Card Statistics
Johnny Kling is presented in Helmar’s T3 series with Cincinnati in a broad, alert fielding stance, glove extended low and his free hand reaching outward as if directing or receiving a play. The deep blue uniform, red stockings, white undersleeves, and white cap create one of the more striking color combinations in the series. The pale green field and softly rendered ballpark structures behind him keep the composition open, while the blue-gray and rose sky gives the image a subdued atmospheric finish.
The original artwork was painted by Natalia Valiukavich in watercolor. She builds the blue uniform with layered cobalt and darker washes, using the folds of the shirt and trousers to give Kling’s stance weight and volume. The brown catcher’s mitt provides a strong warm accent, while the red stockings give the lower half of the figure additional color and rhythm. The background is handled more loosely, with the stands reduced to muted gray and brown shapes beneath a softly blended sky.
John Gransfield “Johnny” Kling was one of the leading catchers of the Deadball Era and an important member of the great Chicago Cubs clubs of the first decade of the twentieth century. He spent most of his career with Chicago, helping the Cubs win four National League pennants and World Series championships in 1907 and 1908. Kling was highly regarded for his defensive work, his handling of pitchers, and his strong throwing arm, while also contributing solidly at the plate. Over a 13-year major-league career he batted .272 with 1,154 hits and appeared in more than 1,100 games behind the plate. (Baseball Reference)
After leaving Chicago, Kling played for Boston before finishing his major-league career with Cincinnati in 1913. Even at age thirty-seven he remained productive, batting .273 in 80 games for the Reds and catching 63 games. His Cincinnati season gives this card particular interest because it represents the final chapter of a career otherwise associated so strongly with the Cubs dynasty. (Baseball Reference)
Numbered #115, the Kling card adds a major Deadball Era catcher to the T3 checklist and captures him in the comparatively uncommon Cincinnati portion of his career. For collectors familiar with Kling chiefly as a Chicago Cub, that late-career uniform makes this a distinctive treatment of a well-known early baseball figure.
Original watercolor artwork by Natalia Valiukavich.
- Description: Awaiting throw, catchers mitt
- Team: Cincinnati Reds
- Population (# Sold): 16
- First Date Sold: 2021-11-23
- Latest Date Sold: 2026-06-23
- Card Status: Active
- # Sold in past year: 4
- Highest Auction: $ 44.00
- Average Auction Result: $ 21.62
Popularity Rankings
Visit these teammates on the Cincinnati Reds in the T3-Helmar series
Click the Card # link to go to Card Info, Click the Player Name link to go the the Player Biography
