Before Monte Irvin took a pitch in the major leagues, he was already a superstar. One of the top players in the Negro and Cuban Leagues, he was actually widely considered to be the first to break the color barrier instead of Jackie Robinson as he was looked at as a far better player! The offered image from 1948 shows Irvin (Irving) in uniform with the Almendares club and this is his most famous image ever taken. This exact photo was used for numerous booklets, magazine covers, and even his Trinidad Baseball Card booklet as well! A fine touch here is it appears the back has also been autographed by "Irving" in 1948! Photo has some handling wear but it is the ONLY example of this famous image we know of in the hobby!
Size: 4x5
Designation: Vintage 1
Condition: 2/5
Quality: 5/5
Overall Grade: 7/10