The summer of 1941 in New York was filled with baseball, the Yankees running away with the American League and centerfielder Joe DiMaggio mesmerizing sports fans with a hitting streak that went on for nearly two months. Often considered one of baseball's unbreakable records, only one player has gotten within 20 games of DiMaggio's record of 56 straight since the beginning of the 21st Century. But the newspapers of Ohio had something to write about on July 17, as the Yankees faced the Cleveland Indians, and the legendary Yankee Clipper was shut down, going 0-for-3 with a walk against a pair of Cleveland pitchers - Al Smith and Jim Bagby - and some slick fielding by Indians third baseman Ken Keltner. Cleveland newspapers barely mentioned that it was the Yankees that won the game!
Presented here is an official Cleveland Indians scorecard from that game, along with a pair of grandstand ticket stubs, which have been stapled to the inside cover and first page. The 4-page scorecard is scored in pencil, the run and hit total for the Cleveland 9th filled in later in green ink. Similar green ink, though faded, notes the game score on the front cover, though the scorecard contains nary a mention of the streak. The scorecard presents extremely well, though the spine has long ago been reinforced with clear tape which has yellowed with time. Some minor wear is evident on the interior pages, consistent with use, including some corner wear and a few very tiny edge tears on the scorecard's back pages. Some surface wear and minor wrinkling is evident on the cover, along with considerable wear to the spine.
As mentioned, two ticket stubs have been stapled to the cover and inside page of the program. Though it appears clear that the ticket stubs are mementoes from the game, Cleveland grandstand stubs were undated, making it impossible to unequivocally date these stubs to the game. However, the patina on the staple, coupled with the obvious age of the ticket stubs make it, in our opinion, likely.
Regardless, this is an extremely significant program, scored by a fan who was watching the end of an historic hitting streak, one of the most newsworthy sporting events of the 20th Century. Past sales of similar scorecards have fetched well into the thousands, coupled with tickets often approach five figures. An exceptional piece, an official scorecard from the end of Joe DiMaggio's hitting streak, along with two stubs that almost certainly from the game.