With pro basketball not really taking off until after World War 2, the early leagues, which were hyper-regional and clustered in the Northeast, are virtually unknown to fans today. Ed Wachler, who began plying the hardwood before the start of the 20th Century, was a Center for the Troy Trojans who were the first dynasty of the Hudson River Basketball League and took home 7 straight titles from 1909-15. The earliest superstar in the pro game, he never played a lick of high school or college hoops and had a very successful Ivy League coaching career once he hung up his sneakers. Very few sets included any kind of Basketball cards before Sport Kings and this is considered to be Wachter's rookie card.
The Hall-of -Famer is seen in a PSA 5 holder, with a sunshine yellow background underpinning a fine portrait and the ghostly little black figures that adorn each card in the set. Nicely centered, the corners are just beginning to show wear at the tips. A little foxing is seen in three or four spots of the reverse,