Card Statistics
Helmar’s T3 series continues with Cy Young, shown in the uniform of Cleveland and captured in the follow-through of his pitching motion. The full-length composition gives the card a strong sense of movement, with Young striding across the infield against a simplified field and softly colored ballpark background. The restrained gray uniform, deep red stockings, and warm rose-colored sky give the image the broad areas of color and imposing visual presence associated with the large-format tobacco cards that inspire Helmar’s T3 series.
The original artwork was created by Charles Mandel in oil pastels. Mandel uses layered pastel strokes to model Young’s uniform and the turning mass of the figure while retaining the slightly softened edges characteristic of the medium. Subtle changes of gray describe the folds across the back, shoulders, and trousers, while stronger reds in the stockings, sleeve, and cap provide concentrated accents of color. The broad, almost atmospheric handling of the field and distant structures keeps attention on the pitcher and contributes to the intentionally aged, hand-rendered appearance of the finished card.
Cy Young was one of the foundational figures of major-league pitching and remains the holder of records unlikely ever to be approached. Between 1890 and 1911 he won 511 major-league games, completed 749, and pitched more than 7,300 innings. Young first established himself with the Cleveland Spiders, later starred for the Boston Americans, and returned to Cleveland late in his career. He pitched the first perfect game of the modern American League era in 1904 and helped Boston win the inaugural modern World Series in 1903. His stature was such that, beginning in 1956, Major League Baseball’s annual award recognizing outstanding pitching was named the Cy Young Award in his honor.
Numbered #2, this Cy Young card follows Casey Stengel in Helmar’s T3 series and brings one of baseball’s most monumental nineteenth- and early twentieth-century figures into the series. Produced in Helmar’s distinctive handcrafted tradition, the card combines original artwork, a historically significant subject, and an intentionally vintage presentation recalling the oversized tobacco issues of the prewar era.
Original oil pastel artwork by Charles Mandel.
- Description: Tossing
- Team: Cleveland Naps
- Population (# Sold): 20
- First Date Sold: 2012-10-16
- Latest Date Sold: 2023-12-27
- Card Status: Retired
- # Sold in past year: N/A
- Highest Auction: $ 198.00
- Average Auction Result: $ 67.35
Popularity Rankings
Visit these teammates on the Cleveland Naps in the T3-Helmar series
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