From his humble beginnings as a poor textile mill worker in Greenville, South Carolina, to his alleged involvement in the 1919 Black Sox scandal that rocked the baseball world, the legend of Joseph Jefferson Jackson has polarized fans for generations. Lauded by his contemporaries as perhaps the greatest pure hitter to ever play the game – "Shoeless" Joe tragically remains permanently ineligible to join baseball's elite with a plaque of his own in Cooperstown. Though evidence strongly suggests Jackson played to the best of his ability throughout the 1919 World Series, the specter of his presumed collaboration with gamblers, along with seven other teammates, has cast a notorious shadow over his legacy for more than a century.

While Jackson's ultimate fate in the eyes of baseball historians is perhaps yet to be decided, collectors understand there is conceivably no persona more captivating. Love of the Game Auctions is proud to present this original 1917 large format Type 1 portrait photograph of Shoeless Joe Jackson from the Newspaper Enterprise Association photo service. As with many NEA photographic prints from this era, the presented example is oversized, measuring approximately 7" x 11" with a slight trim at the top edge. Though obviously tightly cropped from a wider shot, detailing remains superb with Jackson's weathered features distinctly visible. Overall condition remains exemplary with a clean and bright surface, though a faint crease is visible in the upper-right corner, well beyond the image's central focus.

The verso of the photo displays a handwritten identifier of Jackson in pencil, along with a September 29, 1917 date stamp - approximately one week prior to the start of the 1917 World Series where the Sox bested the New York Giants over six games. Another date stamp, from prior to the 1919 campaign, also appears towards the top. A historically significant photograph with massive appeal to several genres of collecting, this specimen has remained tucked away in a private collection for more than a generation, only now emerging to find a new home among the cornerstone pieces of one lucky collector's trove. Authenticated and Encapsulated as a Type 1 photo by PSA/DNA.