Card Statistics
Bob Lemon is presented in Helmar’s T4 series with Cleveland in a forceful pitching follow-through, his body driven low and across the mound as his throwing arm finishes near his front knee and his legs spread widely beneath him. The cream Cleveland uniform, dark cap with red “C,” black undersleeve, red piping, and dark stockings give the figure a strong club identity, while the sharply angled torso and long stride create a pronounced sense of forward momentum. Lemon’s eyes remain fixed toward the plate even after release, giving the pose the concentration of a pitcher finishing an aggressive delivery rather than merely holding a fielding position.
The original artwork was painted by Natalia Valiukavich in watercolor. The composition is built around a powerful diagonal that begins at Lemon’s rear foot, passes through the hips and shoulders, and continues down the extended throwing arm. That directional structure is what makes the figure appear to move across the picture rather than simply occupy it. Valiukavich uses the black undersleeve almost as a graphic arrow, sharply defining the path of the arm against the pale uniform and green field. The cream fabric is modeled with warmer ochres on the shadowed side and cooler gray-green notes where the light changes across the folds. Behind Lemon, the crowd is reduced to a loose band of mottled color, demonstrating how a watercolorist can suggest thousands of spectators through rhythm and broken tone rather than individual description. The simplified background also heightens the physical clarity of the delivery.
Robert Granville “Bob” Lemon became one of the dominant pitchers of the great Cleveland staffs of the late 1940s and 1950s. Interestingly, he entered professional baseball primarily as an infielder and outfielder before being converted to pitching, a change that transformed his career. A hard-throwing right-hander with a strong curveball and exceptional durability, Lemon became a central member of a Cleveland rotation that also included Bob Feller, Early Wynn, and Mike Garcia.
Lemon won 207 games during a thirteen-season major-league career and recorded seven seasons with at least 20 victories. He pitched a no-hitter against Detroit in 1948 and helped Cleveland win the World Series that same season, earning two victories in the Series. Lemon was selected to seven All-Star teams and led the American League in victories three times. He also contributed with the bat unusually well for a pitcher, hitting 37 career home runs. After his playing days he became a successful manager and later guided the New York Yankees to the 1978 World Series championship.
Numbered #79, the Lemon card presents one of Cleveland’s greatest pitchers in a low, driving follow-through that emphasizes the strength and durability for which he was known. The broad stride, extended throwing arm, dark undersleeve, restrained red Cleveland accents, and softly suggested crowd give card #79 a particularly forceful visual character within the T4 series. Lemon’s 207 victories, seven 20-win seasons, 1948 no-hitter, World Series success, and place in Cleveland’s celebrated pitching rotation make him one of the most historically significant pitching subjects in the issue. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976.
Original watercolor artwork by Natalia Valiukavich.
- Description: Wide stance, end of throw
- Team: Cleveland Indians
- Population (# Sold): 11
- First Date Sold: 2024-05-15
- Latest Date Sold: 2026-09-15
- Card Status: Active
- # Sold in past year: 4
- Highest Auction: $ 22.00
- Average Auction Result: $ 12.86
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Visit these teammates on the Cleveland Indians in the Helmar T4 series
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