Willie Mays photo on Mile High cover
 

Hi, Forum,

Figured I could get a quicker answer by tossing the question out here: does anyone know the details about the early color photo of Willie Mays that graces the cover of the latest Mike High auction catalog?

I thought the original type-1 would be available as part of their auction but it doesn’t seem to be.

Any specific info on date and photographer would be much appreciated!

Thanks,
Scott

For those of us who don't have a copy handy, could you post a pic?

Oops, didn’t realize not everyone received their copy yet. I’ll give it a shot!

Willie Mays photo on MH cover
 

Here’s the cover photo….sideways.

Rotate Right Man to the rescue! Now with new shrinky-dink option!

Brian

Wasn't that rotate left?

If there is one thing Rotate Right Man knows, it is right rotation.

Brian

You are right! I think my head is spinning from too many auctions :)

Naw, you just jumped in too soon. You were speaking off the (rotator) cuff.

Sometime and Somewhere in 1951 or 1952?
 

Based on the patch on Mays’ left sleeve, it would seem to indicate a very early 1950s date since it’s the same patch that appears on his 1953 Topps card.

Of course, Mays didn’t play a single inning in 1953, so I would assume it’s sometime and somewhere in 1951-52?

Ba-dum CHHH

The Mays photo is from 1951...

https://store.teampatch.com/19nale75anml.html

Great, thanks. Now we just need photographer, location, and if possible, exact date of photo.

This says Wrigley Field: https://www.ebay.com/itm/22427073241...Cclp%3A2047675

I think Wrigley might be right as the back left corner matches this photo of Wrigely from the 50s (see the green rectangle on the wall above the field to the left of the foul pole): https://i.pinimg.com/originals/30/61...e06afc924b.jpg

I believe that is Wrigley, which would lead me to think that the photographer might be George Burke or George Brace.

1951 Giants at Cubs
 

These are the 1951 dates the Giants were in Chicago....


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...c68a4c02_c.jpg

Not sure, but I think the photographer might be the great Ozzie Sweet.

The photo might very well have been taken by Ozzie Sweet. I pulled this photo out of a 1952 Sport Magazine.

I believe that patch is from 1951. It represents the 50th anniversary of the national league. You see it on many of the 52 Topps cards, including #1 Pafko.

In the 1950s Sport Magazine color photos, the photographers or photo service credit is usually on the page next to the color image.......the Mays image was in the November 1951 issue but the image is credited to Acme.


https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91f-TbTvz+L.jpg

I agree, it is from 1951, but the patch actually commemorates the 75th anniversary of the NL.

Ahhh...the same company that Wile E. Coyote procured all his gizmos from whilst trying to capture the Road Runner. Quite a diverse company.

I just recently came across a card that uses the exact same photo. The 1993 Ted Williams Card Company set put this one out.

There was no credit for the photo.