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Lot # 186: 1927 Eddie Bennett, "New York Yankees Hunchback Batboy" Incredibly Rare Photo

Starting Bid: $25.00

Bids: 20 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "November Collectors Auction 2021",
which ran from 11/15/2021 9:30 PM to
11/27/2021 8:00 PM



The 1927 Yankees are generally considered the greatest team in Baseball History and as such, collectibles associates with this team are highly sought after. Images of Ruth and Gehrig are relatively easy to find; its the short timers or the bench warmers who provide the most difficulty is locating. Enter Eddie Bennett, the popular 1927 Yankees "hunchback" batboy. Eddie lived a hard life, suffering a spinal injury as a baby in an accident that involved his baby carriage, then losing both parents to the Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1918. He became friends with 1919 White Sox player Happy Felsh and a result was invited to become the good luck charm of the team as its mascot. After the scandal that involved the White Sox, Bennett moved to the Brooklyn Robins in 1920 and helped them win the pennant. Seeing how "lucky" Bennett was, Col. Jacob Ruppert convinced him to come to the New York Yankees and help the team as its batboy and good luck charm. It worked! Bennett became friends with the players and even sat beside Miller Huggins o the bench and helped him form strategies. He is sometimes credited as being baseball's first "Bench Coach". The offered image of Bennett is dated 1922 and it pictures both New York Giants Mascot Billy Craig before the start of the World Series at the Polo Grounds. One of the only images of Bennett we have ever seen and it is a beautiful example. Issued by Pacific and Atlantic and with a stamp and full paper caption on the back, this is a fantastic piece of baseball history!

Size: 6.5x8.5
Designation: Vintage 1
Condition: 3.5/5
Quality: 5/5
Overall Grade: 8.5/10

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