Hilton Smith appears on this Puerto Rican winter league card near the end of his almost unparalleled career as a two-decade star pitcher for Negro League and traveling teams throughout North and Latin America. His great control and pitch variety brought success in several leagues, even against MLB players during a pre-integration 1942 charity game at Wrigley Field, where Dizzy Dean's All-Stars faced Hilton's Monarchs.

SGC graded this PR 1 for its corner rounding, modest edge wear, and hole punch above the nameplate, something one could miss altogether on first glance. The punch hints at a redemption contest where Hilton's card proved important to getting a prize, as many of those lottery games allowed collectors to keep their "canceled" card. Current owners can be thankful it detracts little from a strong central image. The population report shows just ten examples graded!

The recent integration of Negro League records into MLB's canon places Hilton near the top of several career pitching marks, including win percentage and WHIP. While Cooperstown inducted Smith in 2001, baseball continues to add stats and stories from the Negro Leagues' long history, leaving a door open to elevate his stature even higher if new information comes to light.

Size: medium
Condition: yes