PREACHER ROE Real Photo Postcard RPPC 1944-46 Pittsburgh Pirates George Burke

DATE: 1944-46

ORIGINAL or REPRINT: Type 2 Original - Printed from the original negative, but in a later period

TEAM: Pittsburgh Pirates

SUBJECT: Preacher Roe

PHOTOGRAPHER: George Burke

APPROXIMATE SIZE: 3-1/2"x5-1/2"

MARKS / STAMPING: Handwritten identification of photo's subject. Has standard postcard back but remains postally unused.

NUMBER OF PHOTOS: 1

COMMENTS / CONDITION: Offered is an approximately 3-1/2"x5-1/2" real photo postcard of Preacher Roe, pictured in his Pittsburgh Pirates uniform circa 1944-46. The original photo was taken by George Burke in 1944-46, but this card was produced some time later (no earlier than the 1950's judging by the standard Kodak back). Comes from a large collection of such postcards that we will be listing over the coming months, all having standard postcard backs but being postally unused. Wear on these, if any, is mostly confined to minor corner and edge wear, but see scans for further details including condition. We do not deal in stock images or modern reprints, and all scans shown are of the actual item being sold. If you have any questions about a particular piece, please ask before the auction ends.

BIO: Elwin Charles Roe was born in Ash Flat, AR and died in 2008 in West Plains, MO. He went to college at Harding College (now University). He played major league baseball from 938 to 954 as pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates and the Brooklyn Dodgers, appeared in the 949, 952 and 953 World Series, and was selected 5 times as an All-Star. The nickname "Preacher" came at age 3 when an uncle asked his name and Roe responded "preacher" because of a minister who would take him on horse-and-buggy rides. Preacher was still pitching in the majors at age 39, unusual at the time, and was the third-oldest player in the National League in the 954 season, his last in the majors. When asked to explain his longevity, he replied "Clean livin' and the spitball." He described his methodology in a 955 article in Sports Illustrated, "The Outlawed Spitball Was My Money Pitch", published a year after he retired. One can get a great flavor of 'Ole Preach', as he was called, by reading Roger Kahn's famous book The Boys of Summer. After baseball Preacher Roe lived in West Plains, Missouri, where for many years he operated a small grocery store and also has a street named after him (Preacher Roe Boulevard), which included US 60 north of the US 63 bypass until the city rerouted US 60 and Route 7 around 2000. US 60 still runs as Preacher Roe Boulevard south of US 63. A community ball field in Salem, Fulton County, Arkansas, 8 miles from Roe's birthplace of Ash Flat, is known as Preacher Roe Park. The book Carl Erskine's Tales from the Dodgers Dugout: Extra Innings (2004) includes short stories from former Dodger pitcher Carl Erskine. Roe is prominent in many of these stories.

SKU: GB10744

Item: GB10744

Retail Price: $12.95
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Sale Price: $4.95
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PREACHER ROE Real Photo Postcard RPPC 1944-46 Pittsburgh Pirates George Burke PREACHER ROE Real Photo Postcard RPPC 1944-46 Pittsburgh Pirates George Burke PREACHER ROE Real Photo Postcard RPPC 1944-46 Pittsburgh Pirates George Burke
PREACHER ROE Real Photo Postcard RPPC 1944-46 Pittsburgh Pirates George Burke
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