Card Statistics
Jud Wilson is presented in Helmar’s T3 series with Homestead in a relaxed standing portrait, facing the viewer with a bat resting lightly in his right hand. The cream Grays uniform, blue cap, blue stockings, and large “GRAYS” lettering across the chest give the figure a strong Homestead identity. The pose is simple and direct, relying on Wilson’s presence rather than action, and the uncluttered field setting gives the card the quality of an early formal baseball portrait.
The original artwork was painted by Natalia Valiukavich in watercolor. She models the pale uniform with warm cream, yellow, gray, and muted blue-green washes, using deeper folds through the torso and trousers to give the figure weight. The strong blue cap, lettering, and stockings provide the principal color structure, while the warm brown bat creates a long diagonal at the lower left. The softly painted green field and hazy tree line are deliberately restrained, keeping Wilson’s figure dominant within the composition.
Ernest Judson “Jud” Wilson was one of the greatest hitters in Negro league history, known for his extraordinary batting ability and fierce competitiveness. A powerful left-handed hitter, he played third base and first base for a number of important Black clubs, including the Baltimore Black Sox, Homestead Grays, Pittsburgh Crawfords, and Philadelphia Stars. Wilson was renowned for hitting for both average and power and was widely regarded by contemporaries as one of the most dangerous offensive players of his generation.
His long career spanned much of the 1920s and 1930s and extended into the 1940s. Wilson repeatedly ranked among the leading hitters in Black baseball and played alongside many of the era’s greatest stars. His compact swing, strength, and ability to drive the ball to all fields earned him a formidable reputation throughout the Negro leagues.
Numbered #196, the Wilson card adds one of the most important Negro league hitters to the T3 checklist. The quiet standing pose contrasts with Wilson’s aggressive reputation as a hitter, while the Homestead identification connects him directly with one of the strongest and most historically important clubs in Black baseball. Wilson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Original watercolor artwork by Natalia Valiukavich.
- Description: Leaning on bat
- Team: Homestead Grays
- Population (# Sold): 7
- First Date Sold: 2024-07-10
- Latest Date Sold: 2026-08-11
- Card Status: Active
- # Sold in past year: 3
- Highest Auction: $ 95.00
- Average Auction Result: $ 50.00
Popularity Rankings
Visit these teammates on the Homestead Grays 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
