Likely unique c.1944 Type I photo featuring Hall of Famer Ray Brown with Almendares of the Cuban Winter League. Inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006, Brown was a dominant pitcher who spent fourteen seasons with the Homestead Grays. Reported to be perhaps the greatest pitcher of his era in the Negro National League, Brown led his dynastic Grays to eight pennants from 1937-45, his teams capturing Negro World Series titles in both 1943 and 1944. Like many of his contemporaries, Brown played in the Cuban Winter League which was featured exclusively throughout the 100-card 1945-46 Caramelo Deportivo set of baseball cards. Brown's #30 card in the set, depicting a half-profile image of the Hall of Famer, remains the only baseball card of Brown to be issued while he was an active player. This fantastic, crystal clear photo of Brown served as the source image for that card, providing a much wider shot than it's 1 7/8" x 2/5/8" counterpart. Photo exhibits a crease within border at the lower-left corner with patterned toning on verso indicating this example was likely removed from an album. For the collector looking for the best in both high quality card-related Type I photos and Type I photos depicting Negro League stars, of which scant few exist within the hobby. Authenticated and encapsulated as a Type I photo by PSA/DNA.

Size: medium