Walter Johnson, The Big Train

[horzverti]

Here is one that Mr. Rogers acquired from The Sporting News Archive. He later tried to pass it off as an original Conlon Type 1 by applying a fake Conlon stamp and fake Conlon handwriting to the thin backing board on which this photo is mounted. I think collectors had reservations about its authenticity and it originally sold for much less than what a 1 should have sold for. I bought it after it changed hands a few times. In a beautiful twist of fate, it turns out that this is indeed a 1. Shining a bright light through the photo and the backing board, a legitimate and period Conlon stamp can be clearly seen on the back of the photo. The photo is trimmed and mounted, but is one of my favorites. Someday I will figure out how to remove it from the backing board.