It must have been hard to swallow for the New York Giants when finished 18-1/2 games back in 1909, with an excellent record of 92-61. But that record wasn't even good enough for second as the Chicago Cubs were 104-49, and the nearly unbeatable Pittsburgh Pirates finished first with an astonishing record of 110-42. The Bucs capped off their grand 1909 campaign by winning their first World Series championship.



Here we have a fantastic souvenir from the Pirates dominant season, with this 1909 official scorecard from the first season of play at Forbes Field. A vertical compacting fold, multiple stress lines along the spine, and moderate corner wear at bottom-right force a technical grade of (VG) for this antique gameday souvenir. Despite these moderate conditions, this program remains very attractive with a surprisingly fresh appearance overall. The spine is tight, the surface is clean, the colors are bold, and cover shows decent gloss.



The driving force for the Pirates, Honus Wagner is listed on the unused home team scoring grid, along with fellow Hall of Famers Fred Clarke and Vic Willis. The Pirates opponent in this scorecard is the New York Giants, whose scoring grid is also unused and lists Hall of Fame ace Christy Mathewson. Seen on the front cover are a photo of player-manager Clarke, a photo of the Pirates new home, and the legend "Forbes Field The Pirates New Ball Park, This is the Most Magnificent Base Ball Park in the World." Wagner is pictured in an advertisement inset on the third page, and the Pirates away schedule is printed inside the back cover.

Opening Bid $250.