Immersive and unusual pose of infielder and sharp hitter Ezra Sutton, a veteran of pro baseball who set a number of standards for batting and fielding as a rookie during the National League's first year in 1871. His decorated MLB career would end after 1888, though he hung on with lower divisions until age 40.

The PSA EX 5 grade, as good as that is by N172 standards, plays second fiddle to Ezra's superior composition and image quality. The centering is a touch southward, with one tilted edge, a "feature" seen on many Old Judges. Specks of surface wear otherwise explain its technical score. The PSA population report shows six total graded, with none higher than this EX 5! It's likely to be a priority for those seeking clear images and interesting poses.

This card also appears as #448-2's reference image on page 401 of the Old Judge book by Miller, Gonsowski, and Masson. Love of the Game is proud to offer several cards seen in their outstanding work of research and presentation as part of our 100+ N172 listings.