The first series of cards in the T206 set were issued beginning in
1909 in cigarette and loose tobacco packs through 16 different brands
owned by the American Tobacco Company. It is a landmark set in the
history of baseball card collecting due to its size and rarity, with
cards of over 500 major and minor-league players issued in the set
through 1911. It is known informally as the "White Border" set due to
the
distinctive white borders surrounding the quality color lithographs on
each card.
Pitcher Eddie Cicotte is far more known for his time with the White Sox, where he was one of the ringleaders and masterminds behind the throwing of the 1919 World Series. Depicted here as a member of the Boston Red Sox, Cicotte's white uniform provides a clean break from the gorgeous blue sky and green grass background. Nearly perfectly centered, rounded corners are consistent with the grade. Some light edge chipping on the right side and a scratch near the top right corner that looks like but isn't a crease keep this card from grading even higher than it has. The Piedmont back has a couple spots of soiling but is generally clean with bold printing.