corners, creasing, and modest surface spotting. Its checklist back remains clear and readable, a key factor for M131 collectors and its overall appeal. The population report shows four total M131 Speaker cards, so any example's a treasure!